Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Papa, could you tell me a bedtime story?” Luz Noceda asked.

Her father smiled and sat on the side of her bed, careful not to hit the dent in the top bunk.

“Long ago on a distant world, roamed the Titans. The Titans towered over the seas of their world, and where they died, whole lands would be formed from their bones. From their death came new life, witches and demons who called the lands their home, and their world the Demon Realm. One day, the Titans were met by a being from the stars, a child who wanted to play with the baby Titans. The Titan children were happy to have someone new to play with, who could use magic like them to play games and have fun.

“But the child from the stars had siblings, the Archivists. The Archivists wanted all the knowledge of the cosmos for themselves, and they feared the Titans, who couldn’t be collected like any other life they had met. They feared what they couldn’t control, and so wiped out the Titans. The last Titan standing hid his only remaining son, and locked away the child from the stars, his anger boiling the seas.

His rage spent, the Titan lay in the sea, his body forming a new island for witches and demons to grow with the gift of his magic and all the possibilities that came from it.”

Luz had fallen asleep towards the end of his story, curled up like a cat, her shadow not matching her shape. Manny quietly stood up and left her room, where his wife stood at the door with a tired smile.

“All these years and I still wonder where you get these stories.” Camila shook her head. “I can only hope she got your imagination.”

Manny kissed her cheek. “And I hope she got your heart.” Camila gave him a forlorn look, the kind that they had both gained whenever they remembered something they’d rather keep to themselves.

After Camila went to bed as well, Manny slipped out of the house, a shovel slung over his shoulder. The light of the moon illuminated the woods near the house, a well-worn path to a twice-abandoned cabin. Two strikes of the shovel broke the floor plank, revealing a small ornate box. The scroll inside was easily decoded by one who had puzzles as one of his hobbies. It was a short drive to Old Gravesfield, and a longer trek through the almost supernaturally dark woods. Manny let out a horrendous cough, but steeled himself and kept moving, pulling a slip of paper out of his pocket. With a tap, the paper crumpled into a small floating light, growing brighter as it neared the source of the magic fueling it.

Reaching the shore of the waterlogged graveyard, Manny kneeled down and drew an array of circular glyphs in the dirt. Activating the spell with a tap, a bridge of sodden earth rose to part the water. Arriving at the center of the graveyard, Manny stood before the ancient stone arch, and began to dig, until he heard the ‘ tink ’ of metal on glass. Manny raised the buried vial to the moonlight, a pearlescent sheen around the deep blue liquid within.

Manny left the graveyard with his prize, the earth bridge sinking in his wake.

Returning home, Manny made his way to the basement, careful not to track dirt from his nocturnal excursion into the house.

In the Noceda basement, Manny had his worktable set up, a pair of ornate amulets concealed within the drawer. The silvery metal was worked into a set of bird wings for each amulet, an empty slot for a circular gem. The gems sat separate, a pair of glass ampules. Removing the stopper from the vial, Manny poured a few drops into each ampule, before resealing it, and pricking his thumb, allowing a drop of his own blood to drip into each vessel, turning the fluid inside a vivid purple. A brief application of fire sealed the ampules, and he placed them in their amulets.

Another coughing fit wracked Manny, and when it passed, he held up the completed amulets.

“I can’t be there for you much longer, but I can share this with you.” He said, placing the amulets in a jewelry box to present his wife and daughter. Manny took the box with him as he went to bed himself, kissing Camila on the forehead as he let sleep take him.

Several years later:

“Tiny trash thief!” Luz called as she chased the adorable brown owl who had stolen her book from where she had left it in the trash in a fit of disappointment. That book, along with the amulet tucked under her collar, was one of the last gifts her father had given her.

The little owl dragged the disproportionately large sack of salvaged junk and her mistakenly-discarded treasure along the path through the woods, towards the old abandoned cabin. Luz had heard rumors that the old cabin had been a site of witchcraft in the late eighties and early nineties, an attempt to condemn the witch hunters who had built it originally. Luz had been in there once, on a dare to ingratiate herself with a group of potential friends. She had seen no signs of witchcraft, only a pair of gravestones with no graves in the basement, along with the bare minimum of modernization. The potential friends had turned out to just be having a laugh at her expense, and the only one who had been sincere about the offer of friendship had moved shortly after. Though she never could shake the odd warmth she felt around the shack, and the faintest hints of sulfur and ozone.

Luz had always had a sixth sense for the unusual. The statue of the brothers in downtown Gravesfield always gave her an inexplicable sense of revulsion and sorrow, but her attempts to investigate further were cut short by a lack of concrete information, and the curator of the Historical Society accusing her of being a ‘Demon from Mars’. Thankfully, her mamá had been there, and Hopkins had been warded off with la chancla and a filed restraining order, but she still gave the Historical Society a wide berth. But Luz had more immediate concerns than a lone conspiracy nut or her own quirks, namely, the little owl that was stronger than its size would indicate, and her stolen book. 

Luz was expecting the scattered detritus and faded wood of the cabin. She was not expecting the flash of light and flare of warmth as she crossed the threshold, or to find herself in a large tent filled with junk in various states of repair. 

“Stop adorably hopping away, you--Huh?” Luz finally noticed her surroundings. Behind her, a wooden door frame stood free, a yellow-white glow filling the frame.

Luz stopped in her tracks, taking in the sights. “Whoa, I thought I had a lot of weird stuff.” Luz picked up some sort of chimeric doll by the coat hanger going through its head, which was creepy even by her standards. “But this? This is impressive.”

Luz heard a new voice. “Finally, you’re back.”

She dropped the doll back on the floor, nearly following it, before ducking back up and peeking through the entrance to the tent.

The owl had hopped on top of a wooden staff, and a chalk-white hand twisted the owl into a wooden carving that merged seamlessly with the staff. Luz’ eyes were wide at the display of what could only be magic. In her shock, she did not notice the faint brush of scales against her ankle.

“Now let’s see what we’ve got to work with.” The owner of the staff said, digging through the sack of scavenged junk. A smartphone, a sizable diamond ring, and a glowing golden grail were all discarded as garbage.

“Now this?” She pulled out a pair of novelty glasses with fake eyes on springs for the lenses and donned them. “This will make me rich.”

“And this…” She pulled out Luz’ prized book. “Well this will make good kindling.” She held the corner of the book over a nearby lit candle.

Luz bolted from her hiding space, swiping her book out of her hand fast enough to put out the flame, and quickly slipped it into its proper place in her bag.

“Excuse me, sorry, that’s mine, thank you!” Luz shouted as she ran back into the tent. The door slammed shut before she could cross the threshold, a cracked, golden cat-like eye gazing out as the door folded into a briefcase.

“You’re not going anywhere.” The woman took off the joke glasses, revealing a pair of narrowed gold eyes matching her scowl. In her hand was a wrought metal key with a matching eye to the door. In the back of her subconscious, Luz felt the same warmth from the key that she felt from her own necklace. 

Luz screamed, and ducked out the back of the tent. She was forced to skid to a stop before she went over the edge of a cliff, and was taken aback by the scene that greeted her.

The city below was medieval gothic in architecture, with a distinct biological macabre brush painted over the entire place. The colorful buildings were decorated with various arrangements of bones, teeth, and eyes. A massive cathedral sat in the center of the city, while more than a few disembodied arms reached for the sky, one of them catching a passing dragon. The red foliage, yellow clouds, and pink-violet skies were the final nails in her realization that she wasn’t on Earth anymore. 

Luz backpedaled from the cliff’s edge. “Oh, no, no, no, no! What’s going on? What is this place!?” Luz screamed as a pink fairy hovered next to her. “Oh, hello little fairy. Are you here to tell me this is all just a fantastical dream?”

The fairy’s maw opened wider than its body to reveal a set of massive jaws lined with jagged teeth. “Give me your skin!” The fairy demanded. Luz screamed louder and swatted the dermavore away.

“Where am I? Did I die? Am I in the bad place?” Luz gasped, quickly checking for her own pulse, before a hand grabbed her shoulder. She looked up to those same gold eyes.

“You wish.” The woman’s scowl turned into a wry smile, and Luz found herself on a stool in front of the woman’s stand.

“I’m so sorry! I just wanted my book back! If you’re gonna eat my skin, just make it quick!” Luz opened her eyes at the woman’s chuckle.

“Eat you? Why would I eat a potential customer?” The woman showed off her wares, the stand having a sign propped overhead reading ‘Human Collectibles’, with a foam finger pointing down at a bookshelf of discarded knick-knacks and other junk.

“Can I interest you in a human foot filled with holes?” The woman presented a green Croc. “A bar of green human candy?” A stick of deodorant. “Oh, oh! How about this black shadow box that reflects only sadness?” An old portable TV.

Luz laughed, tension washing away at the wildly inaccurate descriptions. “That’s not all it can do. Here, let me see it.” Luz picked out a pair of batteries that had been sorted into a tray as ‘human candy’, and quickly had the TV powered on, playing a jazzercise video that had the beings--in what Luz now realized was a market--enthralled.

A crowd had formed in less than a minute, making escalating bids on the electronic entertainment. The woman smiled at Luz. “What did you say your name was?” She asked, as she started taking people’s money.

“I’m Luz. Luz Noceda.” Luz replied cheerfully.

“Well Luz, that was pretty clever, for a human.” The woman complimented.

“That’s kinda a weird thing for another human to say.” Luz noted. The woman looked a lot like the ‘Marilyn’ who had been publically banned from most of the shops in Gravesfield.

The woman chuckled. “Oh dear child, I’m not like you.” She swept off her bandana, revealing a pair of long, pointed ears, before she stood up on the table.

“I’m Eda, the Owl Lady, the most powerful witch on the Boiling Isles!” Eda announced.

“A witch?” Luz’ eyes lit up, and her hand idly reached up to grasp her still-concealed necklace.

“I am respected, feared-” Eda was cut off as a massive gloved fist came down on the TV, smashing it beyond all repair.

“Busted!” The owner of the gloved fist shouted.

“Run, it’s a guard!” The crowd quickly dispersed in fear of the cone-masked figure. Eda hopped down from the table, her face once again in a scowl as the guard held up a wanted poster.

Luz noted that there were a lot of zeroes.

“Eda the Owl Lady, you are wanted for misuse of magic and demonic misdemeanors.” The guard ordered gruffly.

Luz peeked over the edge of the table, trying not to get the guard’s attention. “Whoa, witch criminal.” She whispered.

The guard grabbed Eda by the arm. “You are hereby ordered to come with me to the Conformatorium.”

Eda wrenched her arm free, more annoyed than anything else. “Would you guys quit following me around? I haven’t done squat, and this isn’t even your patrol, Crag.”

The guard grabbed Luz by her hood and lifted her in the air. “And you’re coming too, for fraternizing with a criminal.”

“Wh-What!? Let me go!” Luz shouted, her hands flailing as she tried to break his grip. Her nails raked the guard’s wrist, and he let her go with a hiss, as though burned. Luz hit the ground with a thud, the wind knocked out of her.

“Welp, time to go!” Eda declared, spinning her staff in her hand. Her entire stand floated into a small bundle she tied to the end of her staff.

“Whoops, can’t forget about this.” Eda pulled the magical key out of her hair and pressed the eye, causing the folded-up door to float out of the tent and join the wares in the bundle.

“Follow me human!” Eda started running, and Luz followed, barely keeping up with the witch’s longer stride.

“This is crazy!” Luz shouted. “If I die here, my mom’s gonna kill me!”

“Ha!” Eda laughed. “I won’t let ‘em hurt you. A human like you is much more valuable to me alive than to them dead.”

“Wait, what’s that supposed to-” Luz was cut off as Eda leapt into the air, pulling Luz with her onto her staff as they left the ground and guard behind.

“You can open your eyes now, human.” Eda said. Luz hadn’t realized she’d shut them and was crying from the wind.

“Flying staffs, crazy monsters, you’re a witch! What is this place?” Luz asked, trying to get her bearings.

“This is the Boiling Isles.” Eda answered. “Every myth you humans have is caused by a little bit of our world leaking into yours.”

They were over a forest of red pine-like trees, various winged creatures flying behind and below. One of them swooped up close enough to make out the features, a vaguely feline build with the gray wings and head of a pigeon.

“A griffin!” Luz noted, her awe giving way to vindication when it opened its beak to release a torrent of spiders. “I knew it!” Luz pointed.

Eda smiled. “Yep, griffins, vampires, giraffes….”

“Giraffes?” Luz asked.

“Oh yeah, we banished those guys. Bunch of freaks, and that’s saying something.” Eda chuckled.

Luz had a contemplative look on her face as she realized why she had always felt something off about the giraffes at the zoo, some mix of fear and kinship. 

As she had been talking, Eda had also been lowering their altitude until the staff was floating only a couple feet in the air, the witch stepping back onto solid ground.

Luz noticed that her hand was still holding the staff, disconnected from the rest of the witch. Luz recoiled as the hand moved on its own, falling off the staff in her panic, but getting back on her feet instantly.

“Oops, that happens sometimes.” Eda screwed her hand back on like it was no big deal.

“Well, as fun as getting into a high-speed chase on a flying staff was, I think I’m all adventured out now.” Luz said, trying to suppress the instinct that being there felt right . “So, can you help me get back home?”

Luz found the owl end of the staff leveled in front of her.

“Only if you help me first.” Eda stated, swinging the staff and the bundle still tied to it over her shoulder as she strode off. “Ah, now come along, human.”

Luz quickly caught up, only to stop with a gasp of awe.

The white brick house with sloping blue roof and a massive stained glass eye gazing out gave off a presence both ancient and eldritch to the human, the broken stone tower attached to the back evocative of the arcane abodes from her favorite books. Luz looked back at the eye-shaped window, simultaneously intimidated and comforted.

Luz managed to break her impromptu staring contest and look over her shoulder for any signs of pursuit. “Aren’t you worried about those guards finding us?” She asked as she followed Eda.

Eda smirked. “Nope. My house has a state-of-the-art defense system.”

The owl-faced door knocker came to life. “Hoot-hoot! Password please!”

“Uh, hoot?” Luz offered. The owl’s beady brown eyes lit up, before his face extended from the door on a tube of brown feathers, which quickly circled Luz in an approximation of a hug.

“New friend!” The knocker exclaimed, while Luz struggled for breath.

“Knock it off Hooty, let her go and let us in.” Eda ordered, poking the owl-tube in the eye. 

“All right, all right!” Hooty uncoiled from around Luz, who took a few gasping breaths. “Fine, I just wanted to have some fun today. Yeesh! Ow! Hoot!” Hooty complained as the door swung open. 

Once inside, Eda snapped her fingers, causing a number of candles to light up and illuminate the space. “Welcome, to the Owl House…”

Luz’ eyes were drawn upward, to a carving on the ceiling whose lines were filled with light. The human could almost hear a bird-like screech from the one-eyed owl, and her hand went to her necklace without any conscious thought, only noticing as she turned to pay attention to Eda continuing her introduction.

“...where I hide away from the pressures of modern life. And also the cops. Mm, also exes who don’t get the hint. 

Luz admired the living room, briefly noting how the walls seemed to move subtly on their own, as though breathing as she set her book down on a surprisingly empty coffee table. On the wall behind the couch was a massive wanted poster with a staggering number of zeroes.

“This place is beautiful. Do you live here all alone?” Luz asked, still in awe.

Her question was answered with thunderous footsteps. “Actually, I have a roommate.”

A horned shadow became visible on the wall of the hallway. “Who dares intrude upon I…”

The owner of the shadow emerged, voice gaining a few octaves. “...the King of Demons!”

Luz had never seen anything cuter in her life. The skull-headed demon had a ducky towel wrapped around his waist with a matching cap, and a rubber duck held aloft, the serious look in his eyes only making him more adorable in her eyes.

“¡Ay que lindo!” Luz exclaimed, sweeping the little demon into a tight hug. That subconscious sense of kinship returned in full force as she cuddled the little guy. “Eda, he’s so cute! Who’s a widdle guy? Who’s a widdle guy? Is it you? Is it you?” Luz cooed.

King squirmed in her grip. “No! I don’t know who your little guy is! Eda, who is this monster!” He demanded.

Eda stepped in, pulling Luz back by her waist. “Oh, this is Luz, the human. She’s here to help us with our…situation.” Eda set her down once she’d calmed down a degree.

King’s wariness shifted to joy, while Luz looked more uncertain. “Oh! Hooray!” the little demon exclaimed.

“Wait, wait, wait. I don’t really like the sound of this ‘situation’.” Luz clutched the strap of her bag out of nervousness.

“Just, let me explain.” Eda offered, before drawing a circle of light in the air. Within the circle, an image formed. “King here was once a mighty king of demons, until his crown of power was stolen, and he became…this.” Eda gestured to the demon in question, now once again wrapped in Luz’ arms, and seemingly resigned to the girl’s cuddling.

“You mean this little bundle of joy?” Luz gestured with her chin. Eda continued her narration, the storybook illustrations following.

“The crown is being held by the evil Warden Wrath in his Conformatorium, behind a magical force field that only a human can break.” Eda’s illusory mural faded, and she pointed at Luz. “A human like you. If you help us retrieve his crown, we’ll send you back to your realm.”

Luz finally let King go as she contemplated her offer.

“So whaddya say?” Eda asked. “Plus, who can say no to this cute little face.” Eda held up King by his scruff.

“Please don’t encourage her Eda.” King whined, and the witch set him down.

“I mean, we are kinda your only way home, unless you’ve got a portal of your own.” Eda added.

“So it’s not really a choice, is it?” Luz asked.

“Nope.” Eda cheerfully replied as she picked Luz up and carried her over her shoulder.

She saw King talking to his rubber duck as they headed out. “Soon, Mr. Ducky, we will drink the fear of those who mocked us.”

“Uh, what’s this ‘Conformatorium’ you said the crown is being held in?” Luz asked.

“Somewhere super fun!” The witch cheerfully answered.

The Conformatorium did not look fun, unless one’s concept of fun was dark stone and darker storm clouds, with the main decorations being repeating arches and a staggering number of wanted posters.

“This here is the Conformatorium, a place for those considered unsuitable for society.” Eda explained as they landed.

Luz picked up a wanted poster of Eda from underfoot. “Whoa, these guys really have the hots for you.”

“Yep, but we’ve never been caught ‘cause we’re so slippery.” Eda bragged.

King chimed in. “Try to catch me when I’m covered in grease! I’m a squirmy little fella!” He flopped down from his perch atop Luz’ head, before standing back up and pointing at the spike-crowned tower looming overhead.

“You and I will sneak up to the top of the tower, where they’re holding my crown.” King explained his part of the plan.

“And I’ll make sure the warden’s all nice and distracted.” Eda explained her role.

Luz gasped in realization. “Will I need a disguise?” She asked excitedly.

“Uh…” Eda responded, not having thought through hiding any of their identities.

“I’ve been waiting to use this.” Luz flipped her hood on, flicking the cat ears up. “Meow, meow.”

“It’s hideous.” King complimented.

“Oh you’ll fit right in.” Eda noted, as she summoned a disk of solid light on the ground beneath Luz and King. The platform rose through the air until it reached an open window, while Eda drifted up on her staff. 

“Meet you at the top of the tower!” Eda called out as she flew higher. The platform vanished, and Luz scrambled through the window, flopping over with the opposite of cat-like grace.

“Ha-ha! Cats don’t do that.” King laughed at her clumsiness as she sat up and got her bearings. The inside of the tower was one massive spiral of cells, most of them filled, judging by the glowing eyes peering out from behind the bars.

The occupant of the nearest cell noticed them. “Hey, cat lady, how’d you get out of your cell?”

Luz stood up and took off her hood, exposing her human ears. “Oh, no, no, no. I’m not a cat. Also, not a criminal.”

“Not yet, you’re not.” King commented.

“Neither are we.” The imprisoned witch said. She wore a deep indigo dress that complemented her dark hair, which was tied in a ponytail. The witch also had a pair of prominent fangs, which made Luz remember what Eda had said about vampire myths having come from the Boiling Isles. The witch’s hazel eyes lit up as she talked. “The warden just likes locking up whoever he feels like and can get away with and call it quota.” The witch pulled out a journal. “Like, I write fanfics about food falling in love.” She opened the journal to her work, complete with fairly well-done artwork. “I like food, I like love… Just let me write about it!” 

“I can think of a couple fandoms that might appreciate that.” Luz half-whispered.

The prisoner in the next cell spoke up, a demon with light gray-blue skin and five eyes. “I’m here, because I like eating my own eyes.” The demon proceeded to demonstrate by plucking out one of his eyes and swallowing it, where it promptly rolled back to refill the socket.

“We are agents of fwee expwession!” Another prisoner shouted, a small, round demon with long red hair. “They will never siwence us!”

“Oh yeah, Tiny Nose there is really big into conspiracy theories.” The witch introduced the third prisoner in the block.

“The world is a simulation! We are but playthings for a higher being!” Tiny Nose squeaked, and Luz felt a chill run down her spine. She knew first-hand how dangerous conspiracy theorists could be, recalling a certain curator who was paranoid about invaders from Mars, but the simulation theory was one of the less dangerous ones in practice.

Luz started pacing as she gathered her thoughts. “Wait. These aren’t crimes. None of you actually did anything wrong. You’re all just a bunch of weirdos…” Luz looked at Eda’s wanted poster, showing a terrifying and inaccurate version of the witch she had met mere hours ago. “...Like me.” 

Her train of thought was derailed by the sound of thunderous footsteps.

“It’s Warden Wrath! Hide!” The witch in the first cell ordered. Glancing around, Luz saw an open cell opposite the prisoners she had been talking to, and quickly ducked into it, dragging the open cell door down to pretend there was nothing unusual going on.

A door slammed open, revealing the warden. Eda’s illusion had not done justice to the intimidating presence of the figure who had just entered the cell block. Warden Wrath was massive, his outfit a terror-inducing blend of a medieval jailor or asylum orderly with the cowl and mask of a plague doctor. A triangular emblem was pinned to his coat, matching the sigil on his wrist, the gold a contrast to the gray-purple of his skin. 

“I can hear you.” Warden Wrath said, his voice a chilling growl. Luz whimpered in fear, slamming her hands over her mouth to keep quiet.

“Just what are you fools whispering about?” He stepped on the poster Luz had dropped in her hurry. “Ah, the Owl Lady.” There was a creepy undertone in his voice as he crumpled the poster and slammed his fist-turned-hammer into the nearest cell door, which happened to be one Luz was cowering behind. Before he could take a closer look at the occupants of the cell, Tiny Nose spoke up, getting the warden’s attention.

“Fight against the oppwessor! We will wesist! We will conquer! We will never be afwaid of you, you old creep!”

Warden Wrath turned away from the cell Luz and King were hiding in to set his full attention on the tiny demon, opening her cell.

“Hooway! I’m fwee!” Her freedom was short-lived, as Wrath picked her up in one massive hand and holding her aloft at the other prisoners.

“Let this be a lesson to all of you. There’s no place in society for you if you can’t fit in and tow the line.” Wrath punctuated his statement by squeezing the demon in his grip like a stress toy, and stomping out of the cell block, the door slamming closed in his wake. 

Despite the damage to the cell door, Luz was able to raise it enough to get out of her unlocked cell.

“Don’t worry, I can get you out of here.” Luz tried to open the fanfic witch’s cell, but the lever refused to budge. “No! My weak nerd arms!” Luz despaired.

“Just get out of here while you still can, kid. Enjoy freedom for us.” The witch walked deeper into the shadows of her cell. Disheartened, Luz left the cell block with King, making her way to the top of the tower. 

Eda caught up to her. “Hey, I just checked. The warden is distracted, tormenting some tiny creature. He won’t be coming around here anytime soon.” Then Eda noticed that Luz wasn’t saying anything as they neared the massive door labeled “Contraband”.

“My crown!” King exclaimed. “It’s close! I can sense its power!” King ran for the door and jumped onto the doorknob, trying to open the door.

“Aw, he gets so cute when he’s thirsty for power.” Eda commented, trying to cheer up the human.

“It’s not fair that they’re all in here. They just want to be themselves. Why does everyone think that being a weirdo is so bad?” Luz asked, and Eda’s heart ached at the sense of rejection she could hear in her voice.

“Luz…” Eda’s attempt to comfort the human was cut off by King’s grunt as he managed to take the doorknob off to open the door and rush through to the room where his crown was. “...Come on, before he hurts himself.” Eda finished, shepherding the teen while King ran repeatedly into the barrier, being repelled with a painful zap each time. 

“We have a human, remember?” Eda pointed out before King could charge the barrier again.

“Oh, yeah.” King remembered.

Luz stepped up to the barrier, and pressed her hand against it. It felt like a waterfall of the pins-and-needles static she got when her arms or legs fell asleep from sitting wrong, but she was able to push through the barrier. Then the barrier touched her necklace, and shorted out. Luz stumbled at the sudden lack of resistance, while Eda and King looked on intrigued. Luz shook her head, and climbed the pile of confiscated goods, before her eyes landed on the crown, incredulity becoming visible on her face as she picked it up and made her way down, sending most of the pile tumbling in her wake.

“My crown!” King shouted joyfully, cheerfully donning the ring of printed cardstock. “Yes, yes! I can feel my powers returning!” He pointed at a stuffed bunny that had been knocked loose from the pile. “You there, nightmare critter. I shall call you Francois and you shall be a minion in my army of darkness.” He picked up the rabbit with a laugh.

“That crown doesn’t give him any powers, does it?” Luz turned to Eda.

“Uh, no.” Luz’ stare turned into a glare, while the witch looked sympathetic.

“Oh, look at us, Luz. King and I don’t have much in this world. We only really have each other. So if that dumb crown is important to him, it’s important to me. And besides, us weirdos have to stick together, you know?”

Luz’ face lit up at her words of comradery, feeling truly understood for the first time in years.

“Well, we owe you one, and I have questions about how you took out the barrier, so let’s bounce before the warden finds us and loses his head.” Eda finished.

“Too late.” The chilling voice of the warden declared, before an axe blade severed Eda’s neck, her head flying into Luz’ hands as the human screamed.

“Ow!” Eda shouted, still very much alive. “Oh, I hate it when that happens.” Luz screamed even louder.

“Eda! Are you okay?” Luz asked, completely out of her element. 

“Yeah, this just happens when you get older.” Eda explained.

“Does it?” Luz asked. She’d seen her detach and reattach a hand with casual ease, so it made a morbid sort of sense that she could do the same with her head, but the experience was no less disconcerting.

“Finally.” Warden Wrath said, shifting the blade back into a hand. “I have you cornered now, Eda the Owl Lady.” He stole King’s crown off his head. “My guards could never get you, but I knew if I took your pet’s toy, you’d come running.” In a show of casual cruelty, he crushed the paper crown beyond repair.

“No! My power!” King wailed as the guards walked up and restrained him.

“What do you want with me?” Eda demanded. “I’ve never actually broken any of your stupid laws… in front of you.”

“I want you…” The warden pulled out a bouquet of flowers and got on one knee. “...to go out with me.” 

“What?” Luz’ voice was flat with disgust, drowning out Eda’s confusion.

“Go boss!” One of the guards cheered, earning a glare from the human and a thumbs-up from his superior.

“You’ve always eluded our capture. You’ve always been the one who got away. I found that alluring.” Wrath explained.

“I hate everything you’re saying right now.” Luz interjected.

“You stay out of this!” Warden Wrath cast the bouquet aside and lifted Luz into the air with a mass of rubbery tentacles.

“So how about it, Owl Lady?” Wrath picked up Eda’s fallen head by the hair. “The most powerful witch on the Boiling Isles and the feared Warden Wrath. We’d be the strongest power couple ever. I mean, it’s not like you can say no right--” Whatever he was saying devolved into a scream of pain as Luz’ nails raked over the golden sigil on his wrist. Luz landed on the ground, followed quickly by Eda’s head, while the warden clutched his wrist. 

“Aaargh, you impudent wretch!” The warden roared. Luz scrambled for something to use against the enraged demon, and her eyes fell on Eda’s staff laying on the ground where she dropped it when she lost her head. With Wrath’s attention split between Eda’s head and his own pain, she was able to slip behind him and pick up the staff while Eda’s body managed to find her head and pop it back on. 

Staff in hand, Luz took careful aim and swung. The owl’s eyes glowed purple as a similar aura coated both staff and wielder the moment before impact, a burst of warmth radiating from her necklace and filling her veins.

Warden Wrath collapsed as the staff connected with the back of his skull, and a wave of power rang out, knocking the guards to the floor, allowing King to squirm free and rejoin the witch and human.

“Dang kid, that was impressive.” Eda complimented, while Wrath tried to climb back to feet, only for Eda to catch him on the shoulder with her heel, sending him back to the ground. “You had your guards stalk me, you stole from my family, and then you cut off my head! I am never going out with you.” Eda spat, before turning to partners in crime.

“Let’s get out of here.” Eda suggested, as the guards started getting back up. Luz quickly got on the staff, and was trying to figure out how to get it to fly.

Eda got on behind her, King climbing on her shoulder. “Gun it, Owlbert!” The owl on the end of the staff hooted as his wings flared out and they took flight.

“Owl Lady, I won’t let you get away again!” Wrath roared behind them as they barreled through the corridors. As they neared their point of entry, Luz had an idea, spurred on by adrenaline and the warmth she felt empowering her.

“Eda, lend me a hand!” She called out. The witch did as she said, and together they were able to open the cells they passed.

As they flew back through their point of entry, they were pursued by Warden Wrath, whose malleable form allowed him to swipe at them with a tentacle that sent them off course as they lost altitude. All three of them managed to roll as they hit the ground, though King complained about his bones.

Warden Wrath slammed into the ground in a four-point landing, climbing to his feet and shifting his hand into a blade again.

Eda pulled out the portal key and shoved it into Luz’ hand, before sitting her on the staff. “Luz, go back to the Human Realm.”

“What about you guys?” Luz asked, as Eda charged the warden with a pair of golden spell circles that turned into bolts of lightning.

“If you think this guy is bad, you shoulda seen her last boyfriend!” King called back as he joined Eda.

“Not my boyfriend.” Eda dodged the warden’s blade-hands, leaping back to where Luz still was. “Go! Get outta here!” Eda shouted as she slapped the back of the staff, sending Luz back into the air.

Warden Wrath tore his mask off, revealing a face that was mostly lipless jaws filled with sharpened teeth, a small pair of beady yellow eyes just barely visible above his maw. A stream of fire flew from his maw as he roared, and Eda spun another pair of spell circles into existence, returning the fire to its sender, which sent Wrath flying back into the nearest wall and putting a hole in it. Wrath shrugged off the impact like it was nothing, and charged Eda and King.

Luz drifted to the hole in the wall, seeing the prisoners she had just freed standing there, frozen. 

“Why are you guys just standing there? This is your chance to escape!” Luz pleaded.

“The warden’ll just catch us, he always does.” The larger demon said morosely.

“We belong here.” The fanfic writer looked down.

“Self-doubt is a pwison you can never escape fwom.” Tiny Nose muttered.

Resolve hardened in Luz’ eyes.

“So you have a different way of seeing things, a different way of doing things. That might make you weird, but it also makes you awesome. Don’t you see? Creeps like Wrath want you to give up and conform, but I won’t let him tell me how to live my life.” Luz encouraged.

“Why are you helping us? We’re just a bunch of misfits.” The fanfic witch asked.

“Because us weirdos have got to stick together!” Luz shouted as took off again. “And no one should be punished for who they are!” 

Their cheers were encouraging, and she felt that warmth from her necklace again.

“Now let’s get ‘em!” Luz charged.

Eda had to admit, Wrath had her on the ropes. Between keeping King safe and the stress from her decapitation, she was starting to run low on magic and stamina. It didn’t help that Wrath had the durability to match his strength.

Which was how she found herself knocked to the ground, King being thrown into her arms while Wrath loomed over her.

“No more running away, Owl Lady. Today I capture you once and for all!”

Eda curled protectively over King, only for another voice to ring out.

“Go, go, go, go!” Luz shouted as she and the prisoners she had freed barreled into Warden Wrath.

A sharp whistle of visible sound threw Wrath back, a Bard trick that gave Eda a hint to who that girl’s mentor was.

Five-Eyes cast a strength-boosting spell on himself, roots growing over his feet to anchor him as he shoved Wrath off-balance with a battle cry of “I eat my own eyes!”

Tiny Nose tripped Wrath up. “I think the worlds are a twiangle!” She put a fireball right in the pressure point of his knee.

Another whistle kept Wrath on the ground. “And I practice the ancient art of fanfiction!”

Wrath was flipped over, and his arms tied behind his back with both their own tentacles and some conjured vines. Luz descended to the ground in front of the struggling warden.

“You!” Wrath growled. “Who do you think you are?”

A breeze seemed to spontaneously manifest around the human as she pointed at her opponent.

“Do not underestimate me, Warden Wrath, for I am Luz, the human, warrior of peace.” Luz reached into her bag and pulled out a bundle that had Eda’s eyes gleam at the recognition of a fellow agent of chaos.

“Now eat this sucka!” Luz used Owlbert to bat the bundle of firecrackers directly into Wrath’s mouth, where his fire breath ignited them.

The warden managed to get to his feet, running away as the fireworks went off around him.

“Nice work kid.” Eda complimented the human. The prisoners introduced themselves. The bard was Katya, the pentaclops was Birch, and Tiny Nose answered to Tinella. Eda remembered Birch from some school function ages ago, and she’d seen Tinella chatting with Hooty on occasion.

As they left the Conformatorium (with an extra hole blown through the outer wall for good measure), King had to provide his own commentary.

“That was actually one of her better breakups.” He joked.

“Not a breakup, he was never my type anyway.” Eda countered. The human chuckled, her spirits clearly lifted by rallying her fellow outcasts against the Emperor’s Coven.

Eda took the key back when they returned to the Owl House, summoning the portal.

“Well, a deal’s a deal. Let’s go ahead and get you home, Luz.” Eda said.

“Before I go…” Luz dug through her bag, pulling out a doll and taking the crown off it. “I know it’s not the same, but a King shouldn’t be without a crown.” She put the tiny plastic crown on top of his skull.

“This shall suffice.” King accepted, before trying to order a nearby plant around.

“Don’t wanna forget this.” Eda handed Luz the book she had put on the table, along with the pamphlet that had gotten on top of it. The girl had risked the wrath of the Owl Lady to get her book back, so it wouldn’t do to leave it behind.

The human looked at the pamphlet, then her book, then the mirror above the fireplace. Her expression brightened, and she turned around.

“Okay, I know you got your head cut off, and started a prison riot, but this was the most fun I’ve ever had.” Luz began.

Eda blinked owlishly.

“Look, I don’t fit in at home. You don’t fit in here. If I stay, maybe we could not fit in together.” She crumpled the pamphlet. “I’m not going to summer camp.”

Eda chuckled in confusion. “What’s summer camp? What are we talking about here?”

Luz was beaming. “I want to stay and become a witch, like you and Azura.” She held up the book that kicked off the whole adventure, depicting a witch with green hair, a white and purple dress, and a staff with a teardrop-shaped crystal on the end.

Eda laughed at what she was suggesting. “What? Alright, that’s crazy. Humans can’t become witches.” She pushed the book back towards its owner.

“Maybe that’s because they haven’t tried.” Luz countered. “If you teach me to become a witch, I’ll do anything you want.”

King pulled at her dress. “Let her stay! She can make us snacks.” He stage-whispered the last part. She smiled back and picked up the little demon.

“Well, I could use a hand keeping this goofball out of the cupboards. Alright, I’ll teach you how to be a witch. But you have to work for me before you learn any spells. Deal?” Eda held out her hand to shake on it. Luz chose to seal the deal with a bone-crushing hug.

“Gah! What’s going on?” Eda was not used to such affection, nor the maternal feelings it brought out.

“Too tight! Too tight!” King exclaimed. The human was clearly stronger than she appeared. 

When Luz finally let them go, Owlbert landed on Eda’s shoulder and hooted a question.

“Oh yeah, and you can tell us what the deal was with shorting out the barrier and boosting Owlbert.” Eda asked.

Luz looked lost, and her hand went to something hidden under her collar. She took a deep breath, and pulled out an ornate necklace.

“I think…I think it was my necklace. It was a gift, and I was told it would keep me safe.” Luz explained, cautiously allowing Eda to look at the jewelry. The metalwork was a fine alchemical silver shaped into a pair of owl wings. The jewel in the center was an ampule of glass, filled entirely with some purple fluid.

“Well, you have just become a mystery, Ms. Noceda.” Eda stood back up and yawned. “But it’s getting late, so we’ll deal with this mystery tomorrow. There’s an open storage room up the stairs to the left.

While Luz got settled in, Eda made her way to her nest, donning her sleepwear with a snap and downing an elixir to replenish the magic she spent fleeing the guards and fighting Wrath.

As she lay in her nest, one thought tickled at her mind, an echo of recollection trying to percolate to the surface, now given the chance.

“Noceda, where I heard that name before?” Eda whispered to herself as she closed her eyes.

“Oh Titan.” Eda’s eyes shot open as she remembered.

Lilith Clawthorne marched into the Conformatorium. The Construction Coven was already present, the night crews hard at work repairing the two holes in the walls left by her sister’s latest break-in. The fact that less than a dozen prisoners escaped in the chaos was a minor miracle to the Coven Head, but she had a bone to pick with the demon in charge.

“Hoxton Wrath!” Lilith shouted as she kicked open the doors to the warden’s office. The warden had his mask off, and a medi-witch was tending to a number of small burns on his head. The demon looked up at his latest intruder, and promptly cowered as far as he could in his straight-backed throne of a chair.

“Would you care to tell me why I am being told that you tried to coerce the Owl Lady into dating you?” Lilith demanded. Wrath opened his mouth, only for Lilith to hold up her hand.

“No, I don’t want to know what you were thinking. Just tell me how this backfired and Edalyn managed yet another jailbreak?”

“She had a human with her!” Wrath answered.

“A human? A human kept my sister from being captured?” Lilith asked.

“At least that’s what she claimed to be. She shorted out the security barrier around the contraband storage, and her talons damaged my coven sigil.” Wrath explained.

“Damaged…your coven sigil?” Lilith asked, an eyebrow raised. The warden presented his wrist, several shallow scratches across his mark of loyalty to the Emperor’s Coven. Where the scratches crossed the sigil, the gold appeared to have burned away. Lilith was shocked.

“The same thing happened to Crag when he tried to bring the human in.” Lilith was brought out of her shock by what the warden had said next.

“What did this human look like?” Lilith demanded. 

“Tan skin, golden-brown eyes, dark hair. Round ears, of course. Maybe fourteen if humans age like witches?” Wrath described as clinically as possible. “She had fireworks on her, and was able to use the Owl Lady’s staff.”

Lilith’s eyes widened, before she schooled her expression to the stoicism expected of Coveness Clawthorne. “Thank you Hoxton. Tend to your wounds, and I expect your report on this latest incident on my desk tomorrow morning. Good night Warden.” Lilith swept out of the room, marching to the nearest balcony before flying towards the castle on her staff.

“A human, or a witchlet under a concealment stone?” Lilith mused, no one to overhear her while she was in the air. “Or a half-human. I know Edalyn has vanished for months at a time in the past, though not recently. And the sigils…did she inherit the curse? It was supposed to sap her magic. Could it have mutated into warping magic that it touches? No, then she wouldn’t have been able to wield Edalyn’s palisman. But could it be something specific to the coven sigils? It must be. Hold on dear sister. I will see to it that the Emperor cures both you and your daughter.”

King woke in the middle of the night, looking around. The human was curled around him on her sleep cocoon. What should have been suffocating instead felt secure in a way he had never felt, except those times he had ended up in Eda’s nest after a nightmare.

But it wasn’t a nightmare that woke him tonight, it was the feeling of being watched. Seeing nothing that could be watching him, he nestled down and went back to sleep.

He did not perceive the single golden cat-like eye gazing upon him and Luz through the reflection in the window with affection.

Chapter Text

Betrayal stabbed at Luz’ heart as she felt the illusion pricking at her mind, the poisoned honey of the Puppeteer’s words dripping in her ears while Eda and King fought for their lives.

The day had started well enough for her. She had woken up to the reddish-orange sun shining through her window, the memories of the prior day filling her dreams. She had greeted the morning with optimism, even getting a “Good Morning!” back from the resident sea-dweller.

After the mishap with the bathrobe and traffic cone hat, she had gotten her first taste of Boiling Isles cuisine with a griffin egg omelet (the eggs had a richer flavor than chicken eggs, and went well with the hot sauce from the Human Realm that Eda and King apparently had a taste for.) After breakfast, Eda had promised that she would learn magic after she helped with her potion deliveries for the day. 

Delivering potions for Eda had been…disheartening, King’s critical commentary not helping her keep her optimism. Getting nearly eaten by a doorbell had certainly not been on her itinerary.

Then the last client on Eda’s list had offered her a mystical quest and called her the Chosen One, and she could not have resisted. Fourteen years of not fitting in in the Human Realm, having a sixth sense for the strange and an affinity for animals, and the odd sense of kinship she felt with King, all together made the idea that she had some grand magical destiny so appealing.

But Adegast had been deceiving her to get to Eda. The enchanted gifts her traveling companions had given her were a trap. The Celestial Staff, a dead-ringer for the one wielded by Azura, had dissolved into dust in her hands. 

Now Adegast’s illusions surrounded her, while Eda and King were bound by the cephalopod demon’s tentacles. 

“Stay with us, Luz. Stay with Adegast. We need you here. You could be our Chosen One.” Nevareth, the Shonen cliche, said.

“Yeah, you could eat our tiny foods forever.” Princess, the stereotypical fairy, offered. 

“Luz, why would you want to live in a world where people laugh at you?” Nevareth asked. 

That was the crux of it, wasn’t it? In the Human Realm, Luz had been laughed at by her peers and scowled at by adults for her quirks. On the Boiling Isles, Eda and King had laughed at the idea of her being a chosen one.

“It is beautiful here.” Luz said. She heard Eda call out to her.

“And you guys think I’m special.” The puppets drew closer. 

A fire sparked within Luz. That same fire that ignited at the Conformatorium, that bone-deep burn that filled her veins. Her eyes shot open and she bared her teeth.

“But it’s not real!” Luz growled as she rejected the illusion. The shackles and ropes binding her shattered into nothingness as she lunged for her sword, brandishing the plastic weapon.

“I am a Witch’s Apprentice, and I’m going to earn my staff the hard way.” She declared. “I believed you, magic man. Now feel my wrath!” Luz charged the wizard puppet, plunging her sword into its sparkly robe.

Eda was stunned by her apprentice. The human had managed to reject the Puppeteer’s illusion, that purple aura enveloping her again. This time, Eda could see the violet glow filling her pupils, as her sword carved through the puppets like it was actually made of metal.

And the one-liners she spouted as she took down the puppets only made Eda more convinced to use the bloodline-testing potion she had started brewing that morning. She knew first-hand that humans didn’t have magic like witches or demons, and yet the power radiating from the girl was undoubtedly arcane. It didn’t seem to be conscious on her part, but that only furthered the mystery that was Luz Noceda.

Luz was surprised that Adegast shrank when his head was punctured, and even more so when Eda ate him alive. She was slightly disconcerted that her first thought was that she would have added some soy or tartar sauce.

“Oh, did you want some of that?” Eda asked. Luz had to consciously shake her head.

“No. I’m just confused.” Luz admitted.

“Thinking of calling it quits, huh?” Eda asked.

“This place isn’t what I imagined.” Luz answered.

Eda looked at her with sympathy. “Hmm. Maybe not here, but come with me. I’ve got something to show you.”

Eda smiled as she showed her apprentice the beauty of the Isles as a whole.

“The bones of the Isles.” Eda presented. “Up close, they can be slimy--”

“And very stinky.” King interjected. 

“And gross. But if you look at it from a different perspective…” Eda continued.

“It’s beautiful.” Luz said, awestruck, then a look of realization or revelation came over her.

“Wait, the bones of the Isles, a fallen Titan?” Luz muttered before she gasped. “This is the Demon Realm!” She exclaimed.

“What about it?” Eda asked, curious as to how she knew that term.

“My-my dad told me stories about a Demon Realm where the land was made of fallen Titans.” Luz explained, and Eda’s eyes went wide. 

“What are your parent’s names, kid?” Eda asked, hoping she wasn’t being too blunt.

Luz looked down, fiddling with her necklace. “My mama’s name is Camila, and Manny was my dad.”

Eda felt her heart drop at the use of past tense. Making a decision, she wrapped an arm around the girl’s shoulders to comfort her. The human leaned into the touch, allowing her to silently grieve. 

“Hey, Eda?” Luz asked after a few minutes. “How did you know that wizard was lying?”

“Look, kid, everyone wants to believe they’re ‘chosen’, or that their suffering was in the service of or at the behest of some higher power. But sometimes bad things just happen, and we have to deal with them as they come. And if we all waited around for some prophecy to make us special, well, we’d die waiting. And that’s why you need to choose yourself.” Eda smiled at her apprentice. “And while you may not be some mythical ‘chosen one’, you are certainly extraordinary.”

Luz looked up at her, wiping the silent tears from her eyes. “Do you really mean that?”

“Honestly, you’re a mystery, Luz, and I intend to help you figure out who you are, and as your mentor, help you become the witch you want to be.” Eda answered.

Luz responded with one of her now-signature hugs.

Returning to the Owl House, Eda whipped up a plate of sandwiches before heading to her potions lab to check on her special project.

The simmering concoction was a pearlescent blue, perfectly primed for testing. Removing the flask from her alembic, she dropped in two hairs. One long gray hair from Eda herself, and a shorter brown hair she had surreptitiously plucked from Luz’ head that morning. Shaking the potion to agitate it, the pearlescent blue turned into a watery gray.

Not a match.

Eda let out a sigh of relief at having dodged the drama of being an unintentional deadbeat parent.

That still left the mystery of just what was going on with Luz, and how Manny Noceda knew about the Demon Realm, but hadn’t mentioned the Isles themselves to his daughter.

She could have sworn they had kept their magic and any mention of other realms hidden back then.

“One step forward, three steps frozen.” Eda said to herself, disposing of the spent potion and washing her equipment so she wouldn’t forget later and accidentally blow up her lab…again.

Tomorrow was a new day, and a new chance for answers, after her biweekly beach combing. Hooty had mentioned a new trash slug washing up not too far from the Owl House, and those were always goldmines for human treasures.

When Luz was told she’d be spending the morning at the beach, she was not expecting the giant fresh carcass washed ashore with Human Realm detritus spilling from a lamprey-like mouth.

“Well, Luz! Did you ever in your life think you’d see something as breathtaking as this?” Eda gestured to the carcass.

“Breathtaking is certainly one word for it.” Luz grimaced as she held her nose to try and block out the smell of rotting salted rubber.

“Oh yes,” Eda inspected the giant lump on the sand. “It doesn’t get much more inspiring than the humble trash slug. It makes a home, a life, from what others have thrown by the wayside.” Eda demonstrated by pulling a rubber chicken out of the creature’s mouth. “Until blam! It gets blasted by a wave one day and the salt makes it choke on everything it couldn’t digest. And then we get to pick out what’s left to make a tidy profit.” Eda finished her spiel by brandishing a pickaxe.

“Please don’t make me.” Luz cringed.

King, meanwhile, decided to take advantage of being on the beach for some sunbathing.

“Aw, come on Luz. It’s not every day you get to go to the dump and pick apart a garbage carcass.” King snarked as he set out a small beach towel to lay on.

“Ah, nuts to you both.” Eda retorted as she readied her first swing.

“So, Eda…” Lus tried to get her mentor’s attention, and winced at the sound of glass shattering as the pickaxe cracked through something in the dead trash slug. 

“What if we tried some new lessons for my apprenticeship?” Luz asked. “Like…reading ancient scrolls or mixing together some powerful potions, or--”

Eda groaned as she tossed discarded junk about. “Ugh, that sounds like a bunch of magic school garbage.”

Luz’ eyes lit up. “Wait. Is there a magic school here? Like, winding towers, cute uniforms, dark plots that threaten your life kind of magic school?”

“Mm-hmm.” Eda confirmed. “What’s worse, they force you to learn magic the “proper”, restricted way. But magic isn’t proper, it’s wild and unpredictable. And that’s exactly what makes it so beautiful. I didn’t finish school, and look at me! Who wouldn’t envy where I am now?” Her argument might have been more convincing if she wasn’t standing hip-deep in a trash-filled carcass surrounded by flies, and her audience wasn’t fighting to keep down her breakfast from the smell.

Eda noticed her apprentice’s crestfallen expression, she decided an impromptu lesson might raise her spirits.

“Uh… Hey, here’s a lesson.” Eda dropped her pickaxe and made her way back to her apprentice, who was standing near a puddle of bile. “A great witch is resourceful, like this.” She took Luz’ hand and plunged it into the bile. Luz sealed her nostrils as best she could as she dug around through the puddle until her hand closed around something hard and round. 

“Oh, hey, a greasy slimeball.” Luz was less than impressed at the walnut-sized object in her hand.

“Use your slime ball wisely, young witch.” Eda replied sagely, closing Luz’ hand around the piece of detritus before standing. “You never know when you need something like that. Now, back to it! We’ll hit the stink nodes first, get that over with.”

“Actually, if it’s okay, I think I’ll head back home and look at pictures of animals that are still, you know, alive.” Luz slowly backed away.

“Love you, King, you little beach peach.” Luz gave the demon a belly rub with her clean hand before making her way towards the path through the woods.

A convenient pond allowed her to wash the slug bile off, and she found herself wandering the red-leaved woods.

“Ugh, if magic’s all about digging for slime balls, maybe I just don’t have the stomach for it.” Luz groused as she pocketed the slime ball.

“You can do it! You can!” A voice spoke.

“Mysterious voice of encouragement?” Luz asked, following the voice to its source and spying the speaker through the purple bushes.

Luz gasped in surprise. “No! Little witch girl.” She noted. The witch in the clearing looked to be the same age as Luz, a couple inches shorter and stockier in build, with fair skin and green eyes. She wore a gray tunic with a black mantle and belt, with orchid purple sleeves and leggings, with similarly coal-colored boots. She wore a pair of round-framed glasses, and her hair was a navy blue and cut in a neat bob.

The witch was pacing in the clearing in front of a wagon with some kind of ceramic pot or cauldron. “You can do it. Even if you get a bad grade, it’s not a reflection of you as a witch. And papa’s right, there’s more opportunities on this track. Now get to school!” She hyped herself up and stepped forward, accidentally crushing a flower underfoot. Her confidence fled her as she realized what she had done. “Oh no! Oh, little friend! I’m sorry!”

She kneeled in front of the crushed flower and traced a green circle in the air over the plant. Sparkles like pollen fell from the circle, and the flower perked back up and bloomed. Luz gasped at the display of magic. The witch girl’s ears wiggled as she heard something approach.

Another wagon rolled into the clearing, propelled by the magic of the witch sitting on top of it. The new witch wore the same outfit as the first girl, with a similar build to Luz, but sharper features. Her chin-length green hair was pulled back in a small ponytail, and her golden eyes were focused on a book titled ‘Dream Interpretation for Non-Oracles’.

The wagon stopped, and the girl took notice of her surroundings. “Oh, Willow! Almost rolled into you.” The girl said to Willow, who promptly wilted as much as the flower she had just healed.

“Hi, Amity.” Willow said, standing back up.

Amity noticed the near-identical wagon next to Willow. “Uh, shouldn’t you get to class early to prepare your…” The pot on Willow’s wagon rattled and tipped over, spilling its contents over the ground, a runny purple fluid with scattered chunks of denser material, and a single eye with a sulfur-yellow iris floated by her feet.

“Oh, Willow, you don’t have anything to show, do you?” Amity asked with the slightest hint of sympathy.

“Witch drama!” Luz whispered from her hiding place. While Willow pulled her cowl up to hide her blush of embarrassment.

“Why are you even in the Abomination Track, Willow?” Luz almost didn’t notice the gem around Amity’s neck flash and her expression darken before her own pot rattled. “Oh, looks like someone wants to say something to you.” She took off the lid to the pot, before snapping her fingers. “Abomination, rise.” Amity commanded.

The purple sludge, much more viscous than Willow’s, rose, forming a humanoid shape, with two thick arms, four-fingered hands, and three asymmetric orange pinpricks of eyes over a gaping mouth.

The abomination leaned out of the pot, tracing a dark purple finger on Willow’s forehead. “You’re…a…star.” The abomination groaned, leaving a purple star of inky sludge when it drew away.

“Aw, it’s like mine.” Amity tapped the golden badge pinned to her cowl, ‘Top Student’ etched into the star. “But much smaller and meaningless. As top student it’s my duty to tell you to keep at it.” The glow faded from her necklace, and her expression shifted to one much more sympathetic as she wrapped an arm around Willow’s shoulders. “And as your friend, I’m obliged to tell you that you might do better in one of the other tracks.” 

Willow swatted Amity’s arm away. “We’re not friends, Amity, you made that abundantly clear yourself.”

Amity looked down and snapped her fingers again. “Abomination, cower.” The abomination slithered back into its pot, while Amity started manually pushing her wagon.

“See you class, superstar.” Amity parted.

Luz looked at the departing witch with a mix of derision and concern. The girl was clearly a bully, but that flash of light…It was like her entire personality had shifted to a full ‘mean girl’ persona.

Willow had not noticed the flash, and her anger was reaching a boiling point.

“Oh, see you class, superstar!” Willow growled, wiping the slime from her forehead. “I hate it when she does that!” The wind kicked up and Luz could taste the crackling power filling the air.

“I hate making abominations. I hate getting bad grades. Aurgh! I can’t stand this anymore!” Willow ranted, her eyes snapping open. Her eyes had become pools of burning emerald. The wilted flower was buried beneath the thorned vines that erupted from the ground, writhing around her as they glowed with the magic that summoned them.

Luz did not notice the vine snaking behind her until it had wrapped around her ankle, and she had suddenly left the ground, being dangled in front of the enraged witch.

As swiftly as the anger had ignited, it was just as quickly doused when Willow realized she had caught an innocent bystander. The glow faded from her eyes, leaving them their normal olive-green. The vines dropped Luz to the ground while Willow stammered.

“Oh, no, no, no, no! I’m so sorry!” Willow drew another spell circle, and the vine-like roots receded.

Luz rubbed at her leg, the skin around her ankle only slightly bruised. “It’s okay, the thorns only went through a few layers of skin.” Luz joked. Willow was suddenly in her face, looking at her features.

“So… circly.” Willow notices Luz’ ears, which she promptly covered with a squeal.

“You’re human!” Willow gasped. “This is astounding! A human on the Boiling Isles!” Willow helped Luz stand back up, before she circled around Luz. “How’d you get here? What are you doing here?”

Willow’s questions were cut off by a distant bell, and she flinched, her excitement fading. “Uh, I’m sorry. I can’t stay. I have to go disappoint my teacher. It was nice to meet you, human.” Willow half-waved as she tried to get her spilled abomination back into its pot.

Luz rushed after her. “Wait! I’m Luz, and you’re Willow, right?” Luz introduced herself properly. “What you did with that flower and those plants, that was just…wow!” 

“Thanks,” Willow blushed. “But…I’m not even supposed to be doing plant magic. My dads put me in the abomination track at school.”

“Like, magic school?” Luz lit up as she grabbed Willow’s hands. Willow nodded, and Luz’ smile grew.

“That’s so cool!” She gushed. “I’m so jealous. I have a teacher, but her lessons are kinda… untraditional. I bet she wouldn’t even let me enroll there. But I wish I could spend at least one day in magic school.”

Willow commiserated. “I wish I could get a passing grade for once. Maybe then people would stop calling me ‘Half-a-Witch Willow’.” Willow kicked the ground, eliciting a groan from her abomination puddle.

A brilliantly chaotic idea bloomed in Luz’ mind.

“Hey, wait. I know how we can both get what we want.” Luz picked up a couple handfuls of the watery slime and slapped it over her hoodie. “Make me your abomination! I’ll get you a good grade, and you can give me a tour of magic school. It’s fiendishly clever.”

“What?” Willow asked, bewildered.

“I saw that girl’s thing. It’s just chunks of stuff that talks weird. I’m chunks of stuff, and I talk weird!”

Willow giggled. “That’s true…It’s a deal, Luz.” They shook on it, only remembering that Luz still had abomination goo on her hands after they had accidentally glued their hands together. 

“Oops. Abomination goo.” Willow noted. Luz managed to wrench herself free, proceeding to roll in the abomination slime on the ground before climbing into the pot, now covered head-to-toe in the purple sludge.

“This is a great plan.” Luz said as Willow wheeled her down the path toward her school.

Amity had not had the best morning. She had woken from what could only have been a nightmare, but one she had never encountered before.

She had been a watery black void, a single glowing eye watching her from a horned skull with a sense of judgment.

Then she had been thrown into that memory, the worst day of two lives. The day she had broken her best friend’s heart, as well as her own.

When the memory ended, she found herself in front of that judging skeleton, now noticing the massive wings of bone framing it carving out a portion of the void for them to occupy. Amity screamed into the void.

“What do you want from me!” Amity had screamed. When she woke up, there were tears streaming down her cheeks. 

It was barely sunrise when she woke, and she had just enough time before her presence was required at the breakfast table to slip out and visit the Library, checking out a book on dream interpretation. She had managed to get back home in time for a tasteless breakfast of whatever Odalia considered fancy, and then spent the rest of the morning finishing her project for Intermediate Abominations. It had three eyes, but they were all on its head, so she’d still get full credit. She would not let one little nightmare ruin her perfect grades. Her mother would expect no less.

On the forest path to Hexside, she had run into Willow, who’s abomination had given up the ghost and fallen to watery mush. Amity could never figure out why Willow’s parents had her join the Abomination Track. One of her fathers may have worked for Blight Industries, but there were eight other tracks Willow could have gone for that she had seen her have at least a modicum of success in. At least in another track, Amity would have to go out of her way to antagonize her, which she could reason against doing.

She had even tried to suggest as much to Willow that morning, but the words of her mother echoed in her head.

“Mittens, what are you doing with Willow ?”

Amity could feel the chill of the psion stone around her neck being used, and hastily turned her attempts to lift Willow up into a backhanded mocking encouragement that satisfied the Blight matriarch, while leaving both witchlings stewing in shame and anger. 

The whole time, Amity could not shake the feeling of that judging eye watching her.

Then she made it to school, and had more important things to worry about, namely maintaining her academic standing.

Her classmates had not had anything resembling her success, but Amity couldn’t blame them when her mother had already sabotaged them. Odalia had Blight Industries buy out all the rubedo sap in Bonesborough before the week had begun, denying them the stabilizer that kept the abomination goo recipe that was being taught from separating without active magical input, something she had only found out when Edric mentioned it as she was leaving for school, with the sales receipt as proof. Mary, the second in class behind her, had too many toes in the wrong places, and Professor Hermonculus was being particularly critical today. When the threat of extra homework was levied, Amity had offered to go next to spare the class the work. Hermonculus had turned her offer down, instead picking Willow. Amity groaned, not liking extra homework more than anyone else, and not looking forward to Willow being embarrassed again.

Then she noticed the glowing eye from her nightmare in the glass of the window.

Luz had been observing Willow’s class, seeing how the other abominations acted while she figured out how to best put on a show.

When Willow was called up, she waited for her cue.

“Don’t listen to them, Willow. We got this.” Luz encouraged, and Willow nodded in acknowledgment.

“Uh…Abomination, rise.” Willow practically squeaked the actual command. Luz punched the lid off the pot she had been sitting in, and flipped out with the practiced ease of someone who had tried out for her school’s cheerleading squad and only been rejected for them not being able to handle a few eyelid tricks.

“Ta da!” Luz announced in that groaning voice she had heard Amity’s abomination use. If she was the top student, then hers was clearly the example to follow.

The rest of the class gasped in awe.

“Abomination, bow.” Willow ordered, some confidence returning to her.

Luz took a deep showman’s bow.

“Very impressive.” The professor complimented. “But does it speak?”

Willow gulped, while Luz draped an arm over Willow’s shoulder.

“You’re…my…A…mom…in…ation.” Luz groaned out, putting her voice acting lessons to good use.

The professor clearly enjoyed puns, while the students ‘aw’ed at the display.

“A-mom-ination! Ha! Splendid wordplay!” The professor clapped. “Your textures and color could use a little work, and its a bit rigid, but this is certainly ‘A’ material.” The professor wrote an ‘A’ on Luz’ forehead, and the entire class clapped, some in cheer for Willow, some just happy to not have extra homework.

Amity looked wide-eyed, before her gaze narrowed into something resembling suspicion.

That could be a problem.

Amity presented her abomination, and got an A plus, right before the bell rang, or more accurately, screamed. Luz got the feeling that most technology on the Boiling Isles was based on some sort of biology. 

Luz was worried when she saw Amity discussing something with the Professor, but then she saw Amity showing some sort of receipt, and Luz decided it must be something unrelated. 

Willow’s next class was Elemental Applications, which was one of the General Education classes, meaning there were students from multiple tracks present, allowing the human to learn more about how magic was taught at Hexside. She could start to guess what Eda had meant about schools restricting magic, since the students were divided into nine tracks based on what kind of magic they practiced, aside from what she could guess were a few general spells that everyone needed to know. She also learned how each track had a different color. The orchid purple was specific to the Abomination Track, while a darker purple marked the Oracle Track. Bard Magic was a Track, identified by their red uniforms, with Beast-Keeping being orange and Construction brown. Potions were yellow, Illusionists like Gus wore blue, and witches in the Plant Track wore green. Luz did not miss the wistful look on Willow’s face when they passed the greenhouse. 

Elemental Applications was a goldmine for Luz’ fledgling lessons in magic, and she took extensive notes. The Titan’s five humors of earth, bone, blood, bile, and breath would certainly be useful in understanding magic. Though the talk about spell phlegms went right over her head.

The next period was Lunch, where she got to meet Gus again, and clear up a few of the kid’s misconceptions about humans.

“So you don’t have gills?” Gus asked.

“Nope.” Luz cheerfully answered. “If we want to swim underwater, we have to hold our breath.”

“Fascinating.” Gus commented. 

“Do humans eat PB&J’s?” Gus asked, offering a half of his sandwich.

“Oh my gosh, yes please!” Luz replied, descending into the pot with her lunch. For some reason, her appetite had only increased in the few days she’d been on the Boiling Isles.

“I don’t know Gus, if Amity saw that…” Willow warned.

Amity coughed behind her. “A-hem.”

Willow swung around to face the green-haired witch. “Amity, what are you doing here?” Willow asked meekly.

“I just came by to congratulate you for your work today.” Amity said.

“Oh…thank you, Amity.” Willow said, feeling like she was walking on eggshells.

“Tell me, what’d you use to replace the rubedo sap? There was a shortage this week that Hermonculus didn’t know about, and he’s offered an extension.” Amity said. Willow gulped.

“Oh, you don’t say.” Willow replied nervously.

“Just this once, you’re off the hook.” Amity started walking away.

“And just so you know, Abominations don’t eat.” Amity threw over her shoulder.

Luz peeked over the edge of the pot. “Oh, she’s onto us.”

After lunch, Willow carted Luz back into the Abominations classroom, now accompanied by Gus. Luz clambered out of the pot.

“Weh! I’m a sweaty little abomination.” Luz said as she stretched. “But our plan worked! High five!”

Willow and Gus looked at her in confusion.

“Slap my hand, it’s a human thing.” Luz demonstrated. Gus hesitantly joined in, swiftly getting into the spirit of the human expression of celebration. 

“Oh man, what a rush!” Gus cheered.

Then Amity entered the room, accompanied by a witch with an air of authority and fancy robe that could only mean he was the principal. Luz flopped bonelessly to her knees.

“Principal Bump, sir.” Willow stammered.

“Good afternoon, students.” The principal greeted. He was an older witch, with a black academic gown with a golden yoke and trim, a blue stole with Hexside’s crest on the end, and most interestingly, some sort of imp over the top half of his head. Luz wondered if they had seeing-eye demons on the Boiling Isles.

Principal Bump stepped closer to examine Luz’ disguise.

“Hmm. Abomination, rise.” Principal Bump ordered. Luz slowly rose to her feet, looking increasingly nervous.

“Abomination, lie.” He ordered.

“Uh, viral fame is a worthy pursuit. Your cat would never eat you if it got the chance. Chemtrails are real--” Luz spouted nervously before being cut off.

“Oh, no, abomination. I meant lie down. How strange for it to get the command wrong.” Principal Bump mused. Luz gulped as climbed onto the table with a whimper.

“So very lifelike.” He noted, before turning to Willow. “When Miss Blight told me about your impressive abomination, I had to come by to see what she’s made of.”

“Oh, I have her recipe right here.” Willow pulled out a slightly crumpled piece of paper.

“Oh, no, that won’t be necessary. I was thinking of something a little more hands-on.” Principal Bump drew a jagged dagger from his voluminous sleeves.

“Weh?” Luz gasped, her breath quickening. Her eyes darted around, until falling on an orchid-colored symbol on the Principal’s wrist, on the same hand that held the knife. She remembered her first day on the Isles, with the guard and the warden.

Rolling over, she swept her hand out, fingers curled like claws. Her nails raked over the sigil, and the principal dropped his dagger and recoiled, clutching his hand. Her momentum took her over the edge of the table, and she landed belly-first on the floor, getting her feet under her just enough to begin bolting for the door. 

Luz froze, locked in place by the abomination goo covering her. Turning her head with great effort, Luz saw the principal holding a green spell circle. Fighting the hardening abomination goo, her hand reached up her necklace as her heart raced, blood rushing through her ears. Her fingers wrapped around the metal and glass, and that now-familiar warmth flooded her veins.

Amity thought the intruder Willow had brought in as her abomination was handled when Bump trapped her with the slime disguising her.

Then the intruder growled, a snarling sound that sent her hackles rising. A thin violet aura formed around the intruder, separating the abomination goo from her skin.

“Weh!” The intruder shouted, as the abomination goo flew off her to throw Amity and Bump backward. Willow grabbed the intruder’s arm, and ran from the room, followed by Willow’s illusionist friend.

Amity’s back hit the wall and she glanced up.

Her heart nearly stopped when she saw that same haunting golden eye, now joined by a skeletal hand pressed against the glass of the window.

Then Amity blinked, and the eye and hand were gone.

“They’re getting away!” Amity shouted as she got to her feet.

“The intruder won’t get far.” Principal Bump grunted, looking down at his wrist before drawing a large spell circle against the wall, ancient arrays of runes manifesting as the school’s security spells were activated.

Luz, Willow, and Gus skidded to a stop at a corner, panting from the exertion, the witches out of breath and the human’s adrenaline rush fading.

“This is all my fault, Willow.” Luz caught her breath first. “I just wanted to see what a real magic school was like.”

“Well, how did you like Hexside?” Willow asked.

“It’s lovely, actually.” Luz answered candidly, earning a giggle from all three of them before Willow focused on the matter at hand.

“Okay, we should get out of here before Bump seals us in.” She suggested, a few seconds too late, as red barriers and arcane script filled the halls, locking off sections of the building.

“Run!” Gus shouted, pushing his friends ahead of the barrier spells before being caught behind one himself, not able to keep stride with them. They managed to reach the central atrium before the barriers sealed off all the potential exits. Luz and Willow hid behind a pillar as Principle Bump approached with a trio of abominations. 

Willow sank to the ground. “Oh this is awful. I don’t what to do. Amity’s right. I’m just Half-a-Witch Willow.”

“You’re Full-Witch Willow.” Luz countered, the conviction in her voice making the witch in question look up in awe. “And you’re great. And my mentor told me that great witches are resourceful.” Luz pulled out the contents of her pocket, a bandage, some human realm currency, some kind of tiny crystal ball, a piece of string, and a large seed. While Gus would be interested in the Human Realm ‘artifacts’, Willow’s eyes were only on the key to their escape.

“That’s it!” Willow grabbed the seed.

“You mean that greasy slime ball?” Luz asked.

“Luz, it’s a Briarvine seed!” Willow answered. “Thank Titan you had it on you.”

“Yeah, thank Titan someone told me to hold onto it.” Luz replied. Willow briefly wondered if the Human Realm had Titans too, and resolved to ask either her or Gus about it sometime.

Willow placed the seed on her lap, and drew a spell circle over it. “Please…grow!” Willow asked the seed and her magic to cooperate. The shell split, and thick green vines shot to the ceiling before reaching out to entangle the entire atrium, bundles of vines sweeping down the corridors. Principal Bump was caught off guard and sent into the ceiling, where the vines held him in place, the impact breaking his hold on the barrier spells, which faded.

“There’s the exit!” Willow pointed to the open front doors. Willow chanced a glance at her handiwork, and her eyes fell on Amity caught in the vines.

Willow’s eyes widened then narrowed at the expression of pride on the green-haired witch’s face.

“What’s your game, Blight?” Willow muttered, before following Luz. Luz managed to cross the threshold, but the doors slammed shut before Willow could join her.

“Don’t worry, I’ll get help!” Luz shouted through the door before running.

Willow turned around to see Principal Bump having gotten free of the vines, now standing over her with a severe look on his face.

Gus was carried in by an abomination, and set down next to her.

“Would you care to explain just what all this was?”

Willow and Gus both gulped as they realized they weren’t getting out of this so easily.

Luz ran all the way to the Owl House, calling Eda’s name. For some reason, there was a barrel of salt spilled in front of the door, Hooty looking on blankly, while a thin slime trail ran towards the beach. There were also a number of orange puddles that Luz did not want to know the source of scattered around. Seeing her mentor standing there with King in her arms, Luz tackled her in a hug.

“Hey, hey, hey, hey!” Eda exclaimed at Luz’ panic. “Ugh, I never understand when you do this.” She said almost hypocritically, given she was hugging King.

“Your lesson worked!” Luz shouted. “Keeping junk in my pocket saved my life. Weh, wait, my new friends. They’re in danger.”

“Luz!” Willow called out, accompanied by Gus.

“Friends!” Luz called back, catching her new (and first) friends in a group hug.

“Seriously, what is this?” Eda asked, confused as to what was going on and who the two Hexside students were.

“You won’t believe it, Luz. But everything is perfect now!” Willow said.

“You’re right, I don’t believe it.” Luz replied.

“Principal Bump was so impressed by my plant work that he’s switched me to the plant magic track! Look!” Willow explained with a twirl and a snap.

Gus twirled his finger, dropping the illusion he had put up for just the occasion, replicating what he had seen Principal Bump do when he changed the color of her uniform sleeves and leggings from orchid to emerald green.

Luz swept the witch up in another hug. “Yes!” Willow giggled at the human’s exuberance.

“Oh, wait, what about Amity?” Luz asked.

“Last we saw she was talking to Bump about today counting as extra credit.” Gus answered.

Luz smiled. “Well, I can’t wait to see you in action next time I sneak in.”

Willow winced, while Gus pulled out a rolled up paper.

“Uh, about that…” Gus said. “You’re kinda…banned.” He unfurled the paper, revealing it to be a poster with Luz’ face on it, the word ‘BANNED’ in big red letters.

“That’s my girl!” Eda crowed in pride as she snatched up the poster.

“But we could come here and teach you what we learn.” Willow offered.

“Aw, that would be nice, but…I have a pretty great teacher already.” Luz kindly rebutted, looking at Eda, who practically glowed with pride.

“Yeah, that’s right! Luz is my student. Back off academy twerps.” Eda’s comment earned a laugh from everyone present, while Eda admired her apprentice’s handiwork.

“Ah, baby’s first wanted poster. Good job kid, looks like I taught you something after all.” Eda patted Luz’s hair.

“Uh, you high five with your hands, not your head.” Gus noted, earning him an odd look from mentor and apprentice, while he smiled innocently.

Willow’s chuckle drew the older witch’s attention, and the wild witch knelt in front of her apprentice’s friend, placing a hand on her shoulder.

“Listen, kid. A word of advice? Stay far away from Terra Snapdragon.” Eda’s expression was serious.

“The Head Witch of the Plant Coven? Why?” Willow asked.

Eda sighed, as though repressing some bad memories. “That crone is bad news. I may be the most wanted witch on the Isles, but that woman is a living nightmare.”

“Wh-what makes you say that?” Willow gulped.

“What’d you say your name was again?” Eda asked.

“Uh, Willow Park, ma’am.” Willow replied warily.

“Park, huh.” Eda noted. “Ask your dads about what happened at the first HECK.”

“O-kay…” Willow affirmed, before realizing something. “Wait, how do you know my dads?” Willow demanded.

“Friend of a friend, and I was at their wedding.” Eda answered casually, and Willow let out a breath of relief that the infamous Owl Lady wasn’t some all-seeing, all-knowing being. The fact that her new friend had been hugging the wild witch like a parent certainly put a dent in the image of a stone-cold consumer of souls, not that she’d let the older witch know that.

Willow and Gus left for their respective homes after that, promising to meet up with Luz later. When Luz asked how they could get in contact, it led to Eda giving her apprentice an impromptu lesson on crow phones, giving the plant witch her crow number.

While Luz got her introduction to Boiling Isles takeout, Hooty announced that Eda had a visitor.

Hieronymus Bump was one of the last people she would have expected to see at her door in the evening. 

“Edalyn.” He greeted.

“Bumpikins.” Eda acknowledged. “What brings you to my neck of the woods at this time of night?” She asked in an attempt at being cordial.

“I came here to discuss your apprentice.” Bump explained. Eda instantly went on the defense, fingers twitching to summon Owlbert at a moment’s notice.

“What about her?”

Bump’s shoulders slumped, and he showed he had nothing in his hands in a disarming posture.

“Peace, Edalyn. I’m not here to pick a fight or get the covens involved. I was…encouraged, to make her ban from Hexside temporary, which I am willing to do, so long as I am informed when…Luz, was it?” Eda nodded. “So long as you inform me when Luz wants to visit Hexside again. There are proper channels for these sorts of things, after all.”

“What’s your angle, Hieronymus?” Eda narrowed her eyes.

“I see a bright potential student, and another student who may have a gift that she cannot learn to harness properly under the current system, and may be connected with your apprentice.”

Bump undid the gauze wrapped around his wrist. “There’s one more thing…”

Eda gasped.

His coven sigil had two strips taken out of it.

“Your apprentice did that.” Bump explained. “Shall I share my theory?”

Eda looked him in the eye. “She’s not my daughter. I tested last night. And I would know if she was cursed.”

Bump raised his hand placatingly. “I see. Then I shall leave you to your evening. Good night, Edalyn…and, I’m sorry for the circumstances by which you stopped being one of my students.”

Bump walked off into the forest, leaving Eda alone with her thoughts.

“I’m sorry too.” Eda closed the door, a lot to think about.

Chapter Text

Amity sighed as she entered her room, another long day of classes done, followed by her tutoring with Lilith. The sky was growing dark early when she returned to Blight Manor, the sign of an impending storm.

Amity dropped her bag next to her desk, a simple spell bringing her textbooks out for the weekend’s homework, before she turned to her vanity. From the top drawer, she drew out a small potion bottle. Downing the turquoise elixir in a single gulp, she let out a sigh of relief. In the corner of her eye, she glimpsed that golden cat-like eye again. Ignoring the presence, she flopped down onto her bed, and pulled out Book Four of The Good Witch Azura, settling in for a night of reading through the rain.

A slight movement caught her attention, and her eyes went back to her mirror, and the strange demon she now saw in it. The watching eye seemed surprised, before it vanished entirely with a shift in the light from outside. The feeling of being watched also disappeared, and Amity put it out of her mind.

But she couldn’t shake the feeling that the approaching storm brought more than just boiling rain.

“And here we have the most fearsome creature on the Boiling Isles, the King of Demons, facing his one natural enemy, the ducky sock.” Luz narrated, her phone recording the adorable demon trying to get the sock unstuck from around his nose.

With a grunt, King finally resorted to simply tearing the offending garment to shreds, punching the remaining tatters. “Where are you now, ducky sock?” King growled victoriously.

Luz giggled at his antics, before remembering that King had specifically asked for her to come down to the living room. “So, why’d you call me down here again?” Luz asked.

King remembered why. “Oh, yeah.” He climbed atop one of the tables, which had something tall and wide concealed under a curtain.

“Human Luz.” King pointed. “You’ve been so obsessed with witchcraft that you haven’t gotten to learn anything about my kind. Prepare yourself for…” He dragged the curtain off with a flourish, Luz recording the entire thing. “...Demons 101!”

King began his lesson. “Demons like me are grim tricksters of the twilight, creatures of sulfur and bone.”

“And cute little paws.” Luz pointed out, earning a sigh from King.

“And cute little paws.” He grumbled. “True. We are said to have crawled forth from the blood, bile, and flesh of the Titan, and now we live only to create chaos and misery. Our only weaknesses are the purified waters of the Titan’s tears, and passive-aggressive comments.”

As King lectured, he gestured to the board of diagrams, hand-drawn pictures, and a banner depicting a dozen massive demons of all shapes, including a giraffe. King had also pulled a scholarly cap from somewhere to wear.

“Aw, you guys are sensitive.” Luz commented.

“Even demons have their inner demons.” King replied. “Now, there are three classes of Demons that everyone recognizes, the three Bs.” King continued, using one of Luz’ pens as a pointer.

“Bug type demons like that puppeteer we fought the other day are usually invertebrates, and communicate primarily through dance. They also spin a cocoon to metamorphose into their adult forms. Also, Hooty is a Bug Type, though he does have an endoskeleton. Do not ask me how I know. The answer will scar you for life, and even I wouldn’t want to inflict that on you.”

Luz nodded along, trying not to let her imagination go too far.

King pointed to another picture, which showed several of the beings she had met on her first day on the Isles. Birch the pentaclops, Tinella, and Warden Wrath were all pinned under the label of ‘Biped’.

“Biped Demons can cast spells like witches, and usually walk on two legs. A lot of witches also have biped demon ancestry. I swear Eda’s got some demon ancestry herself, what with the whole ‘Owl Lady’ thing. And I keep finding feathers around the house that aren’t from Hooty or Owlbert.” King found himself on a tangent before continuing his lecture.

“Last but not least, are the Beast Demons.” King pointed to the banner. “Beast Demons are the most varied. They usually can’t cast spells like witches, but their magic manifests in other ways. They are also some of the most feared! And none more so than the Snaggleback!” King tore off one of the pictures to reveal a drawing of a snarling demon with long thin limbs and a spiked tortoise shell.

“Weh, he’s a bad boy.” Luz noted, adding some effects to her recording.

“That he is.” King agreed, trying to hold her attention. “Now, what makes the Snaggleback dangerous is--” King was cut off by a roll of thunder.

“Uh-oh, looks like it’s gonna rain.” King noted. Luz promptly perked up.

“Weh? I love the rain!” Luz stood up, heading out the door.

“Wait!” King shouted as he followed.

Luz exhaled and took a deep breath of the humid air. “I always love feeling the first drops in my hair.” She said as she spun around, stopping in front of a lone flower.

“I bet you do too, little buddy.” She knelt down to talk to the flower. 

The first drop of rain fell and instantly proved her wrong, the flower withering entirely.

“Weh!?” Luz exclaimed in bewilderment.

“Boiling rain!” She heard Eda shout ahead of her. “Everybody inside now!”

Luz felt herself freeze, like her instincts refused to let her run. She threw up her left arm to protect her face, and felt the scalding water strike her skin.

Luz screamed in pain, before a strong arm caught around her midsection and carried her off the ground and through the threshold into the Owl House, where she landed roughly atop King’s educational display.

“LUZ! Are you hurt!?” Eda shouted.

“Oh, never better.” Luz bit out sarcastically, as a cup fell from somewhere to thunk against her burned shoulder.

Eda dug through her hair and pulled out a first aid kit, clearly scavenged from the Human Realm. It even had the worn label of her mother’s vet clinic on it. Eda pulled out a large roll of bandages, as well as a smaller roll of large stamp-like things, which had the image of a blue hand wrapped in bandages on them.

Eda was quick to wrap Luz’ arm in gauze, making sure to cover the injured limb all the way to her shoulder. She followed it up by sticking the stamp-like papers onto the gauze, which sent a cool, tingly feeling down her arm.

“These healing patches should have you fixed up in no time.” Eda explained, before conjuring a sling to keep Luz’ arm from moving too much.

“Thanks Eda.” Luz smiled at her mentor as well as she could through her pain and fear. Eda gave her a reassuring smile in return.

“No problem kid. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to get a shield spell over the house.” Eda stood up, pulling Luz to her feet in the process.

Luz followed her outside, making sure to stay under the patio roof and donning her hood for good measure. King joined her, and stuck one of her band-aids on her cheek where the rain had grazed her, before slapping another band-aid over his snout.

“Look, now we’re boo-boo buddies.” King said to make her feel better. Luz squealed and started to fall over. “Oh my gosh I love you so much.” King managed to catch her before she fell on her hurt arm and got her back to sitting upright as she turned her attention to Eda, who was standing under a dome of golden magic while she weaved magic around a ball of shining white light.

“A boiling rainstorm on the Boiling Isles, wonderful weather you guys have.” Luz commented, her awe at the novelty tinged with bitterness at having been hurt by it.

“Yeah, we don’t have weather here.” Eda replied. “We have plagues. Gorenadoes, shale-hail, painbows.”

“It’s like a rainbow, but looking at it too long turns you inside out.” King explained with morbid cheer. Luz pulled the drawstrings on her hoodie to hide her face better.

“So until the boiling rain stops, no one is going outside tonight.” Eda said, continuing to work her magic.

“And if the rain doesn’t get you, the Snaggleback will.” King opened his demon book, showing the same image as on his board. “What makes them so dangerous is that they wander on rainy nights like this, feeding on boiled tourists, their own shells making them immune to the weather.”

“Well, whatever the case, this force field spell I’m working on will protect the house from boiling rains and demonic intruders.” Eda said.

“Hoot!” Hooty interjected. “Well hurry up with that force field. The rain’s starting to damage my precious stucco, and I just put on a new coat this week!” The House Demon complained.

“Yeah, yeah, hold your roof tiles.” Eda said, before catching the ball of light on Owlbert and twirling the staff before stamping the ground with it. The ball of light expanded into a massive orange dome around the Owl House, before shrinking like vacuum-formed plastic.

“Wow!” Luz was in awe. “Someday I’d like to be as cool as Eda the Owl Lady. Magical, sassy, surprisingly foxy for her age. Hey, why do they call you the Owl Lady, anyway?

“‘Cause I’m so wise, duh.” Eda answered.

“‘Cause she coughs up rat bones.” Hooty counterargued.

“I think it’s because she gets distracted by shiny objects and leaves feathers everywhere.” King suggested.

“I do not.” Eda argued.

King pulled out the pen he had been using for his demon lesson and clicked it, causing the gem on top to light up.

Eda’s eyes widened, pupils dilated as she spoke distractedly. “It sparkles and shimmers and shines and delights, I must have it for my nest.” Eda pounched, while King hid the pen behind his back, leaving the witch to sprawl on the ground like a cat.

“Ha, case in point.” King laughed.

“You have a nest?” Luz asked. “I want a nest here! Nest party!” Luz helped Eda back to her feet.

“Woof, that force field really took it out of me.” Eda noted.

“Weh-oh, moving a little slow. Age finally catching up to ya?” King joked. Eda promptly pulled his hat down to cover his entire head.

“Ah, darkness!” King screamed.

“This is perfect.” Luz cheered. “Since we’ll be stuck in the house all night, Eda won’t have any excuse not to teach me some of her magic.” Luz followed her mentor inside.

“Wait, but don’t you want to finish our lesson?” King begged, having gotten his head unstuck from his hat. “I was gonna let you pet a demon’s tummy. Me!”

“You could sit in my lap while Eda teaches?” Luz offered. King begrudgingly accepted, and gave her back her pen.

Eda ducked behind a privacy screen, a snap of her fingers swapping her day dress for her fuzzy plum-pink sweater, violet nightgown, and yellow bunny slippers. She draped herself onto the couch with a sigh before noticing the shadow of her apprentice looming over her.

“Ahgh!” Eda squawked in surprise.

“Oh, Eda, have I told you how rad your fang looks today?” Luz said sweetly.

“Whatever it is, no.” Eda shot down.

“Weh, and your hair is like…girl.” Luz continued to try to butter her up.

“I’m not teaching you magic tonight. I’m sleepy. I’m a sleepy little owl.” Eda rolled over with a blanket.

“Please, Eda.” Luz broke out the puppy-dog eyes. “How am I supposed to earn my witch’s staff if I don’t know any spells?”

“No. Sleep.” Eda buried herself under the blanket, before Luz remembered what King had just returned to her.

The clicking of a pen got Eda’s attention.

“Sparkle thing.” Eda shot up with a gasp.

Luz saw that she finally had Eda’s attention. “Oh, this?”

Eda hopped onto the arm of the couch, like a cat about to pounce.

Eda swiped for the pen, which Luz pulled away, leaving her to fall off the couch.

“Nope. Teach me one spell, and you can have the sparkle pen.” Luz bargained.

“I respect your cunning, kid, but also hate you for it.” Eda grumbled.

Luz helped Eda to her feet, and sat on the floor while the witch summoned her staff. King settled down on Luz’ lap, her healing arm resting on his back and idly scratching him.

“If you want a staff like mine, don’t make me repeat myself.” Eda began after a flash of lightning and the accompanying clap of thunder passed.

“Now, witch’s staffs are our palisman, and have magic embedded in them, being carved from the branches of magically-potent palistrom trees. The magic gives them life, and they can use their own magic to augment a witch’s spells, or cast their own. But before a palisman is bestowed, every witch needs to know how to cast spells on their own, and you need some spellcasting if you want to attend a magic school. And tonight, I will teach you how to create…light.” Eda drew a small spell circle that collapsed into a short-lived ball of light.

Eda noticed that her apprentice was enraptured by her lecture, her eyes gleaming at the thought of attending Hexside.

“Now, I’m pretty sure humans think magic is made out of thin air, but that’s stupid. Everything comes from something. So let me ask you, kid. Where do you think magic comes from?” Eda asked.

“Weh? Uhm…from the heart?” Luz suggested.

“Actually, you’re right.” Eda commented.

Luz gasped in joy.

“No, really.” Eda dug through her mane to pull out an anatomical diagram. “It comes from a sac of magic bile attached to a witch’s heart.”

“Oh gross.” Luz noted with morbid curiosity, taking a photo with her cell phone. “Can I keep that?” She asked.

“No.” Eda shoved the scroll back into her hair. “Now, everything depends on the spell circle, where you channel magic into a closed circuit that forms the spell you want.” Eda drew a larger spell circle, which Luz recorded on her phone. The spell circle collapsed into a bright flash of light that had Luz blinking and King wincing.

‘Wait, what was that in the middle of the circle?’ Luz asked herself as she tried to make sense of the symbol that had burned itself into her vision when Eda had cast her spell. 

“But how I, little ol’ Luz, do magic if I don’t have a magic bile..sac. I mean, I’m pretty sure I would know if I had that in my chest.” Luz questioned.

“You know, I’m not actually sure.” Eda admitted.

“What!?” Luz exclaimed, dislodging King from his almost-nap, earning a grumble from the demon.

“I know witches in the past did magic differently, but I never actually figured out how. A lot of that knowledge got lost over the centuries, beyond even my skills in getting gold out of garbage. That being said…” Eda leaned down, and tapped Luz on the nose. “You definitely have some sort of magic going on with you.”

“Weh?” Luz asked.

“Against Wrath and Adegast, you got this sort of aura glowing around you. You and your ‘weak nerd arms’ knocked the warden right out. And then you cut through Puppeteer tentacles like that sword was made of metal instead of cheap plastic. If I had to guess, I’d say that necklace is providing the magic, but how you’re channeling it is a mystery.” Eda theorized. “I still don’t know what Manny had gotten into.”

Luz was looking at her mentor with wide eyes. “Eda, did you know my dad?”

Eda realized she had said too much. “O-kay, it is too late and I’m too tired to deal with this, ask again in the morning, maybe.” Eda bolted out of the room and up the stairs, the sound of a door slamming overhead ringing down.

“What are you hiding, Eda the Owl Lady.” Luz said dramatically, before being distracted by King struggling to climb the kitchen cupboards.

As the storm raged on, Luz studied the video she had taken, trying to see if the symbol she had glimpsed would reappear.

“Weh, this is all she does.” Luz imitated Eda’s spell circle. “Why you gotta be so cryptic, Owl Lady?” Luz tried to ignore the hint she had dropped about her past, a difficult task for her when said past involved the human’s own father, who was not exactly around to answer such questions.

The reminder brought a frown to her face, before her train of thought was derailed by King placing his notepad over her phone.

“Hey, you know what’s really cryptish? Let me tell you about a demon most spine-chilling.” He pointed to the drawing on the notepad, some kind of fish with hands and prominent lips. “Smoochie-pie the Sweetie Baby! He’s…uh, well, he’s a lot more threatening in person. He’s supposed to be descended from basilisks, and those guys ate magic!”

“Not now King, if I can’t ask Eda what she knows about my dad, I just want to figure out this spell. But if I don’t have a bile sac, how can I cast spells like a witch?” Luz leaned back against the couch.

“Why do you want to learn magic so badly?” King asked.

Luz sighed heavily. “Back home, I was always the weirdo who never fit in. Being a witch was always my dream, because then I could be someone. Do you know what it's like to have no one take you seriously?”

King sighed and hugged Luz. “All the time. No one takes you seriously when you’re this small. I lost all my magic, but I still know lots about demons, and I just hoped I could share that with you.”

“Oh, King.” Luz returned the hug. “Well, I don’t think I’ll be making any progress tonight, so why don’t we continue your lesson?”

King’s eyes lit up. “Weh? Thanks, Luz.” He picked up one of the books he had laying around. “Ah, Infernal Medicine, fourth edition. Hey, maybe learning how demons use their magic will help you learn spells.” King suggested, as he showed her what looked to be a medical textbook for demon biology.

Luz looked up to stretch her neck, and her eyes landed on the carving on the ceiling.

“Huh. That looks…” Luz pulled out her necklace, the silver wings framing a single, eye-like gem. “Hey King, what’s the deal with the carving?” 

“Weh? That? Oh, Eda said it came with the house. I think she said it was some sort of ancient guardian demon. Some sort of patron for palismen carvers.” King answered. “What about it?”

“I just noticed that my necklace looks a lot like it.” Luz replied.

“Really? Let me see.” King climbed onto Luz’ lap for a closer look at the jewelry.

Just as his claw touched the glassy gem, lightning flashed, thunder clapped, and the lights went out. Luz could just barely hear the sound of shattering glass somewhere overhead.

Luz curled protectively over King out of instinct.

Eda’s eyes were wide as she stared at the shattered bottle of elixir, the feathers piercing their way out of her arms as her nails became talons.

‘Oh Titan, please, don’t hurt them.’ Eda pleaded with her curse as she felt her bones shifting, a familiar agony as her skeleton was rearranged and two new limbs burst from her back.

“P̷̣͒̏̿r̶̞̯̰̓͆͆͜ò̸̝̼̝̀ť̵̼̫̝͉̒̉̈ę̶̗͛c̴͖̥͋t̶̢̰͕͑̚ ̸͉̮͇̱̑͒͝t̴͚̟͍̺̑̀͘ḧ̶̗̜̌̄͗ḛ̷͐̋̚ ̵̦̗͚̭̮̒̀̚͝o̸̥͖̰͋̿̕w̵͇̍̚l̷̤̦̭͕͋̄́͝e̸̬̺̪͙͌ͅt̶̡̲̻͋̂s̷͓̽͒́”

Ṯ̸͔͌h̸̥̒ë̶̞̱́͠ṟ̷̛̕ͅȅ̵̜ ̴̬̈́̚w̴̱̓a̴̫̾s̸̀͠ ̷͚̃̾͜ä̷͍̣́n̴̳͐ͅ ̵̮̅i̶͔͖͘n̷̦̋ẗ̵͙͎́r̵̙̈u̷̪͂͂d̴̨̆è̶̦r̷̼͠ ̵͚͚̉i̶̘̒n̶̮̭̅ ̷̥͂t̸̙̬̐̕ḥ̴͋e̷̩̪̐́ ̶̲̈͆c̶̝͘ͅa̸̠͛͆v̸̨̯̂e̴͚͈̒.̶̦̦̈́̑ ̶̞̣̔͘Ț̴̞̽h̵̩̀̐e̷̡̲̋ ̶̛͔̑o̴͍̒͆w̷̻̦̋l̸̡̈́e̸͔̽͗ṫ̶͗͜s̸̠̺̍ ̸̞̮̋̕w̸̭͆e̴͔̤͛̏ŕ̵̬̉e̴̠͊̕ ̵͙̚ȋ̸̮̇n̵̰͝ ̵̫̰͂͆d̸̫̺́ă̵̲n̶͓͓̕ǵ̶̡͚̐e̸̩̮̔̽r̶͍̞̍.̸͚̆ ̴̼̍Ś̸̱̓h̵̬̀̄e̵̛̲ ̷̥̕m̵͉̰̍u̶̫͕̓s̴̄̚ͅt̷͈̆̓ ̵̰̰̑͒p̶͎̾͝ŕ̶͇̰õ̸̲t̶̠̻̂e̷̯͛͋c̸͙̀́ţ̷̯̓ ̷͍͛t̵̗̒h̶̪̮͝͝e̷͙͐m̵͕̊.̵͇̬̑̏ ̵̺̖͋̀S̵̨̽̒h̵̝̙͒ȇ̸̯͠ ̶̨̛͠ŵ̵̭͈i̶͇̇ļ̷̏ͅľ̷̤̰ ̵̱̲̀ǹ̴̜̣o̸͎̭͝t̷̄̓ͅ ̴̗̻̋͆ȓ̸̢ú̸͍͍n̶̜͊ ̷̞͕̀a̵͇͖͛̓ǧ̷̭̮a̶̬̝͌ḭ̸̍n̷͛̊͜.̵̱͒͝

Luz stood up, still holding King, and slowly shuffled to the window. Her eyes widened at the tableau she saw.

A trio of humanoid figures stood in the boiling rain, clad in thick, dark brown robes that were almost black in the darkness of the storm. Each one had a dome of magic shielding them from the rain. Green over the largest and apparent leader, a neon red over the shorter and stockier of the trio, with the remaining member standing beneath a dome of violet.

Hooty was stretched out from the door, his feathered serpentine form enduring the boiling rain to stare down the strangers.

“King, who or what are those?” Luz asked anxiously.

“Demon Hunters.” King answered fearfully. “Dangerous witches who hunt down demons for bounties, or because some rich wack-job wants some exotic demon pet, or their parts.” King shivered. “Eda’s always told me to stay far away from them, and to never leave her sight when they’re around.”

“But why are they here?” Luz asked. “Are they after Eda?”

King gasped. “The Snaggleback! One must have broken in and those guys were hunting it.”

“What do we do?” Luz whispered.

“Hope that Hooty can handle them?” King suggested.

“And what about the demon you said eats people that just got into the house?” Luz hissed, before her face dropped in realization. “And Eda’s probably still asleep. She’ll be defenseless.”

“Then we need to get up there to protect her.” King said.

“Right. We have no magic and I’m down one arm, that Snaggleback doesn’t stand a chance.”

King helped Luz strap pillows to the both of them as makeshift armor, while Luz slapped another band-aid on her cheek in imitation of warpaint, and picked up a hockey-stick, while King grabbed Francois.

With King holding Luz’ phone up to provide light, the two made their way up the stairs, the door to Eda’s room creaking open. The two shared a nervous look before entering the bedroom.

The room looked like the storm had blown right through it. The centerpiece of the room was a massive nest of twigs, coins, assorted shiny baubles, and tatters of fabric. A nightstand stood nearby, the floor in front of it stained with some sort of shimmering golden liquid, along with broken glass.

“Oh my gosh. Eda” Luz cried out, rushing to the nest. Eda was not in the room, and the pillows in the next were torn open.

“She got snaggle-backed!” King exclaimed.

“Eda?” Luz picked up one of the pillows. “No! Slash marks. King! You’re the demon expert here. I need your help.”

“I’ll go grab my demon book.” King rushed from the room.

“Wait, King!” Luz shouted, attempting to follow, before she heard a growling behind her.

King found his collection, and picked up two tomes. “Wait, first edition or second edition?”

Then King heard a snarl. “Luz?” He turned around.

“No, the Snaggleback got her.” A snarling shadow passed over him.

“You craven beast!” King roared. “Give me back my boo-boo buddy!” He chased the shadow to a closet, finding a familiar shoe discarded in front of it.

“Luz?” Picking up the shoe, he held it like a weapon as he opened the closet.

“There’s nowhere for you to run!” King shoved aside the stack of clothing, being taken aback by the sight that greeted him.

“Snaggleback?” King noted. “Wow, you are a lot shorter in person.”

The Snaggleback was much smaller than the pictures in the book had made him out to be, possibly standing eye-level with King at full height. The monkey-like demon had pink fur and a dome-like spiked shell, but his gritted teeth were flat save for a pair of prominent fangs, which looked more for cracking than tearing.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” The Snaggleback stammered. “I-I just needed a place to hide from the rain and the hunters.”

King noticed a large crack on the Snaggleback’s shell.

“Then why did you break in and take Eda and Luz? Bad Snaggleback!” King accused.

“I didn’t take anyone. I just snuck in through a window a few minutes ago.” The Snaggleback argued.

“Weh? If that wasn’t you, then what…” King was cut off as a massive clawed hand smashed down through the ceiling, catching the Snaggleback.

“Oh no, a twist!” The Snaggleback screamed as he was carried off.

King whimpered at the sounds of stamping and snarling, before the closet door swung open again, revealing a massive shadowy mass.

The beast spat up the Snaggleback’s empty shell.

King hesitantly raised Luz’ phone, the light illuminating the beast.

“E-Eda?” King quivered.

“Eda, I don’t know what happened to you, but I’ll fix this. The King of Demons promises.” King pleaded.

The Demon that was Eda growled, and King curled in on himself, frozen in terror.

He felt teeth close on his scruff, and felt himself leave the ground.

“Weh?” King tried to look up, but being carried by the scruff of his neck like a kitten made that difficult. The Owl Beast returned to Eda’s nest, and dropped King in it, before climbing into the nest herself and curled protectively over its occupants.

“Hey King.” King turned to Luz’ voice, finding her just as pinned under the Owl Beast as him.

“Luz! You’re okay!” King exclaimed in relief, managing to find her hand under the mass of feathers blanketing them.

“As okay as I can be under a quarter-ton of feathers.” Luz complained. “And my arm’s started itching.”

King winced in sympathy, remembering the times Eda had to bandage him up after those few occasions where he got hurt. The gauze did not interact comfortably with his fur.

With a lot of wiggling, the human and demon managed to crawl just enough to breathe freely, still pinned into the nest by the Owl Beast, who stood vigilant. Just barely audible over the sound of rain were the sounds of battle.

“Hey, King.” Luz got the demon’s attention. “I found this next to the nightstand.” She handed him some kind of potion label tag.

“An elixir a day…keeps the curse at bay.” King’s eyes were wide.

“Do you know what that means?” Luz hissed.

“It means that Eda’s cursed to turn into this thing.” King gestured to the brooding owl. “And whatever that is on the floor was supposed to keep from transforming.”

“Well, if she had one on her nightstand, she has to have more, right?” Luz suggested.

“But how do we get her to take one?” King asked. “Wait, her eyes are black. Demons with black eyes are sensitive to light.” King patted his fur. “Oh no. Luz, I dropped your human wonder rectangle.” King panicked.

Luz wracked her brain for another option. An image formed in her mind, that symbol she saw in Eda’s spell circle. Pulling out her pen, she found a scrap piece of paper and a relatively flat surface, and traced the symbol from the vivid memory.

Tapping the final result, Luz was left breath-taken as the paper crumpled into a ball of soft yellow light.

“I just did magic.” Luz whispered. “I just did magic!” She almost yelled, being shushed by King, before they noticed that the Owl Beast was mesmerized by the tiny orb of light.

“King, get the elixir. Quick!” Luz shoved King out of the nest, and he scurried to an unlocked chest. Eda would never leave a chest unlocked unless she meant to use it regularly and in a hurry. Propping the lid open, he found a small number of golden elixirs. Grabbing one from the top, he scampered back to the nest, where the light glyph was fading, and with it, the Owl Beast’s distraction.

“Hey, Eda!” King shouted. The Owl Beast whirled around to face the source of the sound, and King tossed the potion, sans cork stopper. The Owl Beast caught the bottle in her mouth, the elixir flowing down her gullet.

There was a flash of light, and the Owl Beast recoiled, feathers shedding and receding, until only a tired witch was left.

Eda caught herself on the edge of the nest.

“W-What happened?” Eda asked. “Oh, I have the worst headache. And my mouth tastes like roadkill.” Eda gagged, and retched up an owl pellet, which cracked open to reveal a relatively intact and uninjured Snaggleback.

“I’m just gonna…lie here for a minute.” The traumatized demon said.

“Luz? King? Are you two okay?” Eda asked, her eyes falling on the human and demon in question, looking at her in concern.

“Did the Owl Beast hurt you?” Eda asked again.

“No, you just carried us to your nest and brooded over us.” Luz said.

Any further explanation was cut off by the sound of splintering wood downstairs.

“What did I miss?” Eda demanded.

“Oh, yeah…The Demon Hunters were after the Snaggleback and Hooty was fighting them."

“In the boiling rain!? Are they nuts?” Eda exclaimed.

Summoning Owlbert with a snap, Eda stood up, once more carrying the air of strength and confidence of the Owl Lady.

“I’ll explain everything, just let me take out the trash first.” Eda quipped as she bolted from the room and down the stairs.

The Demon Hunters were in the living room, Hooty’s door knocked off its hinges and the house demon unconscious in the rain.

“Tear the house apart for that Snaggleback, and take any valuables you find as compensation.” The leader of the Demon Hunters said, an orc-like biped demon with an eyepatch.

“A-hem.” Eda cleared her throat, pointing Owlbert at the intruders.

“Get out of my house.” The Owl Lady growled.

“Ha, you and what army.” The leader mocked.

Eda sent a bolt of lightning into the leader’s face, sending him clear out of the house and into the rain, where he had to scramble to the trees before he melted.

The other two Demon Hunters, having just watched their leader be evicted, wisely chose to run.

With the threat dealt with, Eda cast a couple of spells to reattach Hooty’s door to the rest of the house, and reel the house demon in out of the rain.

Eda turned to see Luz and King in the hallway. Eda’s eyes widened in surprise at the ball of magical light Luz was holding aloft.

“Luz! How are you doing that?” Eda asked in wonder.

“Let me show you.” Luz replied, finding her notepad. She drew a symbol in a circle on the pad, and tapped it. The paper collapsed on itself into a ball of light.

“I figured out the glyph I saw in your spell circle!” Luz cheerfully explained.

“Well would you look at that, a human doing magic. Good work Luz.” Eda complimented.

Luz smiled, and then winced.

“Uh, Eda, could we take off the bandages now? They’re getting really itchy.” Luz asked.

“Well, the burns were only skin deep, so they should be healed by now.” Eda commented, as she undid the sling and began to unwrap the bandages.

Eda’s expression turned to one of mounting concern as the bandages fell away to reveal not healed skin, but thick, black fur. When the bandages fell away completely, Luz stretched her fingers, which were now a set of segmented, bony claws.

“Weh? That’s new.” Luz noted. 

Eda fainted.

Luz and King managed to carry Eda back up to her nest, before heading back downstairs to deal with Hooty and the Snaggleback. Luz used most of her band-aids patching the numerous burns on the house demon, who thankfully woke back up and turned on the lights. Meanwhile, King recovered the Snaggleback’s shell from the closet, as well as Luz’ phone and shoe.

Luz was surprised to learn that Snagglebacks were a bit more like hermit crabs crossed with snails than turtles, with the shell being separate from the rest of the body, but grown over a number of years, which made them valuable to people like the Demon Hunters. They also ate shellfish from the beaches, not boiled tourists, as King had suggested.

With the Demon Hunters run off, the Snaggleback was free to leave once the rain stopped. With their guest sent on his way, Luz flopped down on the couch next to King with a sigh.

“You okay Luz?” King asked.

“I’m great!” Luz answered. “I can do magic now.” She tapped another glyph, the ball of light glimmering in front of her.

“That’s not what I mean. I mean…” King brushed the fur of Luz’ arm. It felt just like his own in thickness and texture.

Luz sighed. “Y’know what’s weird? That I’m not freaking out about it.”

“Are you sure?” King asked. “I feel like this might be my fault.”

“Your fault? How could this be your fault?” Luz asked incredulously.

“You have fur and claws like me. And I’m the King of Demons. What if…what if I’m turning you into a demon like me?” King theorized, his voice shaking at the thought that Luz might have to leave him in order to stay human. He felt Luz wrap her furred arm around King’s shoulders.

“King.” Luz told him. “I don’t think this is because of you. And even if it was, that wouldn’t matter. If learning magic comes with fur and claws, then so be it. And to be honest…” Luz gestured with her claws. “This? This feels right to me. Now let’s go check on Eda.”

They found Eda awake in her nest, staring at the ceiling as though she had just woken from a nightmare.

She noticed her apprentice and roommate enter the room.

“I guess I owe you some answers, don’t I?” Eda sighed.

“I mean, you did turn into a giant Owlbear thing out of nowhere, so…” Luz said sheepishly.

“I haven’t been completely honest with you guys. Either of you.” Eda admitted. “When I was younger, just about your age, Luz…I was cursed. I still don’t know exactly how or who, but if I don’t take my elixir, or I run out of magic…well, that’s the real reason people call me the Owl Lady. No one likes having a curse, but if you take the right steps, it’s pretty manageable.”

“Woah. Are you okay?” Luz asked.

“There’s nothing you need to worry about. As long as I take my elixir on time and avoid going all-out with my magic too often, then I’m fine. But look at you. A human doing magic…and having a curse of her own.” Eda’s assuring tone fell. “Listen, there’s a couple things I’ve been holding back with each of you.”

“Luz, I knew both your parents back in the day. We were close, then things got stressful for me and we fell out of contact. Actually about when you came along, come to think of it.” Eda let out a snort. “Your second night here I actually had to use a potion test to make sure we weren’t related.”

Luz went red in the face, which earned a laugh from King, before Eda turned her attention to him.

“And as for you mister…Oh, I really did wrong by you, didn’t I?” King’s laughter stopped.

“Weh?”

Eda reached into her hair, and pulled out what looked like a large piece of horn. “I found you eight years ago on that island, and you had both horns. I was looking for a place to hide from the Emperor’s goons, on a night much like this one, when this island appeared out of the mist. I landed, since I didn’t have any other options, and I found this old ruined tower, which I thought would be good shelter. But when I got there, I wasn’t alone. There was this tiny, downright adorable baby demon, stacking rocks into little statues. I assumed you were some stray dog.”

“You have dogs here in the Demon Realm?” Luz interrupted.

“Of course we have dogs. Hellhounds, cerberi, tindalos hounds, you get it. But none like King.” Eda informed her student. “As I was saying…I assumed you were some weird stray dog, but then this freaky proto-abomination showed up. All stone and tendril-y flesh. I thought that thing was gonna kill us, so I grabbed you and ran. You took a spike to the head, and it broke your horn. Against my better judgment, I took you home with me. I got you the collar, ‘cause that’s what you do when you get a new pet. But then I found you making stacks of my clutter, and I said you were like a king among his subjects. And then you spoke. You said ‘king’, like it was your name. So I told you how kings commanded armies and ate feasts, which gave you the idea you were some deposed despotic overlord. But you were happy, and I had so little going for me at the time, so I kept playing along.”

“Y-You’re lying.” King accused shakily. Eda held out the piece of horn, the broken end a perfect match for King’s broken horn. King held the piece of his horn, and his eyes went wide.

“My armies…my feasts…my life…was it all a lie?” King asked. “And why are you only telling me this now?”

“Because I can’t be honest with one of you without being honest with the other? Because you deserve to know? Because whatever’s going on with Luz may be connected to you and I don’t want you going on a wild goose chase thinking that you cursed her?” Eda broke down. “I’ve spent thirty years dealing with my curse, and I don’t want to see my history repeat with you.” 

Eda was caught off guard when Luz and King hugged her.

“So what do we do now?” Luz asked. Her question grounded Eda, and she was able to gather her thoughts, wiping away the tears that had begun to gather in her eyes.

“First thing tomorrow, we’ll meet one of the few healers I trust with my curse. They set me up with my elixir system, and they specialize in magical transformations.” Eda explained. “But for now, you two need to get some sleep.”

By the time Luz had done her nightly routine and changed into her pajamas, sleep was starting to become more appealing. Arriving in her ‘room’, she was surprised to find a stack of blankets next to her sleeping bag, with a note on top.

‘You mentioned having a nest in the Human Realm. These should help.

~Eda.’

Luz smiled as she spread the blankets out, curling up in her nest as she let the day’s events wash away into dreams of an inky void.

After a breakfast of griffin eggs, Eda took Luz and King into the outskirts of Bonesborough, leading them to an otherwise unremarkable alleyway. Knocking on a brick at the end of the alley in a distinct pattern, the wall shimmered translucent, and Eda nudged Luz and King into the clinic hidden behind the wall, which returned to solid opacity once they were through.

“Ulvana’s one of the most knowledgeable healers I’ve known, and I helped her get this clinic set up a couple years back.” Eda explained as they entered the waiting room, which had a pair of stone benches against the walls.

Eda took a seat, Luz and King following her lead while they waited. They weren’t waiting long before the wooden door at the end of the room opened, allowing a bipedal lobster demon to leave. The demon gave the trio a wave as they passed, which Luz idly returned.

Then the healer in question stepped out to greet her newest patients. Healer Ulvana was a tall biped demon, heavily resembling some versions of a werewolf. She wore a blue and orange robe, which had the sleeves rolled up to expose her forearms. Luz took note of the rather conspicuous bracelet she wore, a wide metal band studded with black gems. One of her paws held a pair of needle-nose pliers. Her face was distinctly canine, with soft brown eyes, upright triangular ears, and a thick coat of silver and black fur.

“Ah, if it isn’t my favorite rebel against the system.” The demon said cheerfully, tucking the pliers away.

“Morning, Ulv. I’ve got one kid with something weird going on, and another that could use some horn glue.” Eda explained. “Kids, this is Healer Ulvana, the best healer I’ve met. If anyone can figure out what’s going on with you Luz, it’s her.”

“Flatterer.” Ulvana waved them into her office.

The underground healer’s office did not disappoint the fantasy-loving part of Luz. An alembic sat on a table, numerous jars of ingredients on the shelves around it, along with a small cauldron. The layout was much like doctor’s offices in the human realm, with a desk chair, bench, and examination table. Cabinets covered one wall with a desk for writing, while any open wall space was covered with countless anatomy posters and diagrams of witch and demon development. In one corner, an anatomical statue stood, apparently made of some sort of ceramic or dyed clay. 

“Well, let’s see what the situation is, shall we?” Healer Ulvana clapped her paws, before kneeling to Luz’ level.

“Luz, is it?” She asked.

“Yes, ma’am. Luz Noceda.” Luz held out her right hand, which the healer shook, before noticing her ears.

“Human?” She asked.

“As far as I know.” Luz replied, before holding out her left hand. The demon’s eyes widened.

“Well, I can see why you came to me.” Healer Ulvana noted, before gesturing for Luz to get on the examination table, which brought her to chin height with the demon.

She poked and prodded at the arm a few times, confirming that there was no loss of sensation, before casting a pair of blue spell circles over her.

“Huh.” Healer Ulvana tilted her head. 

“That doesn’t sound reassuring.” Eda commented, getting the healer’s attention.

“I wasn’t aware that humans and demons were compatible.” She stated.

“WHAT!?” Luz shouted.

Ulvana raised her paws in a placating gesture. “That’s what my diagnostic is reading.” She cast another spell circle, and conjured an illusion. The visual aid was a display of a strand of DNA, with one half looking like a vertebral column.

“You have both human DNA, and some kind of demon DNA.” She explained. “Your demon genes have been mostly dormant, but exposure to the ambient magic of the Demon Realm and the magic in that necklace of yours has given those genes the kick they needed to activate.”

“So, it can’t be reversed?” Eda asked.

“This is in the realm of demon puberty. It can’t be stopped once it’s started, like a snake shedding its skin. I’m more interested in why your arm, and only your arm, has changed so far.”

“Oh, I burned my arm in the boiling rain.” Luz admitted candidly.

Ulvana looked at her like she had spontaneously grown a second head.

“Does rain not boil in the Human Realm?” She asked.

“It doesn’t.” Luz answered. “But, it was like there was some instinct telling me to stay in the rain.”

“In-teresting.” Ulvana tilted her head again. “May I take a sample of your fur?”

“O-kay? Why?” Luz allowed her to. She plucked a few pieces, and dropped one in a roiling concoction. The fur twirled around, but nothing else.

“Fascinating.” Ulvana quirked an eyebrow. “Your fur is completely resistant to boiling rain, perhaps even the boiling sea!”

“Huh, neat,” was all Luz could say.

“Now, knowing that, I can give you a few estimates from my findings. You’ve already got the beginnings of a lot of additional bone growth, both internally and externally. I’d say it’ll be a couple months before the rest of your fur comes through, barring any dermal trauma. Additionally, I strongly recommend a high calcium, high protein, and high magic diet. You’re in for a major growth spurt, kid.”

“So, there’s nothing wrong with me?” Luz asked.

“You’re not cursed, if that’s what you’re wondering.” Ulvana replied, earning a sigh of relief from the hybrid. “If you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to take a blood sample. Perhaps we can figure out what type of demon you’re turning into.”

Luz nodded. Within a minute, Ulvana had a vial of violet blood, which she placed in a clockwork contraption that spun the vial like a centrifuge.

While the test was running, the healer turned to the smaller demon in the room. “Now, King, was it?”

King piped up. “That’s me.” Ulvana held out a paw.

“Nice to finally meet you, King. Eda’s mentioned you a few times.” King shook her paw.

“I guess I have been a bit of a handful, haven’t I?” King mused. Eda snorted, before pulling out the piece of his horn.

“Think you can do something about this?” Eda asked.

Ulvana scoffed. “Does the Emperor stink? Of course I can.” She summoned a bottle labeled ‘Horn Glue’ to her paw, and motioned for King to climb onto the exam table. A thin smear of glue was enough to reattach the horn, and King’s eyes went wide.

“King?” Luz and Eda asked as they noticed the change in his expression. 

“I remember!” King exclaimed. “I remember a deep roar. It meant ‘son’. Then there was a crashing sound, like an explosion. But I was too small to do anything, so I went back to sleep…And when I woke up, I’d hatched!”

“King…” Eda said softly. The little demon hugged her.

“It sounded like…concern. I think that was my dad, and he was protecting me from something.” King connected.

“That tower did have a pretty big chunk taken out of it.” Eda noted.

“I may not be the King of Demons, but I am someone’s son.” King said.

“If I may…” Healer Ulvana interjected. “I can’t help but notice some similarities between you and Miss Noceda’s demon traits.”

King held out his arm, looking away in case she was about to use a needle. She did not take his blood, but she did take a small clipping of his fur, which she dropped into a pearlescent blue potion, along with one of the clippings taken from Luz’s arm.

“What does green mean?” Luz asked. The potion had quickly turned from the pearlescent blue to an iridescent green. 

“Interesting.” Healer Ulvana tilted her head again. Eda’s jaw had dropped.

“What does green mean?” King asked.

Eda composed herself. “It means…It means the two of you somehow share a parent.”

“WHAT!?!?” The reverberations of the simultaneous shouts echoed through Bonesborough.

Chapter Text

Vee rose with the morning sun streaming through the window of her cabin. She had only been in the Human Realm for a week, but she thought she was starting to get the hang of appearing human. It did help that the girl she was impersonating was known to be unusual, which covered a number of potential slip-ups.

Humans didn’t have fangs? Luz had them.

Her cabinmates were also a valuable resource on learning Luz’ particular quirks, like how the girl was prone to saying “weh” when surprised, and her shadow seemed to not match her shape, something Vee noticed of herself.

Was the real Luz Noceda a shapeshifter like her? Was that the magic she had smelled had her and her mother? They couldn’t be basilisks, there were only the six who escaped the Conformatorium, and their scent didn’t match. The magic on them smelled like ozone, rust, and sulfur, like the background smell of the Isles only far more concentrated, though there was another, much fainter magical signature on Luz’ mom, which she could only describe as ‘stardust’.

Vee was extremely grateful that the camp she was spending the next three months in had an extensive library. Most of her private time was spent holed up in that repository of knowledge, trying to absorb as much as she could to know how to navigate human civilization. She was also grateful that the camp counselors saw her appetite for knowledge as something to encourage, even if the texts themselves were rather dry. She had even managed to master legible handwriting, though she still stumbled over the spelling of the name of the girl whose face she was borrowing. She was quite grateful that she had already learned how to read.

As Vee looked around the cabin, she remembered how she got to know each of her cabin-mates.

There were four members of Cabin 7, counting Vee. They had already known Luz by dint of going to the same school, though they hadn’t been close, knowing her primarily by her antics and the rumor mill. 

“So, what’re we all in for?” Masha had asked that first night. They were all wearing gray camp shirts with nametag lanyards. Masha’s nametag listed their last name as Blake, with “they/them” handwritten on.

The first to answer was the only boy in the cabin, his lanyard identifying him as “Robin Lopez”. His skin was darker than Luz’, and his messy black hair was grown out enough to hide his eyes, with hints of stubble and acne on his chin. He wore an orange beaded bracelet on his wrist, standing out from the gray of his camp shirt and dark olive of his shorts. 

“I got written up one too many times for ‘being distracted in class’. I already knew the material and just wanted to write my own stories.” He explained. 

“You’re kidding, right?” The girl next to him, Morgan, commented with exasperation. “I got sent here for giving Mercy a black eye.” Morgan was a stocky girl with steely blue eyes, short, spiky reddish-brown hair, and thin rectangular reading glasses. There was a smattering of freckles across her cheeks, and a silver bracelet on her wrist.

Masha chuckled. “Seriously? You’re the one who gave Mercy ‘Merciless’ Court that black eye?”

“Well, somebody had to knock her down a peg. Just because she’s from the oldest family in Gravesfield doesn’t mean she should get away with treating us all like garbage.” Morgan defended.

“Preach, sister!” Masha held out a fist, which Morgan bumped with her own. Vee let out an awkward chuckle.

“Come on, Luz, that girl seemed to have it out for you in particular.” Masha held out their fist to her. Vee awkwardly reciprocated. “So, how did you end up here?” Vee asked, deflecting.

Masha smiled. “Well, it’s no secret I’m into the occult, and I may have tried to summon a demon while my parents were out of the house. They came home earlier than I expected, and caught me sacrificing a tomato.”

‘The Human Realm has tomatoes?’ Vee thought, wondering why her fellow camper needed to summon a demon when they were able to wrangle one of those carnivorous plants like it wasn’t a big deal.

“So what about you Luz?” Morgan asked. “Cause that book report was awesome! I got to hold a snake!”

“Yeah..the book report.” Vee rubbed her neck, just going along with it to cover the fact that she didn’t actually know anything about what Luz was like or why she was sent to camp. 

Vee had slept surprisingly soundly that first night, which had given in to the first day of classes and camp activities, which mostly amounted to more icebreakers and going over what they would be teaching. 

The first week of camp went by swiftly, and Vee found herself fitting in with her cabinmates. As always, she had woken up before anyone else, allowing her to slip out to the showers and wash up before making her way to the dining hall for breakfast. 

She was not the only camper who had chosen to get an early start.

The other early riser was someone Vee had only seen in passing, but had stood out to her senses as a basilisk. The girl in front of her had short, shiny black hair, olive skin, and dark brown eyes with tiny flecks of green in them. She was a few inches taller and lankier than Vee’s human disguise, but held herself like a rookie Coven Scout. The bags under her eyes brought the image to her mind of a similar pair of magenta eyes. To Vee’s keen senses, the girl had the trace scent of magic, a magic so pure she had to hold herself back from sneezing in reflex.

The girl looked up from the book she was writing in. “Oh, hi.” She waved. Vee served herself a bowl of cereal before joining her at her table, the bench creaking as she sat. 

“Bad night’s sleep?” Vee asked, noting the bags under the girl’s eyes. The girl blinked, as though re-trailing a train of thought.

“Just some nightmares.” The girl sighed. Vee rubbed the back of her neck. “I get it.”

Vee tried to remember some of the social skills they were supposed to be learning, ultimately holding out her hand. “Luz Noceda.” Vee introduced herself.

“Marcy Wu.” Marcy shook her hand.

“So, what are you working on?” Vee asked, trying to make conversation.

“Just some campaign notes.” Marcy gestured to her journal. There were a lot of drawings that reminded Vee of her own realm of origin.

“Campaign notes?” Vee questioned. Marcy proceeded to chatter on in detail about her “homebrew Creatures and Caverns campaign. By the time she stopped for breath, the bulk of the other campers had arrived for breakfast.

“Which cabin are you in, again?” Vee asked, changing the subject from the stories she had no context for but were nevertheless riveting to listen to.

“Oh, I’m in Cabin 3. But…I’m the only one here from Hopkinton.” Marcy looked downcast.

“Hopkinton?” Vee asked. She had very little knowledge of human geography, and feared that she might have blown her cover.

“Yeah, it’s north of here in Massachusetts. And my family just moved there from LA.” Marcy explained. “My therapist ‘recommended’ that I come here after I accidentally summoned a Shadowfish…in the middle of class. Still not sure how I managed to do that, actually.”

Vee was completely lost. “What’s a Shadowfish?”

“Phantoms from another dimension.” Marcy explained offhandedly.

Vee’s breath caught in her throat, her words failing her.

“Don’t worry, it only manifested for a few minutes.” Marcy assured her.

“O…kay.” Vee said, now uneasy. Was Marcy a witch? It would explain the hints of magic she was sensing, but she couldn’t smell that ephemeral glassiness that came with illusions, or the petrichor of flesh-shaping healing, and her ears were clearly round. 

Whatever higher being there was clearly took pity on Vee, as the siren-like bell rang out, telling the campers to start making their way to the morning workshop. Marcy stood up and made her way out, Vee following. 

Marcy tripped on the top step, and Vee caught her by the arm before she fell.

“Thanks, Anne.” Marcy said, before realizing who she was talking to. “Oh, sorry, thank you, Luz.”

“Who’s Anne?” Vee asked. Marcy looked down.

“One of my friends from LA. She was always looking out for me…and I wasn’t a very good friend to her.” Marcy looked downcast. 

Drawing on all the lessons she learned so far on social interaction, Vee reached out. “You know, you could hang out with us at Cabin Seven. Us misfits gotta stick together, ya’ know?” Vee smiled, hoping Luz’ sharper teeth didn’t make her look too intimidating.

Marcy let out a huff of a chuckle, and stood taller. “I think I’d like that.”

Introducing Marcy to Cabin 7 went pretty well, in Vee’s opinion. Masha had asked a lot of questions about something called ‘Frogvasion’, which Marcy was hesitant to talk about, only mentioning that her friend Anne had saved two worlds. When it became clear that Marcy was uncomfortable talking about it, Vee changed the subject to Marcy’s campaign writing, and the ‘Frogvasion’ was quickly forgotten in favor of Robin and Marcy comparing writers notes. As the sun set, Cabin 7 and Marcy took their conversation to the fire pit in front of their cabin.

While they chatted, Vee looked up, taking in the sight of the alien stars twinkling overhead. Vee had never really had a chance to enjoy the beauty of the night sky on the Boiling Isles, having been raised in a dungeon, and spending her nights free trying to avoid predators and guards and scavenge for food and shelter. But looking at the stars in the Human Realm, her friends chatting away around her, Vee felt at peace. 

A peace that was shattered as she saw a streak of light cross the sky, and her sense of smell was flooded with the scent of magic. The source of the magic flew overhead, rattling the cabin windows as it came down past the treeline with a thunderous crash

“What the frog was that!” Marcy shouted.

Vee sprang to her feet. “It came down in the forest!” She shouted.

“Luz!” Masha shouted behind her. Vee ignored them, following the overwhelming scent of magic through the trees, until coming to a stop on the edge of a clearing that hadn’t been there before.

The source of the magic had left a substantial crater, the trees around it scorched where they hadn’t been splintered by the force of impact. At the bottom of the crater sat a large meteorite. It was at least twice Vee’s height, the rocky exterior criss-crossed with cracks that glowed in an array of arcane colors. Vee noted a chunk of the meteorite’s surface had been gouged out, the crater charred, as though burned by intense fire.

A wedge of the meteorite’s surface cracked, a hiss of blue steam leaking from the cracks as the wedge hinged open. The inside of the meteorite was hollow, bearing that same arcane aurora. From within the meteorite, a figure emerged. A pair of softly glowing cyan eyes peered out, set in a pink, otherwise featureless face. A similarly cyan membrane-like mane flowed around its head. 

The figure stepped out of the meteorite, it’s form a vaguely humanoid shape. The figure looked at the damage on the meteorite, and let out a keening wail.

The sense of despair was painfully familiar to Vee.

“Who…who are you?” Vee asked. The figure spun around, seeming to flow through the air as it turned. Vee tripped, and stumbled to the bottom of the crater. She looked up, eyes wide, meeting the cyan gaze of the alien. The cyan of its eyes was not like the baleful blue she had seen behind a golden mask. There was a weariness in those cyan eyes, along with a deep empathy that stared into her soul. The alien reached down, a hand forming at the end of its arm, offering to help her up. Vee took the alien’s hand, and her eyes widened as visions filled her mind.

A dark blue-green planet.

A fleet of white spires.

An army with a single repeating face.

Fire raining from the sky.

A pod of glowing stone being launched into the void.

Vee blinked, returning to reality.

“Luz!” She heard her friends shout in concern.

Vee looked up, her friends standing at the edge of the crater. Marcy in particular looked ready for a fight. 

“It’s okay!” Vee shouted back. “Mira’s okay. They don’t mean any harm.”

Marcy slid down the crater wall with a practiced ease, while Vee’s cabin-mates clambered down with far less grace.

Mira observed the new arrivals, and changed their shape, matching the proportions of Vee’s chosen human form while gaining an angular, cat-like face. 

“A shapeshifter?” Marcy noted. “Cool. I’ve never met a shapeshifter before.” Marcy whipped out her journal. “Where did you come from? Did you come from space? Are there others of your kind? What brings you to Earth? Can you understand me?”

Mira looked at Marcy wide-eyed, turning to Vee, who sighed, realizing she would have to play translator. “They came from another planet, Krytis. There…aren’t anymore of their kind. They came here fleeing the invaders who burned their world, and yes, they can understand you.” Vee said, her voice becoming hollow as she pieced together what she had seen of Mira’s memories.

Vee felt her knees give out under her. Mira helped her down, until they were both on the ground. Masha, Robin, Morgan, and Marcy joined them in sitting in the crater, Masha and Marcy approaching to comfort them.

“That’s…I don’t know where to begin.” Masha spoke first.

“We’ll keep you safe.” Marcy offered, earning looks of shock from the others.

“What? Are you sure?” Morgan asked.

Marcy sighed. “I have to come clean to you guys. This isn’t my first experience with beings from other worlds.”

Taking a deep breath, Marcy began to explain. “When my parents told me we were moving, I didn’t take it well, at all. I was so scared of being away from my friends, Anne and Sasha, that I found this music box in a thrift shop. I convinced them that the box would be a good present for Anne’s birthday, and Sasha convinced her to steal it. The Calamity Box teleported us to another world, Amphibia. I landed in the capital, Newtopia, and King Andrias took me in, and made me a Ranger. It was everything I had wanted.”

Tears came to Marcy’s eyes. “But it was all a trick. Andrias’ master, the Core, wanted the box to conquer other worlds, like they had been until a thousand years ago, when the box was stolen and hidden on Earth. Andrias tricked us into charging the box’ gems, and he convinced me that I could use the box to adventure with Anne and Sasha forever. And then he stabbed me in the back in the most literal way.”

Marcy pulled the collar of her shirt down, just enough to show the white scar over her sternum. “But the Core wanted me alive. It wanted a host, and I was the only person alive who beat Andrias at Flipwort. The Frogvasion? That was me. My body being piloted by a monster that did not sleep and would not die, while my mind was trapped in a void.”

Marcy was shaking, her arms wrapping around herself. “I only got free because Sasha managed to sever the Core’s connection between its helmet and the castle. And then Anne had to sacrifice herself to save Amphibia from the Core trying to drop the moon on it. She only came back thanks to the creator of the Calamity Gems bringing her back. But all of it was my fault.” Marcy slammed her fists on the ground, tears following them. “It was my fault we were trapped in another world for months. It was my fault Andrias got the Calamity Box and wrecked Amphibia’s ecosystem to fuel his war machine. It was my fault the Frogvasion happened. It was my fault my oldest friend had to give her life to save everyone. And after all of that, all that suffering? We still ended up on opposite sides of the country.”

When Marcy finished, no one spoke. The Mira shifted, their form shrinking, becoming quadrupedal. Mira, in the form of a cat, climbed onto Marcy’s lap, and began purring.

Vee looked at her friends, the humans she had befriended, who had taken her in as a fellow misfit, and she made a decision.

“Marcy.” She got the older girl’s attention. “What Andrias and…the Core…did? That wasn’t your fault. I know what those kinds of tyrants are like. To them, you’re either useful, or you’re dead.” Mira looked at her, and nodded in commiseration.

“How do you know that, Luz?” Masha asked.

She took a deep breath. “Because I’m not the real Luz.” She let her true form peek through, her ears becoming frilled, and her eyes becoming black with golden pupils and aqua-blue sclera. “I’m a Basilisk, from a place called the Boiling Isles. I was called Number Five, but my name is Vee.”

There were gasps of shock, but not of horror. Vee opened her eyes and saw their reactions. They were surprised, of course, but the expressions on their faces were of awe, with Masha sporting a faint blush. The only one looking away was Robin.

“Uh, do you kill with a look?” Robin asked.

“Uh, no. We eat magic, and that’s why we were hunted to extinction hundreds of years ago.” Vee explained. Why did humans think basilisks had a deadly gaze? 

“Wait, brought back?” Marcy asked.

“The Boiling Isles are ruled by Emperor Belos. He used some sort of scavenged tech and magic to recreate us, so he could study how we drain magic. We managed to escape, and I ended up finding a portal. The real Luz had just come through the portal, so I…took her place here. I just wanted somewhere I could be safe.”

“So you left Luz with a tyrant?” Morgan asked accusationally.

“The portal is owned by the Owl Lady, the most powerful witch on the Boiling Isles, and she’s no friend of Belos.” Vee defended. “If Luz is still there, she’s there by choice.”

“So…now what?” Masha asked, changing the subject.

Vee stood up, followed by Marcy. Mira jumped from her lap to climb atop Vee’s shoulders.

“First…” Vee began, turning to the cat on her shoulder. “Mira? Is there any way to get your ship working?”

Mira meowed, telepathically communicating with the demon they bonded with. “Oh, not really a ship, a makeshift escape pod. May I?” Vee asked. Mira nodded.

Vee took a deep breath. Streams of arcane blue flowed from the meteorite into her mouth, until the light faded from the rock and crystal. Vee swallowed, sighed, and shifted, her human disguise restored.

Then the hairs on the back of her neck stood up, and she heard the whine of something charging, like the mechanical staff wielded by Belos and his gilded Hand.

“Get down!” Vee shouted, tackling her friends to the ground as a bolt of toxic green shot overhead, striking the meteorite capsule and blasting off a chunk of it.

Vee twisted to look at the source of the blast.

The figure at the top of the crater was tall, with an emaciated build highlighted by its broad shoulders. A white mohawk flowed in the wind, the same bone-like tint as the skull-like face. A pair of toxic green eyes gazed at them, a malevolent madness gleaming. Whoever this was, he did not intend to leave any survivors.

“Run!” Marcy shouted, scrambling to her feet and throwing a small rock, which caught their attacker on the top of his head. The figure stumbled back, giving the sextet enough time to climb out of the crater and get into the woods, spurred on by a feral snarl.

Vee vaulted over a fallen tree, while Marcy slid under it. Masha and Morgan also managed to hurdle over it, while Robin ducked around. Another scintillating bolt flew overhead, splintering the trunk it hit. It was growing darker by the minute, and only the glow of Mira’s mane and tail provided light. Vee and Marcy moved as though the night was not an impediment, until they came to stop at another clearing.

This clearing was more natural than the previous crater, but the sleek white vessel set down in the clearing was certainly not.

“This must be that guy’s ship.” Masha noted. Mira chirped in affirmation.

A determined look came over Marcy’s face, as she noticed the open cockpit.

“Give me a boost.” Marcy said, a commanding tone in her voice.

Vee and Morgan hoisted her up, and she flopped over the side to land in the pilot’s seat.

“Okay Newtopian cybernetics, let’s see if you’re still worth something.” Marcy muttered as she felt one of the Core’s implants activate, the connection point that had connected her to Darcy’s helmet. The being chasing them had nudged one of the scattered memories she had rattling around from her brain being used as a hard drive by the self-proclaimed biomechanical god. The implant connecting to the ship’s systems confirmed her suspicions. With the connection established, data flooded into her mind, before Marcy started parsing out the most relevant information.

“I’m in!” Marcy exclaimed. “Okay, the bad guy’s apparently part of something called the Horde, serving a piece of work who goes by Horde Prime. He’s been chasing Mira for a while, and both of them got caught in a wormhole that spat them out near our solar system.”

“So we have to worry about him calling in his buddies?” Morgan asked.

Marcy laughed. “Ha, nope! The Horde had a hive mind. Operative word being ‘had’. Somebody managed to fry the entire network, and zapped Prime with the same level of power as Anne’s moon-breaker. This guy just didn’t get the memo, and even if he did get a message back, there’s no one to answer.”

Everyone let out a sigh of relief.

“That being said…” Marcy continued. “We can’t leave this for anyone to find, or let him get away. Whenever these kinds of empires fall, there’s always some remnants that want that power back.”

A high-pitched whine screamed out, as Marcy clambered out of the ship’s cockpit, a cylinder in her hand. “Go, go, go!” Marcy waved at them to run.

They didn’t need to be told twice.

Just as they reached the treeline, the soldier emerged, green blood drying on his forehead from where Marcy hit him. He ran towards his ship as his witch-like ears twitched at the whining sound.

“No! No! No!” He shouted as he tried to reach his vessel.

The craft was consumed in a burst of plasma that singed the teenagers’ eyebrows. The soldier was flung from the explosion, his white uniform scorched and burned.

He was still alive, and as he rolled over, the gleam of malevolence turned into a rabid fervor. His eyes locked on Vee.

“Marcy, guide the others back to camp. I’ll lure him away.” Vee hastily planned as the Horde soldier climbed to his feet.

“RUN!” Vee shouted, shoving Marcy into Masha as she ran to the side. The Horde soldier bolted into motion after her, tearing through the trees.

“We’re going after her, right?” Masha asked.

“Of course we’re going after her.” Marcy said, as she pulled out a gadget.

“What is that?” Robin asked.

“A little souvenir from Amphibia…” Marcy said, as she popped one end open and slid the cylinder she had taken from the Horde ship in. “...which I have a new power cell for.” 

She pressed the button, and a blade of green, flame-like plasma ignited, the light reflecting in her eyes.

Vee looked back just long enough to make sure the Horde soldier was still following her. She skid to a stop as she left the safety of the trees for the short grassy beach on the far edge of the lake. On the other side of the water, the lights of camp were just barely visible, twinkling on the horizon.

No witnesses for what she was about to do. 

“Mira, get in the trees and hide. I’ll come back for you.” Vee told her companion. Her fellow shapeshifter nodded and slithered into the branches of the nearest tree.

With a loud rustling, the Horde soldier emerged, his pale face illuminated in the moonlight. The insignia on his uniform had been obscured by the burns from his ship, and his expression was a rictus of hate.

“Hey, ya big idiot!” Vee shouted, refocusing his attention on her, as she charged. He raised the weapon on his arm, that familiar whine ringing in her ears. Vee grit her teeth as she collided with him, claws raking over his right arm. Green electricity crackled over the damaged casing, and the Horde soldier ripped off the overloading weapon, tossing it into the water, where it exploded with a small geyser. Vee let her human form fall away, wrapping her tail around the alien’s torso, and dragging him towards the lake. The two landed in the water with a splash, and Vee propelled them deeper into the water.

Even with her enhanced night vision, Vee could barely see in the darkness of the lake at night. She felt the alien’s hands wrap around her neck, and instinctively shifted. Slits opened along her sides, allowing her to draw life-sustaining oxygen directly out of the water. She’d read theories that some basilisks had fled into the Boiling Sea to escape being hunted, which she was inclined to agree with, considering how easily it came to her to grow gills. 

Though not having to worry about her airways being blocked meant little when her blood circulation was being cut off. Vee’s claws dug into his arms, spilling green blood into the water as she tried to make him let go of her. 

The Horde soldier’s expression turned from hateful to shocked as his breath left him. Vee looked down.

The glowing tip of a blade of energy poked out of his chest. The blade was pulled out, and the Horde soldier fell to the side, his grip going slack. Vee looked at her savior.

Marcy floated above her, her dagger illuminating the water with its green flame.

Vee gave her a smile as she swam up, churning the water below her to tangle the alien’s body in the plants at the bottom of the lake. The two surfaced, and began making their way to shore, and the lights of her cabin-mates’ phones. As they reached the shallow end, Vee shifted back into Luz’ form.

“Vee! Marcy! Are you okay?” Masha asked as they reached dry land.

Marcy exhaled deeply. “You should see the other guy.” She popped the power cell out of her dagger, and pocketed the components.

Mira leapt from the trees into Vee’s arms. 

“You’re safe now, Mira.” Vee said, almost as though convincing herself.

“So what now?” Masha asked.

“Can we keep her?” Morgan asked. “We could hide her in the cabin.”

“I don’t know, we might be able to get away with taking care of an Earth cat, but an alien cat?” Masha pointed out.

Mira’s form rippled, their features shifting subtly and their mane vanishing,  leaving a slightly pink-tinted cat in Vee’s arms.

“Well, that works.” Marcy noted with more than a little awe.

“Welcome to Cabin Seven, Marcy.” Masha announced. The five teens locked arms, Vee still holding Mira.

“Cabin seven! Hoo-ha-ha!” They cheered.

Camila set her purse down after a long day at the clinic.

The house was far too quiet with Luz at camp.

She hoped Luz was making friends, other people like her who she could form connections with.

Her last text had been an encouraging ‘I think I’m gonna like it here’ last week. She knew from experience that a reliable cell signal in those kinds of areas was unlikely, and the camp counselor assured her that she would call if anything bad happened.

Changing out of her scrubs, Camila prepared herself for a night of animal documentaries.

Then she heard a crash from the basement. Grabbing the baseball bat from the foyer, she warily climbed down the stairs.

The beady eyes of a possum greeted her, before scampering out of the basement window.

Pinching the bridge of her nose with a sigh, Camila re-locked the basement window, and turned to see what had been knocked over.

Only one box had been knocked over, spilling its contents of books. A few loose papers had also been strewn across the floor. 

Bending down to pick them up, her fingers brushed a small square of paper with some sort of circular design on it. As soon as her fingers left, the paper crumpled. She felt a warmth from her necklace as the paper was consumed by a ball of light.

Standing back up, Camila cupped the ball of light in her hands. “Dios mío, ¿qué es esta magia?” She closed one hand around the ball of light, and a pair of nested rings bloomed around her fist, the arcane glyph hovering between the rings. She felt a warmth along her arm that she hadn’t felt in decades, ink that was normally invisible to the human eye lighting up golden in an array evocative of circuitry.

“Fascinating.”

She did not see the golden eye gazing from the reflection of one of the family photos with pride and affection.

Chapter Text

After learning she wasn’t entirely human and that King was her brother, the rest of the day passed by Luz in a daze. Eda brought her back to reality with a breakfast of griffin eggs - seasoned with some of King’s favorite spices, before teaching her about what she might expect from her demon heritage coming to surface, while also sharing more about her curse.

The maternal brooding of the Owl Beast was a new development, which is why Eda had been so terrified of transforming around them. She mentioned that injuries from the Owl Beast’s talons were resistant to healing magic, and that she had already hurt her family once.

The implicit recognition of Luz and King as family did not go unnoticed.

She also revealed that one of the myriad side effects of her curse was premature aging from the stress of the transformation. Her ability to remove her limbs at will and survive losing her head was another perk of the curse. “Most witches would need to see a healer to reattach a missing limb, and a few demon species can handle getting their head knocked off, but my family never had that kind of ancestry. It’s almost like the curse refuses to let me die.” Eda had mused. She also had some of the Owl Beast’s prestigious strength in witch form, which did give her an edge against most coven scouts. 

The transformation itself was tied to both how much magic she had in her bile sac, and her emotional state. The Owl Beast didn’t like boiling rain storms very much, and the combination of her exhaustion from the barrier spell and the lightning from the storm, coupled with her own fear when she dropped her elixir, had all come together to force her first transformation in half a decade. The last time she had transformed, she ended up wrecking some human’s car. 

As for Luz’ own metamorphosis, Eda told her to expect a lot of growing pains, and likely more itching as the rest of her fur came in, and promised to brew the potions for relieving the discomfort when it happened. She also got Luz a polishing kit for her new claws, knowing from experience with King just how tough her bones were, and that her claws were made of bone. Eda also fashioned her a partial cape to cover her left side and avoid drawing attention to the altered limb for the time being. Luz added her own personal touch by etching the light glyph onto the clasp. Eda had managed to match the lavender blue of her hoodie with the outer layer of the cape, with a magenta inner lining.

Her first outing with her new accessory was the next day, when Eda set out her Human Collectables stand, and Luz entertained King by reading from book one of The Good Witch Azura, happy to share her dad’s gift to her with her little brother.

“Emboldened by the dishonor Hecate had shown, Azura lifted her staff to the cotton-candy skies and shouted, ‘I challenge you to a Witch’s Duel!’” Luz showed the book to King. “Look, I even drew a flip-book of the scene. Pew, pew, pew!”

“Hah! I can draw better than that.” King laughed. “You know, Eda once called me the King of Artists.”

“To be fair, I did draw this a few years ago.” Luz shrugged. “But I can offer you more of this book. I mean, our dad gave it to me, so I figured we could bond over it like siblings do.”

“Ugh, can you do your bonding elsewhere?” Eda groaned. “The flowery language is driving off all our serious customers.”

“Uh, Eda? What customers?” Luz asked. “We’re the only stand here. I thought you said weekends were busy?”

Eda finally noticed that the market was practically deserted.

“Oh no, this is a bad omen.” Eda said darkly. “There must be something horrible happening today.”

“Luz!” The girl in question heard Willow shout in greeting as she and Gus ran up to the stand. “Something amazing is happening today!” She exclaimed.

“Gus, Willow! Hey!” Luz waved, careful to do so with her right arm.

“Whoa, nice duds, Luz.” Gus noted her cape.

Luz blushed, not used to such compliments. “Thanks, Eda made it for me.”

An idea lit up in her mind, remembering the other major development since last she had seen the Hexside students.

“Oh, Gus, Willow. Check this out!” Luz pulled out her notepad and drew the glyph she had learned, tapping it to activate the spell. 

As she held the ball of light in her hand, Willow and Gus looked awestruck.

“A human doing magic! Astounding!” Gus exclaimed.

“I guess humans can do magic after all.” Willow noted. “Speaking of…” Willow held up a flier. The flier depicted a young witch staring into a large cauldron, which showed the reflection of a tall witch with a pointed hat in the brew. In bold text, the flier read ‘COVENTION’ across the top, ‘WHICH COVEN ARE YOU?’ asked the text on the cauldron, with ‘MYSTERY GUEST!’ across the bottom. 

“It’s the annual Covention! Student witches get to see all the different covens before they join one. This year, there’s even a special mystery guest!” Willow pointed at the bottom of the flyer.

Luz took the flyer. “A job fair for witches! Can we go!” Luz looked to Eda.

“Absolutely not.” Eda stated.

Luz groaned. “Why not?”

“I never joined a coven for a reason. Sure it looks like a fun club for witches, but you’re giving up your magical independence to be part of a crooked system. And don’t get me started on the back-stabbing.” Eda criticized. “Eh, but, you know, no judgment. In any case, I haven’t been to a Covention since we were girls.”

“We?” Luz asked, latching onto her slip-up.

“I--the--I mean--” Eda tried to backpedal.

“Who’s we?” Luz did not let up. “More of your mysterious past! Now we gotta go!”

“No.” Eda countered plainly.

Luz’ eyes gained a cunning glint. “Then you leave me no choice.” She snapped to King, who opened her book and began reading one of the passages where the prose was the most purple.

“‘You shall not shan’t doeth no more harm,’ Azura callethed out…” King read.

“So flowery, so awful.” Eda stared, before opening the portal door to try and flee.

Luz tossed her brother through the door before it could close.

“Uh, Luz…?” Willow asked.

“What the heck is that!?” Gus pointed at her arm, which was now fully visible.

“Did you get cursed?” Willow asked with concern.

“No, it’s okay. Turns out…my dad was from this realm. I don’t have a bile sac, but I do have a brother.” Luz explained, as Eda returned from her attempt to escape to the Human Realm, King sitting on her head, still reading.

“Stop it! Stop it! I will literally do anything to stop this!” Eda cried out.

Gus gave Luz an incredulous look as he put the details together. “How?” He asked.

“I’ll let you know when I figure that out myself.” Luz promised him.

The Bonesborough Convention Center was a massive brick longhouse, the white and tan brick contrasted by the blood-red roofing, and a strip of golden trim around the front portico. It was almost certainly one of the largest buildings in Bonesborough, at least twice the size of Gravesfield’s rec center.

The green sign out front stated proudly ‘COVENTION TODAY’ and in smaller text ‘ALCHEMISTS ANONYMOUS TOMORROW’

In front of the building, Luz bounced on her feet while Willow clapped. Eda groaned, as she tried to stuff her hair under a dark red cowl. 

“Argh, gotta keep a low profile.” She grunted. Luz paused her admiration to help her mentor.

“Is this cowl really necessary?” Luz asked.

“Do you honestly think all my wanted posters are for petty theft?” Eda asked, before a cascade of pilfered goods fell from her cowl.

“Partly,” Eda said flatly as she scooped her ill-gotten gains back into her hair. “But the big whammy is I disobey the law and refuse to join any coven. If I’m seen here, I could go to jail…Again.”

Willow found one of Eda’s wanted posters and picked it up. “Maybe this informative event will inspire you to join a coven?”

Eda responded by telekinetically pulling Willow’s cowl down over her face.

“Ha, nope. I’d sooner jump in the Boiling Sea. Seeing the kind of witch that rises to top was enough to turn me off covens for good.” Eda laughed. “Let’s get this over with. If nothing else, we can see what garbage they’re peddling this time, and you can see how rotten the system really is.”

Entering the building, Luz was instantly in awe at the magic on display. Colorful banners hung from the cavernous ceiling, nine banners standing out above the rest, each with golden linework and different symbols taking the centerplace. She recognized the goop-like symbol on the orchid-colored banner as being the same one she saw on Principle Bump’s wrist. Luz felt that was important somehow. Young witches flew through the air on enchanted brooms, and the hall floor was covered in dozens of booths and displays.

“Whoa, was I even alive before now?” Luz asked in awe.

“Those are the main nine covens,” Gus pointed at the banners. “But there’s dozens, hundreds of smaller covens you can join.”

As Luz walked with her friends, Willow pointed out the various covens.

“There’s the Flower Coven, Artist Coven, Big Dog Coven, Small Cat Coven, Tiny Cat Coven-” Willow was interrupted by Eda’s groan of annoyance.

“Also the Grumpy Coven.” Willow whispered to Luz, earning a chuckle.

“What was that?” Eda spoke up. Willow yipped and darted off with Luz, Gus, and King.

“Pardon me for being on edge while in enemy territory.” Eda grumbled to herself. Not watching her immediate surroundings, she found herself colliding with another witch.

“Hey, watch it bu-” Eda lost her train of thought as she recognized the witch in front of her. Those green eyes and mint-green hair were unforgettable. 

“Raine?”

Raine Whispers adjusted their glasses and met her gaze. “Eda?” They asked in shock.

Raine had changed their wardrobe since last Eda had seen them. They still wore a white shirt as an under layer for their red tunic, trimmed with gold and accessorized with a black and red capelet, clasped at the shoulder with the sigil of the Bard Coven. They still wore the gray earring Eda had gotten them ages ago.

Raine spoke first. “Eda? What are you doing here?” 

Eda sighed. “Making sure my apprentice doesn’t get eaten, or worse, branded.”

“Apprentice?” Raine asked, turning to look at the student in question. Their eyes widened. “Is that…?”

“Yeah, she’s Cam and Manny’s kid.” Eda admitted. Raine’s eyes went even wider, and their breath caught in their throat.

“As much as I’d love to stay and catch up, I think Luz is about to learn an important lesson about what this whole coven system is really about.” Eda hustled after her apprentice, while Raine stared after them.

Eda caught up to Luz at the Illusion Coven booth, where her apprentice was being dazzled by their showmanship.

“Wow! Acceptance? Comradery? A sense of belonging? Covens sound incredible! Eda, why haven’t you ever joined one?” Luz asked.

“Watch closely, Luz.” Eda answered, directing her attention to an upperclasswitch in the sky blue of the Illusion track. The witch manning the booth was wearing a bulky gray glove trimmed with gold. The palm of the glove was pressed to the witch’s wrist with a faint hissing sound, and the glove was pulled away to reveal a mirror sigil. Faint blue lines crept up his veins, and his complexion visibly paled.

“When you join a coven, all your other magic is sealed away.” Eda explained, to Luz’ mounting horror. “From now on, that kid will only ever be able to make illusions.”

Luz’ face had done a one-eighty in expression, her previous awe swept away in a flurry of horror, revulsion, and betrayal.

“Sealing away parts of yourself!?” Luz almost shouted. “I stayed here to get away from that sort of thing! And now you’re telling me it’s actually illegal not to do that!?”

“Now you see it.” Eda nodded, shelving the obvious issues her rant had revealed for later, when they weren’t in public. “And since I never joined a coven, I can do every kind of magic.” She conjured a ball of fire in one hand and a ball of water in the other, before combining them into a cloud of colorful steam that quickly dissipated. “Barring some skill issues, that’s why I’m the most powerful witch on the Boiling Isles.” She started to stride off, followed by her charges.

“Skill issues?” Luz asked.

“Don’t ask me to reattach any limbs that aren’t my own.” Eda warned. “Also, my Abominations have a nasty habit of gaining sentience and rebelling, which still makes a good distraction, ya got to admit.”

The next display that caught Luz’ eye was the other coven that wore blue: The Healing Coven. Gus waved to one of the witches at the booth.

“Hey Bo!” The illusionist greeted, introducing a pale witch with brown hair and eyes and a smattering of freckles across her nose.

“Bo’s a fellow member of the Human Appreciation Society.” Gus explained. Luz shook the healing student’s hand. “Hi, I’m Luz.” She greeted, trying to show her normal enthusiasm.

“Wow, an actual human!” Bo exclaimed. “I thought Gus was just pulling our legs when he said he knew one.”

“Nice to meet you. So, how does healing magic work?” Luz asked, curious.

“I’m glad you asked!” The witch staffing the booth announced. “Healing magic, at the most basic level, is about the transfer of energy. A witch will either directly pour their magic into a wound to accelerate its natural healing, or direct the natural energy of the body to the same effect. Higher level healing magic focuses on directly manipulating the flesh, which has a wide range of applications outside of tending to the sick and injured." The witch demonstrated by casting a spell that doubled the size of their arm muscles.

“Okay, that’s impressive.” Luz admitted.

“How do human healers work?” Bo asked.

“Usually with medicine or surgery.” Luz summarized. “Mostly using chemicals derived from plants.”

Willow grabbed Luz’ arm. “Oh, you have to check out the Plant Coven!” She said, dragging Luz along.

The Plant Coven booth was manned by a satyr-like demon wearing a floral shirt. As Luz approached, one of the flowers released a cloud of pollen. Luz coughed and blinked at the sudden onslaught, before freezing as she saw something in the scattering of pollen. 

“Woah, you okay there?” The satyr asked.

“I’m alright, just caught me off guard is all.” Luz said hastily.

“Plant magic is one of the oldest forms of magic known to witch-kind.” Willow lectured.

“The Plant Coven also has the largest minor covens under its umbrella.” The satyr continued.

“Because no one wants to be near its Head Witch.” Eda interjected, looking wary. “Where is the old creep anyway? I thought she’d never miss the chance to intimidate schoolchildren.”

The satyr winced. “Ah, Head Witch Snapdragon has been banned by the City of Bonesborough from setting foot in the Convention Hall, after the… incident at the tenth annual H.E.C.K.”

“Guess there’s some justice in the world after all.” Eda snorted, before noticing her apprentice staring off into space.

“Uh, Isles to Luz?” Eda waved her hand in front of her, and Luz shook her head, refocusing, before whispering to her. “I’ll tell you later. I think I found another glyph.”

Eda quickly shuffled Luz away from the stalls to a corner that wasn’t getting much foot traffic. Away from prying eyes, Luz pulled out her notepad, and drew the pattern she had seen in the pollen.

Tapping the resulting glyph, a flower bloomed from the paper.

“Well I’ll be a Titan’s godmother. You’ve got another spell.” Eda said proudly.

Luz blushed at the praise.

“Let’s see what the other covens are.” Luz suggested. “Maybe I’ll find even more spells!” 

Luz did not find any more glyphs, but she did enjoy seeing the various forms of magic on display, tempered by her knowledge of how limited they were.

At the Beast-Keeping Coven, Luz ended up petting dozens of beast demons, and found herself covered in feathers from the avian demons. The Head Witch of the Coven was present, and gave Luz a look of curiosity, while Eda stayed at a distance.

A wizened-looking oracle got Luz’ attention at a stall promoting the Aura-Reading Coven.

“My dear, I’ve never seen such an aurora around a witch before.” The oracle told her.

“Is this the part where you tell me I’m some destined chosen one?” Luz asked, suddenly wary and perhaps more than a little bitter.

“Nonsense.” The oracle waved. “But an aura as radiant as yours...Powers beneath and above mingle within you, and the songs of the realms will be forever altered by the apotheosis you will herald.”

“Apotheosis? What are you talking about?” Luz asked, now bewildered.

“Hold fast to your family, little light, and you will weather the fire.” The oracle finished. Eda grabbed Luz by the arm, and pulled her away.

“Don’t trust oracles with long-term predictions, kid.” Eda advised. “I mean, that same oracle predicted I would have a dozen kids, and that certainly isn’t gonna happen.”

Luz noticed the majority of Covention-goers filing into an auditorium. A half-dozen bird-masked witches in white cloaks and gray tunics stood at attention, while a gray banner with a tenth sigil hung over the vestibule.

“Woah, that panel looks popular.” Luz noted. There was something eerily familiar about the triangular sigil with a winged sword pointing down through it. She could have sworn that she’d seen it before she ever learned of the Boiling Isles.

Gus gasped. “It’s the Emperor’s Coven! They’re the most prestigious of all the covens! Do you think they’ll sign my forehead?”

“Only one way to find out.” Willow said as her and Gus ran in.

Eda scoffed.

“You’re not coming, Eda?” Luz asked.

“No way.” Eda declared emphatically. “Of all the covens, they’re the absolute worst. I’ll wait out here.”

“I get it. Covens bad, individualism good. But I might as well learn to know our enemy, see what we’re up against.” Luz argued before following her friends.

By the time she’d taken her seat and the lights began to dim, Eda had joined her. “All right, let’s get this mess over with.” The older witch grouched.

On the auditorium stage, Principal Bump appeared in a spiral of green magic, the crowd applauding as he summoned a microphone with bat wings. 

“Hello Bonesborough!” Principal Bump announced. “Students ask me all the time: ‘Principal Bump, what’s the height of magical achievement?’”

“Is it this?” A student in construction brown spun a spell circle that made his head grow until his neck couldn’t hold it up, falling over onto the student next to him.

“Wow.” Bump said. “I’ve failed you as a principal. The true height is to be selected to join the best of the best. And there are none better or more prestigious than the crown jewel of the coven system, and enforcers of his will, the Emperor’s Coven!” 

A trio of identically-dressed masked witches appeared.

“Whoa, that’s an entrance.” Luz waved along with the crowd, while Willow and Gus whispered for her attention, pointing at the signature written on the latter’s forehead.

“Feast your eyes on this elite force, each member hand-picked to help usher in a new age of controlled magic.” Bump continued, while the Scouts demonstrated their elemental magic by combining fire, water, and lightning to create a fireworks display of confetti. 

“When does that ‘elite force’ get here?” Eda snorted.

Principal Bump continued the coven’s pitch. “Members of the Emperor’s Coven have access to all -- yes, all forms of magic. Ooo. Aah.”

“Doesn’t mean they actually know how to use any of it.” Eda heckled as the crowd fawned.

“But…only the very best and brightest ascend these ranks. Some day, that could be you!” Bump pointed at a recognizable head of green hair. Luz noticed the abomination student visibly perk up with a bright smile.

The guards vanished in a flourish of their cloaks as Bump introduced the true star of the show.

“And now, I’m pleased to introduce the esteemed leader of this coven, and this year’s much-anticipated mystery guest. You know her, you love her! Lilith!”

A flash of light burst at the vaulted ceiling of the auditorium, solidifying into a spectral blue raven on an equally spectral branch. The raven took flight, leaving the branch to dissipate. The raven circled the auditorium overhead, leaving crystalline feathers in its wake before landing on the stage in another flash. Where the raven landed, a tall witch stood. The raven dissipated with a triumphant screech, revealing the witch to be wearing an avian half-mask with her cloak. The mask hovered into the air held in an aura of blue, revealing the witch’s face. Lilith’s pale skin and distinctive jawline set the gears in Luz’ mind turning as she noticed Eda had stopped laughing when the coven head had been announced.

“You know her?” Luz asked.

“You could say that.” Eda replied, her gaze locked on the witch.

Luz gasped. “Mysterious pa-ast.” 

The applause died down as Lilith began her speech.

“Thank you, all.” Lilith cast her cloak and mask aside, revealing her dark gray floor-length dress and blue kite-shaped gem.  “It wasn’t easy for me to rise to the top. I also started from humble beginnings.”

“Like me?” The kid with the oversized head beamed. Lilith casually cast a spell in his direction that restored his head to its normal size.

“Now, I have the highest honor of enforcing the Emperor’s will. So be more! The Emperor’s Coven awaits!” Lilith spun, summoning another spectral raven that burst into bubbles of light while the crowd went wild.

Eda’s glare told Luz everything she needed to know to make a guess to her mysterious past.

With the main event over, the crowd filed back into the main hall. 

“Ugh, what a farce.” Eda groaned as she and Luz left the auditorium.

“Eda! Where are you going?” Luz called after her.

“I’m gonna head home and wash the con funk off my skin. How this can be worse than the crowds at those human cons I still don’t get.” Eda commented.

“Wait, you’ve been to conventions in the Human Realm?” Luz asked, latching onto the hint Eda had dropped.

“Oh I am not ready for this conversation.” Eda’s eyes went wide. “Why don’t you go and find King? He’s probably clearing out the confectioners coven by now.” Eda deflected.

Luz scampered off after her wayward sibling, before getting distracted by a magazine with a ‘What Coven Are You In?’ quiz. Magazine in hand, Luz browsed through the options while checking occasionally for her brother’s distinctive skull. 

“Hmm, a punky potionist, a boisterous bard, ooo, a helpful healer--” Luz was cut off from her reading when she collided with another witch.

“Watch where you--Oh, it’s you. Willow’s…abomination thing.” Amity snapped.

“Weh? Oh! Hey, Amity.” Luz waved gingerly. “So, funny story. Not an abomination. Sorry for the confusion last week. I’m Luz, from the Human Realm. Hi!” She offered her hand.

Amity looked at her for a moment, before reluctantly accepting it. “Amity Blight.” She looked around, as if checking for anyone watching, before continuing. “I guess I owe you a ‘thank you’ for getting Willow into the Plant Track.”

“It was no big deal.” Luz shrugged. “Just helping my friend.”

“What’s a human like you even doing at a witch covention?” Amity asked.

“The same reason you are, I’d think. Learning more about the covens. And for your information, I am learning how to be a witch. I’ve been receiving magic lessons from the most powerful witch on the Boiling Isles, and my brother is a ferocious demon.”

Amity looked at her with a raised eyebrow. “O-kay, I’ll be going now.” Amity turned to leave, while Luz heard her brother calling her name.

“Luz!” King called to her, holding a cupcake aloft. “Look at all the free stuff I got!” The little demon was covered head-to-toe in coven merch, including a dangerously dangly scarf that got caught under his foot, sending him and his prizes flying.

Luz could see the disaster about to unfold, but couldn’t do anything to stop what was already in motion. The cupcake landed directly in the path of Amity’s foot, and the girl slipped on the dessert, hitting the ground with a painful-sounding thud.

“Aurgh.” Amity growled as climbed back to her feet, smacking away Luz’ offer of assistance.

“I don’t need your help, human.” She spat.

“Hey, it was an accident.” Luz tried to placate. “No need to be so mean about it.”

“Just get out of here. You and your pet give witches in training a bad name.” Amity insulted.

“I am not a pet!” King shouted while scratching at his neck where his scarf had been.

Luz hugged him, before turning to the green-haired witch, a protective rage coming over her. “I’ll tell you what, Amity.” She stood up looking the witch in the eye. “It’s one thing to insult me, but no one bullies my brother. Just like The Good Witch Azura said when facing down her rival Hecate’s dishonor at the Bog of Immediate Regret…I challenge you to a Witch’s Duel!”

Amity’s eyes widened in recognition, and then again in shock at the human’s boldness, before composing herself and trying to reclaim the upper hand, stepping into the human’s personal space while the entire covention was watching.

“I accept. Let’s set the terms for this little duel, shall we?” She said.

Luz’ expression hardened. “One, if I win, you apologize to King for calling him a pet and squashing his cupcake. And two, you admit that humans can become witches too.”

“Fine by me.” Amity replied. “But when I win, not only do you have to tell the whole covention that you’re not a witch, you have to leave the Boiling Isles and never return.”

Luz saw the gem around Amity’s neck glowing, and could feel a sinister aura from the necklace.

“Do it, Luz! For my honor!” King shouted in encouragement.

“Fine. Let’s shake on it then.” Luz rolled her shoulders.

Amity drew a spell circle around their joined hands, shifting between pink and green.

“The everlasting oath is sealed.” Amity said with a sense of gravitas.

“That’s probably fine.” Luz tried to convince herself.

“We’ll meet back in the theater in one hour. Let’s see just what you’re made of, human.” Amity walked away imperiously.

Eda wasn’t surprised to find her older sister hanging out in front of the History Coven.

“Sister?” Lilith asked. There went her plans for slipping out unnoticed, so she might as well have some fun at her estranged sister’s expense.

“It’s been so long since I’ve seen you last!” Lilith exclaimed, handing one of the students her autograph. “What are you wearing? You look like some sort of trash collector. Oh, right. You are.”

“Oh, Lily, I just had to see the ‘esteemed leader of the Emperor’s Coven’ in action.” Eda replied sarcastically before leaning down to the gaggle of students, stage whispering. “You know, when we were kids, kids, Lilith was so excited to see the Emperor’s Coven, she wet herself.”

Breaking the coven head’s composure with a blush of embarrassment was worth it, and got Lilith to usher the students away.

“You shouldn’t even be here.” Lilith turned back to Eda. “You’re a wanted criminal! Unless…” Lilith gasped. “I can’t believe the day has finally come! You’re here to join the Emperor’s Coven!”

Eda shot her down with a raucous laugh. “Ha, in your wildest dreams, Lily.”

“Oh, you think being covenless makes you so much smarter than everyone else. But while you run from the law like a degenerate, I’m mentoring the next generation of powerful witches into the world. Maybe even stronger than you one day.” Lilith bragged.

“Oh yeah?” Eda countered. “Well I have a student of my own. And I bet you your fancy little mask that she could wipe the floor with any of your prissy little blue bloods.”

Lilith stepped closer. “Is that a challenge I hear?”

“Oh, it’s a promise. She already slew a full-grown Puppeteer herself, and that was before I taught her her first spell.”

“Eda, I need your help!” Luz popped up next to her almost out of nowhere. “I challenged Amity to a witch’s duel and I think she wants me dead! Also, I think her necklace is cursed.” Luz slumped to the ground.

Lilith took immediate notice. “Mmm, it seems your ‘student’ has met my strongest protégé.” She looked closely at Luz. “Ah, Hoxton mentioned a ‘human’ accomplice after that little jailbreak of yours.”

Eda swallowed hard.

“How clever, downplaying the nature of your relationship.” Lilith said, and Eda’s eyebrow rose while Luz looked confused.

“What?” Eda asked flatly.

“Obviously, you’re trying to pass off your daughter as your student.” Luz looked at her like she had spontaneously grown a second head, while Lilith noticed that Luz was hiding her left arm, and shifted the cloak to expose it.

“And it seems she did inherit your curse.” Luz stepped back and tugged her cloak back in place. “See Edalyn, this is why I want you to join me in the Emperor’s Coven. He can heal the curse for both of you.”

Eda looked indignant, while Luz looked practically explosive. “I don’t need a cure! This isn’t a curse, this is what I am!” Luz’ eyes flared violet, and Lilith felt herself be physically shoved back by an invisible force.

“Hey, back off from my sister!” King shouted as he jumped onto Luz’ shoulder.

“Sister?” Lilith asked, looking between the small skull-headed demon and the human. “How?” 

“I’m still trying to answer that question myself.” Eda said, before turning her attention to her own sister. “And I don’t want whatever Emperor Bonehead’s selling.”

Lilith raised her hands in a placating gesture. “Alright, Edalyn.” Lilith traced a cyan spell circle that burned away the myriad wanted posters for Eda’s capture. “For one day, you won’t have to hide from the law, because I want to see just how good a teacher you really are, and what your daughter can really do.”

Lilith marched away.

Eda wrapped an arm around Luz’ shoulders. “Come on, kid. Time to prepare for bloodshed.”

“But… whose blood?” Luz asked.

“Anyone’s guess!” Eda chuckled.

“Eda?” Another voice spoke, and Eda once again found her breath caught in her throat at the sight of Raine Whispers.

Luz looked between the two witches, and could tell there was a tension there.

Eda gathered herself, looking around. “Let’s take this somewhere a little more private.”

They returned to the corner where Luz had demonstrated her plant glyph, and the bard in red recognized the space. 

“Huh, this brings back memories.” They noted. Eda was more focused on Luz, while King directed a wary look in the bard’s direction.

“Okay Luz, what are the stakes of this duel?” Eda asked. Luz explained, and Eda’s expression fell.

“Well, dang. You really can’t afford to lose.” Eda summed up.

“I know.” Luz groaned. “But how can I beat her? Amity’s got to have been learning magic her whole life, and I just have two spells.” Luz pulled out her glyphs.

“How about we make that three?” The bard chimed in, bringing their attention to them.

“Sorry we haven’t been introduced yet. Raine Whispers. Eda and I go way back.” Raine greeted, holding out a hand.

“Luz Noceda.” Luz shook their hand. “Now what’s this about teaching me a new spell?”

“I am a teacher in the Bard Coven, and you’ve already met one of my students. Katya told me about a human who wielded magic and inspired her to fight back against Warden Wrath.” Raine explained.

Luz’ face lit up with hope. “Well let’s get started!”

Raine smiled. “Let’s try something simple. Whistling.” Raine whistled, and a wave of colorful magic shot over Luz’ head. “Now you try. Focus on your magic, and bring it to your lips.” Raine guided.

Luz whistled, but nothing happened. “It might take a few tries.” Raine advised. Luz tried finger whistling her clawed hand, and a wave of blackberry and citrine magic flew from her, leaving a flood of sparkles in its wake, while Eda, Raine, and King hid behind a hastily-cast shield.

Eda poked at her ear. “Well, you can certainly do bard magic!” She cheered.

“Do you know what magic this ‘Amity’ is likely to use?” Raine asked.

“Abominations.” Luz answered plainly. 

“That gives you an advantage.” Raine encouraged. “Any spells that can break up your opponent’s abominations will put the ball in your court.”

“And we haven’t really experimented with the glyphs you’ve found yet, have we?” Eda pointed out.

Luz pulled out a pair of light glyphs. “I wonder…” Luz slammed the light glyphs together. There was an electric crackle, before an arc of golden lightning flew from between her hands, blowing a crater into the floor tiles.

Eda gave Luz a proud smile.

The hour passed quicker than Luz would have liked, but Eda had verbally declared her faith in her.

On the stage, Lilith and Amity stood.

“Beloved citizens,” Lilith announced. The crowd that had gathered to watch the duel was much sparser than the crowd for the Coven’s presentation, but still a sizable audience.

“The Emperor’s Coven is proud to present an impromptu demonstration of the sort of witch we seek every year. Introducing Amity Blight!”

Amity gave a confident smirk, while the crowd cheered. Luz did not want to know where the foam fingers with her name on them came from.

“...Versus…” Lilith continued.

“The half-human apprentice of the infamous Owl Lady herself! Luz Clawthorne!”

“Clawthorne?” Luz asked. Did Lilith still think they were related?

Oh, Eda hadn’t exactly had the chance to tell her the truth.

This was going to get awkward.

But first, the duel at hand.

Luz and Amity stepped forward into the center of the area. The bell, identical to the kind Luz has seen at Hexside, rang and screamed, calling the duel to begin.

Amity cast the first spell.

“Abomination. Rise!” Amity declared confidently. Her spell circle traced onto the ground, bringing forth a colossus of an abomination. Amity looked surprised at her own creation, before her confidence began to creep into arrogance.

“Show me what you got, human!” She taunted.

Luz bit back a growl, and pulled out her glyph cards.

“The bigger they are…” Luz quipped to keep herself calm as she charged toward the giant abomination. “...the harder they fall!”

Luz slammed a plant glyph into the ground, summoning a thorny vine to pierce the abomination through.

The vine didn’t take the abomination down, but the crowd began to whisper in awe.

“A human doing magic?”

“How’d she do that?”

“I thought humans didn’t have magic?”

Luz could hear Eda and King cheering for her, and she smiled, feeling her own confidence rise.

“Abomination. Tear!” Amity ordered her creation. The abomination tore the vine pinning it out of the ground and casting it aside. “Abomination. Fight!”

The abomination reached up and twisted its own head off, throwing it at Luz.

Luz stood her ground, brought her claws to her lips, and whistled.

The abomination’s head spattered the sand around her, but she was untouched.

If the crowd had not been in awe before, they were downright stupefied now.

“What is that!?”

“Is she cursed?”

“Is she a demon?”

“Was that bard magic?”

Amity stared at her.

“What the Titan are you?” She asked incredulously.

“I’m Luz Noceda.” Luz answered.

Amity growled, her eyes flashing magenta, and she restored her abomination’s head. “Abomination! Destroy!”

The colossal abomination charged toward Luz, who ducked to the side, leaving a number of glyphs behind. The abomination stomped on the cards of paper, and a flash of light filled the arena. When the light faded, the abomination was barely holding together with the veritable briar patch that had grown within it.

Luz whistled at the abomination, which melted into a runny puddle.

In the audience, Raine was taken aback.

‘She’s already figured out sonic transmutation?’ They asked themself.

Amity tried to gather the material of her abomination, but it had become too runny to adhere to itself. Abandoning that strategy with a growl, Amity summoned a new abomination colossus, which swiftly brought down a double-fisted swing onto Luz, faster than she could possibly dodge.

“LUZ!” Five voices shrieked.

The magenta glow faded from Amity’s eyes, and a look of pure horror came over her. Her abomination stepped back, and the entire crowd gasped.

Luz had not been crushed.

She had vanished.

“Thorn Vault!” Luz’ voice shouted, and Amity could barely brace herself as a battering ram of entwined vines burst from the ground beneath her.

The abomination witch was sent flying, hitting the sand and just barely managing to bleed off her momentum with a roll. In the process, her necklace was thrown from her neck, landing a few feet away.

“Sparky Toss!” Luz clapped a pair of light glyphs together, the bolt of golden lightning striking the psion stone and vaporizing it, leaving only a patch of fulgurite glass.

Luz landed on all fours, before standing back up. Amity, meanwhile, struggled to prop herself up.

Amity looked like a wreck. Her golden eyes were bloodshot, with substantial bags contrasting heavily with her unhealthily pale skin.

Even looking like death warmed over, Amity still refused to yield, drawing a shaky spell circle that sent a ball of magenta fire in Luz’ general direction, which only ended up splashing on her own abomination.

Luz walked up to Amity, and gently caught her wrist before she could cast another spell.

Amity let out a shaky breath, and collapsed into Luz’ arms.

“Impossible.” Lilith gasped.

“Luz wins!” King shouted into the mic.

The bell screamed, and Lilith and Eda rushed into the arena.

“Impossible.” Lilith repeated. “She must have cheated. She is your spawn after all.” She accused Eda.

Eda reached her apprentice, and noticed a hint of paper on her opponent’s neck, hidden by her hair.

“Oh, my apprentice wasn’t the one who cheated.” Eda countered smugly.

She peeled off the sticker with a sigil of a clenched fist crossed with a mountain.

“As I suspected. A power glyph from the Construction Coven!”

The color returned to Amity’s skin, and her breathing steadied. She realized that she was in another person’s arms, and pushed herself away with a blush, stumbling to her feet.

“Amity…cheated?” Willow whispered to Gus in disbelief.

Amity looked more defeated than when she had been dead on her feet. “I didn’t--I didn’t know!” She cried.

Eda looked at her sister with a look of pure triumph.

“Ah-ha! Yes, yes, yes! Perfect prissy Lily cheated! Hot dang, I love Coventions!” Eda crowed.

Amity ran from the arena in tears. Luz looked at her mentor enjoying her victory in her sibling rivalry, and followed the green-haired witch.

Luz found Amity hiding in the same corner that she had trained in.

“Amity…” Luz tried to get her attention.

“What do you want with me?” Amity snapped. “Just leave me alone.”

“I’m sorry.” Luz apologized. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you.”

“Embarrass me?” Amity laughed, a harsh, broken sound. “You trounced me. My own mentor stacked the deck in my favor, and you just burned it all down like a wild card. I’ve been working my whole life to get to the top, and it wasn’t enough.”

Luz sat down next to Amity. “I’m sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing? You beat me fair and square.” Amity asked.

“I’m sorry your mentor betrayed your trust.”

“Miss Lilith thought I wasn’t strong enough.” Amity stared at her shoes. “And she was right. But I am a Blight, and a Blight is not allowed to show any weakness. Even if that means sabotaging every one of my classmates, even if that means having to ignore the demon in my mirror, even if that means having my mother eavesdropping at any moment--where is it?” Amity had reached for her necklace, only to touch cloth. 

“What, that cursed thing? That thing felt evil and like it was messing with your mind, so I blasted it with lightning when the Thorn Vault knocked it off.” Luz explained.

“Oh.” Was all Amity could initially muster in response. “How could you tell?”

“I guess, to start with…” Luz shifted her cloak to reveal her demon arm.

“I’m only half human, as far as I know. I was born and raised in the Human Realm, but apparently my dad was from this realm. I don’t know how or why he ended up in the Human Realm, and…I can’t exactly get answers from him.” Luz wiped away the tears that had begun to well. “I never fit in in the Human Realm, and even before…this,” Luz gestured to her fur and claws. “I’ve always had this sense for the unusual, and I’m finally starting to understand what that sense is telling me.”

Luz pulled out her notepad. “I may not have a bile sac to cast magic with, but I’ve found my own way to do magic.” She drew the light glyph and tapped it, the orb of soft light hovering between them.

“I’ve…never seen a light spell cast like that.” Amity admitted, before sighing.

“Here, you try it.” Luz drew another light glyph, and nudged the pad in Amity’s direction. Amity lightly tapped the glyph, and looked in awe as a second ball of light joined the first.

“I guess humans can become witches after all.” Amity told her. Luz could feel the subtle shift of magic around her wrist.

“Luz!” King called out, coaxing the two teens from their hiding place. King jumped into Luz’ arms, and Amity turned to the demon.

“King, was it?” Amity asked. “I’m sorry I called you a pet earlier. I was not having a good week, and I took it out on you, which you did not deserve. If you’d like, I could buy you a cupcake to replace the one I slipped on.”

“I accept your apology.” King nodded, and Luz felt the magic around her wrist wick away, the everlasting oath fulfilled. Amity walked away with a lightness to her step.

“You did good, Luz.” Raine said, making their presence known. 

“Oh! Raine.” Luz jumped, then rubbed her neck at the compliment.

“I’m pretty sure that corner was where Eda and I first met.” Raine gestured to the place where Luz and Amity had cleared the air.

“Weh? Seriously?” Luz asked.

“Yes, over thirty years ago. I saw a Hexside student who faked her own death with an illusion as a prank, and I knew I had to get to know her.”

Luz practically had stars in her eyes.

“You really have known Eda for a while, haven’t you?” Luz asked.

“And I knew your parents too, back in the day.” Raine admitted. Ruffling her hair, they continued. “And I’m sure they’ll be proud of how you handled yourself today.”

“Mom maybe. Dad’s…no longer with us.” Luz admitted, once again feeling the waterworks come on.

“Oh.” Raine sympathized. “He was… a good friend.”

“Well, let’s blow this popsicle stand!” Eda shouted, shattering the mood.

“How’d you get away from Lilith this time?” Raine asked.

“Let’s just say our favorite sanctimonious buzzkill had a real ‘snack attack’. Hah! I am on a roll today!”

Raine chuckled at their old flame’s antics.

“Your wordplay is certainly more bearable than what I usually have to put up with.” They elbowed Eda. 

“Good to know I still keep things interesting.” Eda smiled. “Now let’s get out of here before my sister finds out that I tied her pointy shoes together.

The scream of rage coming from the auditorium told them that she had made that realization.

“And that’s our cue to bolt.” Eda swept up Luz and King and made haste to the exit. 

“You coming Rainestorm?” Eda called back. 

“I’ll…see you later.” Raine said with much deliberation.

“I’ll hold you to that.” Eda shot back, before the doors closed, separating them once again.

The Bonesborough Night Market wore the trappings of a hive of scum and villainy, operating only in the dark of the night. And while its main purpose was to facilitate the trade of goods declared illegal or dangerous by the covens, it was also the best place to get legal goods with no questions asked.

A witch entered the Night Market, identity concealed by a non-descript brown cloak that hid the wearer’s face with darkness, allowing only a pair of shining round glasses to be seen.

The witch approached a stand advertising itself as ‘Mud & Sundry’. The proprietor, a porcine gremlin, noticed the witch, who cut off his attempted spiel with a bag of snails.

“One Blood-Reading Potion.” The witch said, their voice warbled by the enchantments on their garment.

The demon handed over the pearlescent blue potion and swept the bag of snails into his pocket.

“A pleasure doing business, friend.” The one known as Grimhammer called as the witch left into the night. 

In the privacy of the abandoned building that had become the hideout of a small group of rebels, Raine Whispers discarded their cloak, and uncorked the potion they had bought. Pulling one of their mint-green hairs, they added it to the potion, followed by a brown hair with midnight violet at the root, surreptitiously gathered when they ruffled the kid’s hair.

They shook the potion, which turned a shimmering red.

Setting the flask down, Raine hung their head as the weight of the world settled on their shoulders.

“And everyone thinks Eda’s the reckless one.” They muttered to themself.

Chapter Text

The rest of the weekend following the Covention was fairly uneventful, but Luz did get to practice with her glyphs and bard magic. Eda had been particularly interested in her plant glyph, testing how much of the Boiling Isle’s flora she could now summon.

The answer was all of it, and Eda was quite pleased with the options that had opened for her potions business, as she was able to cut out the middle witch for rarer plant ingredients.

The following days passed in a flurry of potion-making and potion deliveries, with Luz even getting some beginners lessons in potion-brewing. In a week’s lessons, she’d managed to successfully brew a basic restorative elixir, a sleeping steam, a fog brew, and a starburst potion - a concoction that exploded with a flash of light and noise when thrown. Luz had also somehow managed to create blueberry bubblegum while experimenting with ingredients.

After all that work, Eda decided to unwind by teaching Luz one of her favorite games.

“Watch closely, Luz. Hexes Hold’em is the most tricky game on the Boiling Isles. Any proper witch knows how to play.” Eda said as she shuffled her hand. Owlbert narrowed his eyes with a hoot, looking particularly cute with his green visor .

“Oh boy, cards! The paper rectangles old people think are fun!” Luz joked. Hexes Hold’em, despite the pun in the name, looked more like a cross between a tarot deck and any of the fantasy-themed trading card games that tended to catch Luz’ eye with their artwork, with the Boiling Isles twist that the cards came to life when played.

“Now just when it looks like the deck’s been stacked against you, that’s when you break out…the wild card!” Eda raised a card with The Tower, and Owlbert’s cards vanished in a torrent of fire, spelling out ‘WINNER EDA’ in the hovering flames.

“Woo, I win!” Eda crowed while Owlbert hooted indignantly. “In your adorable owl face. Ah, I love the feeling of victory; it feels…fluffy?” Eda noticed the gray feathers growing out of her arms.

“Uh, Eda? It’s happening again!” Luz exclaimed with concern.

“What’s happening again?” Eda asked.

“Your curse is acting up!” King cried as Eda yelped, bolting for the stairs.

“Oh, boy.” Eda groaned as she looked into her chest of elixirs, which only had a handful of empty bottles in it. “This is terrible. I’m all out of elixir.”

“Stay calm, Eda.” Luz tried to assure her. “It’s not the end of the world. I mean, last time this happened, you ended up brooding over us in your nest, so…”

“I’m not exactly keen on being a prisoner in my own body, and the Owl Beast is unpredictable at the best of times.” Eda snapped back. “We need to head to the market, pronto.”

“Market trip?” Luz stood up, excitement creeping into her voice.

“I’m stealing everything not nailed down!” King enthused while Eda donned a dark red cloak.

It was a busy afternoon in the Bonesborough market district when Eda, Luz and King arrived, and Eda made a firebeeline towards one of the permanent shops, banging on the metal security grate at Mr. Elixir, the hole-in-the-wall apothecary.

“Hey, open up, Morton!” Eda demanded.

“Uh, ju--...just a minute!” An awkward voice called back.

King joined Luz on a nearby bench, quickly finding her claws around his shoulder.

“Is there anything better than people watching in the Demon Realm?” Luz asked rhetorically.

“Looks like the transport worm is sick, if they’re using the Egg.” King noted as a giant egg rolled up to the bus stop across the street, cracking open to allow a featherless bird to fly off before a trio of witches and demons climbed in, closing the eggshell before rolling off. Tinella just barely reached the bus stop as it rolled away.

“Wait, wait! Aw, dang it.” Tinella plopped down at the bus stop.

“The curse of tiny legs.” Luz noted sympathetically.

“I know the pain.” King groused.

Tinella shot up and ran off with a sharp scream as a large demonic bull worm rolled in strapped to a cart.

“Ominous parade?” Luz asked, before noticing who was accompanying the cart.

“No, it’s those Demon Hunters!” King cried, hiding under Luz’ cloak.

The demon on the cart growled and bucked, trying to escape. The hunters pushing the cart pulled on the ropes to keep it pinned, while the bull worm tried to bite the lead hunter. The eyepatch-wearing orc cast green lightning at the worm, shocking into submission, before his crimson gaze turned to Luz’ side of the street. Luz barred her fangs and growled a warning, that familiar burn lighting her eyes violet.

“And I’d rather not get any higher on their list.” Eda growled as she continued knocking.

Morton finally opened the grate, the apothecary being a young witch with brown eyes, similarly brown hair in a shoulder-length medieval bob, and wore a metal funnel as a hat. His visible outfit consisted of a mint-green top that ended in fingerless gloves, and a simple brown over-tunic. He also wore a frog-shaped pendant around his neck, which Luz could not tell if it was actually a frog.

“Sorry, Eda!” Morton apologized. “I was up all night poison tasting and for some reason, I don’t feel great.”

“Tee, I wonder why?” King stage-whispered while Luz winced.

“I’m all outta my juice, pal.” Eda held up an empty elixir bottle.

“Oh, tee. Lemme see what I can do.” While Morton rummaged through his stock, the Demon Hunters moved on. On the other side of the street stood Willow and Gus, looking dejected.

“Willow and Gus!” Luz ran across the now-empty street. “Heya, friends!” She noticed their expressions. “Wait, what’s wrong? Who hurt my babies?”

“Them.” Willow pointed to the cluster of Hexside students around a food stand. Amity was standing with the group, but did not seem to be involving herself in the conversation, instead looking at a potion bottle.

“Amity’s having a moonlight conjuring and invited everyone but me.” Willow explained.

“And she keeps posting about it on her Penstagram.” Gus summoned his scroll, showing the feed of posts from the abomination student.

“‘It’s conjuring night! No dorks allowed’?” Luz read. “I thought she’d be less of a jerk after the Covention.” She scowled for a second. “Wait, what’s a moonlight conjuring?”

Willow piped up. “It’s a tradition for young witches. You spend the night at someone’s house, telling stories, playing games…”

“Like a slumber party! We have those in the Human Realm! Not that I’ve ever been to one.” Luz’s enthusiasm faded slightly.

Willow pulled out a book. “...and then you bring something to life with moon magic!”

Luz paused to register what her friend had said. “Like a weird, magical slumber party!”

“Gus and I have never been to one. You need at least three people and--”

“I’m three people!” Luz interjected. “--I mean, we’re three people, and we’re way better friends than them!”

The gaggle of witches approached, the pink-haired triclops apparently leading them. “Sorry you couldn’t get an invite to the conjuring, Willow.” She said. “Only real witches allowed.”

“Knock it off, Boscha.” Amity sighed. “It’s not her fault she was in the wrong track.” 

“Doesn’t make her any less a half-a-witch.” Boscha laughed as she and her posse moved on.

Willow growled, her pupils glowing green as several vines tore out of the ground.

“Whoa.” Luz slapped the tallest vine down before pulling Willow into a cooldown hug. “Don’t waste your time getting all thorny over them.” Luz smiled conspiratorially. “‘Cause we’re gonna have our own moonlight conjuring.”

Willow and Gus both gasped at her suggestion. “Are you serious?” Gus asked, pulling out a list. “This was on my bucket list, right after owning a real human bucket!”

“Odd thing to want, but I appreciate the enthusiasm. I’ll go let Eda know.” Luz crossed the street again to where Eda was still talking to Morton.

“I’ve got bad news and good news.” Morton said. “Bad news, the shipment with your elixir got raided by bandits and lost their entire stock. The replacement shipment won’t arrive until next week. Good news is…feathers are a good look for you.”

“Morton!” Eda cried, looking more feathery than she had been a few minutes ago, and was now shedding them.

"Well tee, E. Why’d you wait to re-up ‘till now?”

Eda groaned. “Ugh, I miscounted and forgot to account for the one I lost last storm. I’m a very busy witch.”

“Yeah, busy playing Hexes Hold’em.” King called from his seat on the bench. “She’s obsessed with it.”

“I am not obsessed!” Eda called back.

“You’re playing it right now!” King pointed at the counter, where Eda had already set out an array of cards.

“Am I winning?” Eda smiled unconvincingly.

“You know, I wouldn’t suggest this to just anybody, but if you need your elixir you could try your luck later this evening.” Morton suggested, leaning in to ward off eavesdroppers.

“The night market, Morton?" Eda asked, now wary.

“There’s a guy with a stand, goes by Grimm Hammer; if anyone has what you need, it’s him. In the meantime, I do have some sunberry tonic that might help for the time being.” Morton held out a golden glass bottle. Eda handed the witch a small pouch of snails and took the bottle.

“Ugh, this stuff keeps me up all night, but it’s a stopgap.” Eda downed the bottle of tonic, and the feathers receded.

“Eda!” Luz got her mentor’s attention. “Gus and Willow and I are gonna do a moonlight conjuring and stick it to Amity. So can we--”

Eda cut her off with a raised hand. “Not tonight, I’m going out, which means I need you to watch the house. I have many precious objects in there.”

“Like me! Weh!” King exclaimed, before being picked up by his scruff.

“You’re coming with me.” Eda told him. “I need an extra pair of eyes looking out for pickpockets, and an extra pair of hands in case I wanna pickpocket.”

“Pickpocket!” They both cheered.

Luz was undeterred. “Then, maybe they can come to the house and--”

“No!” Eda cut her off. “Besides, conjurings are dumb; sitting in a circle holding hands. Pft. It’s like magic for babies.” 

“Please Eda?” Luz broke out the puppy dog eyes. “This is the first time I’m getting to experience something like this, and Willow and Gus are counting on me. And don’t you want me to learn as much magic as possible?”

The Owl Lady met her gaze, and her stone heart crumbled. “Ugh, fine. You can invite your little friends.”

Luz cheered, before Eda stopped her again. “But, I’m trusting you to not make a mess of the house, okay?

“Thank you Eda!” Luz hugged her mentor. The witch rolled her eyes affectionately.

“Luz!” Willow called as she and Gus ran up. “What did Eda say?”

Eda chimed in herself. “You two can spend the night at the Owl House, as long as you don’t leave a mess. If you do, you won’t like the consequences.”

The two younger witches gulped at the implied threat.

“Anyway, I’ll be leaving at sunset, so be there by then.” Eda cheerfully finished her piece as she turned to head back to the Owl House to prepare.

“Thank you Luz!” Willow hugged her. “You’re the best!”

“Weh, it was nothing.” Luz tried to shrug off her blush.

“We’re gonna do a conjuring! We’re gonna do a conjuring!” Willow and Gus sang, while Luz looked up at the rising moon. The skull-shaped pattern in the celestial body sent a shiver down her spine, followed by an uncomfortable itch between her shoulders.

Returning to the Owl House, Luz found she had at least an hour, and spent most of that time going through the limited wardrobe she had brought with her to the Boiling Isles, all the while gritting her teeth at the itching pressure in her upper back. She would not let her demon puberty get in the way of spending time with her friends.

She let out a shout of triumph as she found a set of denim overalls that still fit, and a simple yellow T-shirt.

“Apprentice! Living room!” Eda called as soon as Luz had changed.

Dashing down the stairs, Luz skid to a stop before flopping onto the couch.

“Luz, you’re in charge while I’m out. Dinner’s in the front of the fridge, it’s griffin egg salad sandwiches, with plenty of those peppers you like. Make sure Goops and Glasses don’t make a mess, and keep Hooty out of trouble.” Eda ran through her apprentice’s responsibilities.

“You can count on me Owl Lady!” Luz saluted playfully, before noticing her brother wasn’t present. “Oh, where’s King?” She asked.

“He’s right here.” Eda opened her cloak to reveal a sleeping King strapped to a pink baby carrier. “His little body just conks right out when he’s weightless. Look at this.” King swung like a ragdoll as Eda shifted from side to side, still snoring.

“Aww, he’s so dangly.” Luz cooed, remembering how the same thing happened when she was a baby and her dad would pick her up when she didn’t want to take her nap.

“Anyway, I’m heading out now, don’t do anything I’d do, and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!” Eda waved as she flew off.

Luz noticed a pair of bushes with a wispy, glass-like aura that had not been there that morning.

“You guys remember you were invited, right?” Luz asked the shrubbery.

“Release!” Gus’ voice called from one of the bushes, and the illusion broke with an explosion of teal-blue leaves, revealing Willow and Gus, having changed from their Hexside uniforms to more casual wear. Willow’s outfit consisted of a yellow-tan long-sleeve dress with a white collar and a blue tie with a yellow-green gem, a pair of striped gray leggings, and a set of rugged brown gardening boots. Gus, meanwhile, wore a cyan tunic with gray-white sleeves, charcoal tights, and stylish dark purple boots.

“Yeah, but I got to be a sneaky sneakster!” Willow countered brightly.

“And I’ve got leaves in my pants…and I like it.” Gus cheered.

Luz just shrugged, and led her friends inside, to Hooty’s slight annoyance at being ignored.

“Welcome…to the living room.” Luz swept out her claws. “We call it that because it’s technically alive! Look, the walls actually breathe!”

“Enchanting.” Willow admired.

Gus had promptly gone to the chest of Human Realm Junk in the living room. “And look at all these human treasures.” Gus rummaged through the chest, pulling out a skull. “And actual humans!” He said with far too much enthusiasm.

Luz hoped that was just a medical replica, but knowing Eda, she couldn’t be too sure. She quickly ducked into the kitchen and retrieved the plate of sandwiches Eda had left her, along with a bowl of eyeballs. “We’ve got snacks, we’ve got weird music!” Luz put the needle down on Eda’s gramophone, playing her record of theatrical cackling.

“We’ve got a bucket!” Gus cheered, wearing a blue plastic bucket as a hat.

“Gus, my man.” Luz set the snacks on the coffee table.

“We’ve got another visitor!” Hooty shouted.

“What?” Luz asked, marching to the door. “I didn’t invite anyone--weh, Amity!?”

Standing outside the door was none other than Amity Blight, with a look of anxiety on her face. Her Hexside outfit had been traded for a casual black dress with magenta leggings and black heeled boots with golden crescent moon buckles. The orchid gemstone that Luz had destroyed had been replaced with a crescent-shaped cyan crystal.

“Oh, hi, Luz.” Amity greeted, uncertain. “Uh, is Willow here? I overheard you mention having a moonlight conjuring here.”

“What do you want, Amity?” Willow asked sharply, before noticing that Amity was alone. “And where are the rest of your friends?”

“I just wanted to talk.” Amity said. “The Banshees are all at the manor.”

“Banshees?” Luz asked.

“Hexside’s grudgby team, and Boscha’s posse.” Willow answered.

“I have questions.” Luz stated, shelving her many inquiries for later, when there was less tension in the air.

“Why are you here, Amity?” Willow repeated. “And how did you even know where the Owl House was?”

Amity drew a small spell circle that created a line of glowing fog pointing to the house. “Wayfinding spell. I..may be trying to branch out my studies.” Amity admitted. “And I came here because…because I never wanted to end our friendship!” Amity exclaimed.

“What.” Willow replied flatly.

Amity looked around. “Could we take this inside?” She asked meekly.

Luz waved her in, placating Hooty with a scritch under his beak.

“Okay, what is all this about?” Luz asked once they were all in the living room.

“Amity and I used to be friends, but then her magic came in and she left me for Boscha and her gang.” Willow explained bitterly.

“I didn’t have a choice!” Amity shouted. Willow froze in her tracks.

“What do you mean?” Willow asked, suddenly fearing the answer.

“When my magic started showing, my mother decided she had to control every aspect of my life. If she couldn’t have a son, she’d have a mini version of herself.” Amity looked down, while Luz’ eyes went wide with silent realization.

“Remember the birthday party?” Amity asked.

“Do you really think I’d forget?” Willow snapped back.

“Mom didn’t want me to invite you, but I did anyway because you were my first and only friend. She was furious. She told me that if I didn’t cut ties with you, she’d make sure you never got into Hexside. She’s one of the most influential members of the PCA--”

“PCA? Luz asked.

“Parent-Creature Association.” Gus explained in a stage-whisper.

“Of course it is.” Luz rolled her eyes at the pun.

“--and even if she wasn’t, she’d just throw her snails around and ruin your life and your parents’ lives that way. And when you asked if I couldn’t be friends with you because you couldn’t control your magic, I just panicked and agreed. I-I’m sorry.”

Willow stared at her, her expression inscrutable. “O-kay. I can get cutting off our friendship. It hurt, a lot, but I can understand that. But why did you have to go out of your way to pick on me, and let Boscha do the same!?”

“Because every time I wanted to help you, my mother would know, and threaten one of us.” Amity grasped at her pendant. “Ever since she started making me wear that Titan-damned psion stone, she’s been able to see what I saw, hear what I heard, and threaten me within my own mind! If she saw any hint of me trying to be nice to you, she’d carry through with her threat. After a while, it just…became a habit.”

“What changed?” Willow asked. “The other day, before class, you tried acting like we were still friends, and then you did a complete one-eighty on me! Why?”

“These past couple weeks, I’ve been having these…dreams. I keep seeing this…skeleton demon, it’s like he’s judging me. And even when I’m awake I can’t escape him. I keep seeing that gold eye of his in the mirror, in the reflections in the windows, even when it was just us in that forest, I felt like I was being watched, and what I’d been doing was unacceptable. I wanted to actually help you that morning.”

“But Odalia got in the way?” Willow asked.

“She talked to me directly through the stone.” Amity admitted. “But when I saw you fill the school with vines, I was so proud of you. You are a strong witch, Willow, stronger than anyone except maybe the Clawthornes. You were never too weak to be my friend…I was too weak to be yours.” Amity felt her knees shake, and Luz led her to the couch.

“And what’s stopping your mom from making you wear another psion stone?” Luz asked.

Amity actually smiled at the hybrid. “You.” She stated.

“Weh?” Luz asked, confused.

“You zapped my psion stone at the Covention while my mom had the connection open. The feedback left her in a coma.” Amity explained. Luz’ face was caught between vindication at Odalia’s control backfiring, and horror at what she had done to another person.

“The healers say it’ll be at least a month before she wakes up, and it’s unlikely she’ll be able to practice that branch of Oracle magic for years.” Amity was looking at her hands.

“I did that?” Luz asked, her voice weak.

“Yes, you did.” Amity replied. “And for the first time in six years, I feel free.” She turned to Willow. “And I still want us to be friends, if you’ll let me. I’ll do everything I can to keep Boscha and her crew from picking on you anymore.”

“It’s not much…” Willow sighed. “But it’s a start.” Willow shook Amity’s hand.

“Hey!” Gus piped up. “Are we still having a Conjuring or what? We’re burning moonlight here!”

“Oh, right, the Conjuring!” Willow remembered, before turning to Amity. “Maybe we could start with that?”

“I think I’d like that.” Amity smiled. 

“C’mon, we need something to animate!” Gus dove for the chest of human treasures, pulling out a bodybuilder action figure.

“Okay, buff boy it is.” Luz chuckled. “So how do we do this?”

Amity told her the incantation.

“First, we sit in a circle and hold hands, with the object to be animated in the middle.” Willow explained, the four of them sitting on the floor. Luz found herself between Willow and Amity.

“Now we recite the incantation.” Willow continued.

“Moonlight, we call, we sing. Moonlight take this chance. Moonlight come tie the string. Moonlight start the dance!”

Luz heard the beating of a drum pounding in her head, accompanied by an ethereal choir.

“Do you hear that?” She asked, opening her eyes, and seeing a moonlight blue glow around her friends, their eyes glowing as the magic swirled about them. She could feel the magic being woven, threading into and through her. The music reached a crescendo…

…And Luz screamed as the pressure in her back burst, a wave of blue magic tinged with gold sweeping out, extinguishing the candles.

 A pair of massive, bat-like wings tore from between her shoulders, the membranes a shimmering, iridescent midnight purple, with hints of mint green in the moonlight. 

Luz saw her vision going black, and the floor rush up to meet her.

For a place as clandestine as the Bonesborough Night Market, they did little to actually hide, with a banner identifying the place held between two skull-spearing pikes. Every source of light was an ominous red.

Eda marched into the Night Market with a sense of purpose. King, having woken from his nap, kept his eyes out for trouble and easily-pilfered valuables.

Eda looked at the pin feathers once more growing out of her arm, and sighed. “The curse. The tonic’s worn off. I need that elixir, quick.”

Eda approached a hollow-eyed demon sitting against a crate. “Hey, you.” Eda got the demon’s attention. “You know where I can find a Grimm Hammer?”

The demon nodded with a grunt. A tiny lizard-like demon popped out of the demon’s empty socket to point at a foreboding stand with an uncomfortably familiar skull on top.

Parting the dark red curtains, Eda poked her head in. “Hello? Uh, I seek the one they call Grimm Hammer.”

“I’m the one they call Grimm Hammer.” An ominous voice spoke, a pair of glasses shining in the darkness. The curtain’s parted, illuminating the stand as the proprietor jumped onto the counter. The porcine gremlin was only a head taller than King, with a glint in his beady blue eyes that Eda did not like.

“Welcome, welcome, welcome.” Grimm Hammer greeted cheerfully. “I’ve got weaponry from the Hinterlands, curses from the Winterlands, and jelly beans!”

King caught one of the tossed jelly beans with a cry of excitement.

“They’re lethally delicious.” Grimm Hammer continued. Eda batted the jelly bean out of King’s hand. Just because the little demon could eat just about anything without getting sick didn’t mean she wanted to test that fortitude. And Luz wouldn’t forgive her for letting her brother get poisoned.

“You’re Grimm Hammer?” Eda asked, slightly incredulous.

“Tibblet-Tibblie Grimm Hammer the Third. Please, call me Tibbles.” Tibbles introduced himself.
“Ha, he wants to be called that.” King laughed.

“Okay, Tibbles. I need some of this elixir.” Eda handed over an empty bottle, which still bore the unique embossing on the glass denoting its contents.

“Oh, this is one wicked brew.” Tibbles observed. “Lucky for you, I just stocked up.” He held up a bottle of the golden elixir with his curly tail.

“Huzzam!” Eda crowed. “I’ll give you ten snails.” Eda held out the pouch of coin.

“Add two more zeroes and it’s a deal.” Tibbles countered.

“A thousand snails? Just what kind of sick game are you playing at?” Eda accused.

“Capitalism!” The demon cheerfully replied. “Where everyone wins, except you.”

“Hey!” Eda shouted, before noticing a familiar deck on cards. “Say, you play Hexes Hold’em?”

“Really? Now?” King groaned at his caretaker’s current obsession.

“Oh! Is that what that game is called?” Tibbles chuckled. “I was just using these as drink coasters.”

“How about we make it interesting?” Eda offered. “I win, you give me the elixir free of charge. You win, you can take something of mine.”

“Oh, what fun.” There was a dangerous glint in his eyes. “You’re on.”

“Luz? Luz, please wake up!”

Luz opened her eyes blearily. Willow, Gus, Amity, and Hooty were all looking down at her with concern.

“Weh? W-what happened? Did the Conjuring work?” She asked.

“Uh, not…exactly?” Gus replied questioningly.

“What do you mean?” Luz asked, suddenly becoming aware of parts of her dragging against the ground. She lifted the offending limbs, and was left breathless at the sight that greeted her.

“Weh? I have wings!” Luz stood up, unsteady with her new center of gravity. 

Luz looked to the mirror above the fireplace, and admired her new wings. The shimmering midnight purple of her wing membranes was eye-catching, though the slight hints of green that caught the light were unexpected.

“The magic from the spell must have gone to you, and given your demon half enough power to grow wings.” Gus theorized.

“Does this me I can fly on my own now?” Luz asked, stars in her eyes at the implication.

“C’mon!” Luz shouted as she ran up the stairs.

“You three will keep her safe right?” Hooty asked.

“I’ll grow some cushioning shrubs.” Willow said as she headed out the front door.

Luz stood at the top of the stone tower at the back of the Owl House, her wings extended to full sail.

“For as long as humans have been looking up, we have been trying to figure out how to fly like the birds above.” Luz said to herself. “And now I have wings of my own. Thank you dad, thank you Isles.”

Luz took a deep breath. “You’ve got this, Noceda. Just a leap of faith, right?”

Luz took a running start and kicked off the stone, sinking through the air.

Before she could scream at her own impulsiveness, a sudden updraft caught in her wings, and she soared.

“Woohoo!” Luz shouted as she soared through the air.

Down on the ground, Willow, Gus, and Amity looked on in awe at their flying friend. 

“Luz! Watch out for that tree!” Willow warned.

Her warning came a second too late, and Luz only had enough time to fold her wings protectively in front of her before impact.

The tree shattered, and Luz slumped to the ground with a groan as her friends ran up to her.

“Luz! Are you okay?” Amity asked.

Luz shook the leaves from her hair. “Weh, that was fun!” She cheered.

There was a rustling in the bushes.

Eda watched her hand of cards burn with shock and indignation.

“Oof, that was painful to watch.” King winced.

“You card shark.” Eda accused. “You hustled me!”

Tibbles gave a dark chuckle. “Looks like you forgot about my wild card.” The card growled and flexed. “In any case, I’ll take my prize now, and I choose…the little bone boy.”

He grabbed King with a spell. “I’ve always wanted a tiny servant to model my line of baby clothes.”

“No! I don’t look good in clothes.” King cried out. “I’m all natural. Eda, do something!”

Eda twirled her finger, trying to cast a lightning spell to fry the huckster, but no spell circle formed. Instead, her arm erupted with feathers.

“I’m out of magic.” Eda grunted.

Tibbles snapped his fingers, summoning a binding chain that dragged Eda to the ground.

“You think this’ll stop me? I’ll bite your ankles off!” Eda growled.

“You don’t think I don’t already know who you are?” Tibbles crowed. “Eda, the Owl Lady.”

Eda gasped.

The porcine gremlin pulled out one of her wanted posters. “That’s right.” He taunted. “I’ve seen your wanted posters all over Bonesborough. The Emperor’s Coven will pay me the big snails to hand you over. They’ll be here any minute.”

“They’re already here.” A gruff voice stated. Eda stared up into the blank gaze of a Coven Scout’s mask.

A squad of four Scouts of varying heights stood in the Night Market. The other vendors had all shuttered their stalls to avoid the arm of the Emperor’s Coven.

Eda felt her stomach drop. This was her fault. Her obsession had gotten herself and King captured. Luz would be left alone. If she was lucky, her friends would keep her safe long enough for her to return to the Human Realm, and just maybe King would be able to get away.

The lead Scout snapped their fingers, and the chains binding Eda unraveled, snaking up to wrap around Tibbles.

“What?” Both Eda and Tibbles exclaimed. One of the Scouts vaulted the counter and began rummaging through his stock.

“Those bandits’ information was correct, this is their buyer.” The Scout said, their altered voice still vaguely familiar to Eda.

King leapt down, standing protectively in front of Eda. “You Coven shills won’t take her!” He cried, before the shortest Scout picked him up by the scruff. The Scout Leader pulled Eda to her feet, and stuffed the bottle of elixir that had been in the open in her hand.

“What? Why?” Eda asked. Why would a Coven Scout give her her elixir?

The Scout took off their mask and Eda’s breath left her.

“We need to talk.” Raine Whispers told her.

“We’ve got what we came here for!” One of the scouts said, as she and her counterpart levitated a set of crates.

“You can’t do this to me!” Tibbles squealed. “You won’t get away with this!”

“Oh, I’m sure. It’s not like you called the Emperor’s Coven to the Night Market.” Raine shot back. Tibbles’ eyes went wide as he realized the depth of his mistake, as a crowd of witches and demons who were dead terrified of the Emperor’s Coven’s periodic raids began to gather.

“Let’s get out of here before things get ugly.” Raine whispered to Eda. Eda nodded, fighting the blush threatening to overtake her face.

Raine led Eda and King to what appeared to be an abandoned building, though the inside had been converted into a fairly cozy safe house, with a map of the Right Arm hung up on one wall. The other three ‘Scouts’ had taken off their own masks, revealing Katya and two witches she had seen a glimpse of at the Covention. King followed Katya deeper into the safe house, leaving Eda and Raine alone together.

Katya left one of the crates in the main room, marked with the sigil of the Potions Coven. Raine cracked the lid off the crate, revealing the golden glow of Eda’s elixirs.

“We’ve been planning that little ‘sting’ operation for days.” Raine explained. “I was going to drop the crate of elixirs at the Owl House as a peace offering.”

“Peace offering? What are you talking about, Raine?” Eda asked. Her night had not gone at all like she had been expecting, and it left her on the back foot.

Raine sighed, turned to Eda, and pulled out a narrow potion flask filled with a shimmering red solution, two hairs just barely visible suspended in the potion. Raine set the flask on the table for Eda to look at.

Eda’s eyes went wide. “That’s a Blood-Reading Potion, isn’t it?”

“You’re the potions expert here.” Raine replied.

Eda stared for a long moment, before a chuckle bubbled past her lips.

“Oh Titan beneath.” Eda rested her hand on her forehead as she began pacing. “Oh, somebody’s having a laugh, right now. It was enough of a shock to realize my apprentice is Cam and Manny’s kid, and that Manny was from our Realm.” 

Eda spun to face Raine. “And now, I have to deal with the fact that my apprentice, King’s sister, is your daughter.”

Raine averted their gaze. “I know. I’m sorry.”

“Sorry for what?” Eda asked. “We broke up because I couldn’t be honest with you about the curse, didn’t we?” She sighed. “And I wasn’t there for her either. I haven’t seen Camila in fourteen years.”

“What? Why?” Raine asked. 

“Lilith had just made Coven Head, and my bounty had gone up. The stress was making the Owl Beast…testy.” 

“Eda…” Raine reached for her.

“Lilith found out about the portal.” Eda told them. “She managed to get the portal away from me long enough to send a couple scouts to find out what I was going to the Human Realm for.”

Raine went silent.

“I managed to get them first. Knocked them out and hammered them with amnesia spells before dumping them on the outskirts of Latissa. But I realized that I couldn’t risk putting Cam, Manny, or their child in harm's way.”

Eda felt a pair of arms around her shoulders, and looked into those green eyes, wet with tears.

“We both messed up.” Raine admitted. “But we can fix this together.”

Eda’s hand found theirs.

“Do you really mean that?” Eda asked.

“I do.” Raine replied. “I’ve spent the last decade working against Belos from within the Covens, and we’re preparing to start moving openly.”

“We?” Eda asked, some of her sass returning.

“The Bards Against The Throne, a.k.a…The BATTs!” Raine hissed like a bat.

Eda felt a goofy smile cross her face. She could see a hint of where Luz got her charm.

Raine’s expression turned serious.

“Raine?” Eda asked, noticing their sudden change in demeanor.

“This is more than just about keeping magic free.” Raine admitted. “If Belos finds out about Luz, he’s going to go after her.”

Eda felt that pit in her stomach return.

“Scooter is stepping down soon, and he has me taking over most of his Coven duties already. The other day, I overheard a meeting between Belos and Osran. Osran told him that he would face a child of two worlds and three species, and it would end in fire.”

“Like hell he will.” Eda declared. She would sooner let the Owl Beast take over for good than allow Emperor Bonehead anywhere near Luz. Her fiery gaze met the steel in Raine’s eyes, and she knew they were on the same wavelength. 

“We’ll keep her safe.” Raine told her. “And maybe…I can be a part of my daughter’s life?”

“I think Luz would like that.” Eda gave them a soft smile, which they reciprocated.

Eda pulled Raine into a hug. 

“Oh.” Raine breathed as they returned the embrace.

It was a long moment before they left each others’ arms, and Eda glanced out the skylight.

“Moon’s getting low. I’d better get back to the Owl House and make sure Luz is okay.” Eda snorted. “Knowing her luck, her and her friends probably animated the house or some other chaos.” Eda called for King, who scampered onto her shoulder.

“I’ll see you soon, okay?” Raine waved as Eda left, the rest of the BATTs at their side.

The Owl House was surprisingly undamaged when Eda returned. The same could not be said for the yard, where a half-dozen brown-robed Demon Hunters were in various states of incapacitated. Two had been glued to the trees with abomination slime, three were tangled in vines, and ol’ Gre’gore was buried to his shoulders in the ground.

“Well, someone had an eventful night.” Eda joked as she approached Hooty, who blinked and extended to greet her.

“Oh, you’re back. Hoot hoot.” Hooty was strangely whispering.

“Why are we whispering?” King asked.

“Shhh, they’re sleeping.” Hooty replied as his door opened.

Eda’s heart nearly melted at the sight that greeted her.

Luz, Glasses, Goops, and that Blight girl were all sleeping on the couch, with Luz wrapping her wings around her friends.

…Wait. Wings!?

“Well, that’s a problem for morning Eda.” Eda whispered to herself. King hopped off her shoulder and wormed his way into Luz’ cuddle pile. 

With the silence of a practiced thief, Eda managed to slip away to her nest without waking her guests or apprentice.

In a private family graveyard in a once-sprawling estate, that in centuries past had been a village in of itself, the soil churned. A hand of bone burst from the ground, pulling the rest of the arm it was attached to, following by a ribcage, then a skull with the pointed canines of a witch. The rest of the skeleton tore from the ground, clad in the tatters of what had once been a burial robe. 

‘By Titan’s light and moonlit wrath

Bind these bones and guide thy path

May this spirit rise a lich

To bring an end the bane of witch.’

The revenant plodded through the overgrown estate, green flames of eyes taking in the surroundings. The lock on the carver’s shed was easily cracked, and the skeleton’s hands reached out on instinct for a carving knife, before pulling out a piece of blue wood that had already been whittled into a rough, avian shape.

With expert care, she began to carve.

Chapter Text

Another milestone in her metamorphosis meant another appointment for Luz with Healer Ulvana. The werehound was quite stunned when Luz walked into her clinic with her new wings. Naturally, more tests were run, checking the integrity of the wings, as well as the rest of her health.

“Bad news, I’m no closer to identifying what kind of demon you and King are.” Ulvana told her.

“What’s the good news?” Luz asked.

“The good news is that there don’t seem to be any negative side effects of growing your wings. The magic from the Moonlight Conjuring bypassed the normal caloric requirements to fuel their growth.” Ulvana explained. “And looking at the circulation of magic in your wings, you should be able to change their size at will.”

Luz gasped in relief. As fun as flying was, having to maneuver around the house with two giant sails was less than ideal. Focusing on her wings, and the magic flowing within her, she pulled the threads of magic inward. With the sound of scrunching leather, her wings shrank, until she could fold them around herself like a cloak, the arms of her wings resting over her shoulders. The thumb-claws hooked together like a clasp, keeping her wings out of the way while still looking stylish. She remembered one of the first cartoons she remembered watching with her dad, where several of the main characters folded their wings the same way.

Eda let out a sigh of relief. If her curse hadn’t already turned her hair silver, she would have gotten gray hairs from trying to manage a teenager who now had wings.

Then she remembered that King would grow wings of his own, and that stress came back.

With a strong recommendation for Luz to make sure to get more protein and calcium in her diet, Luz and King were dismissed to the waiting room while Eda had a private conversation with the Healer.

“There’s something else I learned last night, about Luz, which your tests missed.” Eda told her. 

“What did I miss?” Ulvana asked, defensive.

“That Luz is apparently one third witch.” Eda answered. Ulvana’s eyes went wide, before looking closer at her test results for the hybrid’s blood.

“Oh…” Ulvana howled softly. “In my defense, human DNA and witch DNA are practically identical.”

Eda raised her eyebrow. “I know we’re compatible, but nearly identical? I thought it was just magic bridging the gap, like with witches and demons.”

“Some scholars believe that the first witches came from the Human Realm, and were gifted their magic by the Titan.” Ulvana lectured.

“Huh, that actually fits with what I’ve found about ancient witches not having bile sacs. After Luz discovered her first glyph, I started looking into any other references to something like it.” Eda replied. “I couldn’t find a single mention of glyphs, but the elemental magic from the early Savage Ages.”

“Feels like our illustrious ‘Emperor’ has gone out of his way to hide the existence of this ‘glyph magic’.” Ulvana suggested.

“I mean, if someone without a bile sac can use glyphs, they can’t be stopped with a coven sigil.” Eda theorized.

“Yeah…” Ulvana’s paw rested over the bracer on their right arm.

“Luz might be able to help with that.” Eda nodded to the band of thick bronze studded with black gems. 

“What? You’re telling me she can do something about sigils.” Ulvana asked, incredulous.

“Her first day on the Isles, she scratched Crag and Wrath across the sigil, and Bump two days later. He dropped by the Owl House and showed me her handiwork.”

“Does Luz know about this?” Ulvana asked.

“I haven’t figured out how to tell her yet. I know she knows that her nails don’t get along with the sigils, but she doesn’t know the full extent, and we don’t know what the long term effects might be.” Eda explained.

The moment of silence that followed felt poignant.

“Give me a few days to make some preparations.” Ulvana broke the silence.

“I’ll keep in touch.” Eda said as she stepped out of her office.

Returning to the Owl House, Luz decided to continue her reading of The Good Witch Azura to King. Reading her favorite series together had quickly become one of the siblings’ main bonding activities.

“‘“Azura,” Hecate began. “Our paths have crossed only in battle. But today I stand before you seeking an ally.”’” Luz read before sighing wistfully.

“Luz, you’re getting all swoony again.” King complained.

“I can’t help it.” Luz countered. “Azura is able to befriend everyone, even her biggest rival. I wish I had that kind of power.”

“Don’t you already?” King asked. “You befriended Amity after she tried to have you dissected, didn’t you?”

“Huh, I guess I do have that power.” Luz observed.

“Less introspection, more reading.” King told her. “You’ve pulled me into your fandom.”

“Okay, okay. ‘Suddenly, the door swung open.’” Hooty chose that moment to swing open.

“Ding-dong-ding. Hoot! Hoot!” Hooty called.

“Weh! The book has come to life!” King pointed at her book. Luz got up to see what had gotten Hooty to wake up. On the porch was a covered basket. 

“Weh?” Luz picked up the basket, bringing it to Eda in the kitchen.

“Eda, you got a package.” Luz announced. “It looks like it’s a gift basket.”

“Probably an offering.” Eda shrugged. “Ah, being the most powerful witch in the Boiling Isles has its perks.”

“Do you often get gift baskets?” Luz asked.

King pulled the blanket back, revealing a sleeping bat baby.

“Mm. Fresh meat.” King rubbed his paws together.

“Nope, we are not eating that.” Luz gesticulated.

“Oh puh-lease, witches eating babies is so sixteen ninety-three.” Eda waved off. “But what is this?”

King noticed something else in the basket. “There’s a note. ‘Take care of my child ‘till morning. Yi Yi.’”

“Nope. I did not sign up for babysitting. Not happening.” Eda shook her head.

King continued reading. “‘You will be handsomely rewarded. X-O-X-O-X-O-X. Bat Queen.’”

Eda’s expression did a one-eighty. “Bat Queen?”

King pulled out a sizable handful of snails from a pocket in the basket.

“Reward?” Eda’s eyes went wide at the appeal to her avarice.

“Who’s the Bat Queen?” Luz asked, confused as to who on the Isles would have Eda as their first pick for babysitter.

“Who’s the Bat Queen?” Eda repeated. “Only the wealthiest demon on the Boiling Isles! Get in with her and you’re set for life.” She flipped one of the snails and caught it. “So, we keep this thing alive for a few hours and get paid the big snails. Pfft, easy.” 

“Aww, our cutest adventure yet.” Luz cooed. “Learning about love and life through a child’s eyes.”

“Not you.” Eda cut her off. “Your job for the day is returning all the books I checked out from the library. I’d rather not have the Circulation Police on my back.” Eda summoned a sizable tower of books into Luz’ arms.” The apprentice started making her way to the door with some grumbling. 

“I don’t want her getting a cut of the loot.” Eda whispered to King conspiratorially.

“Good thinking.” King whispered back, indulging in his pettiness.

“Now, let’s take a look at the little darling.” Eda pulled the blanket off entirely, which woke the basket’s occupant.

The bat baby’s cries put King’s tantrums to shame. Eda clasped her hands over her ears, King clutching his skull. “Oh boy.” He groaned.

“On second thought, we could use some of that human expertise!” Eda called to Luz, who was already halfway out the door.

“Sorry, what was that? I better get these to the library stat? You got it, Owl Lady.” Luz left them to their babysitting.

“We got this right?” King asked with little actual confidence. The baby bat chose to make its displeasure more known by tackling Eda.

Having wings made it much more manageable to carry the stack of Eda’s books through Bonesborough. Seeing Tinella walk past with a book larger than her body told Luz that she was going the right direction.

“Whoa.” Luz finally caught sight of the Bonesborough Public Library, the cathedral-like building looking over its surroundings with its stained-glass eye.

Ascending the steps, Luz nearly dropped the stack of books as she crossed the threshold, only for the books to be caught in a green glow of telekinesis. The books floated to the desk, through a ring that flashed red with each book that passed through.

The librarian at the desk took note of each book. “Late. Late.” He looked at Luz with a critical eye as he grabbed the last book in the stack. “Coffee, grass, and apple bloodstains? These are Eda’s, aren’t they?”

Luz rubbed her neck. “Weh, yeah, that was a crazy night.”

The librarian sighed. “I’ll put them on her tab, just like the last twelve times.” He turned to Luz. “By the way, we’re closing early tonight for the Wailing Star meteor shower.” He gestured to a poster of a glowing meteor streaking through the night sky. Luz glanced up, and saw the same comet depicted in the stained glass window.

“Ooo, what’s that?” Luz asked.

“You’re in a library. Read a book.” The librarian replied rudely.

“I am in a library. I will read a book!” Luz exclaimed, before the librarian shushed her.

The demon decimal system proved surprisingly intuitive once she got past the fact that the filing drawers were alive, and Luz managed to find a few texts that referenced the Wailing Star, as well as a book about proper wing care. Seeing witches using crystal balls like Human Realm computers was novel, reminding her of the mechanical dinosaurs that the Gravesfield Public Library somehow kept operating. Flying alongside the stream of floating books was a fun challenge in how silently she could glide.

“This place is amazing.” Luz said as she wandered.

“‘“What do you think you’re doing?”’” Luz heard a familiar voice.

“Amity?” Luz asked, rounding a bookcase. 

She found herself in front of the Kid’s Corner, where Amity was reading to a group of witchlets and demonlings.

“‘“We’re your friends and we wanna help,” said the Tin Boy with a yelp. Otabin smiled and paced the floor. “I’ve never had real friends before.”’” Amity read.

“Amity reading to kids?” Luz wondered. Even after the Moonlight Conjuring and the revelations she had been witness to, the mint-dyed girl was still full of surprises.

Amity finished the book, and the children left. She began tidying up, before doing a double take when she saw Luz.

“Luz? What are you doing here?” Amity asked.

“Well, Eda wanted me to return her overdue books instead of helping her babysit. On one hand, I am a qualified babysitter. I even got my CPR certification!” Luz replied. “On the other hand, I enjoy having working eardrums.” 

That got a small chuckle out of Amity. 

“So is reading to kids another recent development?” Luz asked. “You looked really in your element there.”

“It was for extra credit, but Malphas hired me on part-time as his assistant.” Amity explained, continuing to put things away.

“Y’know, I could help out.” Luz offered. “We could take turns reading. And do voices. I do the best-” Luz dropped her voice several octaves, “-impressions.”

Amity chuckled again, a bubbly sound that sent Luz’ stomach fluttering. 

“Hey mittens!” A new voice called out, and Amity’s expression fell with a groan. Luz turned to see the newcomers.

They were identical twins, save for gender. Both wore burgundy tunics with dark gray sleeves, and gray pants, though the sister’s were shorts. They both had emerald green hair, with the same pale skin and golden eyes as Amity. They each had a mole under one eye, like a reflection. The brother held up a pink rabbit lunch bag. 

“Dad says stop forgetting your lunch.” He said. Amity swiped the bag from his hand and scoffed.

“As if Dad wouldn’t forget to eat himself.” Amity muttered.

Luz did not like what that said about Amity’s home life.

“Who are you?” Luz asked the twins. Amity sighed.

“Luz, meet Edric and Emira, my older siblings and all-around troublemakers.” She waved at them.

“Pleased to meet you human.” Emira shook her hand. “We heard about your little duel at the Covention. Mittens didn’t mention that she lost to a cutie.”

“You can leave now.” Amity scowled, while Luz felt a slight blush across her cheeks and nose.

“Very well.” Emira gave a theatrical bow, dragging Edric away with her with a parting wink at Luz.

“They seemed nice.” Luz managed to say.

“Those two are up to something.” Amity sighed at her impending headache.

“Say, Amity. Do you know where I can learn more about the Wailing Star?” Luz asked, changing the subject.

Amity’s expression lit up. “Of course, Luz.” Amity waved for her to follow, leading her to the cosmic mythology section.

“Let’s see…” Amity perused the shelves. “Guide to the Black and White, no…Atlas of the Night Sky, no…Ah, here it is: The Children of the Stars.” Amity pulled out a large square book covered in stellar iconography, the cover a deep midnight blue with an embossing of the skull-faced moon of the Demon Realm, reminding Luz of some of the books she had engrossed herself with when she was in middle school.

The two girls’ attention was pulled from their literature by a cry of shock. The triclops librarian noticed that the sign pointing to the fiction and non-fiction sections had been vandalized to only read fiction, and was having an existential crisis.

Amity pinched the bridge of her nose, while Luz headed over and, leveraging herself up with her wings, re-wrote the ‘non’ in ‘non-fiction’.

“Thanks for that, Luz.” Amity complimented.

“Weh? Oh, it was nothing.” Luz rubbed the back of her neck self-consciously.

Luz and Amity continued having to clean up after Edric and Emira’s pranks, until the front desk librarian caught the twins setting off the demon decimal system and kicked them out, claiming that they had “made reading far too fun.”

Amity shook her head at their antics, before turning back to Luz to continue their research. Finding a table, Luz and Amity sat down and cracked open the book, flipping through pages of beautifully-painted illustrations and gripping commentary.

“‘Taken from an ancient stone tablet unearthed from the sea floor, parts of the text were damaged beyond reconstruction: “...live long, we watch things pass. To observe, preserve, we must amass… What flies, what swims, be it predator or prey, seal them up, so that they never fade. But should they meddle in our affairs, we’ll clean the planet and scorch the air.”’” Lus read aloud. “Well that’s…ominous.” She shuddered, turning the page.

Eventually, they found the entry on the Wailing Star. “‘Said to be the collected cries of the star people mourning their lost sibling, the Wailing Star is known to pass over the Boiling Isles once a year. The light of the Wailing Star, when filtered through meteor glass, has powerful and magical effects, greater even than the light of a Moonlight Conjuring.” Luz read.

“Meteor glass…” Amity mused, before her eyes went wide with realization. “Luz! The stained glass window here is made of meteor glass!” She gestured to the glass in question, which depicted the shooting star itself.

“Can we stay to see what happens?” Luz asked conspiratorially. A sly smile crossed Amity’s face.

“Follow me.” She said, leading Luz away, the book left on the table.

Amity led Luz to the romance section, which got another blush out of her. “Weh, Boiling Isles romance, huh? Any recommendations?” 

Amity smiled, before pulling down ‘The Lone Witch and the Secret Room’. The shelf shifted back and slid to the side, revealing an entire hidden room.

“Weh, you have an entire secret hideout!?” Luz asked excitedly. 

“Shhh, keep it down.” Amity shushed her. “But yes. Malphas gave me access when I started volunteering. He said it was made by another assistant of his over thirty years ago. Technically, it doesn’t exist on the plans for the library.”

“Huh, neat.” Luz noted as she crossed the threshold, and gasped in awe at the decor. The glowing stars and other stellar bodies hanging from the ceiling provided a soft light to the study. A soft indigo rug covered the wooden floor, and the walls were entirely made of filled bookshelves.

Luz’ eyes fell on one set of books in particular, that had been given pride of place, and she gasped.

“Good Witch Azura books one through four!” She squealed. “You get these on the Boiling Isles?”

“I got them from the Book Nook.” Amity said. “The characters, the prose, the redemption arcs…I just love them, okay?”

“Amity,” Luz said candidly. “The Good Witch Azura is why I ended up on the Isles in the first place.”

“What? How?” Amity asked, slightly incredulous, but taking a seat anyway.

“It started in the Human Realm, with my book report…” Luz began to recount her story.

By the time Luz finished her accounting of her adventures, the sun had gone down. The growl of her stomach interrupted her tangent about Azura and Hecate’s growing friendship.

“Weh? Oh, guess I missed dinner.” Luz said sheepishly.

“They keep some snacks stocked in the break room.” Amity said, standing up. “Let’s go.”

Leaving the secret study, Luz heard a faint cry overhead. Looking up, she saw the shimmering trail of the Wailing Star through the sky. Within the library, the books gained an eerie green glow. Picking out the nearest tome, Luz opened the book, and a flock of colorful avians flew out.

“Whoa, the Wailing Star brought the books to life.” Amity observed.

“Cool.” Luz cooed, before her stomach made itself known again. “Okay, okay. Snacks first, then magic books.”

Luz followed Amity to the staff break room, helping themselves to an impromptu dinner.

Their hunger sated, Luz and Amity returned to the main room of the library, and began making their way back to the study, with a few detours to indulge in the animated literature. They tried out the latest fashions directly from the magazines, had a brief snowball fight, and even summoned Otabin, who Amity hugged.

As they returned to the romance section, Amity stopped her. “Wait, do you hear that?” She asked.

Luz could hear faint laughter coming from the direction of the study.

“No, no, no, no, no.” Amity started panicking, rushing to the hidden door, which was wide open.

Standing in her study were Edric and Emira, a thin book with a hand-drawn cover in their hands.

“Really, you two?” Amity asked, her face going tomato red with anger.

“You break into my study and steal my diary? Why?” Amity asked.

“Payback for tattling on us about cutting class.” Edric said. “We were just gonna post the pages here all around school.”

“What.” Luz said, her voice dropping into a deep, bone-rattling growl. Her entire countenance shifted, shoulders hunching, her hands curling to make her claws seem all the sharper. Her teeth were bared, growing larger and sharper while the corners of her mouth pulled into a rictus of rage.

“Put. It. Back.” Luz growled, her eyes glowing like two pits of molten gold.

Emira set the diary on the table.

“Get. Out.” Luz growled. The twins shuffled out of the study, not turning their backs on the enraged hybrid.

The glow faded from her eyes, returning them to their normal amber brown. Her fangs shrank, and her posture relaxed, suddenly weary.

“Luz?” Amity asked, hand reaching for her shoulder.

Luz shook her head. “I’ll be fine, just…bad memories.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” She asked.

Luz gave a deep sigh. “Last year, my diary was stolen, and the pages were scattered across school. It was one of the few times I showed up early, so I managed to get most of them back before anyone saw. But some of my private thoughts were bared for everyone to see, and the person responsible got away with it, since it would be my word against hers, and her mom’s on the school board and has had it out for me from the start.”

“Why?” Amity asked.

“Why? Because I’m everything she despises and she’s a petty ball of spite that hates anything that doesn’t conform to her outdated and oppressive worldview.” Luz spat.

“Well, thanks for standing up for me.” Amity said, trying to cheer her up. “Not many people would.”

Both of them blushed, suddenly aware of how close they were to each other.

The moment was ruined by a piercing laugh. It was a high, cruel laughter, one that sent shivers of fear down their spines.

The sound of screaming shot them to their feet, running towards the source of the sound.

Edric and Emira were being held in the air in an aura of sparkling magenta and yellow. In front of them stood a towering figure, their form obscured by their sand blue and midnight black cloak, covered with iconography of the sun, moon, and stars. Their face was hidden entirely by their hood, masked by a golden yellow crescent moon. Behind the mask, a pair of gleaming crimson eyes stared. The figure towered over the witches, at least eleven feet tall.

“Ah, the Demon Realm, it’s been far too long since my last hunt here.” The figure said, their youthful voice bearing a terrifying undertone of malice.

Edric and Emira were pulled closer to the being. “You witches make such poor prey, let’s make it a little more fun.” A long arm rose from their cloak, talon-like fingers snapping once.

The magenta and yellow auras collapsed with a flash of light, and a pair of green-furred foxes landed on the ground, beady gold eyes wide with terror.

“Ed! Em!” Amity cried out. The being’s eyes locked on her and Luz, shifting to the winged girl.

“YOU.” The word was hissed with the pure venom of recognition.

The being vanished in a rush of displaced air, appearing in front of Luz within the blink of an eye. Amity was batted to the side without a care, while that inhumanly stretched hand lashed out and grabbed Luz by the throat, slamming her into the wall with enough force to crack the masonry.

Luz stared fearfully into those wide crimson eyes.

“Camila-spawn.” The being hissed. 

“Weh-what?” Luz choked.

“I know that face. That stars-damned face.” They hissed. Their grip tightened.

Luz grabbed their wrist, digging her claws in. The being’s eyes locked on the claws and fur of her demon arm. The being growled, a staticky sound like the roar of the sun.

“That…HARLOT!” The being roared, throwing Luz the length of the library, her back carving a deep furrow in the tiling before her momentum broke on a freestanding bookcase, which toppled onto her. Luz barely raised her wing in time to shield herself.

“Oh, this is priceless.” The being chortled. “The human who trapped me in Despondos, and that four-horned pox on my family. And now I get to start my revenge with their spawn.”

“What are you?” Amity called out, trying to distract them.

“What am I?” The being asked. “What am I!? I am the Huntsman! Second Born and Brightest of the Archivists! I once had the entire cosmos at my fingertips, until that accursed human and that feline parasite of a sorcerer banished me from the light of my stars, and poisoned me with the blood of those infernal beasts.”

While the Huntsman was monologuing, Amity was gathering her magic, summoning as much abomination goo as she could amass, before throwing a wave of the lilac slime at the Archivist. The wave struck blinding and gagging him while tangling his arms. With the Huntsman distracted, Amity rushed to Luz’ side, where she was trying to pry herself out from under the solid wood bookcase.

“Luz, are you hurt?” Amity asked, summoning an arm of abomination goo to jack the bookcase up enough to drag Luz out.

“I don’t think anything’s broken.” She replied, her voice hoarse.

“We gotta get outta here before-” Amity was cut off by the sound of abomination goo disintegrating.

“Oh, now it’s a real Hunt.” The Huntsman audibly sneered. Reaching up, he unclasped his cloak, the garment dropping to the ground. The Huntsman stood in his uncloaked glory. His skin was split in two colors, a golden yellow on the right, and a bruise-like, ashy blue on the left. His vermillion eyes glowed, sclera tinted a yellow shot through with golden veins. His features were chiseled to sharp edges, with pockmarks of glittering sapphire shards scarring the left side of his face. His attire consisted of a tight-fitting midnight blue robe, twinkling stars and swirling galaxies moving across the cloth like it were a window into space.

Most terrifying was his belt. Bands of thick corded leather cinched his robe, and hanging from it were scrolls and very familiar skulls. 

Skulls like King’s.

Holding out a hand, the Huntsman gathered stardust into a towering boar spear made of diamond-like crystal.

“Time to run little beasts.” The Huntsman gave a low growl.

Luz wrapped her arm around Amity’s shoulders, and beat her wings, taking them off the ground, aiming for the second floor.

Luz screamed as a beam of burning light struck her wing, knocking her out of the air. The two crashed roughly on the mezzanine, Luz shifted enough to shield Amity from the impact with her own body.

“Luz!” Amity screamed. Luz groaned, still somehow conscious.

The Huntsman rose to their level, standing atop a platform that seemed to suck in all light.

He was whistling, a tune that was ominous as it was jaunty.

“You can run, but are you fast enough?” The Huntsman asked in a sing-song voice.

Amity got to her feet, dragging Luz with her as they ran into the shadows of the shelves.

“You can hide, but I will find you.” He continued his taunts. The Huntsman snapped his fingers, and the shelves in front of them slammed into massive splinters and scattered books.

Amity threw another wave of abomination goo at the sadistic star-born, which he parted with a slash of his spear. Luz turned, and launched a bolt of lightning from her glyphs. He shielded himself with his spear, but the lightning left a scorch mark, forcing him to drop the spear clutching his hand. 

“Argh, you hybrid swine.” The Huntsman grunted. Luz’ eyes locked on a scroll on his belt. She sensed a very familiar magical presence from the scroll.

It felt just like Eda’s Curse.

Luz pulled out a plant glyph, the emerald vine snaking out and grabbing the scroll. With a yank, the scroll was in her hands, a band marked with an owl sigil sealing it.

The Huntsman went ballistic.

“Give me back my trophy!” He roared.

Amity grabbed one of Luz’ light glyphs and activated it, unleashing a flash of light that had the Huntsman clutching his eyes.

“Come on!” Amity shouted, still leading Luz through the maze of the library’s shelves, pursued by the enraged Huntsman.

They ended up running in a loop, finding themselves backed against the mezzanine railing. The huntsman fired a burst of magenta energy at them. Luz folded her wings protectively over her and Amity, the impact breaking the railing behind them.

They hit the ground with a thud, Amity rolling from Luz’ arms. 

“Luz!” Amity shouted in terror.

The Huntsman vaulted the broken railing, landing right over Luz, talons digging into the ground next to her head.

“Your skull will make a fine crown jewel for my collection.” His voice oozed lethal intent with every hiss.

“Get away from me!” Luz shouted weakly.

“If you struggle, it will only hurt more. So please, keep fighting.” He hissed.

“I said GET AWAAAAAY!!!” Luz screamed, and the world listened.

A wave of citrine, aurora green, and midnight radiated out from her. The Huntsman was thrown away from her, slamming down on a bookshelf that buckled under the force of impact.

Luz rolled over and rose to her knees, her claws grasping at her throat as she coughed. Flecks of red spattered on the ground.

“Ha. Look at you, abomination. Your own body is tearing itself apart. You have no idea the power that is wasted on you.” The Huntsman laughed that cruel laugh again as he climbed to his feet.

Despite his boasting, Luz’ shout had done a number on him. His robe was tattered and the designs had stopped moving, and his skin was covered in cracks that glowed with an inner light.

Amity heard a whimper near her. Glancing in the direction of the sound, she saw Edric and Emira, still stuck as foxes, cowering under a table, one standing protecting over the other.

Amity’s mind raced. ‘How do I get them back to normal?’

Her gaze fell on one of the scattered glyphs, and she started putting the pieces together.

Grabbing the light glyph, she activated it and shoved the ball of light towards her siblings, who returned to their witch form in a poof of magenta mist. They both gasped in relief to be back to normal, though their eyes remained wide with terror.

“Mittens…” Emira began, before Amity cut her off.

“Save it for now. Can you try to distract him?” She asked, trying to get the urgency of the situation across in her tone.

They swallowed, and nodded, readying spell circles.

While their illusions kept the Huntsman’s attention away from Luz, Amity was left to figure out how to stop him before he killed her friend or siblings.

“Cut the thread.”

“Who said that?” Amity asked, the voice unfamiliar to her.

“Break his link, save my child!” The voice pleaded. Amity glanced around, and her gaze caught on the reflection of one of the windows.

That cat-like golden eye was back, wide with fear. She could see the demon’s skeletal finger pointing, and followed the gesture to where the source of the Huntsman’s presence was - The book she and Luz had been reading earlier.

The Huntsman grew tired of being harried by illusions, and unleashed a wave of magenta-sulfur energy that banished the smoke and mirrors and wrapped their casters in nets.

But they had bought her time to cross the floor and grab the book.

The Huntsman saw what Amity was doing, and roared.

“Forgive me Malphas.” Amity said to herself, as she tore the page of the book depicting the Huntsman in half, right down his portrait.

With the image destroyed, whatever connection tethering him to the Demon Realm was severed, and the Huntsman was split down the middle by a crack of shining light, his form crumbling into motes of light.

“I will return, and your realms will burn!” He screamed as he was banished from the Demon Realm, his talon-like fingers inches away from Amity’s face.

Amity let out a breath of relief, before seeing Luz on the ground.

“Luz! Luz!” Amity shouted, praying that she wasn’t too late.

Luz gave a ragged cough, still rubbing her throat, and weakly raised a thumb.

Emira kneeled by Luz, drawing a spell circle near her neck. The pain in Luz’ face gave way to relief.

“Thanks, Emira.” Luz said, her voice returned.

“Hey, the scroll didn’t vanish.” Edric pointed to the scroll Luz had grabbed from the Huntsman.

“And why did the Huntsman care so much about it?” Amity asked.

“Only one way to find out.” Luz said, breaking the seal with her claws.

There was a flash of golden light, and the scroll grew into a blob of light in Luz’ arms before solidifying with an owl-like screech.

When the light faded, held in Luz’ arms was a demon the size of a large house cat, with an owl’s face, beady black eyes, feathery wings, and a thick downy coat of feathers.

“What is that?” Edric asked.

“It’s…an Owl Beast.” Luz answered, admiring the demon with curiosity. “The same kind of demon Eda’s cursed to turn into.”

“Wait, that’s why she’s called the Owl Lady?” Edric asked, earning an admonishing swat from Emira.

“Putting that aside, the library is still a mess.” Amity pointed out the smashed shelves and broken railing. “And I’d rather not be fed to the bookworms.”

Luz stood up, and pulled out a stack of plant glyphs. With a couple of them, she fashioned a harness for the little Owl Beast, before handing the remaining glyphs to the Blight siblings.

Even with the plant glyph allowing them to repair the shelves, the sun was rising above the horizon by the time they were done.

“That was enough adventure for one day.” Luz said, the adrenaline starting to wear off as the four of them left the library, Luz sitting down on the steps to catch her breath. Amity joined her.

“Do things always get that chaotic around you?” Amity asked.

“Not to that degree.” Luz answered, petting the Owl Beast in her arms.

“Thanks, Amity.” Luz said after a moment. “You really saved my life back there.”

Amity blushed. “You helped me with Ed and Em, I was just…returning the favor.”

“Well, I don’t know if it makes up for risking your life to save me, but I noticed you only had the first four books.” Luz held out her copy of The Good Witch Azura Book Five.

“Oh, thank you.” Amity took the book reverently. “And…good luck with your Owl Beast…thing.”

Amity left for home, leaving Luz and the little Owl Beast alone. Luz gave the demon a bright grin.

“Wanna go for a flight?” She asked. The Owl Beast trilled approvingly.

A single strong flap of her wings sent them skyward, and it was a short but pretty flight to the Owl House.

Hooty was still sleeping when Luz landed, allowing her to enter unopposed.

“Hi, guys, I’m…home” Luz noticed that the living room was a mess, most of the furniture knocked over. Eda and King were sleeping on the lesser-used green couch, three bat babies snuggling in her arms while King lay curled in her lap. Luz did not want to know how they had multiplied. Luz gave a soft smile, before the door banged open.

“Ding-dong!” Hooty cheered.

“Hooty.” Luz admonished, not wanting to wake Eda, King, or the babies.

A massive head forced its way through the door, long, sleek black hair parting to reveal narrow ruby-pink eyes framed with immaculate wings of eyeshadow. Vampiric fangs poked from dark purple lips curled in a smile. A pair of bat-like wings the same pale tone as her face followed her through the threshold, holding her up.

“Weh, you must be Mama.” Luz said in awe.

“Yi Yi. Mama is I. And I is the Bat Queen.” The Bat Queen said, her voice reminiscent of an old Dracula film. She whistled, and the babies woke up. They fluttered over and tucked themselves in her hair. 

“Aah, snuggle dumplings.” The Bat Queen cooed, before turning her gaze to Luz.

Luz was not expecting her to cough up a treasure chest filled to the brim with golden snails, followed by a skull-shaped whistle.

“For troubles.” She said. “Eda is owed one.” The Bat Queen turned and squeezed through the door before flying off. Luz closed the door as quietly as she could.

“Aw, sweet babies.” Eda sleep-talked, before waking up at their absence. “Babies? Where are the babies?” Eda asked, suddenly frantic.

“The Bat Queen picked them up.” Luz explained.

“Oh. Aw, and I just taught Junior how to pick locks too.” Eda groaned, before noticing the demon in the room, or more specifically, in Luz’ arms.

“Luz. What. Is. That?” Eda asked hesitantly.

“I think Buho here might be a piece of the puzzle with your curse.” Luz gestured to the Owl Beast, whose eyes locked onto Eda. The demon sprang from Luz’ arms into Eda’s, and promptly began nuzzling her, waking King in the process as he was knocked from Eda’s lap.

“Weh, what’s going on?” King swung his head around.

A warbling trill rumbled, and all eyes turned to Eda.

“Did I make that sound?” She asked, her eyes wide.

The Owl Beast in her arms just nuzzled her more.

Chapter Text

It was Market Day again, which meant Eda’s stand had been set up in a side-street of the Market District. The residents of the Owl House had quickly adapted to the presence of the baby Owl Beast that Luz had freed from the Huntsman during the Wailing Star, though the extra mouth to feed did force Eda to redo her budget. At least the Bat Queen’s payment for babysitting gave her a decent buffer for her expenses. Eda had also gone through Luz’ wardrobe and enchanted her shirts to accommodate her wings, as well as preemptively enchanting her hoodie to fit around the horns she was sure to grow eventually.

For a Market Day, there were very few customers, so Luz decided to take it upon herself to help Eda advertise, using what she had learned in her experiments with her glyphs. At her feet, Buho slept in the dog bed Eda had found for them.

One of the tricks she had found with glyphs was that the material the glyphs were drawn on had an effect. When drawn on the ground or in ink, the glyphs themselves were consumed. Paper was convenient to carry, but consumed entirely by the spells. Carving glyphs into wood or etching them into metal made for a long-lasting spell. She had also discovered that linking glyphs together allowed the effects to be fine-tuned, with a circuit of light glyphs creating a holographic display.

As she left the tent with her creation, she saw King trying and failing to grab a dangling flag from the line above the table.

“Weh! Stupid flag!” King shouted as he slipped off the table.

“Hey, what’s with the plank?” King asked, noticing his sister.

“It’s been a bit slow around here, so I’ve just the thing to bring in customers.” Luz flapped her wings to get into the air, and mounted her sign over the ‘Human Collectibles’ banner, grabbing the flag King had been reaching for on her way down.

“And who doesn’t like their name up in lights?” Luz asked with a flourish.

“What, too subtle?” Luz asked at the lack of reaction from King.

“Does subtle mean ugly?” A new voice butted in. Luz turned to see three Hexside students. Boscha, the top student of the Potions Track and Captain of the Banshees, with all the snide arrogance that came with it. Skara, a member of the Bard Track and Boscha’s perennial hanger-on. Last was a boy dressed in the purple of the oracle track, his sleeves covering his hands, and his beanie and flat blond hair giving him a skate-punk look. Luz had not gotten his name.

“Hi, Boscha! Hexsidians! See anything you like?” Luz asked amicably.

“Ha, no.” Boscha mocked, summoning her scroll. “I’m just here to take an ironic Penstagram next to your weird flashing trash sign.”

“Not funny, Boscha.” Luz said flatly.

“What are ya gonna do? Spit your human venom at me?” Boscha continued to taunt.

“Hey! Leave her alone!” King jumped on the table. Boscha’s expression immediately shifted.

“Aw, he’s so cute!” Boscha cooed, grabbing King in a hug and taking a selfie.

“Weh!” King struggled in her grip.

“How much? I have to own him.” Boscha asked. Luz grabbed her wrist with a vice-like grip, forcing her to let King go.

“My brother is not for sale.” Luz growled, her eyes gleaming dangerously.

“Ye-ouch, no need to get your leggings in a bunch.” Boscha freed her arm, rubbing at the faint redness around her wrist.

“Ha! You couldn’t afford me, sister.” King sassed. The teens cooed again, much to King’s annoyance.

“That is the incorrect reaction!” King screeched.

Eda chose that moment to make her entrance.

“Hey kids! Can I interest you in the latest fashions from…” Eda snapped her fingers. “...the Human Realm?”

The hodge-podge of salvaged garments and accessories clashed harshly enough to make Luz physically recoil.

“Yeah, no.” Boscha said flatly before she and her posse walked off laughing.

“Well, I hate her.” Eda crossed her arms.

“To be fair, I’m pretty sure most wizards have a more cohesive fashion sense,” Luz commented. Eda gasped in mock-outrage, before changing back to her normal attire with another snap.

Eda turned around, and groaned when she noticed Luz’ addition to her stand.

“Kid, I appreciate your spellwork, but this is too much.” Eda took the sign down.

“Did I spell something wrong? Or did I spell something right?” Luz asked, pointing finger guns at her wordplay.

“Knock it off.” Eda wiped away the lights. “I appreciate you trying to help, but you may be forgetting something important.” Eda pulled out her wanted poster. “I’m kinda…on the run! Remember? If I had my name up in lights, every guard in Bonesborough would be at my doorstep before you could blink.”

“I don’t see anyone right now.” Luz countered. “Besides, aren’t you the most powerful witch on the Boiling Isles? How tough can those guards be?”

“Part of being the most powerful is knowing to pick my battles.” Eda advised. “Just because I can wipe the floor with a couple squads doesn’t mean I want to do it everytime I go shopping. Better to keep a low profile. Keeps my list of problems down.”

“What does Luz know of having problems? All she has to deal with is dumb teen drama. She doesn’t understand how hard some of us have it.” King added fuel to the fire.

“You’re pampered all day like a dang baby. How hard is that life?” Came Eda’s retort.

“I’m eight years old, I am not a baby!” King whined.

“Then why are you screaming like one?” Luz teased.

“My life is a living nightmare!” King cried out.

Eda gained a sly tone. “Well, there’s only one thing to do when friends can’t see eye-to-eye.”

“Hug each other ‘til we pass out?” Luz hugged King.

“Duel to first blood!” King suggested.

“Pfft, no.” Eda scoffed. “Body swap!”

Luz’ eyes went wide in awe while King groaned.

Eda clapped. “I love a good body swap. It’s like demonic possession with the ones you love.”

“We’re doing that? That’s possible?” Luz asked excitedly. “This is just like one of my favorite early two-thousands comedy movies! Freaky Fraturday!” Luz was glad that Eda had a copy of the VHS tape among her ‘collectibles’. Luz suddenly thought about the implications of body swapping, and how out-of-control that trope tended to get, and had second thoughts. “Wait, maybe we should think about this for a second…”

“Body swap!” Eda announced as she spun her staff overhead, engulfing them in a column of golden magic.

“Weh? Did it work? I need a mirror!” The smoke cleared, and Luz ran face-first into a mirror. “Found one.” Luz groaned, before climbing to her feet. “Oh my gosh, it worked!” The noticeable hints that the body swap had happened were her eyes being amber-brown instead of their normal gold, and the lack of a golden fang.

Luz’ own body walked up, King’s distinct orchid and yellow eyes letting her know who was behind the wheel. King also swept Luz’ hair back into a more rebellious style.

“Weh, you’re me!” Luz exclaimed. King smiled mischievously.

“Heck yeah it’s me. I’m the teen now. Bow before my superior claws and magic.” King postured.

“Wait, if I’m Eda and you’re me, then that means…” Luz turned to the table where the smoke was only now clearing.

“How do I look?” Eda asked, her golden tooth, golden eyes, and somehow her eyeliner having transferred to King’s body.

“I’ve got some…very confusing emotions to deal with…later.” King admitted.

“Alright, here’s the deal.” Eda explained. “The spell only lasts until sun-down, so until then, the bet is this: Whoever can prove they have the easiest life gets out of house-cleaning duty for a week. And you know what that means.”

All three of them shuddered. A boiling drizzle had swept through during the night and left the ground soaked, which meant Hooty was occupying himself by rolling in the mud.

“Won’t be me.” King declared. “I’ll be the King of Teens before you know it!”

“And now I’m the most powerful witch on the Boiling Isles, so don’t be too mad when your inventory’s sold out and the guards are none the wiser.” Luz told Eda with a snap, which dropped a bucket on her own head.

“Ha, that’s cute.” Eda laughed, before hopping off the table. “If you need me, I’ll be getting pampered on a vacation fit for a king.”

“My life is not a joke!” King screeched. “But yours is. Bap.” King tapped Luz on the nose before running off.

“Try not to make too many enemies!” Luz called after him.

“Well, looks like it’s just you and me, Buho.” Luz met the beady eyes of the owlet, who had woken up from the commotion. They tilted their head, chirped, and went back to sleep. 

“Okay, let’s try this walking thing again. Not used to these legs.” Luz muttered to herself. “And strut, strut, strut.” Luz tripped and slammed into a sideways crate, knocking the lamp that had been on it down.

“Weh, stupid lady stilts.” Luz griped. “How does Eda wear these all day?” Then Luz noticed the smashed lamp, and that she was short an arm.

“Weh!” Luz gasped, before remembering. “Oh yeah, that happens.” She reattached her arm with a click of the joint popping back in place, and promptly shivered at the experience. “O-kay, that was a thing.” Luz told herself, before refocusing on the broken lamp.

“Oh right, I’m a full-fledged witch!” Luz’ first spell circle sent her flying with a beam of uncontrolled force, before she figured out that she needed to focus the magic through one finger to properly draw the circle.

The result was a lamp that went well beyond extravagant and into the threshold of pure kitsch with some Boiling Isles flair.

It immediately sold for a shiny snail.

“Now let’s see what other magic I can work now.” Luz smirked.

A snap of her fingers put her previous signage to shame, as well as summoning a top hat.

“Step right up and feast your eyes on the wonders of the Human Realm!” Luz announced with a dazzling display. Within minutes she had raked in several sacks worth of snails, and sold off a good third of the displayed wares, with a few bits of more-than-smoke-and-mirrors bringing in some of the largest profit. The roar of the of the crowd she had gathered drowned out the occasional sounds of chaos she heard from the town, including what she could swear was Hooty’s voice.

“Thank you! Thank you! Come again! There’s a little something for everyone. Take it from me, Eda the Owl Lady, the Boiling Isles gift to magic.” Luz bragged as she idly counted the snails.

“Is that right? You’re the infamous Eda the Owl Lady?” A suspiciously cloaked individual asked.

“That depends, are you a fan of…magic?” Luz summoned a bouquet of giggling flowers from her top hat.

“No, but I am a fan of…the law!” The guard discarded his cloak.

Luz snapped her fingers, turning the bouquet of flowers into a hat-full of entangling vines that lashed out and bound the guard, knocking him to the ground.

“Alright, time to go!” Luz snapped again. Like her first day on the Boiling Isles, Eda’s stand folded up into a convenient bundle. Buho let out a cry of annoyance as they were rudely awakened by their bed lifting off under them.

“Sorry, Buho, but we gotta run.” Luz told the owlet, sweeping them up in her arms as the guard managed to tear off the vines.

“Ha, your little lightshow was just what we needed to track you down, Owl Lady.” Another guard bragged.

Luz was halfway through drawing a spell circle when she felt a wave of magic wash over her, and all her energy leave her, her eyelids feeling unreasonably heavy and the ground looking unusually comfortable.

As her eyes closed, she saw Buho hissing at the guards as they cast ropes of magic around them.

“Buho…no…” Luz felt sleep take her.

Luz found herself atop a lake of black water, the sky an equally pitch void. The only source of light was Luz herself, a soft aurora that allowed her to see her own reflection in the water.

Looking down, she saw her own face and body, completely human. The same features she had seen in the mirror for years, only her teeth were duller, her eyes lacking a certain glimmer.

The water rippled, and her reflection changed .

Staring back was a face that shared her features, but with the pointed ears and fangs of a witch, the same dentition that contributed to some of the rumors about her in the Human Realm.

The water rippled once again, her reflection shifting in turn.

What gazed back at her could not be mistaken for human. The exposed skull and thick fur were a dead-ringer for her brother, iridescent midnight wings held proudly at her sides. The eyes that gazed back glowed and shimmered like molten metal. The horns that rose from her skull imparted a sense of majesty and regality.

Luz was broken from pondering her reflection by a growl that seemed to come from everywhere. The sound of shallow splashing made her turn around, meeting the glossy black gaze of the Owl Beast.

The Owl Beast looked much like what Eda had turned into during the storm, only with a fully-feathered heart-shaped owl face on a much longer neck. The Owl Beast’s feathers were a dull ashy gray, and heavily matted and ruffled, like they had been used as a feather duster for volcanic clouds. 

“You’re…Eda’s Curse, aren’t you?” Luz asked hesitantly. “You are the same type of demon as Buho.”

Luz heard the Owl Beast’s voice in her head, a raspier version of Eda’s own.

“ You…freed owlet…. You…fought the hunter…. You… chick of mates…. ”

“What.” Luz asked flatly, trying to make sense of what the Owl Beast had just told her.

“ Hunt-Scarred…Song-Storm…Earth-Crown… Chick of witch’s mates…. ”

“What are you talking about?” Luz asked again.

“ Chick of witch’s mates…can break the chains…. ”

“Break the chains?” Luz asked. “What chains?”

Luz could feel herself returning to the waking world.

“ Freed owlet! Break the chains! ” The Owl Beast screamed in her head as she shot awake.

Luz blinked her borrowed eyelids, adjusting to the brightness of her surroundings compared to the void she had been in.

“Weh? Who-what-where?” Luz swiveled her head, trying to figure out where she was.

The gray stonework and one-way mirror told her was in some kind of interrogation room. The fact that her hands were shackled to the table served as an abrupt reminder that she had gotten caught by the guards.

“Ah, farts.” Luz groaned, throwing her head back.

“Hello, Edalyn.” Luz saw a familiar witch enter the room.

“Oh, thank goodness! A familiar face.” Luz sighed. “You’re Eda’s sister right? Libby? Limby…?” Luz tried to remember the other witch’s name.

“It’s Lilith.” Lilith corrected. “Ah, your show of affection is touching, but the third person is new. Do you know why you’re here?”

“No, I don’t. I just know your guards stabbed me in the back.” Luz said bitterly.

Lilith bit back a wince. “It got you here, didn’t it sister? The charges against you are extensive. Operating a stand without a permit, selling potions without a license, owning a hocus without a pocus, assaulting Coven Guards…and that’s not even getting into the latest charges of owning an unregistered and unknown beast demon.”

“Hey, you leave Buho alone!” Luz snapped.

“These charges are serious, Edalyn. There’s no more running away.” Lilith vanished the scroll she had been reading from.

“But I’m not Eda.” Luz pleaded. “I mean, technically it’s her body, but…”

Lilith looked her in the eyes, and groaned, the air hissing past her teeth sounding suspiciously like ‘Titan give me patience.’

“A body swap?” She asked.

Luz nodded.

“Of course she did.” Lilith hung her head. “Which one are you?”

“Uh, her apprentice, Luz?” Luz tried to jog her memory. “We met at the Covention, when you made Amity cheat?”

Once again Lilith winced in shame. “Ah, yes, that unfortunate bit of business.”

“You really hurt her, you know.” Luz told her.

“Who?” Lilith asked.

“Amity.” Luz answered. “You broke her trust with that power glyph stunt.” 

“What happened between me and my protege is not your business.” Lilith shot her down. “What is your business is answering for the laundry list of Eda’s crimes.”

“What!” Luz shouted. “How is that right?”

“Because the Emperor has a deal for Edalyn, and you can fulfill it.” Lilith said.

“What.” Luz replied flatly.

“Emperor Belos promised that if Eda joined his coven he would heal her curse. It was what she wanted when we were girls, so why does she fight it now?” Lilith explained.

“Eda…wanted to be in the Emperor’s Coven?” Luz asked, her view of the witch difficult to reconcile with this new information.

“Of course she did. We were going to be in the Emperor’s Coven together, but she chose her path, and paid the price.” Lilith answered. “But now she has the opportunity to join us in enforcing the Titan’s will, and she can be rid of that awful curse.”

Luz felt the Owl Beast growling in the back of her head.

“No.” Luz said plainly.

“No? What do you mean no?” Lilith asked, flabbergasted.

“Eda told me she refused to join a coven because she saw what they were really like. My first day on the Isles, I saw witches and demons being locked up for one guy’s power trip. My third day on the Isles, Eda told my friend to stay away from a Coven Head in the same tone my mamá used to warn me about people who would hurt me for how I look.” Lilith looked like she had been struck at Luz’ rant.

Lilith managed to regain her composure. “The Covens may not be perfect, but they exist for a reason. Wild magic is dangerous, and those who wield it are a danger to themselves and others. Once Eda has a sigil, the Emperor will be able to heal her curse and the damage it’s done.”

“I said no.” Luz said defiantly, pulling at her manacles, which slowly began to buckle.

“Your cooperation is not required. Bring out the branding glove!” Lilith called to the guard on the other side of the mirror, who burst through the door with a thick gray glove on one hand, the golden sigil of the Emperor’s Coven glowing red on the palm. 

“ WE WILL NOT BE SHACKLED! ” Luz’ screech shattered the glass of the mirror, her manacles reduced to shards, as a wave of golden magic burst from her, sending Lilith and the guard crashing into the wall hard enough to fracture stone. A burst of fire caught the branding glove, forcing the wearer to discard it in a panic while Luz bolted from the room.

She found Buho and Owlbert locked in a cell, another burst of fire reducing the lock to slag and another spell rusting away the shackle on Eda’s palisman.

“Let’s blow this popsicle stand!” Luz announced, drawing a massive spell circle with Owlbert that left the Bonesborough Guard Precinct missing an exterior corner.

Luz felt the Owl Beast rumble in satisfaction as she ran from the stunned guards.

“Eda definitely has it the roughest.” Luz mused on the bet that started her latest misadventure. She and King may have only known each other for a few weeks now, but not even in her worst nightmares would she dream of hunting King like Lilith hunted Eda.

“Speaking of Eda and King, where are they?” Luz asked her companions as she wove through the streets of Bonesborough.

Her question was answered with the sound of shattering glass behind her.

Luz spun around to see King and Eda climbing out of what was left of a cafe window.

“Luz!” Eda called out. Somehow, Eda had ended up in a bee costume, while King had been forced into a T-shirt for the cafe that was not accommodating for wings. Luz winced in sympathy and impending soreness.

“What the heck did you get my body into?” Luz asked as the cafe owners slammed open the door and looked at the group in anger. The quartet quickly ran toward main street, where they were greeted first by Boscha’s posse all wearing flying shoes, and then Lilith and an entire squad of Coven Guards.

“Oh yeah, I forgot about them.” King noted the teens.

“Luz…” Eda asked pointedly.

“Switch us back first, lecture later.” Luz quickly countered. Eda grabbed Owlbert and undid her spell in another column of light.

Luz promptly winced at the soreness from her wings being compressed. Thankfully, however the body swap spell worked it had left behind the clothes that had been put on after the initial swap. 

“Sister.” Lilith announced. “Time and again I’ve offered you my help, yet you foolishly keep running back to your worthless life. I’m tired of trying, Edalyn. Your days of running are over.”

“My life would have a lot more worth if you weren’t in it!” Eda shot back venomously. Lilith looked like she had been shot through the heart at that declaration.

“Eda, I-” Lilith tried to respond, but her pause had already bought time for Eda’s exit strategy.

“Body swap!” Eda cheerfully sang, as she directed the column of magic across the crowd. 

“Eda, you rotten sister! Switch me back!” Lilith barked, having been swapped with the cerberus bloodhound that one of the guards had been the handler of. The entire street quickly fell into chaos as the witches tried to figure out who was in whose body.

With everyone distracted, Eda and her gremlins were easily able to fly away from the carnage on Owlbert.

“It’ll be a good hour before that spell wears off.” Eda noted. “So, did we all learn a valuable lesson about experiencing each others’ hardships?”

Both Luz and King nodded.

 “I will not take the terrors of teen social hierarchies for granted again.” King shared his wisdom.

“And being the strongest witch on the Boiling Isles doesn’t make you immune to being spelled in the back.” Luz shared. “Also, your curse is definitely its own being.”

“What?” Eda asked, not quite believing what Luz had just said.

“I’ll make you a deal.” Luz told Eda. “I’ll handle washing Hooty, if you try to actually communicate with the Owl Beast.”

Buho chirped, agreeing with her plan.

“F-ine.” Eda groaned. “By the way, how did you talk to the Owl Beast?” She asked her apprentice.

“One of the guards hit me in the back with some sort of sleep spell.

“Sleep spell, huh?” Eda mused. “You gotta be careful against those.” She advised.

“Yeah, I learned my lesson there.” Luz rubbed her neck sheepishly.

“Like I said, pick your battles.” Eda said smugly as they neared the Owl House.

Luz groaned as she remembered her end of the deal she had just made.

Eda set down a cushion in her room, sitting down and double-checking her work. 

Sleeping nettles were not something to be handled lightly. Boiled in a weak acid, sleeping nettles put out a smoky mist that could knock out most witches and demons. Even dragons would fall into dreamland when exposed to a few sprigs of the stuff. 

When brewed into tea, sleeping nettles were one of the most reliable sleep aids on the Isles, but oversteeping would result in extremely vivid dreams and nightmares. Some oracles would use the tea as a means for inducing lucid dreaming, and it was that effect Eda was hoping to make use of. 

Pouring herself a cup of tea, she saw the steam wafting off in the shape of ‘Zzz’s. Taking a deep breath, Eda drank the tea, and had just enough awareness to set the cup down before she became lost in her own head.

Eda found her surroundings gaining a subtle grayscale filter, an indication that she was in her dreams.

“Okay, Owl Beast. Luz made it sound like you wanted to talk, so let’s talk.”

A shadow flashed past her bedroom door.

“What, taking me on a trip down memory lane?” Eda snarked, but followed the shadow nonetheless.

Eda found herself in a familiar room that she hadn’t been in in almost thirty years. She wondered if her mother had cleared out her bedroom after she ran away. Eda shook her head. Gwendolyn wouldn’t have changed a thing about her room, hoping that she’d come back and carry on like nothing had happened.

Eda saw her younger self in bed, long fiery hair that refused to be tamed. It was a style she kept going back to over the years. Eda tried to brush a stray hair out of her teen self’s face, only for her hand to phase right through.

“Right, dream.” Eda muttered.

“But why here?”

The door opened behind her, and Eda turned to see who was intruding in her sanctum.

Those glowing circles of eyes.

That hazy shadow.

The figure resolved.

“No.” Eda breathed as she recognized the figure.

Those glowing circles were glasses.

The hazy silhouette a mess of red curls.

In her hand, a scroll sealed with the sigil of an owl.

“No. No, no, no, no, no.” Eda repeated madly, as though her denials would change reality.

But she knew in heart that it was true.

As Lilith cracked open the scroll, the red light of the accursed magic it contained snaked toward Eda, latching onto her as she writhed in her sleep. There was an avian screech as the curse was bound to her.

Eda’s scream of anguish shattered the dreamscape into glittering shards.

Eda felt the dark waters of her nightmares pooling around her knees and hands.

“Why, Lily? Why?” Eda asked the void, her voice breaking. The void did not answer.

Eda heard the sound of rippling footsteps, and looked up to see the Owl Beast. The demon closed its eyes, and butted its forehead against hers.

There was a flash of light, and Eda found herself in a place she had never seen before.

She was standing on a cliff, in her Owl Beast form, her feathers the golden orange they had been early on, before the curse got more difficult to manage.

The Titan skull on the horizon was completely unlike that of the Boiling Isles.

Eda looked down, and found herself in a nest, much like her own, only lined with far more feathers, and occupied by a familiar owlet.

Buho trilled, and the Owl Beast nuzzled them.

A star descended from the sky, crashing down with a terrifying flash of light.

The Owl Beast ran.

Looking back, Eda saw a cloaked figure emerge from the smoke, and seal Buho in a scroll.

The Owl Beast wailed, but kept running, until they ran out of ground.

Magenta and sulfur light flared, manifesting into a binding net.

The childishly cruel voice of the Huntsman rang out, appearing from their shadow. “Don’t bother, beast. You can’t run away anymore. It’s over.”

The Owl Beast screeched, and broke the net, taking flight.

Their wings burned, and they fell

Then everything burned, the Huntsman’s curse withering them in the Boiling Sea.

On the shores of the Boiling Isles, a scroll washed ashore, being swept up by a beachcomber.

The scroll languished in a barrel for uncounted time - Years? Decades? Centuries? - until a sixteen-year-old witchlet in a potions track uniform found it in the Night Market, a frantic desperation behind her glasses.

“One spot is available. You duel tomorrow.” The voice of that Coven recruiter rang out in her memory.

“Perfect prissy Lilith cheated.” Eda’s own taunt from the Covention sang back at her, mockingly.

“I refuse to battle my sister.” The voice of fourteen-year-old Eda called. 

Two years younger, and yet a match for her older sister in any real fight, the magic flowing through her veins like water. Complex weavings of magic came intuitively to her, and her knowledge of potions had been second to none at Hexside.

Very few witches would have been able to cast a body swap spell on short notice, and fewer still had the sheer power to cast it en masse .

“To be great, you have to make sacrifices.” The slimy-smooth voice of Emperor Belos intoned, a soundbite from one of his early decrees as he extolled the ‘virtues’ of his Covens.

Lilith had sacrificed her sister’s future, and thought she could fix it by bringing her under his heel.

Eda found herself back on the water, an ash-gray shore framed with rocky cliffs now in sight.

With the dull light of the cliffs, Eda finally noticed the red string tied around her ankle, and tugged on the thread. The Owl Beast’s foreclaw rose in response, the other end of the line digging into their wrist, the skin worn raw of feathers.

Eda moved towards the Owl Beast, the thread going slack as she got nearer.

“Oh.” The pieces fell into place in her mind as she ran her fingers through the feathers of the Owl Beast’s neck, flakes of ash wisping away in their wake.

“You’re not a curse.” Eda said. “You’re a prisoner, and my body is your cell, isn’t it?”

The Owl Beast crooned mournfully.

“Is there any way to separate us?” Eda asked, not expecting an answer.

An image formed in her mind, of everything crumbling to ash.

“Ouch.” Eda winced. “Is there any way to treat…this?” Eda gestured to the ash that clung to the Owl Beast.

The Owl Beast spoke.

“ Chick of Mates can break the chains. ”

“W-What?” Eda asked.

An image of Luz appeared in her mind, illuminated by the light glyph she had discovered.

The glyph flared, and Eda was forced back into the waking world.

Eda wiped the tears from her eyes, and forced herself to focus on the matter at hand.

Looking out the window, she saw that dawn had broken.

Hopefully Luz had gotten a good night’s sleep.

Luz woke from a strange dream to the sound of Eda calling her name and the beckoning smell of cooking omelets.

Leaving behind her questions of just how she had managed to get roped into babysitting Oberon’s grandson, Luz made her way downstairs, still sore from wrangling Hooty for his bath.

The first thing Luz noticed was the faint tear-tracks on Eda’s face as she placed her omelet in front of her, with a tall glass of soft apple blood, and a stack of buttered toast with a jar of blood-orange marmalade.

“Are you okay, Eda?” Luz asked. Her mentor sighed with the weight of the world.

“No, I’m not. But you can help.” She answered.

“I can!?” Luz exclaimed.

“I held up my end of your deal and communed with the Owl Beast.” Eda began to explain. “I learned some unpleasant truths, and for some reason, the Owl Beast thinks you’re the key to treating the worst of the curse binding us together. So eat up. If your magic is the key, you’re gonna need the energy.”

“You got it, Owl Lady.” Luz tucked into her breakfast with aplomb.

Afterher meal, Luz practiced her glyphs, while Eda gathered the materials she would need.

“So, how can I help, Eda?” Luz asked from the couch.

“First, you can familiarize yourself with this.” Eda tossed a book to Luz.

“‘Holloway’s Guide to the Mazes of the Mind’?” Luz read the title. “Mind magic is a thing here!?”

“Yeah, it’s also highly dangerous and partially illegal.” Eda explained.

“Since when has that stopped you?” Luz pointed out.

“Ha! Got me there!.” Eda laughed cheerfully. “But seriously, mind magic is not something to be played with lightly. Damaging someone’s memories can have disastrous effects on their personality and sense of self.”

Luz gulped at the severity of her mentor’s tone.

“And traipsing around in people’s mindscapes isn’t risk-free either. A person can manifest an ‘Inner Self’, a gatekeeper of emotions and memory. They can be incredibly helpful, or absolutely lethal if you’re in there uninvited.” Eda continued.

“How do you know so much about mind magic?” Luz asked.

“It’s not my first time trying to use mind magic to treat the curse.” Eda admitted. “And I hit one big snag - You can’t enter your own mind with this spell, and the Inner Self doesn’t manifest without someone else being in the mindscape….And I didn’t trust anyone enough to let them into my head.”

“But you trust me?” Luz asked.

“In all honesty? Yes.” Eda answered. Luz did not know how to respond to that declaration. “You’re a good kid, Luz. And don’t forget that you’re the one who got me actually trying to talk to my curse as an equal. So, you ready to help this old girl put her inner demons to rest?”

“You can count on me, Eda.” Luz saluted.

It took an hour for Eda to finish her preparations, and for Luz to get the basics of mindscapes and traversing them.

When she was done, the living room had been completely rearranged. The coffee table had been shoved to the side so she could draw the ritual circle, a set of mirrors at the cardinal directions. Off to the side, King and Buho stood, nervously offering their emotional support.

Luz stood in the center of the circle, her newest read tucked into her bag for good measure. 

Eda drew a spell circle, the yellow light burning like the sun. The ritual circle lit up in turn, and Luz felt herself compress into light. The light bounced off the mirrors to strike the spell’s caster in the forehead.

Eda collapsed onto the couch, just as she had planned.

Luz found herself in an empty black void, the only light coming from the column she had been carried in by. A bright light approached rapidly, and Luz shielded her eyes.

When she opened them again, she found herself in a forest, just as the book had described.

The trees of the forest had blue trunks, with the canopy a dazzling blend of fiery orange and Human Realm green.

“Ah, I figured it wouldn’t be easy.” Eda’s voice complained.

Luz turned around.

There stood Eda, a faint golden aura tinting her appearance.

“Inner Eda?” Luz asked tentatively.

Inner Eda smiled.

“Got it in one, kid.” She snapped her fingers. “Well, the plan just got a little more complicated.”

“How so? What’s wrong?” Luz asked.

“The Owl Beast is connected to me at the subconscious level.” Inner Eda explained.

“And going into the subconscious without a path out is a death sentence.” Luz completed, remembering the warning from her book.

“Yep, which means you’ll need to go through the memories most connected with the Owl Beast to reach them.” Inner Eda continued. “Well, you’ve wanted my mysterious backstory, so let’s head down memory lane.”

Inner Eda guided Luz to one of the paintings mounted to the tree trunks. She gave her apprentice a somber nod, and nudged her through the portal.

Luz found herself observing an Eda the same age as her, heading downstairs for dinner with her family.

She barely recognized Lilith with curly red hair and glasses. The future head of the Emperor’s Coven was practicing origami.

“Mother, do you like my napkin folding?” Lilith held up a folded swan, reminding Luz of her own tin foil sculptures.

“That’s nice, sweet flea.” A brown-haired witch who could only be Eda and Lilith’s mother said, not even looking at her eldest daughter. “Edalyn, help us set up, won’t you?”

“Sorry Mom, I don’t have time for this. I have a date.” Young Eda said flippantly.

Her mom chuckled. “You’re going to say that, the night your dad leaves for the Mandible?”

Eda’s father entered the house. He was a tall witch, and clearly where the Clawthorne sisters got their hair color and Eda her eye color from. “Hey, pumpkin! Here to see me off?” He asked.

Young Eda hugged her father. “Dad! It’s so good to see you again.”

“I was only gone for an hour.” Eda’s dad returned the hug. Luz felt her heart melt. “Hey! I know I won’t be home for a while, so that’s why tonight…” He pulled out a party popper. “...I’ll be leavin’ in style!” He pulled the popper.

Magenta and sulfur sparks, burning pain.

Luz froze in fear as Young Eda screamed, the Owl Beast bursting forth and lashing out at the source of the lights. Fangs and talons mangled flesh before Eda regained control of herself, forcing herself back into witch form, feathers still dotting her limbs.

Eda’s father groaned, bleeding hand clutched to ruined eye.

“Dell!” Eda’s mom shouted in worry. “Lilith, call the Healing Coven. Now!”

Young Eda stared in horror at the blood on her hands.

“The first person I hurt because of the curse.” Inner Eda narrated, shocking Luz out of her revere. “My Dad was once the greatest Palisman carver on the Boiling Isles, and the Owl Beast’s talons ended that career. Even with the best Healers the family could afford, they couldn’t fix the nerves in his hand.”

The memory shifted, and Luz was watching Young Eda talk to a Healer.

“It always starts the same way. I wake up someplace dark, and then it appears. It chases me, and eventually… I wake up, and I know I turned into… that thing.”

“I see. Here, take this.” The Healer handed Eda a golden gem that was familiar to Luz. “It will tell you when the beast’s energy is bubbling to the surface. Also, I hear gems are quite fashionable for young witches.”

“Oh, what a beautiful little stone.” Eda’s mom said in a passively patronizing tone, before she turned to the Healer. “May I speak with you outside? Just a minute, hon.” She turned to Eda as she ushered the Healer out the door.

“What the heck was that?” Eda overheard her mother. “I thought you were in the Healing Coven, not the Bauble Brigade.”

“Mrs. Clawthorne, we have never seen a curse quite like this. I’m not sure it can be healed. Perhaps if we consult the Potions Coven, they may know a way to keep it at bay.” Eda’s mom cut the Healer off.

“Keep it at bay? Oh, no. My daughter is suffering and I want that thing out! Cut it out if you have to.”

Eda gasped, clutching at her chest as her heart raced, her eyes falling on her bedroom window.

Eda ran through the forest, eventually running out of breath.

“I never knew this was back here.” Eda noted as she caught her breath. Then she tripped, and turned to find the corner of something poking out of the dirt. Digging it up, Eda beheld a suitcase-like object that was very familiar to Luz.

After all, why wouldn’t she recognize the portal she had entered the Demon Realm through?

The key turned in the lock, and the door swung open. On the other side of the threshold were green trees and blue skies.

“What?” Eda squinted. Then she heard her mother’s voice calling for her, and she ran through the portal, taking the key with her.

“That was how I found the Portal Door, and my mother fell down a jackalope hole of quack cures.” Inner Eda narrated again for Luz.

The Portal Door opened again, and Inner Eda led Luz into the next memory.

They were in the Human Realm, if the green leaves on the trees were anything to go by.

“Wait…” Luz squinted. “I know this place…” Luz’ eyes widened in recognition as she saw the address. “This is the house where I grew up in!”

“I told you I was close with your parents.” Inner Eda patted Luz on the shoulder.

Luz watched as Eda stood in her family’s kitchen, cooking breakfast with the practiced hand of someone who knew the kitchen like the back of her hand. Her hair was pulled into a bushy ponytail, still a vibrant orange, not yet the silver that Luz knew in the present.

Luz had never heard Eda hum while cooking before.

Luz felt her breath catch in her throat when her father entered the room, giving Eda a kiss on the cheek.

Then her mamá entered the room, kissing both Eda and Manny.

“Eda, were you and my parents…together?” Luz asked.

“All four of us were.” Inner Eda answered, gesturing to the fourth person to enter the room, a head of mint green hair that Luz had only seen once, at the Covention.

As the four sat down for breakfast, Luz was taken in by the sheer affection being shown between all of them.

It was a warm, domestic moment, one that spoke volumes about the relationship between Eda and her parents.

The memory shifted.

It was the same house, only the leaves on the trees had become the red, orange, and yellow of autumn, drifting to the ground.

Eda was watching through the window, inside the house, Camila and Manny were enjoying a night in. Eda looked upon them with a somber expression, before turning to the issue at hand.

Lying on the lawn were two unconscious Coven Scouts.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t let my Realm’s problems become your problems.” Memory Eda sighed. She tossed the unconscious Scouts over her shoulders, and climbed onto Owlbert, taking to the air. A scattering of feathers fell in her wake.

“A couple of Scouts managed to follow me through the Portal Door. I turned their ambush on them and wiped their memories of the encounter, but it was too close a call for my comfort. So…I ran.” Inner Eda narrated as she directed Luz towards the Portal Door again.

Luz found herself at the foot of a hill, a field of snapdragons surrounding her.

At the top of the hill sat Eda and Raine.

Eda gasped, and Raine stared at her. “Whoa! What are you doing?” They asked.

“Uh…” Eda gasped for breath, as though only now noticing her surroundings. “Raine! Haha! Uh, nothing. I’m fine.” Memory Eda lied nervously.

“One of the signs of the curse getting worse is when I find myself losing time.” Inner Eda explained.

“You’re lying again.” Memory Raine accused. “It’s like I don’t even know you. So, I’ve made a decision.” Raine had their back towards Eda. “I’m joining the Bard Coven, and… I think we should see other people. I’m sorry Eda, it’s over.”

Memory Eda started gasping and groaning, her hands shifting into the Owl Beast’s talons, think reddish-brown feathers sprouting.

“Are you okay? Is it the curse?” Memory Raine asked, concerned.

“Haha! It’s fine.” Memory Eda brushed off. “Everything’s normal. You can leave now.”

“I can’t do this anymore.” Raine left the hill, their arms crossed. Luz could just barely make out the tears running down their face.

Luz found herself face to face with the Owl Beast.

The Owl Beast stepped forward, the sky and ground shifting.

Luz tentatively reached out, her clawed hand brushing the feathers of the Owl Beast’s face.

“We’re here.” Inner Eda announced.

Luz realized they were standing in that void of dark water. The Owl Beast looked like it did when she had encountered them in her unconscious mind during the body swap. Luz noticed the red thread tied around their forelimb, digging painfully into the wrist. Luz followed the line with her eyes to Inner Eda’s ankle.

Taking the thread in her hands, Luz asked the Owl Beast. “This is the chain you want me to break, isn’t it?”

The Owl Beast trilled. Inner Eda nodded. “Go for it, kid.”

Luz nodded, and took a deep breath.

She focused on the magic she had been tapping into, that second heartbeat beating in time with her own. She felt the warm blossom, filling her body.

Luz pulled at the thread. She could not get a good grip on the slippery thread. Looping the thread around each of her hands, Luz pulled.

The thread bit into her hands as she tugged harder and harder, the thread beginning to fray.

The loops of thread broke skin, and violet blood dripped into the water with a golden ripple.

All three of them were engulfed in golden light, and plunged into the water.

Luz found herself washing onto an ash-gray shore, rounded cliffs rising ahead of her.

Flopping onto her back, Luz took a deep lungful of air, before she noticed that the dark water had turned a sapphire-streaked shimmering golden hue.

On one side of Luz, Eda washed ashore, coughing up the elixir-like fluid.

On the other side, the Owl Beast was disgorged by the waves, black ash dripping from her feathers carving rivulets in the sand. The Owl Beast shook herself like a dog, the waterlogged ash evaporating into nothing.

Luz was disheartened to see that the red thread was still there, now with an even thinner thread of gold entwined with it.

“Oh no, it didn’t work.” Luz moaned. The Owl Beast shuffled up to her, and licked her face.

“Weh, what?” Luz asked. “Why are you thanking me? I couldn’t break the thread.”

“ Star-Thief darkness gone. No more pain. No more burning. ”

“I don’t think you can break the thread.” Inner Eda suggested. “But you certainly did something to help. Inner Eda gestured to the glowing sea, and the sky, where the void had given way to a breathtaking aurora.”

Inner Eda sat between Luz and the Owl Beast, scratching the demon’s chin. 

“The Owl Beast and I are stuck together, and no power in the realm can change that. What happened, happened, and all we can do is keep going forward. And hey, if it weren’t for the curse, I wouldn’t have gotten to meet your mom and dad, or you. I only found the Portal Door because I ran away, and that distance let me recognize some…concerning things about my upbringing.” Inner Eda stared across the waves as a bottle of elixir was deposited with the seafoam.

“I thought these things were keeping the Owl Beast at bay, but I think what they were really doing was soothing the pain from the Huntsman’s curse.” Inner Eda held up the bottle, pouring it into her hand. The Owl Beast lapped it out of her hand, Inner Eda giggling at the sandpaper-like texture.

Inner Eda ran her fingers through the Owl Beast’s feathers. “Oh, you’ve been through a lot, haven’t you girl? And those scars run deep. Neither of us wanted this, but it’s the hand we’ve been dealt. The only way out of this nightmare is by accepting each other.” Inner Eda met the Owl Beast’s gaze. “So, what do you say? Truce?”

The Owl Beast nuzzled Eda’s face with a rumbling trill. The sky and sea suddenly shone that much brighter.

“Well, I think that answers that.” Inner Eda smiled, before turning to Luz.

“And it looks like your time in here is up.” Inner Eda drew a spell circle, which carved out a ring around her feet.

A column of light engulfed her, and she found herself back in the Owl House living room.

“Luz!” King exclaimed, lunging onto her lap and hugging her. “It felt like you were in there for hours!”

“I’m okay, King.” Luz returned the hug, before looked toward where Eda had groaned.

“Whoa, that is a look.” Luz noted as Eda got to her feet, talons clicking on the hardwood.

“What? Did I turn?” Eda asked, her voice having gained an echo-y reverb to it.

“ Wellll , now we’re wing buddies.” Luz unfurled her wings and shifted one of the mirrors so Eda could see her reflection.

“‘Whoa’ is right.” Eda noted. Making peace with the Owl Beast had turned her into a Harpy. She had gained a full head in height, and was now garbed in a thick coat of crimson feathers. Her hair had grown even longer, with a shock of fiery orange at her temples. Her ears had gotten longer, and her tufted sidelocks now reached her ankles. Her eyes were still golden, but with black sclera that heightened their shine. The talons on her hands were the same golden shade as her eyes and gem, which now shone with an indecipherable glyph. From her back, a pair of massive silver-gray wings swept around her.

Eda gave a spin in the mirror. “Oh, girl. This is a hot look.”

Her posturing was interrupted by a chirp from Buho.

Eda picked up the baby Owl Beast and rocked them gently. “It’s okay, little owlet. And if that Huntsman ever shows his face here again…” Eda gave a feral grin, the implications obvious in the way the light glinted off her fangs and talons.

“What about your magic?” Luz asked.

Eda carved a spell circle into the air with a talon, the resulting light spell shining like a miniature sun. “I don’t think I’ve ever felt stronger!”

Allowing the light to fade, Eda turned to Luz, placing a hand on her shoulder.

“Luz, thank you, for everything.”

Luz hugged her tight.

Eda returned the hug.

Chapter Text

There was no sensation as liberating as flying under one’s own power.

The only thing better was not flying alone. 

Both Eda and Luz whooped as they soared through the early morning sky, the sun just barely peeking over the horizon. The feathers of Eda’s Harpy Form fluttered gently in the breeze, while the membranes of Luz’ wings shimmered in the dawn’s rays. Far below, the waves of the Boiling Sea twinkled as they crashed against the cliffs of the shore.

Circling around one last time, Luz and Eda returned to the Owl House, invigorated by their morning flight.

There was a new spring to Eda’s step as she walked, while Luz joined King in sunbathing, her wings spread to catch the warm light. One thing Luz had noticed was that her wings seemed to absorb the magic in the air, that same warmth she felt from her necklace.

Of course, Luz was not idle in her relaxation, alternating between practicing her glyphs and reading the book on mind magic Eda had given her, which had become routine for the past few days.

Mind magic was fascinating to her, and the book was a wealth of information across a myriad of related topics. She’d learned the basics of navigating mindscapes going through Eda’s mind, though entering memories through other memories was rare, and required direct involvement of the Inner Self. She also learned that the forest of the mindscape was a reflection of the person. The green leaves in Eda’s mindscape had been a reflection of her ties to the Human Realm, while the orange was an artifact of her original hair color. The blue trunks, Eda informed her, were Palistrom wood, the same trees whose branches were carved into palismen. The Clawthorne family had a long history of being the finest Palismen Carvers on the Isles, a family tradition almost four hundred years old. Eda mentioned having carved Owlbert herself, his form as an owl an attempt to reconcile the curse’s effects and her own identity. He was also the last Palisman her dad was able to help carve. 

Luz had given her a sympathetic hug on hearing that.

The book also went into detail on the sorts of things that could be done within mindscapes. A person with strong delusions of their own greatness, for example, could manifest their fantasies as a gallery of false memories, which would not resemble reality, and could not be interacted with. The same could be done intentionally by a sufficiently skilled and introspective witch.

After the section on mindscapes, there were a number of spells and rituals, including the body swap spell that had kicked off that whole adventure, and the spell Eda had used to send Luz into her mind. Eda being able to send Luz into her mind with her own magic was nothing short of astonishing once she read about the intricacies and power requirements for the spell. There was a reason most witches would use the potion ritual if they were going into someone’s mindscape, and not just because it was considered wild magic.

There was even a bestiary section, listing various demons whose inherent magic manifested in mind magic, like the fear-reflecting gaze of the Gremoblin, or the horrific Grometheus, a beast said to have been cut from the void between stars. Pixies were another creature that forced people to confront their fears, flitting into witches ears and trapping them in nightmares.

Luz found it mildly disconcerting how much mind magic was about turning people’s fears against them.

Looking up from her reading, she found Eda carrying in a stack of cardboard boxes in various states of repair.

“What’s the haps, Owl Lady?” Luz asked, levering herself to her feet and bookmarking her place.

“You managed to sell off more of my inventory than I was expecting, so we need to go through my stocks and see what we can add to the stand.” Eda explained. “By the way, here’s your cut.” Eda pulled out a decent-sized bag of snails which she tossed in Luz’ direction.

Luz quickly noticed that the bag was bigger on the inside from the sheer volume of coins clinking against each other. Luz tucked the snails in her pocket before joining Eda in going through the boxes, roping King in to help while Buho provided morale support - which mostly consisted of curling up and looking cute, the lazy little bird.

They went through the boxes for a few hours, Eda bringing in more periodically, before Hooty announced that they had a visitor. Luz opened the door to find a fairly stressed-looking Gus.

“I need your help!” The illusionist shouted.

“Weh? Whoa, Gus. Where’s the fire?” Luz asked.

“Is that a human expression?” Gus shook his head. “No, not the time for that.”

“...Come on in.” Luz led him inside

Gus began explaining his situation. “Okay, you know I’m president of the Human Appreciation Society, right?”

“You…might have mentioned it.” Luz admitted.

“The H.A.S.? Lily’s old club is still a thing there?” Eda interjected. Luz filed that little factoid away for later.

“Well, anyway.” Gus got back on track. “We got a new member today, Mattholomule. Pretty sure he just transferred here from Glandus. He just joined, and he dissed my human treasures! He tried to pass off a bunch of fakes as ‘authentic’, and he’s trying to take my place as president! And the worst part is that the others believe him!”

“So what do you need my help with?” Luz asked. 

Gus looked sheepish. “I…might have told them I’d get an expert human to authenticate the artifacts.”

“An expert human? Where are you gonna get one of those?” Luz promptly realized what he meant. “Oh, yeah, me.”

King laughed.

“So can you please come in tomorrow and help me?” Gus asked.

“Gus, I’d love to go to school with you, but I don’t know how I can.” Luz pointed out her wanted poster. “Principle Bump banned me from Hexside.”

Eda groaned. “Ugh, curse my insistence on honesty.” She muttered to herself before turning to her apprentice. “Ugh, technically, the ban was only for a week, contingent on letting Bump know ahead of time.”

“What? Seriously? I could have been learning magic at Hexside this whole time?” Luz asked incredulously.

“Well pardon me if I don’t want you going to that dweebus factory.” Eda turned to Gus. “No offense, dweebus.”

“It’s okay, I come from a long line of dweebuses.” Gus shrugged.

“Eda, you’re a great teacher, but there’s only so much I can learn from your library. And I’d like to be able to hang out with Willow and Gus - a-and maybe Amity.” Luz stammered the last part with a blush before collecting herself. “And I can do all that at Hexside!”

Luz met Eda’s gaze, golden brown meeting amber gold.

Eda broke first. “Ugh, fine.” She groaned. “I’ll speak to Bump about letting you enroll, and you can help Goops here show up his rival.”

“Yes! Thank you!” Luz cheered.

“Hold it.” Eda held up a hand. “If you're going into that den of coven shills, you’re gonna have to wear…this.” Eda summoned a purple t-shirt which she tossed to Luz.

“The only worthwhile coven is the Bad Girl Coven.” Eda smiled at her graphic tee, depicting herself flying on Owlbert like a skateboard, wearing sunglasses and a backwards cap.

“Eda…” Luz looked at the t-shirt. “I love it!”

“Does that mean you’ll come to the H.A.S. meeting?” Gus asked.

 “Of course I will! This’ll be great! I get to see the school again, and save the president.” Luz high-fived Gus.

“Great! I’ll see you tomorrow!” Gus left. From the other side of the door, Luz could hear him doing a little victory jig.

Luz headed up to her room to try on her new shirt.

It fit her like a charm.

Morning dawned, and Luz and Eda made their way to Hexside, leaving King to watch Buho.

“Ugh. I’ve had this nightmare before.” Eda groaned.

“C’mon, it can’t be that bad.” Luz assured her, before she noticed her friends.

“Willow, Gus!” She called out, running to her friends and potentially future classmates.

Willow giggled when she noticed Luz’ outfit change. The Bad Girl Coven shirt was comfortable enough, but Eda had also fashioned her a cowl from the half-cape she had made her. She didn’t really need the cape anymore, since her wings could achieve much the same effect, and Eda didn’t want the fabric to go to waste.

“You certainly look like Eda’s apprentice.” Willow noted.

“Why, thank you.” Luz waved.

“You ready to help me show up Mattholomule?” Gus asked.

“Always ready, freddy.” Luz cast a handful of confetti from her pockets. 

“Do you…always keep confetti in your pockets?” Willow asked.

Luz responded with another handful of pocket confetti.

“Alright, let’s go meet the lord of this castle.” Eda cut in, guiding Luz by the shoulder. 

Hieronymus Bump could feel the headache coming on, and it wasn’t from the stack of paperwork he was filing.  

He got his answer as to the source when his office door slammed open, cracking the wall.

“Huh, I swear that door used to be heavier.” Eda Clawthorne observed.

Hieronymus took a deep breath to brace himself for the impending chaos he had invited when he offered Edalyn’s unusual apprentice the opportunity to attend Hexside.

He checked his calendar. It had indeed been almost two weeks since the Abomination Incident.

Eda took no time taking a seat and promptly putting her feet on his desk. Her apprentice, at least, had the decency to shake her head at her mentor’s antics.

“Been quite a while since I’ve sat here, hasn’t it?” Eda commented, balancing a pencil on her lip.

Bump stared, exasperated.

“I gotta admit, it’s extra weird without you yelling at me for picking fights or stealing.” Luz gave her mentor a sidelong glance.

“I can easily have that changed.” Bump telekinetically shoved Eda’s feet off his desk, sending her toppling over with a squawk.

“Are you taking me up on my offer?” He asked, resetting his nameplate.

Eda sat back up and inhaled deeply. “My apprentice, Luz, would like to visit Hexside again, and perhaps meet the Human Appreciation Society.”

“I don’t see why not.” Bump shrugged, before turning on the intercom. “Mr. Porter, please report to the principal’s office. Your guest is here.”

“I’d also like to attend Hexside as a student, if its not too much trouble.” Luz chimed in.

Bump gave an appraising look. “I could be convinced, contingent on your mentor answering for her own mischief here.” He pulled out a massive stack of files.

“The necrotic experiments, the sentient graffiti, the scams, the cheating, Miss Jenkinmeyer’s teeth.” The stack of archival paperwork hit the desk with a resounding thud.

“All the trouble you caused during your time here.”

Eda looked at her permanent record with a degree of surprise.

“Huh, I thought there’d be more.”

“There was.” Bump answered flatly. “But after I took over from my unlamented predecessor, I went through and struck your violations of Faust’s…personal policies from your record. 

“Whoa, how bad was this Faust guy?” Luz asked curiously.

“It took until this past week for the PCA to finally shut down the Detention Pit.” Bump answered. “And we are still trying to figure out how to dispose of the flesh-eating headwear he left here.”

Both Eda and Luz winced.

Augustus entered the room, and Bump was able to change the subject.

“Luz!” Augustus called.

Bump conjured a slip of paper that he handed to Eda’s apprentice.

“Here’s your day-pass, Miss…”

“Noceda, Luz Noceda.” Luz answered, taking the pass with a nod.

“Enjoy your tour of the campus, Miss Noceda.”

Luz and Gus left the office, leaving Bump to turn his attention to his former student, who was thumbing through her own records.

Eda gave him a confident smirk as she cracked her knuckles.

“Bring it on, Bumpikins.”

Gus guided Luz on a tour of Hexside with his usual level of showmanship.

“Over there is the grudgby field, where the various sports are played.” He waved to an area framed by bleachers, with Y-shaped nets and a large scoreboard.

“Is the lightning and thunder normal?” Luz asked, faintly hearing the sound of a harp under the rumble of the localized storm.

“Probably just a witches duel.” Gus waved off. “We’re always showing off with a good spar.”

The storm clouds faded.

“Huh, guess the duel’s over.” Gus commented, before guiding Luz back inside.

“Speaking of grudgby, this here is the school trophy cabinet, where all the awards Hexside has earned are on display.” Luz admired the statuettes of precious metals as Gus went over the notable ones.

“Who won the award for most bones?” Luz asked, looking at one of the larger trophies.

“Oh, that was Nito Gravefield, my dad mentioned he was an upperclassman when he went to Hexside.” Gus answered.

Luz giggled.

“Something funny?” Gus asked.

“Nothing,” Luz waved off, “just that I’m from Gravesfield in the Human Realm. Just a funny coincidence, is all.”

“Gravesfield?” Gus asked. “”What’s a human town like?”

“Much more boring than the towns here.” Luz answered wistfully. “We don’t use teeth and eyes for architecture, for one. As for Gravesfield itself…” Luz sighed. “Some people are just so…judgemental. I’ve lived there seven years and still felt like an outsider.”

“Where’d you live before that?” Gus asked.

“I’m pretty sure we lived somewhere near a place called New Haven.” Luz answered. “Most of my memories from that time are…fuzzy.” Luz pulled out her phone, flipping through the photos she had saved on it.

“That was our old house.” Luz pointed to a human dwelling, the lack of teeth, ribs, or eyes surprising to the younger witch. “I still miss it.”

“That’s from when dad took me to a convention.” Luz pointed to a picture of her younger self sitting on her father’s shoulders.

Gus knew the look of longing on her face as she looked at the memory.

“Why’d you move?” Gus asked.

“Dad got sick, and Gavesfield had a fancy new hospital.” Luz clasped her clawed hand around her necklace.

“It didn’t help, did it?” Gus reached out to his friend. 

Luz nodded, wiping a tear from her eye.

“Can I…?” Gus held his arms wide.

Luz nodded, and Gus hugged her. “I know what that’s like.”

“You do?” Luz asked, her voice cracking.

“My mom.” Gus spun an illusion, one of the first he had perfected.

His dad had always said he got his mother’s eyes, nose, and talent for illusion magic.

He let the illusion fade, and wiped the tears that had gathered at the corners of his eyes.

“Let’s…continue the tour.” Gus suggested. Luz collected herself, and nodded.

“Yeah, there’s so much more of Hexside you’ve got to show me.” 

Gus guided her towards the greenhouses.

Raine steeled themself, and entered the clearing.

They had managed to schedule a day in which they could be away from the Coven offices, and had chosen today to finally meet their daughter properly.

They approached the Owl House with trepidation.

They had founded a rebel cell within the Bard Coven operating directly under the Emperor’s nose, and yet this was more daunting than being in the Emperor’s presence.

Would Luz even want them in her life?

Eda had suggested she would, but Eda had been wrong before.

Raine was met by a familiar bird…worm…tube…thing extending out of the front door.

“Hoot! A visitor!” Hooty greeted.

“Hi, Hooty.” Raine greeted back.

Hooty gasped. “You know my name!” He narrowed his eyes. “Wait…you look familiar.” His beady eyes widened. “Raine!” Hooty wrapped around them in a crushing hug.

“Nice to see you too, Hooty.” Raine weakly patted him on the head, hoping he would let them go before their lungs gave out.

“What’s going on out here!?” Another voice screeched as the door swung open. Hooty dropped Raine back on the ground, where they landed with a thud near the front door.

Standing up and adjusting their glasses, Raine looked down at the speaker.

“Oh, King, was it?” Raine greeted hesitantly.

King looked annoyed at his nap being disturbed, and it took a second to place Raine’s face and voice. “Wait, I remember you. You saved me and Eda at the Night Market last week.”

“Raine Whispers.” Raine crouched down to his level and held out a hand.

“King, just King for now.” King shook their hand.

“Uh, are Eda and Luz home right now?” Raine asked.

“No.” King answered plainly. “Luz is showing up her friend’s rival, and Eda’s getting her enrolled at Hexside.”

“Oh, I…guess I’ll have to come back later.”

King looked thoughtful.

“Wait.” King gestured.

He had Raine’s attention.

“You and Eda were close, right?” He asked.

Raine nodded, trying and failing to hold back their blush.

“And Eda mentioned you two were close to Luz’ parents.”

Raine nodded again. “That’s one way to put it.”

“Did Eda tell you that Luz and I share a father?” King asked.

“It…might have come up when we last talked.”

“Can you tell me about my dad?”

‘Oh’, they were not prepared for that sort of question. 

“Why not ask Eda or Luz?”

King sighed. “Luz always gets teary or distracted, and Eda’s always busy when I think to ask.”

“Well, I don’t think I know any more about him than Eda, but I can tell you what I know.” Raine answered diplomatically.

“Come on in.” King gestured for them to follow, leading them into the Owl House.

Raine found themself sitting on a familiar red couch, the upholstery worse for fair since last they had seen it.

The couch was already occupied when they sat down, and Raine found themself looking into a pair of curious black eyes.

“Oh, yeah. This is Buho. They’re an Owl Beast Luz brought home from the library.” King introduced the newest resident of the Owl House.

“Uh, nice to meet you?” Raine held out their hand. Beast-keeping had never been their forte . The owlet nuzzled into their hand anyway, before climbing onto their lap and falling asleep again.

King cleared his throat, getting their attention.

“What was my dad like?” He asked.

Raine spent a long moment gathering their thoughts and bringing up old memories.

“We met when Eda dragged me with her to some sort of convention in the Human Realm for a date. It was the kind of event where two witches could go about undisguised and not get a second glance. The first thing he said to us was a compliment for our ‘costumes’, asking if we were ‘cosplaying’ characters from this show he and Camila loved. Eda played ignorant, and we spent the next few hours getting a lengthy lecture from them about Cosmic Frontier. By the time they were finished, the convention was winding down, and we ended up leaving together. We hung out, and continued to talk.” Raine blushed, embarrassed. “There may have been apple blood involved, and something called ‘tequila’. The next thing I knew, it was morning.”

“We kept meeting after that, and somewhere along the way, it became more than just friendship.” Raine turned to King. “Manny had so much kindness, and the same sort of wonder for the Human Realm that I saw in Eda. But at the same time, there was a weariness in his eyes, like he had seen more than he let on.”

Raine gave a breathless chuckle. “He always said it was because he did a lot of reading. He just had this way with people, this wisdom to him. I never thought I could love anyone else like Eda, but he and Camila were just so…loving.”

“He was also incredibly funny.” Raine smiled, remembering the antics they got up to. “He always knew the best puns, and had a flair for the dramatic. One of his favorite tricks was using strings of sausages as fake guts.”

King laughed. “I think Luz mentioned doing that for a school play.”

King’s expression turned sour.

“King?” Raine asked, concerned.

“If he was so loving…why did he leave me alone?”

‘Oh.’ Raine grimaced. Their BATTs had their issues with their parents, but experience did not make dealing with it any easier, especially in this case, where they knew the parent in question personally.

“I can’t tell you why.” Raine admitted. “I only learned that he was from this realm when Eda told me. I think we were all keeping secrets from each other, and we didn’t notice because we each had ours.”

“It could be that he was forced to flee the Demon Realm, and he couldn’t take you with him. Or he wouldn’t be able to raise you in the Human Realm. But I think he did care about you, even if he couldn’t be there physically.”

“What do you mean?” King’s voice cracked.

“I mean, Eda is the one who took you in.” Raine answered.

“You think my dad…guided Eda to my island?”

“I’m saying that fate works in mysterious ways.” Raine held their arms open, and King accepted the hug, curling up next to Buho on their lap.

Raine gently ran their hand along the fur of his back, humming a tune they had heard from some Human Realm media that had made its way to the Isles.

It was not a happy tune, but a duet between a parent who had been forced to leave, and the child left behind. 

It felt appropriate for the situation.

Raine sang softly. “Red like roses fills my dreams and brings me to the place you rest….”

Seeing Willow in her element in the greenhouses was a breath of fresh air after her heart-to-heart with Gus, and seeing the Illusion track at work was a treat.

Luz was not surprised to learn that Gus was a prodigy who had managed to skip directly into the upper level Illusion classes. 

Before long, the bell screamed, and Gus told her it was time for the H.A.S. meeting.

The Human Appreciation Society met in an otherwise unused classroom. There were a lot of those at Hexside, Luz noted, slightly concerned at the implications.

Aside from Gus, there were four other members of the club. Luz remembered meeting Bo at the Covention, while she had seen Eileen in passing, the potion student being a demon of few words. Heider was a Capran Demon in the Bard Track. Mattholomule, Luz also remembered seeing at the Covention, hanging around the Emperor’s Coven.

The other three were chanting “human,” banging on the table in anticipation.

“Human Appreciation Society…” Gus twanged a paper clip to get the club’s attention. “...it is my distinct pleasure to introduce to you…”

Luz moonwalked into the room, flaring her wings as she took off her hood.

“Luz of the Human Realm!” Gus announced, the trio clapping at the showmanship.

“Such showmanship.”

“Whoa, pretty wings.”

Luz took a bow.

“Human? Really?” Mattholomule asked derisively. “Looks like just another demon to me.”

Luz raised her wings. “These are a recent development. I am most certainly half human, and I was born and raised in the Human Realm.” Luz pulled out her phone and showed some of her photos.

“Would you mind inspecting our items?” Gus asked.

“With pleasure, Mr. President. Allow me to determine if these items are truly of my birth realm’s origin.” Luz reached for a “shoe” that was clearly fashioned out of mud and fallen leaves.

Mattholomule knocked his facsimiles to the ground. “Don’t make another move, human!” The Construction Track kid jumped on the table, before appearing to calm down. “I…have something to say. I’m new here at Hexside. M-Making friends has been…difficult, so I lied. They’re all fakes.”

Luz heard at least one of the witches present gasp.

“I thought if I was important enough people would like me. It’s how it works at Glandus. But I’ve caused enough drama.” Mattholomule looked down. “So, I’ll go. I’m sorry.”

Luz felt conflicted. Part of her felt a note of insincerity from him, while the part of her that had been an outcast in Gravesfield screamed for her to do something.

“Hey, man. It’s okay.” Luz held out her hand. “We all do crazy things to fit in. Like, I once tried out for the cheerleading squad, but no one liked my eyelid trick.”

“Mattholomule, you aren’t alone. You have a place here in the H.A.S. We’re here for each other, and don’t leave anyone behind.” Gus assured him.

“You’re not alone.”

“We admire your honesty.”

“You’re one of us.”

“Huh, thanks.” Mattholomule looked surprised.

“So, eyelid trick?” Gus turned to Luz.

Luz was happy to demonstrate, and pleased to hear a round of applause.

Eda was less than pleased to be confronted with her handiwork.

“I don’t wanna do this!” Eda complained through clenched teeth.

“There’s the whiny teen rebel I remember.” Bump smiled as he handed her a mop. “You’ll need this to clean up all the hexed graffiti you left us. Good luck.”

Bump left, and Eda groaned, sticking out her tongue in his direction, before turning to her artistic masterpiece. Just as she had enchanted it to do, the paintwork shifted to avoid the mop.

Suddenly, an idea lit up in Eda’s head, and she gave a wry smile.

“Work smarter, not harder.” Eda said to herself, summoning a spell circle. If the living artwork refused to wash away, Bump would have to settle for it simply vanishing .

A few moderately-complex spells and a little transmutation, and the paint was entirely transparent, now invisible to all but the most observant illusionists.

Luz spent the next hour getting to know the members of the H.A.S., as well as clearing up a number of their misconceptions about humans. 

“No, humans don’t have gills…or dorsal fins.”

“Then how do you swim and run so long?”

“If I had to guess, we’ve probably got larger lungs since there’s no bile sac.”

“That’s a hat, not a bowl.”

“Human blood is red, the same as witches.”

“The rain doesn’t boil, so an umbrella is all you need to avoid getting wet, though we also have raincoats. Just because the rain doesn’t melt us doesn’t mean we all like getting soaked by it.”

Soon enough, the meeting was over, half the room’s occupants leaving while waving Luz goodbye.

“Hey, Augustus, Luz, thank you, for being so forgiving.” Mattholomule told them.

“We’ve all been the new kid before.” Luz shrugged. “Right Gus?”

“Yeah.” Gus answered.

“Hey, I actually found something really cool here earlier, wanna see it?” Mattholomule asked.

Gus and Luz turned to each and shrugged.

“Sure, why not?”

Mattholomule waved for them to follow. “Come on then.”

Mattholomule led them to what appeared to be a disused wing of the building.

“Okay, I’ve never seen this part of Hexside.” Gus admitted.

Mattholomule opened the door to a room that was barely illuminated.

The thick bars on the dust-caked window did not have pleasant implications.

“Weh, what is this place?” Luz asked in equal parts trepidation and wonder.

“I think this is where Principle Bump keeps things that are too dangerous to leave alone. We had something similar at Glandus, we called it the Gym Equipment Room.” Mattholomule explained.

“That is…concerning.” Luz swallowed hard.

Luz jumped at the sound of crashing glass.

“What was that!?” Luz shouted.

The three of them stood on edge, Mattholomule slowly backing into a set of desks that had been stacked on top of each other.

Out of the corner of her eye, Luz saw movement in the shadows, a skittering shape in the dark. Pulling out a light glyph, Luz gave them some more light to see by.

“And now, I feed.”

A deep, raspy voice croaked, and Luz saw teeth beginning to sink towards Mattholomule’s head.

“Look out!” Luz shouted, bringing her claws to her lips in a sharp whistle that struck the beast head on, sending it and the desks toppling.

The light glyph grew brighter, banishing the shadows, and revealing their attacker.

It looked like a particularly leathery burlap wizard hat, with a stitched-out face with piercing yellow embers for eyes and a jagged mouth. Around the wide brim were a set of fang-like teeth that it was using to skitter around on.

“It’s the Choosey Hat!” Gus identified.

“The what?” Luz asked.

“Some… thing Bump’s predecessor brought in to make putting kids in their magic tracks easier. It got a taste for witch flesh, and Bump must have locked it in here.” Gus explained.

“How do we stop it?” Luz asked. “Do you have a plan?”

Gus smiled as an idea came to him. “The illusion of a plan.”

Gus spun out a dozen spell circles that filled the room with duplicates of himself, Luz, and Mattholomule.

The Choosey Hat could not tell the real ones from the fakes, leaping at smoke. 

With the carnivorous headwear distracted, Luz was able to get the drop on it, unleashing a cataclysmic bolt of lightning that caught it mid-jump.

The Choosey Hat burst into coarse ash. 

The illusions vanished in puffs of blue smoke. Luz helped Mattholomule to his feet while Gus investigated where the Hat had come from, calling them over when he found what he was looking for.

“Over here!” He called.

The Choosey Hat had been contained in a glass box, the front of which had fallen open and cracked on the edge of the desk it had sat on.

Gus looked at Mattholomule with the same expression Luz had seen on Willow when she got fed up with Amity weeks ago.

“Gus, what’s wrong?” Luz asked hesitantly.

“What’s wrong is that this guy unlocked the cage and let the Choosey Hat out!” Gus shouted accusingly.

“What!?”

“Look, the lock was opened, not broken.” Gus pointed.

Luz turned sharply to Mattholomule.

“Oh, please.” Mattholomule scoffed. “Ah, boo-ho. I’m sorry. ‘I’m the new kid.’ ‘I want friends.’” He scoffed again. “Ha! No. I want power, and drama. Back at Glandus I was just a stooge. But here, I can be the top dog.”

“You’re a real Mercy Court, aren’t you?” Luz sneered. 

“What is going on here? I heard fighting.” The door swung open, revealing Principle Bump and a somewhat ectoplasm-stained Eda.

“Principle Bump!” Gus exclaimed. “I’m sorry, we found this room and got curious, and the Choosey Hat broke its cage.”

Bump looked at the broken locking mechanism. “Darn cheap LordLocks.” Bump muttered.

“Are you alright?” He turned to the children.

“We’re okay. The Hat? Not so much.” Luz pointed to the pile of ash.

“Oh, thank the Titan. I thought that thing would never die.” Bump sighed with relief. “I don’t know what Faust was thinking, buying that thing from the Night Market.”

“Probably thinking he could cut down on ‘troublemakers’ by having them eaten before they could start properly learning magic.” Eda cut in. 

“The sad part is I can believe that.” Bump said flatly, before disposing of the dust with a simple scouring spell.

“If that’s all, we can get back to filing your apprentices paperwork.” Bump turned to Eda, who groaned. 

“You mean I gotta do more stuff?” Eda huffed. “Fine, just let me speak with my apprentice first.” Bump nodded, and Eda kneeled down in front of Luz, putting a hand on her shoulder.

“Listen, I’m only doing this because I have faith in you. You’re a brilliant kid, and I know you’re too smart and too passionate to fall for that One-Witch, One-Coven nonsense. Frankly, you’re learning more than I can teach you, and you can learn a lot from the witches here.” Eda gave a sly look over her shoulder. “And maybe you can teach these nerds some of that Bad Girl Coven magic you’re so good at.”

Luz beamed at her mentor’s praise.

“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.” Bump grouched, before making his way out of the room.

“I’ll leave you to…whatever you were getting up to with these two dweebuses.”

Mattholomule gave a cry of indignation. “Hey, I’m not a dweebus! They’re the dweebuses here.”

Eda snorted. “Yeah, and I’m the Emperor’s long-lost daughter. Word of advice? Lose that Glandus attitude. That ‘strong controls the weak’ garbage may fly over there, but Hexside is thankfully not like that. I probably would have burned it down if it was while I was here. If you want to be respected for strength, join the Grudgby team. My sister founded the Human Appreciation Society to get away from the pressures of teen drama.”

“Wait, the Head of the Emperor’s Coven founded the H.A.S.?” Gus stood shocked.

“Ha! Behind that ice cold Coveness is the biggest nerd on the Boiling Isles.” Eda laughed as she left, ruffling Luz’ hair affectionately.

Once the adults were gone, Gus dispelled his illusion on the locks.

“You…didn’t rat me out?” Mattholomule asked.

Gus sighed. “You may be a bit of a jerk, but we don’t throw people under the bus in the H.A.S..”

“Oh.” Mattholomule said weakly. “What’s a bus?”

“It’s like a transport worm, but made of metal and powered by death. It’s a Human Realm thing.” Gus explained, and Luz chuckled at his description, before sneezing on the dust that their fight had kicked up.

“Let’s…get out of here.” Gus gestured.

Luz nodded, and the three made their way out of the room.

“By the way. Who’s Mercy Court?” Gus asked.

Luz groaned. “Ugh. Take all of Amity’s ‘mean girl’ energy, then triple it.”

“Yikes.” Gus winced.

“Then add in a superiority complex and a burning hatred of anything that makes her think the world doesn’t revolve around her.”

“I wasn’t that bad, was I?” Mattholomule asked.

“And just for good measure, idolizing an ancestor whose claim to fame was publicly executing anyone who he didn’t like.”

Both Hexside students were aghast.

“Seriously? That’s a thing in the Human Realm?”

Luz nodded sadly. “The Human Realm is big, and humans have been around a long time. It’s less common now, and if it weren’t for her mother being on the school board, she wouldn’t be able to get away with half the stuff she does.”

Luz then gave a vindictive smirk. “Though shortly before I came to the Boiling Isles, I heard someone finally got fed up with her and gave her a black eye.”

Mattholomule gulped at the implications.

Mattholomule proceeded to excuse himself and hurry off down the nearest hallway.

Luz and Gus eventually met up with Willow, and Gus regaled her with the day’s events in animated detail, before Willow offered to continue Luz’ tour of the campus, including getting to touch all the dangerous plants.

After another hour, Eda returned, and Luz said goodbye to her friends as mentor and student returned to the Owl House.

Hooty blinked awake at their approach. “Hoot. Oh, Eda, you have a gue-est .” The house demon sang.

Eda pinched the bridge of her nose. “Hooty, if you let my sister in I’m going to be very…put off.”

Hooty gave a knowing grin, and swung the door open.

Eda was fully prepared to read her sister the riot act.

She was not prepared for Raine Whispers to be sitting on her couch, King and Buho sleeping on their lap.

Raine looked up, startled green eyes meeting equally startled gold.

“Oh, Eda.” Raine stammered. “I did say I’d see you soon, didn’t I?”

Eda’s shock faded. “That you did, Rainestorm.”

Raine looked down. “Uh, I could use a little help here. I’m starting to lose feeling in my legs.”

Eda rolled her eyes affectionately, before letting out a trilling whistle that immediately woke Buho, whose sudden movement jostled King awake.

“Weh?” King looked around. “Oh, you're back!” King hopped down from Raine’s lap to scamper up to Luz.

“How’d it go? Did you crush your friend’s rival?”

Luz picked up her brother with a laugh. “Weren’t you the one who told me I had a knack for befriending rivals?”

“Ugh, don’t remind me.” King groaned.

Raine stood up, and turned to Luz.

“Do you…remember me?” They asked.

“You’re Raine, Eda’s ‘old friend’ from the Covention.” Luz answered.

Raine scratched at the back of their neck. “We were a bit closer than just friends.” They took a deep breath. “And that’s part of what I wanted to talk to you about.”

“I’m all ears.” Luz motioned for them to continue.

“You might want to take this sitting down.”

They both sat on the couch, King draping himself across his sister’s shoulders.

“I told you at the Covention that, like Eda, I used to run with your mother and father.” Raine asked.

Luz nodded. “And I know it was a bit more than just friendship.”

Raine’s face went flush, but they continued. “Well, witches…aren’t exactly limited to requiring one partner to have children.”

Luz’ expression was unreadable.

Raine dragged their hand down their face. “I don't know how to say this tactfully, but…you have three biological parents, and I’m one of them.”

They turned away, nervous of Luz’ reaction.

“I know.”

They were not expecting that response.

“You know? Eda, did you…”

“I didn’t tell her.” Eda defended herself.

“Eda didn’t, the Owl Beast did.” Luz explained.

“What? How?” Raine asked. Luz took their hand in hers.

“We had a little misadventure with a body swap spell, and Luz managed to talk to the Owl Beast.” Eda elaborated. Raine gave her a fondly exasperated look.

“And then I went through Eda’s memories to help her with the curse, and I saw all four of you together.” Luz followed up.

Raine did not know they were able to blush any more red.

Eda snorted at their embarrassment. “Not what you’re thinking, just us all sitting down for breakfast together.”

“Oh.” Raine coughed into their fist, trying to get their blushing under control.

“Raine?” Luz asked, getting their attention.

“I know this is only the second time we’re meeting, but…if Eda trusts you, I trust you, and…I’d be happy to call you a parent.” Luz extended her arms for a hug. “And you did teach me my third spell.”

Raine returned the hug, fighting back tears.

“You know what’s some fun family bonding?” Eda cut in. “Going through all the mischief we got up to when we were Luz’ age!”

Eda summoned a large stack of files.

“Is that your permanent record from Hexside?” Raine asked.

“Yep, it went against every fiber of my being, but I cleaned up Hexside enough for Bumpikins to enroll Luz for next semester.” Eda said with pride.

“Huh, I thought there’d be more.” Raine noted. “You were a menace even before I transferred.”

Eda plopped down on the couch, pulling a file from the top of the stack.

“Ah, the singing bell prank. Remember that one?”

“How can I forget, that was one of our best.” Raine reminisced.

“Ooo, backstory!” Luz cheered.

“The beast has been contained, Lord Belos.” Lilith told her Emperor over the chill wind of the Knee. 

Belos had considered the capture of the Greater Basilisk that had been spotted at the Knee to be important enough to leave the castle for, his imposing form parting the snow around him. At his side stood the Golden Guard, a pair of baleful blue eyes staring blankly from behind that gilded mask as he stood rigid at the Emperor’s side.

“Most impressive, Lilith.” Belos complimented, admiring the celestial iron cage that had finally contained the demon.

Within the cage, the Basilisk known to herself and six others as Nil lashed fruitlessly against the bars, her gift of draining blocked by the bars of magic-neutralizing metal.

“You cannot run from me anymore, Number Zero.” Emperor Belos hissed so only the basilisk could hear him.

Nil screamed for the Titan to strike him down.

Her cries went unheard, the Titan unable to hear her.

Chapter Text

At the Bonesborough Slayground, Luz and Eda sat observing from one of the benches for parents, while King played with the local witchlets. Buho sat in Eda’s lap, not happy with the harness Eda had to wrestle them into for their day out.

While Eda sat leisurely, Luz was visibly anxious.

“What if he gets hurt? What if the other kids are mean to him?” Luz gasped. “My big sister instincts are freaking out, man.”

Eda snorted at her apprentice’s worry. “He’s fine, Luz. Just look at him.”

King was attempting what many kids his age tried, climbing the slide.

“He does look like he’s having fun.” Luz admitted.

Eda patted her on the back. “He’ll be fine. I’ve brought him here all the time and he hasn’t gotten hurt, and now he’s actually acting his age.”

“You’re right.” Luz sighed. “Maybe I’m just projecting.”

“Wanna talk about it?” Eda asked.

“The other kids didn’t like it when I dug up a snake skin.” Luz elaborated.

“A snake skin? Wimps.” Eda laughed.

“Yeah, dad actually had it framed, and my mom’s kept it all these years.” Luz reminisced wistfully.

“That certainly sounds like them.” Eda said fondly.

On the slayground, King finally managed to reach the top of the slide. 

“Ha, ha, ha, yes! I am King of this castle!” He cheered. “Bow to me you snotty underlings. Bow!”

The other kids did not quite understand what ‘bowing’ meant, but King was pleased at the recognition of his authority regardless.

He was less pleased to be shoved down the slide, and ran up to Eda to complain.

“Eda!” King called while clinging to Luz’ leg. “That monster took my throne.”

“You mean the baby?” Eda gave him a dry look.

“No, the usurper.” King pointed. “I want you to teach him not to mess with the King of the Slayground!”

“Yeah, I’m not threatening a five-year old, and Owlbert here’s been feeling left out.” Eda said, scratching her palisman’s belly adorably.

“Aw, he’s such a sweetie.” Luz cooed as she pet the feathers on his head. The palisman nuzzled into her palm.

“Fine, don’t help me then.” King dismissed. “Revenge will taste all the sweeter when he falls by my hand alone.”

King’s laugh was interrupted by the kid in question pushing him over, having declared a game of tag.

“Oh, man. Here we go.” Eda said. “King’s squeak of rage.”

“Nyeh… Nyeh…” King’s squeak shot up in pitch as he stood up and tantrumed before charging after his rival, still making that high-pitched sound.

“He’s like a little teakettle.” Eda wiped a tear of laughter from her eye.

Owlbert scratched at his face, and Luz noticed something on the bottom of his foot.

“Hey, what’s that?” Luz pointed.

“That’s his interlock.” Eda explained. “Every palisman has one. It makes sure he only fits on my staff, and shows that he’s no ordinary owl.”

Any further explanations were cut off when a Crow Phone set down on Luz’ head. Eda picked up the crow and answered.

Eda’s eyes widened at the voice on the other end. “Raine?”

After the revelations about Luz’ parentage, Raine had stayed for dinner, before they had to return to their duties with the Bard Coven. Raine had also revealed that they were working against Emperor Belos, as a show of trust for Luz. Eda had to explicitly bar Luz and King from getting involved with the BATTs themselves, at least directly. The next couple days had been fairly uneventful, only marked by Luz helping with potion deliveries again. 

Eda nodded as she listened to what Raine had to say, her expression hardening into a sort of concerned determination.

“I’ll be there. You can count on me.” Eda said, ending the caw and letting the crow fly off.

“Eda?” Luz asked.

“BATTs business. We’ve got to get going.” Eda said, summoning Owlberts staff.

“King, we have to go!” Luz called to her brother.

“Five more minutes, please!” King whined back, staring down his rival.

“King!” Luz insisted.

King groaned. “Ah, man. This isn’t over, you hear me.” King pointed before rolling down the slide back-first, landing with far less grace than he wanted, and scampering to where Eda and Luz were waiting for him.

Returning to the Owl House, Eda started packing for her mission, summoning a sizable chest of potions and preparing a bandolier of them, picking out which bottles she thought would be most effective for the task at hand.

“What’s the mission, Eda?” Luz asked.

“The BATTs have gotten word that the Emperor’s Coven are about to raid a camp of Wild Witches just outside Bonesborough. I’m going to help my fellow dissenters get away.” Eda explained, buckling the bandolier of dangerously-shimmering potions over her shoulder.

“Is there any way I can help?” Luz asked her.

“You can stay safe, is what you can do.” Eda said. “And didn’t you have plans with the Three Stooges or something today?”

“Oh yeah, Willow, Gus, and Amity wanted us all to go to the grudgby game between Hexside and Glandus High.” Luz remembered.

“Since when are you into sports?” Eda asked. She had not seen her apprentice as the sporty type.

“Since I found a little something called ‘Hexside Pride’.” Luz retorted with a grunt. “Ugh, to think that Glandus, whoever they are, would dare face us.”

“Not dressed like that, you aren’t.” Eda gestured.

“What are you talking about?”

“You’re wearing Glandus colors. If you show up at Hexside on game day like that, you’ll get hexed at best.” Eda pointed out, before casting a spell.

The blue-lavender and white of Luz’ hoodie were traded for a royal blue and goldenrod yellow.

“There, that should last you the rest of the day.” Eda smiled at her handiwork.

She should have expected that Luz would thank her with a hug.

“Okay, okay.” Eda ruffled her apprentice’s hair. “Now go, have fun at sport. And maybe later I can tell you some of my old grudgby stories.”

“Hooray! Hooray for sport!” Luz cheered. “Hugs and kisses, King. Don’t spend all day planning revenge.” Luz headed out. 

“That snot-nosed heathen will know my wrath.” King sang back from where he was plotting with a lot of red crayon.

“King, you and Buho stay out of trouble, m’kay?” Eda called as she left on Owlbert.

King found himself alone with the Owlet Beast, who was busy trying to squirm out of their harness, and Hooty, who was busy chasing a shiny bug.

A devious idea lit up in King’s head.

Unbuckling Buho’s harness, he got the demon’s attention.

“Well, Buho, what'dya say we conquer the slayground together?” King asked.

The demon gave a playful trill and flapped their wings.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” King smiled, climbing onto the slightly larger demon’s back. As an Owl Beast, Buho was much stronger than their size would suggest, and they easily carried King, who clung to the scruff of their neck.

“Onward mighty steed!” King commanded. “To the slayground!”

The clearing Eda found the BATTs gathered in was vaguely familiar to her.

“What’s the situation?” Eda asked.

“In a word? Complicated.” Raine greeted. “It’s more than just a few wild witches camped out here.”

“Go on.” Eda waved.

“Two of them are basilisks.”

Eda’s eyes widened.

“I thought basilisks were extinct.” Eda pointed out what was common knowledge.

“So did I. Our friends are also…very protective of them.” Raine replied.

Katya cut in. “I remember some of the Conformatorium guards complaining about some sort of break out the week before you broke me out.”

A flash of sandy green scales slipping beneath the tent flap.

A human bursting forth to grab her book.

“That’s why Crag was in the market that day,” Eda gasped.

“What?” Raine asked.

“The day Luz came to the Isles, there were more guards in the market than usual,” Eda elaborated. “Bonehead must have been keeping baslisks in the Conformatorium, and then they broke out, and one must have slipped through my Portal Door while I was going through Owlbert’s haul for that day.”

“A basilisk in the Human Realm?” Derwin asked. “Isn’t that dangerous?”

“For the basilisk, maybe.” Eda countered. “The Human Realm doesn’t have magic of its own, so they’d be hard-pressed to stay disguised.”

“And humans don’t have the best track record for dealing with people that are different.” Raine pointed out bitterly.

“Considering that Luz came through the portal at the same time? I’d put snails on Camila taking a basilisk in.” Eda assured them. “But that doesn’t change the fact that we have a group of witches hiding in an old ruin and the Emperor’s Coven about to sweep in.”

“Let’s get to it then!” Amber clapped.

Entering the ruins, Eda was abruptly reminded of why the place had seemed familiar. One of the Deadwardian Era expansions of Bonesborough, the area had been devastated by the Savage Ages. Legend had it that the plaza had been one of the first places to be devastated by the war between wild magic and Belos’ Coven System, an assassination attempt on the masked “prophet” leaving the houses and shops aflame.

Eda was more skeptical of the whole affair, believing it more likely that Belos set the place on fire when the people refused to give up their magic in the name of a dead guy.

Closing her eyes, she focused on the sounds around her. Without the curse sapping her magic, Eda found it easier to appreciate the perks that came with being bound together with such a demon. While all her senses had been enhanced beyond the average witch, her sense of hearing was simply unmatched. She could hear the heartbeats of Raine and their crew, the scuffing of their boots against the dirt, and the heartbeats of a number of witches hiding in one of the ruined buildings, along with a pair of heartbeats with a distinctive pattern of four.

Basilisks were said to have two hearts in place of a bile sac.

Opening her eyes, Eda approached the house, which was mostly held together by the thick vines that had claimed the ruins.

“I come in peace.” Eda declared, showing her bare wrist.

From the darkness, seven pairs of eyes became visible.

Luz was having fun, the energy of the crowd infectious. Boscha may have been a jerk, but she was also very good at grudgby, matching the strength Glandus had to show with sheer ferocity on the pitch. She would have described the pink-haired triclops as being on fire, but that was her opponents in a more literal sense. The girl had a real proclivity for fire.

The game itself was fairly simple, getting the ball through the Y-shaped goal on the end of the pitch more times than the rival team. The challenge factor came in the form of the entire field being an assortment of death traps, and the players being fully allowed to use their magic, turning each match into a three-on-three duel.

“She’s doing pretty well for her first season as Captain.” Amity noted. “But she’s making the same mistake I did.”

“Wait, you used to play grudgby?” Luz asked.

“I was the team captain before Boscha. But I didn’t communicate with my teammates when I changed the plan, and they got hurt.” Amity sighed. “It was actually the Thorn Vault that won the game. I was…quite surprised when you used it in our duel at the Covention.”

Down on the field, Boscha scored again, using one of the Glandus players as a springboard. The score was ten to eight, favoring Hexside. Of course, Boscha’s aggressive playstyle eventually backfired, as the Glandus team focused all their attention on her, and managed to even the score before Amelia and Cat were able to regroup and take advantage of the distraction.

The buzzer screamed with a final score of thirteen to twelve, signaling Hexside as the winners of the championship.

The roar of the crowd was deafening, and Luz had to surreptitiously raise her wings around her head to block the sound to a high rumble.

Amity joined her in her tent of sound damping.

“The crowd’s always the worst part, isn’t it?” Luz asked.

Amity suddenly realized how close their faces were, and blushed, turning away in the limited space under Luz’ wings.

“It’s not…as bad when you’re on the field.” Amity reminisced.

The noise of the crowd outside died down, and Luz slowly folded her wings back.

“Thank you, Luz. You’re a good friend.” Amity told her, still faintly blushing, as she joined the stream of witches leaving the stands.

Luz felt a blush come over her own face, before she followed the rest of the crowd back to the flying boat.

Buho was an amazing partner in crime, their pitch black eyes and baby talons ideal for intimidation.

Within minutes of arriving back at the slayground, King had reclaimed his throne, and scratched idly at the Owlet Beast’s chin, the demon cooing in contentment at the affection.

“Now that’s how you conquer something.” King cheered. “A swift show of force that makes your enemies cower in fear of retribution.”

Buho trilled in agreement.

“What’s say we get some eye scream to celebrate?” King asked. Buho nuzzled him.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” King continued to pet the younger demon. “Y’know, I wasn’t sure what to think of you when Luz brought you home. Eda and I spent all day babysitting, and Luz comes back with another baby demon.”

Buho quirked their head adorably.

“But you’re the Owl Beast’s kid, and Eda can turn into a Harpy now, so there’s that.” King mused. “I guess I’m just still trying to figure out what our whole family thing is. I mean, Luz is my big sister, and Eda was close with Luz’ parents…so what does that make us? And Eda took me home without a second thought, and took care of me all this time. I know she calls me her roommate, but…”

King’s musings were cut off by the sound of a wailing siren as a wood-paneled carriage pulled up, ‘ANIMAL CONTROL’ printed on a green sign affixed to the side. Three terrifyingly familiar figures climbed out, their intimidating appearance only slightly undercut by the yellow vests they were wearing over their brown robes.

“Ugh, this is so embarrassing.” One of the Demon Hunters complained.

“Hey, hey. This job is all we have right now after those…children…wiped the floor with us. So, I wanna see happy faces. Okay?” Gre’gore gave a forced smile.

He got a thumbs up and a sarcastic smile from his fellow hunter.

“Let’s roll out.” He ordered.

“Ah! It’s those Demon Hunters!” King shrieked. “Wait, how did they get demoted to Animal Control?”

Buho gave him a confused bark.

“Those guys broke into the Owl House a bit before you showed up.” King explained.

Animal Control approached the slayground.

“Matches the description the parents called in. Let’s bag it.” Gre’gore ordered, before he noticed King.

“Well, well, well, looks like we hit the jackpot.” Gre’gore’s smile was much more genuine, and all the more terrifying for it.

King tried to run with Buho, but the demons and witch’s net was quicker, trapping the two young demons.

“Oh, they’ll pay well for the Owl Lady’s pet.” Gre’gore said menacingly.

King clung closer to Buho, whimpering, while the Owlet Beast hissed.

The wind rushing through Luz’ hair never got old.

Luz had chosen to take the scenic route back to the Owl House, flying low over the auburn trees of the forest.

Her appreciation of the Boiling Isles’ landscape was cut short when a flash of white below caught her eye. Perching on the highest branch that could hold her weight, Luz stopped to observe. A trio of Coven Scouts were in the small clearing, wrestling with a large canvas sack and a hand-cart with a large cage. The bag tore, and a small manticore slipped out.

On its paw was an interlock.

“Why is the Emperor’s Coven kidnapping Palismen?” Luz whispered to herself, before her resolve hardened. “It doesn’t matter why, just that I’m not letting them get away with it.”

Thinking tactically, Luz went over her options. She was outnumbered three to one, but she had the element of surprise, and aerial superiority. Eda had also mentioned during her heckling of the Coven that just because they had access to all their magic didn’t mean they knew how to make the most of it, since they would have only learned one track at school.

Luz felt more confident about her odds of success, and pulled out a handful of glyphs.

They were in a forest, and Luz had the glyph to control plants.

They never stood a chance.

The Scout not manhandling the sack of kidnapped Palismen was easily dragged down by the nearby roots until he was buried up to his shoulders in the dirt, facing away from his comrades. With careful aim, Luz shot a lightning spell at one of the remaining scouts, knocking him to the ground, and causing the sack to fall on top of him.

The third Scout, realizing that something was wrong, cast a wide spell through the clearing.

He only thought to look up in time to see the sole of Luz’ shoe slam into his mask.

Tying up the unconscious Scouts in vines for measure, Luz’ claws easily tore through the canvas of the sack, releasing the trapped Palismen, who quickly swarmed her.

“It’s okay little guys.” Luz assured them. “I’ll get you all home.”

The manticore Palisman hopped on Luz’ hand, and pointed deeper into the woods.

“Alrighty then, let’s get going.” Luz followed the Palisman’s lead.

The forest grew darker the deeper they went, until the canopy blocked out most sunlight. The ground also noticeably became littered with scattered bones that crunched underfoot.

The spiderwebs that covered the trees gave Luz some serious Mirkwood vibes.

The forest path gave way to a clearing, the extensive webbing and the bones on the ground making the hollow feel almost cave-like.

“What is this place?” Luz asked. Her answer came in the form of three familiar baby demons.

“Hey, I remember you. You’re Bat Queen’s babies. Is this your nest?” Luz asked.

“Indeed, small hybrid.” The Bat Queen said, making her presence known.

“Bat Queen!” Luz exclaimed, before bowing out of respect. “I’m sorry for intruding, but the Palismen led me here.”

The Bat Queen chuckled. “You rescued Palismen without hesitation. Owl Lady has taught you well.”

The Palismen around Luz flew or climbed into the trees above.

“I didn’t know you took care of Palismen, Bat Queen.” Luz said.

“I protect all. The lost, the discarded, the wounded, the scarred, the forgotten.” The Bat Queen’s eyes glowed yellow, along with the eyes of hundreds of palismen in the canopy, many of whom bore scars, cracks, or were missing pieces of themselves.

“Whoa, you’re running a Palisman sanctuary.” Luz said with admiration.

“Indeed.” A new voice spoke, the witch stepping out of the shadows into the clearing.

Luz’ eyes lit up in recognition. She had seen this witch before, in Eda’s memories. His hair and beard had become longer and white with age, and his hands and left eye were marked with scars. His coal-gray and brown robes blended in with the darkness, making the golden amber of his remaining eye stand out more. He walked with the aid of his staff, while a yellow cardinal Palisman sat on his shoulder.

“You’re-You’re Eda’s dad.” Luz gasped.

“Dell Clawthorne, a pleasure to meet you.” He extended his good hand.

“Luz Noceda.” Luz greeted.

“So you’re the young girl Eda took in. How is she?” Dell asked.

“She’s…doing better.” Luz tiptoed around the question.

“Glad to hear it.” Dell said with a sigh. 

“I just put on some tea. You can stay awhile, and maybe tell me what sort of mischief my youngest has been getting up to.” He turned and waved for Luz to follow.

Luz folded her wings around her, and followed him to a brighter clearing, illuminated by witchlights. A set of stumps had been converted into a table and seats, while a pot hung over a small fire.

Dell poured them both tea, and Luz regaled him with her and Eda’s adventurers.

“I’m actually surprised you recognized me.” Dell admitted after a while. “I didn’t know Eda told you about me.”

“Well, not tell so much as show.” Luz replied. “We found a way to treat Eda’s curse, but it required me going through her memories.”

“Ah, so you saw my accident, then.”

“I did.” Luz admitted. “You didn’t know those fireworks would set off the Owl Beast.” Luz comforted him.

“Eda still blames herself, doesn’t she?” He asked.

Luz nodded grimly, and the former carver sighed, and looked up, noting the position of the sun.

“It’s starting to get late. You should get back home.” Dell said, standing up.

“It was nice meeting you.” Luz said, holding out her hand.

Dell took her hand and placed something in it, curling her fingers around the object. Luz opened her hand to reveal a blue seed with a spiral pattern on the shell.

“It’s a palistrom seed.” Dell explained. “Palistrom wood has been over-harvested by the Emperor’s Coven, but I’ve been helping the Bat Queen replenish the forests. I’d like for you to hold on to this, if nothing else, for luck.”

“Oh, thank you.” Luz pocketed the seed, and took her leave, but not before giving Eda’s dad a hug.

Returning to the Bat Queen’s nest, the Palisman in question returned, two snake-like demons clinging to her hair.

“Your daughter called in her favor. Told her to keep it.” The Bat Queen told him. “Tria, and Ivy, are their names.” She gestured to the two basilisks.

“I’ll put on some more tea.” Dell said warmly.

King squirmed against the biting cords of the net, trying to wriggle free. It was not working, and Buho’s talon’s couldn’t gain enough purchase to cut the net.

“Oh, this is all my fault.” King moaned. Sensing his distress, Buho nuzzled him.

“I just want my mom!” King cried, his voice squeaking like a tea kettle.

It felt as though all sound had stopped, before something crashed onto the roof of the van, the wood splintering. Razor-sharp talons tore into the paneling, and ripped a hole into the cabin.

King and Buho looked up to meet Eda’s eyes, the witch in her Harpy Form. Drawing a spell circle, Eda pulled them up, before her claws shredded the net binding them.

King buried his face in her feathers to hide his tears of relief.

“Shhh, it’s okay.” Eda cooed. “Mama’s here.” Eda took off with her kids, leaving Gre’gore and his crew with a damaged van.

“Ah, crud. There goes our deposit.”

“There we go.” Eda admired her handiwork. Both King and Buho now wore matching bandanas around their necks, the medallion from King’s collar fashioned into a clasp for his.

Eda reclined on the couch, exhausted from the day’s events. Negotiating with the clan of wild witches and getting the Bat Queen to offer her protection to Tria and Ivy was tiring enough, but the impromptu rescue of King and Buho had really taken it out of her, if nothing else from the stress of her kids being kidnapped.

And that was another thing she’d have to confront. King had called her ‘mom’ when he called for help. Part of her was delighted at the thought, recognizing the little demon as her son. The other part was criticizing her for how she had treated him in the past, hiding the truth of his origins and indulging his fantasies to his own detriment.

And then there was Luz, the daughter of the three people Eda had loved with her whole heart, and who she had hurt through her own secrecy and hang-ups about the curse.

Lilith had thought Luz was Eda’s child. As she closed her eyes, Eda wondered if she was less wrong about that than she thought.

Once again it was market day, and the market seemed more crowded than usual. King had taken to offering free samples to drum up customers, though his efforts were proving less than effective.

“Weh, seriously? All these people and no one’s paying attention?” King complained.

“Yeah, something’s not right.” Eda agreed, before catching a passing Hexside student by the cowl. “It reeks more of nerd than money today.”

“Guys!” Luz exclaimed. Eda let the passerby go, and he scrambled off.

“You will not believe what’s going on!” Luz posed under a banner that neither of them had noticed. “It’s a book fair! Where books come to life!”

One of the books decided to prove her claim as literal by jumping off the stand and saying hello.

“Weh!” Luz jumped, kicking the book away. “Should’ve expected that.” Luz’ shoulders slumped.

“A fair without rides?” King questioned.

“Who needs rides when this can take you anywhere?” A book was shoved in King’s face.

“Nyeh.” King threw one of his free samples at the boy who had invaded his personal space. A dragon promptly carried the boy off.

“A, ew.” Eda tossed the book aside. “B, I’m bored. C, I feel like pickpocketing some dork while they browse.” Eda began to walk off, before realizing Luz was giving her the puppy-dog eyes.

“Ugh, fine.” Eda handed her apprentice a small pouch of snails. “You two have fun and try to stay out of trouble. And whatever you do, don’t sign anything without triple-checking the fine print.” Eda warned.

“C’mon, King, will you at least give it a chance? I’ll let you ride in my hoodie!” Luz asked her brother.

“I can’t turn down hoodie rides.” King sighed before climbing into Luz’ hood.

Luz was in awe at the Boiling Isles version of a book fair, reminding her more of the fan conventions she had been to, without the coven restrictions of the Covention.

Luz ended up bumping into a familiar face at one of the stalls.

“Weh, Raine?”

The Bard looked like a deer caught in the headlights. “Oh, Luz. What are you doing here?”

“Exploring the book fair with King.” Luz answered. “What are you doing here? I thought the Coven was eating up all your free time.”

“Most of the Isles’ publishing industry operates under the Bard Coven.” Raine explained. “That doesn’t mean you have to be a Bard to be a writer, but it does help get your foot in the door for writing fiction.”

“Huh, good to know.” Luz noted, before noticing the stall they were in front of. “Trekking the Stars?”

Raine picked up one of the books on display. “It’s no Cosmic Frontier, but good sci-fi is hard to get a hold of here. Most witches only look to the stars for oracle magic or celestial alignments.”

“Cosmic Frontier?” The name sounded familiar to Luz.

“It was what brought us together, actually.” Raine told her.

There were stars in Luz’ eyes.

“You bonded over fandom?” Luz asked, starstruck.

“It did get us talking to each other.” Raine shrugged, before changing the subject. “So, was there anything else that caught your eye here?”

Luz looked around. “Is that a writing competition!? I’ve always wanted to be a writer.”

Raine smiled at their daughter, while King looked at her questioningly. “Writer? What? I thought you wanted to be a witch?”

“Of course I wanna be a witch.” Luz explained. “But until I came here I thought that was kinda…impossible. So my runner up dream was to be a writer.” Luz pulled a photograph out of her pocket. “I’ve had this ‘about the author’ picture since I was seven years old.”

“Did Manny take the picture?” Raine asked, remembering his talent for photography and the Polaroid camera he had owned.

“He got my good angle.” Luz answered. “I’m gonna enter the competition.” She declared, pointing to the sky dramatically.

The drama was slightly undercut by the crowd running by.

“Ugh! What are these basement dwellers doing out in natural sunlight?” King complained.

Tinella heard him, and stopped to answer. “Um! We’re in line for Jon De Plume, most famous writer on the Boiling Isles, famed author of the Realm Warriors series! I’m gonna have him read my story…and marry me.”

“And that is why I try to stay out of the spotlight,” Raine commented. “I swear Eda’s buried more rabid fans who couldn’t respect boundaries than she has Coven shills.”

King watched the crowd gathering around the celebrity author. “That guy really knows how to command a crowd.”

“What are you plotting, King?” Luz asked with some concern.

“I mean, what better way to rally some support, than an inspirational work of literature.” King whispered conspiratorially.

“That…actually sounds like a good plan.” Raine admitted.

“Heck yeah! Let’s get a-writing!” King cheered.

“Are you coming with us, Raine?” Luz asked.

“Somebody needs to keep you two chaos magnets in check.” They said bashfully. “Speaking of…where is Eda?” 

“Causing mischief and mayhem, probably.”

Eda idly picked up a book, before her gaze caught on the mirror affixed to the cover. Treating the curse at the source had halted her premature aging, but it still rankled that she looked more like her parents’ peer than their daughter. The healing properties of the elixirs did clear up some of the wrinkles, but they were agonizingly slow to treat the beast’s scars on them both. 

“You, lackey.”

Oh great, the last person Eda wanted to see was there. 

“Lilith…” Eda glared from behind a banner.

It shouldn’t have surprised her that Lilith would be at a book fair.

The Head Witch of the Emperor’s Coven was speaking to a bat-like merchant with a blue pillbox hat.

“Do you have the item we discussed?” Lilith asked imperiously.

“Oh! Yes, yes, it’s right here, Head Witch.” The merchant handed over a scroll.

Lilith opened the scroll and looked its contents over. “Ah, this is perfect. A map to the Bloom of Eternal Youth. The emperor will be most pleased.”

“Ma’am, shouldn’t we be searching for the Owl Lady to bring her into the coven? Remember your whole plan?” The scout accompanying Lilith asked.

Lilith laughed. “Ha, my sister’s curse has left her tired and frail. She’ll be here when we get back.”

“That’s what you think, Lily.” Eda muttered under he breath.

“This comes first, it’s for the emperor, after all.” Lilith continued.

“Yeah! All hail the emperor!” The scout knocked the merchants books down.

“Very good, Steve.” Lilith patted his shoulder. “Now go patrol the rest of the vendors. I believe there was some suspicious activity near the snack stand.”

“Shoulder pats for Steve.” Steve patted his own shoulder as the two parted ways.

Eda quickly confronted the merchant.

“Hey bub, what’d you just sell to my prissy sister?” She asked.

“Oh, just a map to the Bloom of Eternal Youth.” The Merchant explained.

“Ah, I’ve heard of it. Takes a millennium to grow, but grants eternal youth and heals any affliction. Hm. Something that esoterically powerful could be just what I need to boost my elixirs.” Eda mused. “And of course the emperor wants that power for himself. Can’t let anything be out of his control, the control freak. Well, won’t she be surprised when I get it first and show her who’s really tired and frail here.”

The merchant gave her a smile filled with fangs. “Well, best of luck to you, you’ll need the map.” He held out another scroll. Eda swiped it and flipped him a snail for his trouble.

The fact that he had extra maps told it was most likely a scam, which just meant Eda was prepared for a sudden but inevitable betrayal.

Returning to the Owl House, Eda quickly began to pack for her trip. The map led deep into the Forearm Forest (because of course it did), so she would need to pack for at least two days, three to be safe.

“Apprentice! Living room!” Eda called for Luz.

“What’s up, boss lady?” Luz asked. Eda looked up from checking the map, and was surprised to see that Raine had also come downstairs. She had not been expecting them.

“Oh, Raine, fancy seeing you here.” Eda felt lost for words.

“Just helping Luz fulfill her dreams of being a writer, King’s desire to be known, and both of them wanting to help the BATTs on the messaging front.” Raine explained.

“Well, I’m popping out for a few days to an undisclosed place to do undisclosed things. I was going to put in Luz in charge, but if you can keep an eye on them, I’d appreciate it.” Eda told them.

Raine took her hand. “I’ll keep them safe. Don’t get into too much trouble, Calamity.” They kissed her on the cheek.

Eda did not know she could still blush like that.

“You got it, Rainestorm.” Eda stammered out as she took her leave.

“So run it by me again.” Raine told their charges.

“Our main characters are Luzura, the witch-demon hybrid only just coming into her power.” Luz started.

“And her brother, the Ruler of Demons! Once a proud and just monarch, he was struck down by the vile Trapper, and reincarnated as Luzura’s little brother!” King continued enthusiastically.

“And they are traveling together in the desolate floating caverns of Despondos, to recover Ruler’s Crown of Power from the Trapper’s prison, so they can save their mother from the Trapper’s curse!” Luz took over.

“That’s a good premise.” Raine critiqued, summoning Eda’s typewriter.

The weekend passed in a blur of creativity, Raine making sure their kids were fed, hydrated, and well-rested (the latter of which was a feat in itself).

It was no doorstopper, but Ruler’s Reach, Luzura’s Light was decent-length novel fit for all ages, and wove in some subtle messages about freedom of self expression and standing up to oppressive authorities.

Reading through the final draft, Raine was impressed by how well Luz and King wrote together, and the strength of the sibling bond between their characters that carried the bulk of the story. 

“I think we’re ready to send this to the forges.” Raine declared.

Luz and King cheered, before promptly collapsing into a sleeping heap.

Raine shook their head, before ruffling Luz’ hair and King’s fur, and leaving the room.

They had some crow calls to make.

Eda consulted her map, ripping the vines concealing a nearby statue.

“Okay, from the statue of Gerk the Minitaur, I head due north, and hopefully, I’ll get to the Bloom of Eternal Youth before Lilith does, and it’ll serve her right for being the reason I need the Bloom in the first place.” Eda thought for a moment, and let her shoulders drop. “Okay, I’d go after the Bloom anyway, for the fortune and glory.”

Eda’s sharp hearing heard a branch break nearby. She quickly summoned a sword of hardened ice to one hand, and a ball of fire to the other.

“Spicy toss!” Eda leapt out of the bushes and tossed a fireball at the interloper.

“Aah!” Lilith screamed as she hastily deflected the fireball.

“Lily!?” Eda exclaimed.

“Edalyn!?” Lilith gasped.

Eda dispelled her sword and flame.

Lilith gave a weary sigh. “Of course you would show up just to be a nuisance. Why don’t you go home and rest? Wouldn’t want you breaking a hip.”

“Look who’s talking.” Eda shot back. “What happened to the grudgby captain could could go ten rounds against demons twice her size?”

Lilith looked much worse for wear than Eda did, the rough forest leaving her cloak stained and her hair unkempt. But the way her gothic dress clung to her frame told a more concerning story, of someone who was forcing her body to the limit and not properly taking care of her health at the same time. Where Eda’s lifestyle as an outlaw was intensive, she had the Owl Beast’s strength, and Hooty’s culinary talents to keep her at her peak. Lilith, for all her prestige as Head Witch of the Emperor’s Coven, looked like she was being run ragged on a regular basis.

“She became the leader of the Emperor’s Coven, and can still bring down the worst wild magic has to throw at her.” Lilith claimed with bravado.

“Well, sister. I’m much stronger than you think I am, and I’m here to save the Bloom of Eternal Youth from the likes of you and your emperor.” Eda countered. “And I’m gonna get there before you!” She sang as she ran.

“Aah! No you won’t!” Lilith gave chase.

“Ha! Doesn’t this remind you of how we used to race to the kitchen, Lily?” Eda called back, before realizing she had fallen behind. “Lily?”

She heard her sister’s muffled screams, and looked up and back to find her caught by a crab-spider, entangled by its webbing.

Growling to herself, Eda summoned a crackling spell-circle, the bolt of lightning called forth striking the demon between the eyes. The demon was sent flying well out of sight, while gravity took hold of Lilith, who fell onto a bush that Eda had hastily conjured.

“Alley-Oop!” Eda helped her sister back to her feet.

“Ugh.” Lilith groaned. “Thank you, Edalyn. I wasn’t certain that you’d save me there.”

“Stow it. We may fight, and you may be working for the bonehead, but you’re still my sister, and nothing you can do can change that.” Eda brushed off a remaining piece of webbing from her cloak. “Besides, if anyone’s putting you down, it’s gonna be me. Ha!”

Lilith rubbed at her shoulder while chuckling at her sister’s affirmations. She looked to her side and gasped as her eyes caught a glint of glowing pink. “Is that?”

“The Bloom of Eternal Youth!” Eda shoved Lilith to the ground and rushed to the flower.

“Argh, why are you always like this?” Lilith groaned as she got back up.

“Because, dear Lilith, you and your fellow toadies think I’m just some old biddy on her last legs. And it’s so very fun proving how wrong you are. And this little guy is just the thing I need to boost my elixirs.” Eda stopped in front of the flower, and froze, throwing out her arm to block Lilith as she stood ramrod straight.

“What now, Edalyn?” Lilith asked, annoyed.

“Something’s not right here.” Eda said, taking in all the details, trying to see what was off. What her eyes couldn’t perceive, she turned to her other senses. Her ears picked up the shuffling of cloth ahead of them, and the soil held a pungent, metallic acrid scent.

The smell of spilled witch blood. 

Eda cast a basic dispelling hex, and the bloom vanished.

“Well, it seems you’re more astute than the average sucker.” The merchant who had sold them the maps said from atop his stone perch. “That ‘Bloom of Eternal Youth’ scheme has worked so well over the decades. And now that I’ve lured you to my nest, I’ll drain your life-blood to sate my unending hunger.”

The vampire leapt down from his perch to the blood-fed bed of vines lining his nest.

“He scammed us.” Lilith said incredulously. “Can you believe he scammed us?”

“I had ninety-ten odds going in. Hard not to admire the tenacity, though. But the drawer full of maps was a bit of a dead giveaway that something was up.” Eda pointed out.

“Points for making an entrance, but that outfit? Ha!” Lilith turned her critical eye to the vampire.

“And just look at those little shoes!” Eda laughed.

Her laughter was infectious, and Lilith was quickly joining in. “Stop it!” She playfully swatted.

The vampire covered his feet with his cloak, looking indignant. “Well, maybe you ladies have never been led into a lethal trap before, but the response should be, ‘Aa! No! Spare us!’”

The sisters shared a look. “Ah sure. Spare us.” Eda stepped onto the stone dais.

“Woe to us whose fates are sealed.” Lilith summoned her staff, the raven’s eyes aglow.

Eda cracked her knuckles before wreathing them in flames, which solidified into icy crystal gauntlets

“Tha-That’s right, witches! Cower! Cower?” The scammer’s confidence faltered as the Clawthorne sisters brought their magic to bear.

To call the resulting beat-down a curbstomp would only be fair in the literal sense that the demon’s head made contact with the curb ringing his nest after being introduced to the sole of Eda’s boot.

Within minutes, the vampire was a bruised, unconscious heap, entangled in the foliage of his own nest.

“Well, we wrecked that chump. But the Bloom of Eternal Youth was a wild goose chase.” Eda sighed.

“Well, if it makes any difference, I don’t think you’re a tired old biddy.” Lilith assured her.

“Do you really mean that?” Eda asked.

“Of course, if you were, you’d be much easier to catch.” Lilith ribbed.

“Oh, thanks Lily.” Eda replied, sarcasm dripping in her voice. “You gonna try to drag me off to the coven now? Hit me while my back is turned?”

Lilith winced. “Not now. Because I want to give you a chance to join on your own decision! Join me in the Emperor’s Coven, Edalyn. We can help demons and witches together like we dreamed of, and he can even heal your curse.”

Eda pushed down the offered hand. “I don’t need his ‘cure’ that comes with a chain leash. I found something that worked wonders on the curse. I’ve never felt more powerful before.” Eda let her magic flare around her.

“Please, Edalyn.” Lilith pleaded.

“Catch you later, sis.” Eda turned with a parting glance, taking to the air on Owlbert.

“Not if I catch you first.” Lilith shot back.

“I’ll see you around. And maybe consider whether selling your soul was worth it.”

With that parting remark, Eda flew into the night. 

Arriving back at the Owl House, Eda found Raine sitting reclined on the couch.

“So, how’d it go?” Raine noticed Eda’s return.

“Well, it was a rough couple of days, and the bloom was a scam, but Lilith and I bonded over kicking the guy’s butt, so there’s that.” Eda answered, resting her feet on the coffee table.

“I’ll say. At least the kids are asleep.” Raine sighed. 

“Ah, well. Nothing a bit of apple blood and a good book can’t mend.” Eda shrugged. “Speaking of, how goes the writing?”

Raine handed Eda a copy of Luz and King’s book. “Published and already a best seller. It does help that Piniet Publishing just went out of business after the owner mysteriously vanished shortly after Jon De Plume.”

“You didn’t have anything to do with that, did you?” Eda asked.

“Nope, but Hooty was talking to a friend of his earlier who mentioned needing help with some lizard-skin outfits. That demon certainly had a reputation for working his clients to the bone, so I’m not exactly surprised it backfired on him.”

Raine summoned a pair of glasses and a bottle of apple blood, before returning to their position on the couch, one arm around Eda’s shoulders. Nestling into the embrace, Eda cracked the book open and began to read with a smile.

Hunter rested his forehead on the porcelain, the cool ceramic soothing against his feverishly warm skin. Dragging himself to his feet, he looked in the mirror.

His eyes were fully magenta again, and ringed with extensive bags. His hair fell lank, damp with sweat. From his lips and nostrils runny green-black sludge trailed rivulets down his chin. Splashing his face with water, he washed the remaining goop off, trying to ignore how his insides felt scraped raw. Swishing a mouthful of water, Hunter spat out the remnants still in his mouth, trying to purge the taste of rot, before turning to his toothbrush.

Feeling less like a walking corpse, Hunter curled in his bed, the book Steve had given him offering the slightest escape as he drifted off to sleep, praying to the Titan that his penance was complete.

Emperor Belos entered his nephew’s room, where his bedside lamp was still on. Turning out the light, Belos noticed the book in his nephew’s hand. Taking a look at the title, a grim smile crossed his face under his mask. Skimming the text, the emperor was captivated by the dynamic between the two siblings, which tugged at what passed for heartstrings in the tyrant’s chest.

Placing the book on the nightstand, Belos gently brushed the hair out of Hunter’s face, before turning and leaving.

“Luzura, Luzura, Luzura. You are finally here, and the time draws ever near. Soon all will be made pure in cleansing flame, and you shall be the catalyst.”

In the throne room, the massive heart beat faster.

Chapter Text

When Amity opened her eyes, she was back in that void. A few nights prior, her sleep had been interrupted by a horrific scream that only she heard. That scream haunted her night and day. The sheer terror and heartbreak expressed in that one noise kept her awake at night, replaying every time she closed her eyes.

And now she was back here, that watery void. Though now that her eyes had adjusted, she could make out some details. The dark waters rippled around her ankles, and against the canyon-like walls that framed the void.

“I’m sorry.” Amity heard a voice say.

She turned around.

The figure in front of her was garbed in a fuzzy brown robe, the hood obscuring his face. A pair of wings were folded around him like a cloak, the worn, ragged leather membranes shifting as he walked.

That familiar cat-like eye gazed out from the shadows with something Amity could only interpret as apology. There was wisdom and weariness weighing on his gaze, like he had seen eons pass.

“Sorry? For what?” Amity asked.

“I am sorry you must shoulder this burden alone.” The being said.

“Burden?”

“You have a gift, one that I haven’t seen in four-hundred years.” The being told her.

“What gift?” Amity asked. What was this demon talking about?

“To project yourself into the In-Between like you have is no easy task. My people can do it by instinct as a property of our essence, but for a witch? That is far more rare. The last witch to possess your gift used it to create her own passage between the realms. Gave her my own eye for the project.” The being gave a hearty, if raspy, chuckle.

Amity chuckled awkwardly along with him, before her own questions rushed to the forefront. “Why were you spying on me? In the mirror?”

The being stopped laughing. “I saw a young girl being forced to be something she didn’t want to be, fighting to be herself with no strings. Though I can say you have good taste in literature.”

Amity’s eyes widened as the pieces fell into place. “You’re Luz’ dad.”

“Please, call me Manny.” He held out a skeletal hand, which Amity gingerly shook. “I went by another name once, long ago, but no one alive would remember it, and only two people alive could possibly pronounce it.”

“I guess we both chose our own names then.” Amity commented idly. Somehow, she could tell he was smiling under his hood.

“Why did you scream? Earlier, I mean.” Amity asked.

Manny gave her a grave look. “Because a horrific monster seeks to harm my little light in service to his own delusions, and I can’t protect her from him from here.”

“But I can.” Amity whispered. She looked up and met Manny’s eye.

“Luz gave me her friendship, and my freedom. It’s thanks to her I don’t have my mother breathing down my neck every hour of every day. It’s thanks to her I was able to rekindle my first true friendship. It’s thanks to her that my siblings are actually acting like family for once. I don’t know how I can repay her, but I can try to keep her safe.”

“Thank you, Amity. You have a good heart.” Manny told her, his gaze soft, as he held out his hand again.

“My power may be limited here, but I can give you something to help.” Streams of golden magic flowed from his hand, coalescing into an eye-like gemstone. Etched within was some sort of sigil. “This will help you control your gift, and hide you from prying eyes and unscrupulous oracles.”

Amity donned the amulet, feeling a comforting warmth wrap around her.

“And, one more favor, please.” Manny’s voice was pleading.

“Don’t tell Luz about this. Losing me once was hard enough. It would break her heart to know that I’m stuck here like this.”

Amity held out a pinky. “I’ll keep this between us.” She said as they sealed the pinky swear.

“What about King? Isn’t he your son too?” Amity asked, remembering how Luz had described it.

Manny gave a deep, bone-rattling sigh. “I’ve done all I can for King from here. He has a loving mom he’s finally acknowledged, a sister who cares for him, and safety in anonymity. And he’s finally starting to grow up and act his age. Our ‘monarch’ phase can be…rather embarrassing in hindsight, and for the longest time it was all he knew.”

“I have many regrets, Amity. Most of all, that I couldn’t be there for my children.” Manny turned away. “Now it’s about time for you to return to the waking world.”

Amity felt herself drifting out of the void, before opening her eyes to the sun streaming through her balcony windows. Amity’s gaze fell on the books sitting on her nightstand. A text on elemental magic, and the Azura book Luz had given her to borrow, which she had finished reading the previous night.

A small smile came to Amity’s face as a plan began to form.

Luz read the Hexside brochure while King lay curled up on her stomach. It had been a fairly quiet morning for the Owl House, though Eda had mentioned that Raine would be dropping by later if they could make time. In the meantime, Luz was psyching herself up to attend Hexside starting next week.

“King, listen to this!” Luz found a particularly interesting bit of trivia.

“Hey! Less read-y, more scratchy!” King snapped, having gotten comfortable with Luz’ affection.

“Sorry!” Luz sat up, resuming her preening. “Now that I’ll be a student at Hexside, I wanna learn all about it! I’ve got a new crush, and her name is Education!”

“I thought her name was Amity?” King teased.

“King!” Luz blushed.

Eda chose that moment to kick open the door. “Hey, freeloaders! Guess what today is?”

“Is it your birthday?” Luz asked.

“Is it my birthday?” King’s tail wagged.

“It’s my birthday.” Hooty cut in.

“No!” Eda closed the door. “It’s human treasure day!” Eda tossed the Portal Door into the air, where it unfolded and opened in time for Owlbert to fly through with a downright massive sack. The sack split open when it hit the floor, disgorging its contents of whatever Owlbert took that wouldn’t be missed.

“Ahh, fresh garbage.” Eda hopped onto the pile like a pile of leaves in autumn.

“Wait, when is King’s birthday?” Luz asked.

Eda did the math on her fingers. “Let’s see, well, I started counting from when I brought him home, so…his birthday’s on what the Human Realm calls Halloween.”

“Awww.” Luz cooed. “We are definitely going to the Human Realm for your birthday, King. I’ll take you trick-or-treating and get you all the candy.”

“I’ll hold you to that.” King’s tail wagged more, before he hopped off the couch to go through the pile of junk for anything good.

“Yes! Another worthy addition to my army of darkness.” King pulled a tan-furred teddy bear with blue glass eyes from the pile. He tested the pull cord.

“I love cuddles and kisses.” The recorded voice said.

“The ones that talk are the most horrifying.” King cheered.

“Yo, Luz, your trash pile is getting cold.” Eda called out. “While mine’s just getting hot. This would certainly make an extravagant earring,” Eda held up a coat hanger.

“You can have my share.” Luz waved off as she continued reading the brochure. “Weh, did you know that Hexside is built on the bones of its rival school? One it literally conquered!”

“Yeah, yeah, everyone knows the Conquest of Capitulum. I went to Hexside, remember? It was the second most harrowing period of my life.” Eda idly pointed out as she found a matching hanger was admiring her makeshift accessories in an old hand mirror. “Oh, hello there.” She preened.

“Can you imagine it!” Luz hugged the brochure. “Me, in the halls of Hexside, studying magic with Willow and Gus and - and Amity…” Luz suddenly blushed, her face falling as she remembered something. “Amity! Oh, cramity! We’re supposed to meet so I can get my Azura book back!” Luz bolted for the door, Hooty obligingly swinging open for her. She slammed the door closed, before opening it again.

“Love you guys!” She called back, before slamming the door shut once more.

Luz rushed through the market, eyes darted around for that familiar dyed green hair. She eventually caught sight of the witch, and called to her.

“Amity! Over here!”

Abruptly, another two familiar witches appeared directly in front of her, their sudden appearance knocking her off-balance.

“Hi, Luz!” Edric and Emira said in sync. 

“Weh!” Luz lost her battle with gravity.

Ed and Em chuckled awkwardly as Amity strode over.

“Edric! Emira! Stop bothering her!” Amity offered Luz her hand to get back up. “Sorry, Luz. They insisted on coming along with me today, for some reason.”

“Because we love you, baby sister.” Emira squished Amity’s face affectionately. Amity pushed her away.

“They’ve been extra protective and nice after the whole…library incident.” Amity said, straightening her hair.

“And we’re still making up for that. We apologize every day.” Edric chimed in. “Seriously, thank you for not leaving us as foxes forever.”

Amity shoved her brother away, and pulled her borrowed Azura book from her bag.

“In any case, here’s your book back.”

Luz took it gratefully. “So, what did you think?”

“It was…fine.” Amity downplayed.

Luz found a piece of notebook paper between the pages. “So fine you drew yourself with Malingale the Mysterious Soothsayer?” She teased playfully.

“It’s not like…that.” Amity averted her gaze, drawing a spell circle that pulled the drawing from Luz’ hand and folded it up. “I just relate with them a bit.” 

Luz continued. “This is great! Maybe we could even start an Azura club at school when we’re classmates!”

“Right, you enrolled for next semester.” Amity recalled her mentioning it when she joined her, Willow, and Gus for the Grudgby championship.

“About that…” Amity met Luz’ eyes. “I know you have enough spells to pass the entrance exam, but we were planning a trip to the Knee to practice my own spellwork, and… Iwaswonderingifyouwantedtocome.”

“Pardon?” Luz asked, raising an eyebrow.

Amity took a breath to steady herself, and wrapped her fingers around her necklace, which Luz noticed was an eye-like gem rather than the crescent moon she had been wearing since the Covention. 

“I know you’re still new to the Boiling Isles, and the Knee is one of the most magical areas on the Titan. I figured…you’d like to see it, and maybe it’ll help you learn more spells yourself.”

Luz beamed. “I’d love to go!” She then realized something. “Wait, I’m gonna have to run that by Eda first.” Luz unfurled her wings. “I’ll see you there!”

Luz took to the sky, leaving Amity blushing.

“Aw, our baby sister has a crush!” Emira ribbed.

“Em!” Amity complained.

“Don’t worry sis, we’ll make sure your date goes well.” Edric wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

“Not a date, just spending time with a friend, in the coldest place in the Isles, where she can use her wings for warmth.” Amity’s blush was practically incandescent.

“I gotta go pack!” Amity ran off, before remembering which way Blight Manor was and reversing direction.

Eda hummed while she cooked, once again trying her hand at getting food to cook itself. Raine had dropped by shortly after Luz had left, and they were currently helping King get his “army of darkness” in line. “Wow, a surprisingly peaceful domestic moment. When will it be ruined?” Eda tempted fate.

She got her answer when Luz burst through the door.

“Eda!” Luz shouted.

“There it is.” Eda noted dryly.

“Eda, Eda, Eda!” Luz ran into the table. “Amity invited me to the Knee! Can I go?”

“What’s this about the Knee?” Raine entered the kitchen, having finished sorting King’s collection of plushies.

“Amity wanted me to come with her to the Knee to learn more magic.” Luz explained. “Oh, Ren, you’re here.” Luz noticed them. 

“Ren?” Raine asked.

“Short for ‘parent’. Is that okay?” Luz replied.

Raine’s expression softened. “It’s perfect.” They refocused on what Luz had said about going to the Knee. “Y’know, I think I know the area your friend is planning on going to.”

“You do?” Luz asked.

“There’s a spot that’s just far enough away from civilization to not be bothered, but also has a stunning view.” Raine told her.

“Not to mention the Knee is one of the places where the magic of the Isles is the strongest. Ancient witches used to go to the Knee to get in touch with the magic of the Titan.” Eda shared her knowledge.

“So I can go?” Luz asked.

Eda and Raine gave each other a look. “Not alone, you’re not.” Eda answered.

“King, we’re going on a trip!” Eda called back to the living room. King scampered in, followed by Buho.

“A trip, where?” King asked.

“Ah, the Knee.” Eda said, taking a deep breath of the chill air. She had donned her winter coat and hat, though the Owl Beast had also chipped in with her own feathers, a layer of extra fluff from her neck down.

Raine stepped next to her, the capes on their burgundy carrick coat fluttering stiffly in the breeze. “One of the most scenic places on the Isles, I know.” They nudged her.

Eda nudged back. “Can’t you just feel that magic in the air?” She turned to her apprentice.

Luz looked awestruck. Eda had managed to find an old coat of hers and a matching hat for Luz. Just because she had fur on one arm didn’t make her immune to the cold. King, meanwhile, had only accepted a fluffy orange scarf that Eda was fairly sure Raine had knitted for her ages ago. But he didn’t seem to have a problem with the cold, so she didn’t make a production out of it.

“Woah.” Luz breathed. From the Knee, one could see clear to the Titan’s Skull, and everything between. The view brought tears to her eyes. Raine wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders, which grounded her a little. 

Eda had been to the Knee many times before. She made a point to visit yearly to enjoy one of the few places of true wild magic left, and gather ingredients for her potions that could only be found there.

Never before had she gotten such a sense of softness from the Titan’s hollow gaze.

The sound of flurried snow and laughter pulled Eda’s attention.

It was Buho’s first time experiencing the Knee as well, and the Owlet Beast was having the time of their life rolling in the snow. The rest of the BATTs had tagged along with Raine, and were watching the Owlet play.

“Well, somebody’s having fun.” Eda smiled. In the back of her mind, the Owl Beast made a noise of contentment.

“Didn’t you say your friend was meeting you here?” Eda remembered, turning to Luz.

Luz’ eyes went wide. “I forgot to tell her where we would meet!”

Before she could panic, a thread of violet magic wove its way across the snow, stopping at Luz’ feet. A rustling in the bushes heralded the arrival of the Blight siblings, also garbed in their winter apparel. Amity wore a mauve coat with light gray fur on the shoulders, while the twins wore matching teal coats with dark fur trim. Edric and Amity both wore fluffy earmuffs, while Emira had opted for a squared-off fur cap.  

“Amity!” Luz called. “How did you find us?”

“I realized after you flew off that I forgot to specify where we would meet, so I used a wayfinding spell.” Amity explained.

Eda gave the youngest Blight a look. “Sounds like someone’s starting to expand her horizons.”

Amity noticed that Luz wasn’t the only one there, and her face went flush with embarrassment. “It’s just a basic wayfinding spell.”

“Don’t downplay your skills, Blight.” Eda pointed. “Especially if you're doing this all on your own. Trust me, Oracle magic can be a…pain, to learn.”

“I was actually hoping to work on my elemental magic here.” Amity admitted.

Eda laughed. “Ha, then you came to the right place!”

“The Knee really is the best place to get the hang of harnessing the elements.” Raine said, which got Amity’s attention. Amity’s eyes went wide when she recognized them.

“You’re… the Raine Whispers.” Amity said faintly.

“I am.” Raine said diplomatically.

“Oh, where are my manners?” Amity admonished herself. “Amity Blight.” She held out her hand.

Raine shook the offered hand. “Raine Whispers, but you already knew that. How’d you go from dueling my daughter to befriending her?”

Amity rubbed the back of her neck. “It’s a long story…. Wait, daughter!?” Amity looked at Luz, who sheepishly waved back.

“Yeah, turns out, I have two parents from the Demon Realm.” Luz averted her gaze.

“And who are they?” Amity gestured towards the BATTs.

“My students, Derwin, Katya, and Amber.” Raine answered plainly. Not a total lie, since they had initially come to them to further their bard magic. They needn’t explain how they often considered Raine a parental figure, and they definitely weren’t revealing their rebel activities to a stranger.

“So, what did you wanna learn first?” Eda asked, getting the spotlight off of Raine.

“I was working on my fire spells, but I still can’t get past using a training wand.” Amity pulled out a carved stick with a metallic bit on the handle, the battery on the side indicating a full charge.

“What are you guys working on?” Edric asked. “Something powerful?”

Luz shrugged. “I’m not actually sure.”

“Speaking of powerful, we might want to move.” Eda stepped forward, pointing towards a snowy white mass that was rhythmically rising and falling.

“What is that?” Luz asked.

“A Slitherbeast.” Raine answered. “One of the most dangerous predators on the Knee. But as long as we don’t disturb it, it won’t bother us.”

“We’ll make for the ruins.” Eda told them. “Most of the larger demons steer clear of them, so we’ll be safe.”

The combined group slowly and quietly made their way there, doing the best not to wake the sleeping demon.

Entering the ruins proper, Luz immediately felt a shift in the air, a subtle sense of ancient dread.

“What is this place?” Luz asked, brushing off some snow from a block of carved stone.

“This was once the city of Patellans.” Eda cast a few spells to clear some of the snow. “One of the oldest cities on the Isles. It was said to have been founded over a vein of Titan’s Blood. But that’s ancient history.” Eda looked down.

“Patellans burned down during the Savage Ages. According to Belos, his attempts to convert people to ‘the Titan’s Will’ resulted in wild witches burning the city in retaliation.” Raine elaborated.

“Which sounds like pure propaganda to me.” Eda snapped out of her funk through pure spite. “All magic was wild magic back then, none of that ‘one witch, one coven’ malarkey. And something about that story always smelled fishy to me.”

“What do you mean?” Emira piped up.

“I mean I keep seeing that same exact story across dozens of ruins. Belos rolled into town espousing how he ‘spoke for the Titan’, then ‘wild witches’ burn the place to the ground, and Belos inducts the survivors into his coven system.” Eda explained. “The whole thing feels too formulaic.” Eda clapped. “But that’s just my musings. So, who wants to learn some magic?”

Eda swept up a handful of snow. “First, we’ll learn to identify different types of snow by taste.” She took a bite of the loose snow. “Yep, that’d make a good potion base once it melts. Just enough minerals for some extra oomph.”

“Not everyone has a potioneer’s tongue, Calamity.” Raine ribbed gently, earning a brief blush from the wild witch. Their little clarification did not stop Edric from trying himself, to his twin’s annoyance.

“Hey, look! I’m a Snow King!” King got their attention, and more than a few chuckles.

While Eda and Raine were giving their history lesson, the BATTs had partially buried King in a mound of snow, using their magic to shape the snow into a facsimile of an ermine coat.

The moment of levity was broken when Amity caught a flash of silver in the snow.

“What’s that over there?” She pointed.

Eda’s eyes went wide, and she gestured for everyone to get down. Luz pulled King from his icy encasement, and eleven pairs of eyes peeked over the snow-topped stone.

Two squads of Coven Scouts were marching, lead by an ornately-masked captain who stood a head taller than the scouts, and a dextran gremlin who stood on an abomination.

“Kikimora.” Raine hissed.

“You know her?” Luz asked.

“She’s the Emperor’s personal assistant.” Raine told their daughter. “Which really means she’s a petty tyrant who has blackmail on most of the castle, and tries to assassinate the ones she doesn’t. I’ve had to use my whistling trick on everything I’m served just in case she’s poisoned it.”

“As if I wasn’t already questioning the Emperor’s Coven after Covention…” Amity muttered under her breath.

“What’s the Emperor’s Coven doing this far out?” Emira asked.

“Nothing good.” Eda answered plainly, focusing on trying to hear what they were saying over the wind.

“Keep moving, scouts.” Kikimora barked. “Zero’s nest has to be in this area. And I will not be upstaged by Lilith, or the Golden Brat.”

Eda’s eyes narrowed. The convoy of scouts passed by, not noticing their eavesdroppers.

“Eda?” Luz asked nervously.

“You kids stay here and…practice connecting with the Isles."

“So attacking coven scouts is worth more than teaching your apprentice?” Emira asked critically.

“Kid, this isn’t about causing trouble, this is about saving people the Emperor thinks are his property.” Eda shot back.

Emira looked at Eda, then to Raine, who had an equally determined look on their face.

“You’re rebels.” She realized.

“And if you know what’s good for you, you won’t tell anyone. Trust me, I brew a mean Amnesia Draught.”

Emira gulped, but nodded.

“You're taking this surprisingly well.” Luz noticed Amity’s expression was less shocked than her siblings’.

“Why else would the infamous Owl Lady be involved with the second-in-command of the Bard Coven?” Amity pointed out. “Besides, I’ve been having…doubts, about the Emperor’s Coven ever since the Covention. If the Head of the Emperor’s Coven is willing to cheat in a duel between children, what does that say about the Coven?”

“You make a fair point.” Luz gestured.

What Amity didn’t say was her suspicions about the ‘monster’ who Luz was in the crosshairs of being the witch sitting on the golden throne. The more Amity looked into the Emperor’s Coven, the more malevolent it sounded. Luz had told her about her break-in at the Conformatorium, freeing prisoners who had been arrested for the pettiest of reasons. Then the Covention, and Lilith’s betrayal, done as though it were a matter of course. And then she heard about the Emperor’s Coven requiring every recruit to turn over their Palisman. She had heard conflicting claims about why. Some said it was because they were wild magic. But if that were the case, why would Belos still allow them to be carved and given to witches? Lilith had the ‘privilege’ of keeping her Palisman, and Amity had gotten along with Mike Socks the few times they had met. The whole thing spoke to something more sinister going on within the walls of the Castle.

While Amity mused, the BATTs plotted their plan of attack, before splitting up into two groups, King and Buho joining Eda and Raine. Edric and Emira stood to the side, trying not to be noticed. Edric managed to sit still enough for a cyclops bat to decide his head would make a nice perch, and was trying not to jostle it.

Luz, meanwhile, decided to entertain herself by flopping into the snow and waving her arms and legs.

“Uh, what are you doing?” Amity asked.

“Making a snow angel.” Luz answered. “Wanna try?”

“Is this a…Human Realm thing?”

“Yeah, it’s fun!” Luz waved. Amity joined her on the ground.

“You’re right, this is fun.” She admitted after making a snow angel herself. 

Luz noticed it was getting dark, and instinctively went for her light glyph. The witchlight floated upwards, and joined the stars above.

“Wait….” Luz narrowed her eyes. “Is that…. Weh? Is that a light glyph?”

“What are you talking about?” Amity fell back into the snow next to her. Luz pointed to the night sky, drawing a circle.

“Those stars, they form a constellation…and it looks just like the light glyph!” Luz exclaimed.

A snowflake drifted down into Luz’ view, and she caught it on her mitten.

“Is that…a pattern in the snowflake?” Luz looked closer, then caught another snowflake when the first one melted.

“It is.” Luz breathed. “Amity, can I borrow your training wand? I want to try something.”

“O-kay?” Amity questioned, but gave her the wand, which Luz used to draw a glyph in the snow. Tapping the glyph with her mitten, Luz held her breath as the spell was cast, a block of ice forming where the glyph was.

“Woohoo! Ice magic, baby!” Luz cheered loudly.

Amity giggled at Luz’ exuberance.

“I thought I heard something.” A high, cruel voice spoke over the wind. Three of the Coven Scouts from earlier appeared, Kikimora standing atop a cracked pillar. 

“Well, well, well, what have we here?” Kikimora noticed the kids, her visible eye widening. “Ah, Lilith’s apprentice, hanging out with the Owl Lady’s spawn. How…scandalous.” 

Amity grabbed her training wand back and stepped in front of Luz. “What do you want?” Amity demanded.

“What I want is of no consequence to you brats. But unsupervised children out in the wild? That cannot stand.” Kikimora threatened.

The four teens got into defensive stances. The bat on Edric’s head hopped to his shoulder, baring its tiny fangs and flaring its wings with the intent to intimidate.

“Don’t worry, you’ll be returned to your parents unharmed. I’m sure Blight Industries will be quite grateful. Meanwhile, the Owl Lady’s apprentice will come with me to the castle. The Emperor would like to meet you.” There was a gleam in that crimson eye that did not bode well for them. Luz took a fearful step back.

“Like the Abyss you will.” Amity retorted, her fangs bared.

“Are we really doing this?” Emira asked.

Amity’s response was to hurl a fireball at the pillar Kikimora stood on. The base of the pillar exploded, sending the gremlin toppling with a squawk.

“We’re really doing this, then.” Emira said, summoning a pair of spell circles.

“Get them!” Kikimora ordered. The three scouts closed in, spears drawn.

Luz gave a confident smirk. “Four on four? I like those odds.” She pulled out her glyphs, and sent a vine to knock down the scout closest to her.

Edric and Emira used their illusions to misdirect, hiding their true position while making the scouts chase at smoke and mirrors. Amity sent another fireball at an approaching scout, making him stop, drop, and roll in the snow as his cloak caught fire. Luz sketched an ice glyph and quickly put out the fire, freezing the scout below the neck in the process.

Kikimora stood up, and cast a fireball of her own at Amity. Luz saw the attack, and jumped to her side, covering them with her wings. The ball of fire splashed against the iridescent membrane, and Luz flapped her wings to kick up a strong wind that sent the gremlin flying, her head striking the damaged pillar and cracking it. The remaining scouts grabbed their incapacitated leader and comrade and fled into the snow.

“Ha! We sure showed them, huh?” Luz cheered, picking up Amity in a hug.

Amity blushed, but said nothing. Luz set her down, and held up her hand.

“Is this that ‘high five’ thing?” Amity asked.

“Exactly.”

Amity high-fived Luz. “Huh, that did feel nice.”

Then the pillar, weakened by a fireball and a hard-headed demon, cracked through and toppled over.

“Luz! Look out!” Amity tackled Luz out of the pillar’s path. The pillar struck the ground with a cacophonous crash. Amity found herself on top of Luz, staring into those golden brown eyes. Amity could feel her face heating up, and could see the blush across Luz’ own cheeks.

“Oh.”

At that moment, the ground beneath them, weakened and cracked by the impact, collapsed under their weight.

“Mittens!” Edric and Emira cried as Amity and Luz fell into the darkness below.

Amity blinked owlishly as consciousness returned to her. The first thing she noticed was that everything was sore, and her ankle was throbbing with pain.

The second thing she noticed was that she was laying atop Luz, the fur of her patched coat soft against her cheek. Blushing furiously, Amity rolled to the floor, grunting as her foot made contact with the cold stone with a sharp wince.

Luz awoke with a groan, slowly sitting up and shaking the snow and dust from her wings. She looked up, and whistled.

“That is…a long way up.” Luz remarked. Amity followed her gaze to where they had fallen through, a good four stories up.

“Mittens? Luz?” Emira’s voice called down.

“We’re here! We’re alright!” Luz shouted up.

“We’ll find the Owl Lady and get you back up!” Edric shouted back.

“Just…stay safe down there! Please!” Emira told them, before only the sound of the wind could be heard above.

Amity helped Luz to her feet, wincing as she put weight on her sprained ankle.

“Oh, Amity, you’re hurt.” Luz realized.

“It’s fine, just a sprain.” Amity downplayed.

Luz swept Amity off her feet and then sat back down, pulling out a plant glyph. Amity looked curiously at Luz as she produced a cluster of bell-shaped flowers from the glyph, and held it over her ankle. Amity was surprised when glowing pollen drifted down from the flower, and the pain faded. After a minute, she could move her foot without pain.

“Is that…a comfrey blossom?” Amity asked.

“Yeah, one of the first things I did with the plant glyph was see if there was a limit on what plants I could create.” Luz explained as she checked over her ankle. “Willow told me comfrey was good for treating muscle and joint injuries.”

“Boscha uses them for her recovery potions.” Amity explained how she knew. “Though I didn’t know the pollen could do that.”

“Willow told me about it after I asked her about something I found in one of Eda’s books.” Luz shrugged. “She went on for an hour about all the plants with healing properties.”

“That’s Willow for you.” Amity giggled fondly. Luz helped her to her feet, and she was able to stand and walk without pain.

With the immediate issue dealt with, Amity and Luz were able to take in their surroundings, and gasped at where they had landed. They had landed in some sort of plaza or cul-de-sac, a circle of buildings carved into the blue-gray stone, with one road leading out. The columns of the build facades were carved with intricate, almost anatomical designs, veins etched in stone. In the middle of the circle, near where they had fallen, a long-dried fountain stood.

Following the road, Luz and Amity were taken aback by the sight that greeted them.

“Ho-ly Titan.” Luz whistled. “Is this…Patellans?”

“It has to be. The ruins on the surface must have just been the topmost level.” Amity theorized. 

The alcove they had landed in was carved into the side of a sizable cavern, one that looked to have been formed naturally as the Titan’s connective tissues ossified so long ago. The blue-gray stone of the cavern walls were covered entirely with buildings carved out of the rock, and vast, vaulted columns reinforced the ceiling, themselves encircled with signs of former habitation. In the center of the cavern, an orb of crystal hung suspended from the ceiling, a soft light emanating from it to at least partially illuminate the cavern.

“Shall we?” Luz offered her arm. Amity went to take it, only to find herself in a bridal carry as Luz took flight.

Amity should have been admiring the architecture, but her eyes were only on Luz, who looked in her element. The last time she had flown with Luz, it was when they were fleeing for their lives in the library, but now, there was none of that frantic urgency, just a wonder for the world around her. 

Amity could not fight the rush of blood to her face, the chill of the Knee banished by the warmth she felt in Luz’ arms.

Luz did not notice Amity’s blush, her eyes too busy taking in the work of the witches who built the city, while her mind tried to parse the competing senses she felt. There was an undercurrent of dread, like the city had not been simply abandoned by time, but like some catastrophe had struck and driven the people away. But below even that there was a thrum she felt in her bones, like a great drum.

Like a heartbeat. 

Luz found a spot to land, and let Amity return to her feet. Desperately looking for something to distract her from Luz’ face, Amity’s gaze fell on a stone tablet, discarded, slightly cracked, but still in one piece.

“Huh.” Amity read the tablet.

“What is it?” Luz asked, looking over her shoulder.

“A complaint to a merchant for selling sub-par copper.” Amity summarized.

Luz chuckled. “I guess some things never change.” Luz narrowed her eyes, looking at the text. “Wait a second… That’s witchtongue!” Luz realized.

“Witchtongue?” Amity scrutinized the tablet, her eyes going wide. “You’re right, this is witchtongue. I always thought it was just a conlang.”

“Me too.” Luz nodded. “Do you know what this means?”

“That The Good Witch Azura includes a language that’s been lost to time?” Amity gestured.

“And from another world.” Luz added.

“Wait, what?” Amity did a double-take.

“I mean, the books were written in the Human Realm, see?” Luz pulled out her copy of Azura book five, showing the author’s profile on the back cover, and her clearly human ears.

Amity drew a spell circle and summoned her own Azura book, which showed Featherwhyle as having witch ears. Luz looked closely between the two portraits, and noticed something off.

“Amity, your copy’s been doctored.” Luz pointed to the different ears. “Someone painted over the photo to make it look like she has witch ears.

“So, they definitely come from the Human Realm, then?” Amity said, caught between interest, disappointment, and confusion.

Luz nodded.

“Then how did she get so much right about our magic and culture?” Amity pointed out.

Luz’ eyes went wide. “That…I don’t know.” Her shoulders fell. “And we can’t exactly solve that mystery while we’re here.”

Amity reached out and took Luz’ hand. “It’s okay. We’ll figure it out another time.” Amity smiled. “Besides, we still have a whole city to explore here.” She gestured around them.

Luz’ spirits raised. “You’re right. Let’s keep moving.”

Slowly, the two made their way through the ancient streets. Entering a house, they found the place having been abandoned in a hurry, the furniture overturned and a faded scorch mark on the wall.

The sense of dread Luz had been feeling grew as she picked up what had once been a child’s doll, still preserved by the cold.

Returning to the street, they kept going, until they found what was once a market square. The remains of a statue stood, immortalizing an ancient witch or perhaps a tribute to a deity. But whatever the subject, the statue’s head had been blasted from its shoulders. At the base of the statue was a white cloak. Hesitantly, Luz approached, and rolled what the cloak was wrapped around over.

Luz gasped in horror.

It was a body. A body garbed in a white cloak, black tunic, and golden, owl-like mask.

“That’s a Golden Guard.” Amity gasped.

“A Golden Guard?” Luz asked.

“The Golden Guard is Belos’ right hand and most trusted confidant.” Amity explained. “Lilith…complained a lot about the current Golden Guard.”

“Of course Belos has some special title for his Dragon.” Luz filed that information away as she continued to examine the body. The cold had mummified the corpse, judging by how loosely the tunic hung against his frame. The cause of death was fairly obvious, the neck bent in a way that an intact spine would not allow for. 

Luz carefully shifted the body to rest on the ground, and lifted the mask.

Luz let out another gasp.

Beneath the mask, the Golden Guard’s face had mummified like the rest of the body. But the eyes…

Even in death, the ruby-magenta eyes still stared blankly.

Ignoring how that violated everything she knew about decomposition, Luz gently closed the Golden Guard’s eyes.

Amity knelt down next to her, and took her hand in her own.

“What do we do now?” Luz asked.

“Tradition holds that we burn the body, to release the spirit to the Titan.” Amity said, hollow.

“We don’t exactly have wood to make a pyre.” Luz pointed out, then remembered her plant glyphs. A couple glyphs were enough to create a bed of flammable briars under the body.

Amity pulled out her training wand, and immediately realized a problem.

The wand was snapped almost in half, the power indicator cracked through and dark.

“Ah, drat.” Amity swore softly.

Luz placed her human hand on Amity’s shoulder. “It’s okay, Amity.”

“No, it’s not.” Amity screwed her eyes shut. “I’m supposed to be the top student. I’m supposed to be good at this, but I just can’t get the spell to work.”

“Take a deep breath, let it out.” Luz advised. Amity did so, and felt some of the tension leave her shoulders. Repeating the technique a few times, Amity felt herself center. 

“Thanks, Luz.” Amity said gratefully.

“Now, just focus on the fire.” Luz offered. “Focus on feeding that spark with your breath.”

Amity focused on the magic within her, bringing it to her fingertip and willing it to release. She drew the spell circle and concentrated on that spark. The spark ignited, and Amity found herself holding a warm magenta flame.

She lowered the flame to the Golden Guard’s cloak, which quickly caught fire. The flames spread rapidly, the desiccated corpse going up like kindling.

Then the flames took a shape of their own, a violet specter rising from the body.

“Thank you.” The spirit said, before dissolving into motes of light.

The fire died out, leaving only a pile of ash, and a glassy blue stone.

Luz picked up the stone, and then noticed a pattern in the ash around it.

Setting the stone aside, she pulled out her glyph pad and sketched the design.

Tapping the glyph caused it to burst into a gentle orange flame.

“Fire magic.” Luz said reverently.

Amity picked up the stone, and her eyes went wide.

And then Luz hugged her.

“You did it! You got the fire spell to work!” Luz cheered. “And I got a fire glyph!”

“We got more than that.” Amity said, breaking the hug and holding up the stone. “Do you know what this is?”

“A magic gemstone?” Luz probed.

“It’s a Galdorstone.” Amity explained excitedly. “They’re said to be formed from the Titan’s bile, or maybe lymph, nobody’s really sure - But they amplify magic without the stress of something like the power glyph.” Amity demonstrated by summoning an abomination. The resulting construct stood a good two heads taller than her normal abominations, with a slight blue tint to the slime.

“Woah, that is cool.” Luz admitted.

“People have gone to war over these things.” Amity added, and Luz was suddenly more wary.

With that wariness came a wave of tiredness, and Luz let out a yawn.

“Luz?” Amity asked, noticing.

“I think the whole thing with the body took it out of me.” Luz replied sheepishly. “I think we should make camp for the night, and hope Eda finds us soon.

Amity blushed briefly, but agreed. Finding a stone pavilion, Luz used her plant glyph to fashion a pair of moss beds, and provide enough fuel to keep them warm.

She closed her eyes, letting sleep take her.

Her rest was interrupted by a shuffling sound, and she opened her eyes to see Luz was gone.

Eda dodged the Captain’s fireball, retaliating with her own. The Scout Captain summoned a translucent kite shield to catch the strike, before jabbing her spear to release a wave of icicles.

Eda blocked the icicles with a stone Hooty, which she set at the masked witch.

The Captain had certainly earned her unique helmet, as she was able to expertly dodge the bird-tube and shatter the stone, reforming it into a loosely-bound boulder that she hurled at the Owl Lady. Eda stood her ground, and reduced the boulder to gravel. A transmutation spell turned the airborne gravel into a ring of lava that orbited the wild witch, keeping the Captain from getting close.

The Captain’s response was to make the snow below Eda surge up, knocking her off balance and quenching the lava. The Owl Lady caught herself in the air on Owlbert, and sent down a fury of lightning bolts. The Captain spun her spear, catching the electricity like a lightning rod, then sending it back.

Eda flash-stepped to the side, then dove down, striking with the butt of Owlbert’s staff to make the ground quake beneath them.

The Captain froze the snow around her feet to anchor herself, and summoned an abomination to tackle the wild witch.

She was not prepared for a pair of jaws clamping around her leg.

The Captain screamed as King bit down, losing focus on her abomination and breaking her anchors as she tried to dislodge him. King let go, just in time for another stone Hooty to shoot from the ground and catch the Captain squarely in the back, sending her flying.

The Captain landed in the snow with a grunt, before huffing as she stood back up.

She was not prepared for the boot catching her mask and knocking it clean off, throwing her head back in the process.

The mask with six eye holes landed beak-first in the snow.

The coven witch glared at Eda, heterochromic purple and orange eyes gleaming hatefully. A strand of straw blonde hair peeked out from under her cowl as she bared her fangs, cheeks flush red with anger.

“Argh, you hag.” The Captain hissed. “I’m going to deliver your head to the Emperor myself.”

Eda barely had time to react as the Captain rushed forward, lashing out with her spear. The Owl Lady dodged to the side, but the blade of the spear nicked her arm, drawing blood.

The Captain gave a triumphant, mad laugh. “Ha! Lilith couldn’t scratch you in decades, but I, Lyra Irongrove, have drawn first blood from the Owl Lady!”

The cut closed on its own, the only remnant being the damage to her coat. Eda cracked her knuckles and stretched her neck, preparing for round two.

Lyra stepped forward imperiously, her confidence shifting to terror a second before she left the ground again, a Thorn Vault ascending beneath her foot. 

King’s laugh echoed across the snow.

With a scream and a muffled whump sound, Lyra returned to the ground, leaving a perfect outline in the snow.

Eda was too busy cackling herself to notice the coven witch climb from her crater and bolt at her, tackling the wild witch to the ground.

Standing over her, Lyra pointed her spear at Eda’s throat.

“It’s over Owl Lady.” Lyra growled.

Her look of victory was wiped away by a burst of crimson magic splashing over her back. Her expression went slack, and she slumped to the side, out cold.

“Tch, what a warlock.” Eda shook her head.

King helped Eda back to her feet, and pulled out a plant glyph to tie up Captain Irongrove, allowing Eda to drag her along to where Raine had intercepted her scouts.

The three scouts had been no match for the greatest Bard on the Boiling Isles, and had been thoroughly incapacitated, tied up together with frost-cling vines for good measure.

Eda smiled as she dropped Captan Irongrove at their feet. “That’s half of Kikimora’s party down.” 

“So what are we going to do with them?” Raine asked.

“Bury them alive!” King suggested.

“Morbid, but…” Eda scratched her chin, before weaving her magic and forming a small igloo over the four unconscious coven witches. She then conjured a red flag with an owl insignia and planted it on top of the dome.

“There we go!” Eda brushed the metaphorical dust from her hands. “Let’s hope our kids haven’t had this much trouble.”

“Our kids, Eda?” Raine gave her a wry smile.

Eda blushed, and spun around. “You know what I mean!”

The wild witch cast a wayfinding spell, and began following the trail.

Raine followed behind, while King laughed.

“Luz?” Amity called. “LUZ!?”

Amity smacked her palm against her forehead, and cast another wayfinding spell, following it deeper into the city, toward the center.

At the center of the cavern, directly beneath the artificial sun, there was a structure that could only be a temple.

A temple that had seen better days. A large chunk of the outer wall had been blasted down, and the main entrance was mostly blocked by rubble, which the wayfinding spell pointed through.

Sighing, Amity pulled off her gloves for better traction, and began to climb. After several exhausting minutes, Amity made it over the rubble and landed on the other side. Continuing to follow the spell, she made her way further into the temple, until coming to a stop with a gasp.

The room was some sort of amphitheater, or a ritual chamber. The center of the room was depressed, while the walls were ringed with tiers of stone benches. The room had a dome-like ceiling with an oculus that channeled the light of the orb above down to a stone circle engraved with runes. In the four cardinal directions, there were smaller stone circles, connected to the central circle by raised channels. Luz was kneeling in front of one of the smaller circles, carving something inside it.

As Amity approached, she noticed that the inside of the smaller circles were filled with a glittery, sapphire-blue sand. She noticed that carved into the northernmost circle was the plant glyph. To the east was the fire glyph, and to the west was the ice glyph. Luz was kneeling at the south circle, and stood up, turning around and giving Amity a glimpse of her face.

Her expression was blank, as though in a trance. Her pupils were dilated, embers of yellow, blue, green, and red swirling within.

“Luz?” Amity reached out. 

Luz did not notice her, walking to the middle circle and stepping inside it. As soon as she was fully inside the ring, it lit up like an inverted painbow.

The light flowed like water down the channels, in turn causing the glyphs to activate. Crystalline spires of the four elements burst from the glyphs. Light shone like a star. Ice gleamed like fresh icicles after Blizzard Night. Fire roiled in a rhythm like a heartbeat. Plant shimmered like glowwort orchids in bloom.

Amity felt a wave of magic wash over her, and looked around to see the stands around the chamber packed with spectral, hooded figures. As one, they pulled down their hoods.

Amity gasped as she realized every one of the spirits had round ears. Human ears. 

The spirits began chanting in a language that Amity could not understand.

Luz pulled something from her coat, and allowed it to hover up in front of her, until it rose over her head and Amity stared in shock.

It was the Galdorstone they had found. Luz had taken it while Amity had slept, and it seemed to be a component in the ritual.

The Galdorstone caught the light, and the light became almost tangible.

Streams of magic shot from the tops of the spires to strike the Galdorstone, refracted down like a prismic mirror.

Luz rose within the pillar of light, arms and wings splayed. The Galdorstone rose with her, still above her head.

The chanting reached a crescendo, the light glowing brighter and brighter.

Silence, like a held breath.

Then Luz screamed, and a wave of iridescent power lashed out.

The torrent of magic subsided, and Luz lay slumped within the circle.

“Luz!” Amity shouted, finding the energy to rush to her friend’s side.

Luz groaned, and her eyes fluttered open. Glowing, amber-brown irises with midnight black sclera stared back.

Eda, Raine, and King stood in a surprisingly warm cave. The wayfinding spell had not led them astray, and they had found the nest that the Emperor’s Coven was after. Within a ring of rough stones, three large eggs sat clustered together on a bed of warm moss.

Eda knelt over the nest, holding an ear to the eggs.

“They haven’t frozen yet, at least. Though the moss is about to die, so they can’t stay here.” Eda gestured to the nest.

The eggs were oblong, with a smooth texture, like hardened leather. They were an opalescent earthy brown, shot through with red vein-like patterns.

“I can take these to a healer to look them over, then drop them off with Tria and Ivy.” Eda explained, as she tucked the eggs into her mane.

“Are you sure that’s safe?” Raine asked.

King chimed in. “There’s no place cozier than the inside of Eda’s hair. Believe me, I’ve fallen asleep in there more times than I care to count.”

Eda finished securing the eggs, and stood back up.

“Mission accomplished.” She declared. “Now let’s round up the kids and get out of the cold.”

Raine nodded, and they left the cave.

Of course their luck ran out, and they found themselves surrounded by the full party of Coven Scouts, led by Kikimora and Lyra.

Eda summoned Owlbert, and Raine their violin. King pulled a few glyphs from under his kerchief. All of them were ready to fight for their lives.

They were not ready for a Mama Slitherbeast to body-slam the Coven Scouts, sending the leaders into the nearest snow bank while the scouts screamed in frantic terror. King drew a glyph in the snow, and the remaining coven witches were launched into the air, landing far away. 

“How’d you do that?” Eda asked King, astonished.

“I saw the glyph in the snowflakes.” He answered.

Eda could not be more proud of her son.

From atop the Slitherbeast, the BATTs waved.

“Can we keep her?” Amber asked.

Eda laughed, while Raine let out a tired sigh.

As Lyra tried to get back up, Eda hit her with her most powerful sleep spell.

“We can’t keep the Slitherbeast, Wings.” Eda told Amber, making sure to use the agreed-upon codenames for the BATTs.

“Aww.” Amber groaned, but the BATTs hopped off the Slitherbeast’s back, Katya ‘accidentally’ landing on Kikimora. The Slitherbeast grunted, sniffed Eda, and shuffled into the now-unoccupied cave.

A swift set of spells trapped Kikimora and Lyra in another igloo.

Eda placed her hands on her hips. “Well, that’s them taken care of.”

“Miss Owl Lady!” The voice of the twins cut through the wind. The Blight Twins ran up, waving their arms to get her attention.

“Of course it wouldn’t be that simple.” Eda sighed.

“Mittens and Luz are in trouble!” Emira exclaimed.

“They fell into some sort of underground ruins.” Edric elaborated.

“Where did they fall?” Eda said, focusing on the new crisis at hand. “Are they hurt?”

“I don’t think they’re hurt, but they are trapped down there.” Emira answered.

“Let’s get them out before they do get hurt.” Raine ordered.

“Those ruins have been abandoned for centuries. How much trouble could they get into?” Edric asked.

“Luz?” Amity asked. Those glowing eyes refocused, and blinked.

“Amity?” Luz groaned. “Are you okay? What happened?”

“Am I okay? I should be asking you that question.” Amity replied incredulously. Luz had been the one screaming in pain and she was worried about Amity’s safety first. “You went into some kind of trance, and performed some sort of ritual using your glyphs.” She didn’t need to mention yet the spectral audience she had seen.

“Oh.” Luz said distantly, before meeting her gaze. “I’m sorry I scared you. I just…heard this music. It must have been in my head.” She waved her hand around next to her hand, and gasped when she noticed the fur. She held her hands in front of her, and gasped.

“Weh!?” Her right hand now matched the left, covered in that thick, dark fur, with segmented bony claws forming her fingers. She could also feel the fur brushing against the inner lining of her coat, telling her that the fur went to her shoulders.

“That’s…not all.” Amity pulled out a compact mirror. Luz looked at her reflection, and her shock gave way to curiosity, as both she and Amity noticed more changes to her face.

Her ears were no longer entirely round, now pointed at the tips like a witch. Her hair had also grown out more, spilling to her shoulders halfway between shagginess and curls. A pair of horns had also emerged from her skull, with a subtle s-curve as they swept up and back.

“Whoa.” Luz said breathlessly, before she felt something brush against the ground behind her. Luz twisted to look back.

“I have a tail!” She exclaimed. A bushy, cat-like tail with the same dark fur as her arms and a mint-green tip swayed behind her.

Amity helped Luz to her feet, the hybrid much steadier on her feet than Amity would have thought.

Luz looked up, and her pupils narrowed to cat-like slits under the bright light that shone down.

Then they heard a set of familiar voices calling their names. They looked back down and noticed the hazy purple line of magic leading to them.

“Luz? Mittens? Are you okay!?” Emira called.

“We’re in here!” Amity called back.

There was a rumbling of grinding stone, and then seven witches and two demons rushed into the room.

“Luz!” Eda, King, and Raine exclaimed.

“Mittens!” Edric and Emira shouted, tackling Amity in a hug.

“Luz! What happened? Why do you look even more awesome?” King asked.

“And what is this place?” Derwin asked in awe.

“I think…I think this is where witches came to be.” Amity theorized.

“WHAT!?”

“Wait, I think I’ve heard some legends of this place.” Katya mused aloud. “It was said that the first witches had to call on the Titan’s favor to gain their magic.”

Eda corroborated her theory. “And I’ve heard suggestions that the first witches were humans, who arrived long ago and eventually adapted to the magic of the Isles.”

“Eda’s right.” Amity said. Taking a deep breath, she took a leap of faith. “Luz performed some sort of ritual, and I saw a bunch of spirits in the stands. They all had human ears.”

Eda looked both vindicated, and more smug than she had any right to be.

“What’s that look?” Raine asked Eda.

“Just realizing that my apprentice helped discover a revolutionary historical site before my history nerd of a sister.” Eda said with a grin.

“Wait, if the ritual turned humans into witches, then…” Luz held up a finger. Sparks formed at the tip of her claw, and she began trying to draw a circle in the air.

Raine and Eda both took hold of her wrist, guiding the motion.

“Concentrate.” Raine encouraged.

“Think of what you want.” Eda chimed in.

Luz completed the spell circle, a ring of golden yellow and midnight purple, which collapsed into a ball of light. The light spell hovered in front of Luz, a glyph reflected in her pupils.

Amity tackled Luz with a hug.

“Luz, that’s amazing!” The two spun around. Then Amity realized what she had done and broke the hug with an embarrassed blush.

“Were we ever that bad?” Eda whispered to Raine, who gave her a ‘so-so’ gesture.

Eda clapped. “Okay, as astounding as all this is, we ought to get out of the cold and back to Bonesborough.”

Luz nodded, and they slowly filed out of the ritual chamber, then the city, using their Palismen and Luz’ wings to leave the way they came.

As Luz hovered in the air above the Knee, she looked to the Titan’s skull.

“Thank you.” Her voice carried on the wind.

“Why didn’t you bring this to me sooner?” Ulvana asked, gesturing to Buho, who squirmed on her exam table.

“I’ve been busy.” Eda crossed her arms. “Is there anything wrong with them?” She asked.

Ulvana shook her head. “They’re in perfect health.” She looked Eda square in the eye. “They’re also an Ur-Demon.”

Eda’s eyes went wide, and her arms fell to her sides.

Luz looked confused, while King looked excited. “What’s an Ur-Demon?”

King answered first. “Ur-Demons are some of the most powerful demons ever! They’re the first demons to emerge from a Titan’s decaying flesh, and have the most potent magic because of it.” 

Ulvana looked at him impressed. “Not bad, kid.” She summoned a lollipop for the demon, who took it with a cry of “Yes! Vindication!”

“In the case of Buho here, and by extension, your Owl Beast, that magic is infused throughout the entire body, allowing them to heal from most wounds, and reattach severed body parts, including the head.” Ulvana lectured. “From what you told me and my own study, it’s most likely that what your curse did was corrupt the Owl Beast’s magic with a Binding, not unlike how Coven Sigils restrict magic and can be extended to restrict the entire body.”

“So Belos isn’t just sealing people’s magic, but also making it so he can turn any witch into a prisoner of their own body!?” Luz asked with disgust. 

Ulvana nodded somberly.

“Speaking of, there’s a favor I would like to ask of you, Luz.” Ulvana kneeled to Luz’ level, and undid the clasps on her bracer. 

“I’ve been told your claws can undo the Coven Sigils.”

There, on Ulvana’s wrist, was the winged triangle and sword of the Emperor’s Coven.

Luz pressed her thumb against the sigil, and focused on the magic flowing into and within her. She could see the tendrils spreading from the sigil, running down her veins. She brought her magic to the tip of her claw, and there was a flash of violet light.

When the light faded and Luz moved her claw, there was no sign of the coven sigil, or the tendrils of its influence.

“May I?” Ulvana gestured. Luz nodded, and found herself the recipient of a grateful hug.

Eda looked on proudly.

Hunter cast off his mask and cloak the second the door to his room clicked shut. His cuirass followed seconds later once he undid the buckles. His staff was tossed onto the bed without looking as he made a firebeeline to his bathroom.

 A wave of pain wracked through his body, and he quickly downed the vial of viscous, glowing green potion he had been given. It tasted of metal and chlorophyll, but it immediately washed away the pain. Looking in the mirror, he saw his scars visibly recede. The only side effect he’d noted so far was that in addition to healing injury, it also accelerated the growth of his hair, which now threatened to touch his shoulders.

He tied his hair back into a ponytail.

Belos didn’t let him cut his own hair himself.

Hunter met his reflection’s gaze.

He had betrayed his fellow Coven Scout, who had been operating on Belos’ orders.

Belos always told him the Titan had big plans for him.

Hunter knew what his uncle’s curse was like now.

That insatiable, rotting hunger.

Hunter plucked the flower buds that had grown out of the back of his hand.

Belos’ curse was all-consuming. Only a few weeks of hosting a fragment of that parasite had nearly consumed Hunter’s mind.

How much of his uncle was left?

The Titan had big plans for him.

Hunter couldn’t save Nil, couldn’t risk contacting the others, but he could protect her legacy.

The Titan had big plans for him.

Chapter Text

Inspector Beatrix Diligence checked her itinerary for the week. With the new semester starting, the Emperor’s Coven was sending her to ensure the magic schools were acting in compliance to the Emperor’s Will. Hexside has also filed a request for additional funding, citing a need for repairs following an incident involving a Briarvine plant. Gladnus, meanwhile, was asking for more funding for their Grudgby team, blaming inadequate training for their loss in the prior season, as well as requesting funds to overhaul their detention pit.

As she strode down the road to Glandus, the imposing edifice of the Emperor’s Castle gazing over the horizon, Beatrix got the feeling that she was being watched.

Summoning an oracle spirit, she had the bandaged specter fly through the bony rocks and scattered vegetation, searching for what could be inhabiting the desolate landscape so close to the seat of the Emperor’s power.

The spirit didn’t return, and her oracle stone went dark.

A shiver of fear ran down her spine, and she cast a wave of fire around her. The fire splashed harmlessly off the stones, leaving a faint scorch mark.

“Must’ve run off.” She muttered to herself, before turning around to continue her march. She promptly found a shadow towering over her, her eyes going wide at the baleful blue gaze looking down at her with hunger.

A maw filled with short, sharp fangs opened wide, dripping oily gray ichor.

Beatrix cast a spell circle, and the demon inhaled.

Beatrix felt her strength leave her, wisps of blue tearing from her skin and down the creature’s gullet.

She felt her head hitting the ground, and knew no more.

A clawed hand picked up the clipboard the Inspector had been carrying, the dull scales shifting into a gloved witch hand. Affixing the bronze badge to her breast, the Basilisk known as Nil continued down the road.

The Inspector had sated her hunger, but not for long. That gnawing, creeping hunger was all she could think of, and it took all her remaining willpower to keep her form solid.

She needed magic, and a lot of it.

Luz held up a light spell, piercing the gloom backstage in Hexside’s auditorium, appropriately called the Paranoratorium. In front of her, Eda and Raine were in front of her.

“I-I’m not ready for this. Maybe we should go back.” Luz felt her anxiety spike.

“Every witchlet goes through this. And I may not be one for tradition, but this is a valuable right of passage. You don’t have to be perfect, just show them what you’ve got. Heck, I practically blew myself into the rafters, and I still made it in.” Eda assured.

“You’ve got this, Luz.” Raine put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Luz wrapped her claws around her necklace to center herself, taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly.

“Thanks, Ren.”

“Knock ‘em dead, kid.” Eda gave her an encouraging swat.

Luz stumbled through the thick curtain onto the stage, flaring her wings to regain her balance.

Principle Bump looked up from his clipboard. He was the only person in the audience. Luz took some comfort in that fact.

“So, Miss…Noceda, correct?” Luz nodded. 

“I’ve been told you have an unconventional means of performing magic, to make up for the lack of a bile sac.” Bump said, gesturing with his pencil.

Luz did not care to elaborate on the fact that her recent metamorphosis in Patellans had given her heart an extra chamber that acted like a bile sac. Pulling out her glyph cards, Luz began her demonstration.

“When I first came to the Boiling Isles, I thought I was entirely human, and it was said that humans couldn’t do magic. But then I discovered a lost technique to harness the magic of the Isles themselves.”

Luz tapped her light glyph, holding the shining beacon aloft.

“Behold! The power of glyph magic!”

“Spells cast with paper?” Bump’s eyes were wide. “How intriguing.”

Luz used her glyphs to summon a platform of ice, a bouquet of flowers, and a fireball that she juggled in tandem with her light spell.

“But wait, there’s more!” Luz threw herself into her showmanship. “For I discovered the ritual by which the first witches gained their magic.” 

Drawing a spell circle, Luz turned the miniature sun of her light spell into an orb of orchids, which froze into a snowball, and then ignited into another fireball.

“Weh!” Luz combined her fireballs into one flame, and then Shouted through it, creating a multi-colored jet of fire that flickered over her audience.

Turning her fireball back into a snowball, Luz Shouted again, covering the seats--and Bump--with a layer of powdery snow.

A third “Weh!” sent a scattering of colorful petals over the room, and a fourth Shout created a burst of illusory fireworks.

Then Luz slipped off her platform, the snow breaking her fall while leaving an outline of her splayed wings.

“Too much?” Luz asked sheepishly.

Bump brushed the snow and petals off his shoulders as he stood up.

“You are most certainly Edalyn’s apprentice.” Bump scribbled something on his clipboard.

Luz managed to stand up and take a nervous bow.

“But I can’t say I’m not impressed.” He pulled out a fairly thick handbook which he dropped in Luz’ claws.

“Congratulations, your classes start tomorrow.”

“Ha! I knew you could do it, kid!” Eda burst from behind the curtain, cheering.

“Yes, now if you’d please, somebody needs to clean up the Paranoratorium before tomorrow.” Bump gestured to the melting snow and scattered flower petals.

Eda just gave Luz a proud grin.

“You ready for the big day?” Raine asked as Luz came downstairs, wearing her new Hexside uniform. The sleeves and leggings were a blank off-white, the mark of a new student who had yet to choose a magic track. By some magic, the fabric managed to not catch uncomfortably on her fur. Luz sat down at the kitchen table as Eda served her a griffon egg omelet.

“I’m still a bit nervous.” Luz admitted as she ate. “What if I mess up again?”

“Again?” Raine asked, concerned as they drank their coffee.

“My track record for first impressions at human schools has not been very good.” Luz looked down at her plate.

“Well, you already have friends at Hexside, so you have that going for you.” Eda pointed out. “Besides, you’d be hard-pressed to have a worse first day than me. I got thrown in the Detention Pit my first day, which is something you won’t have to deal with.”

“You’re right, I guess.” Luz felt a little less nervous.

Raine stood up. “Unfortunately, I can’t see you off. I still have to at least act like a loyal Coven member.” They ruffled Luz’ hair and gave Eda a kiss on the cheek as they left.

“Oh, and Luz? Don’t forget your backpack.” They reminded her before Hooty closed the door.

After clearing the table, Eda offered to fly Luz to Hexside. Luz acquiesced, and made sure to grab her backpack before she joined her, grunting at the surprising weight. She was used to a heavy backpack after her first day, not before it.

The flight to Hexside was quite short, considering that it was within decent walking distance of the Owl House, but it was the thought that counted, in Luz’ eyes.

Her Mama had made sure to drive Luz to school on her prior first days.

Eda landed Owlbert outside Hexside, and Luz gripped the straps on her backpack for confidence. “You’ve got this, kid.” Eda assured her again. “And hey, if this whole school thing doesn’t work out, it’s not the end of the world.” The wild witch shrugged.

“One more thing.” Eda said, causing Luz to turn back. Eda leaned in close and whispered.

“Don’t tell Bumpikins, but there are still a few of my greatest works still around. Keep those senses of yours peeled for transparent graffiti, and if you’re in a pinch, just draw a square with a keyhole on the nearest chalkboard.” Eda ruffled Luz’ hair one last time before taking off.  

With a wistful sigh, Luz braced herself and turned toward the path to Hexside. A number of students arrived on enchanted brooms, locking them up like bikes--along with a few actual bicycles , while a number of students in Beast-Keeper orange made their entrance on ratworms, snorses, unicorns, or various flying demons, including at least one griffon being flown by a girl in gray.

Luz was pulled from her observations by Amity walking up to her, an abomination carrying her books.

“Hey Luz!” Amity greeted. “Congrats on getting in. I knew you’d have no problems getting in after the whole…thing in Patellans.” She whispered the last part.

“Thanks Amity!” Luz barely blushed this time. “Up top!”

Amity reciprocated the high-five. Unfortunately, so did her abomination, giving Luz a gooey slap to the face.

“Oops, sorry.” Amity helped her get the muck off her face. “I’m…still getting the hang of mental commands.” 

“So how did your exam go?” Luz asked. “Did you beat the Twins’ score?”

Amity smiled smugly. “My teachers were very impressed by my repertoire of spells.”

“Well, I guess I’ll see you in class then.” Luz shrugged cheerfully.

“Yeah…” Amity walked off, only just keeping her own blush in check.

Luz sighed dreamily.

“Wow, my first day at Hexside. A chance to truly become the witch of my dreams.”

“Dream on!” A voice shouted from behind her head.

“King?” Luz asked. The demon in question popped out of her backpack and poked her cheek.

“Boop!” He hopped to the ground.

“So that’s why my bag was so heavy.” Luz realized. “Why were you in my bag, anyway?”

“Hey, you snuck into Hexside, now it’s my turn!” Her brother argued. “And you’re my free ride to the best buffet this side of Bonesborough.” He jumped into a nearby trash can, popping back out with half a doughnut. “The trash cans here are filled with half-eaten gold!”

“And Eda barred you from eating from the trash at home or in the market.” Luz pointed out critically, before relenting.

“Fine, just don’t get sick, or in trouble.” Luz walked away.

“Have a wonderful school day!” King called back.

As Luz approached the front stairs, she noticed her other two friends waiting for her.

“Luz!” Willow and Gus exclaimed.

“Hello, fellow Hexoleos!” Luz greeted with a bow.

“Hello, classmate!” Willow winked, before noticing the changes in her appearance since last they had seen each other.

“Woah, when did this happen?” Willow gestured. 

“Amity invited me to train at the Knee, and we found an ancient witch city and a ritual that gave me witch magic, see?” Luz spun a spell circle with one claw, which summoned an orchid.

“That’s amazing Luz!” Gus exclaimed, throwing an illusory congratulations up.

‘WE SWEAR FEALTY TO YOU, EMPRESS LUZ!’

Luz gave her friend a look.

Gus rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “I may have gone overboard in covering my bases. I made, like, twenty of these.” He threw another illusion up, promising that she’d get it next time, and yet another saying ‘GOODBYE FOREVER!’ Finally, he managed to find one appropriate for the situation.

‘CONGLATURATIONS! NEW CLASSMATE!’

Luz chuckled at the typo, before Willow gestured to the banners framing the footpath. “So, do you know who those witches are?”

Luz shook her head, though a couple of them seemed familiar.

“Those are the heads of the main nine covens. Each one excelled at a magic school like Glandus, St. Epiderm, and, of course, Hexside.”

“Oh yeah, I saw a couple of them back at the Covention. Mason’s the Construction Coven, right? And Beast-Keeping is…Eberwolf?”

Willow nodded. “So, new classmate, are you prepared to enter these hallowed halls?”

“That’s what I’m about to find out.” Luz ascended the stairs. “See you guys on the other side!”

Luz remembered the way to the principal’s office from her last visit with Eda. She knocked on the solid pine door.

“It’s open!” Principal Bump called. He was looking at some news report on the crystal ball, and muttering about the latest grudgby season being a forfeit.

“Hiya, Princy-B! Can I call you that?” Luz greeted.

“Absolutely not.” Bump shot down.

“Eda would be disappointed if I didn’t at least try.” Luz shrugged.

“Indeed.”

Bump cleared his throat. “Now, as today is the first day of the semester, we’ll be visited by a member of the Emperor’s Coven for a routine inspection and fiscal assessment. If we want to impress them, you’ll need to have joined a coven track before they arrive.”

Luz pulled out a scroll that she and Eda had compiled the night after they got home from the Knee. “Actually, Principal Bump, I was hoping I could use my own schedule. For first period, I was thinking Vet Care for Mythical Beasts, then Healing and Dealing, followed by…”

Bump gave a caustic laugh. “Studying multiple tracks at once? No one does that.”

“Then I’ll be the first.” Luz countered.

“I should clarify.” Bump held up a thick rule book with the sigil of the Emperor’s Coven printed on the black leather of the cover. “No one is allowed to study multiple tracks. According to Coven doctrine, a good witch needs to hocus-focus. Every witch learns in one of the nine tracks, no more.”

“No wonder Eda says the Coven Scouts don’t know how to use any of their magic.” Luz muttered bitterly. Bump heard her, and looked like he had just bitten into an especially sour lemon.

“Be that as it may, these are the rules, and you do not want to embarrass me in front of the inspector. I’m already acting in defiance of the coven system thanks to your actions during the Abomination Incident, and we cannot afford any slip-ups.”

Luz filed away that factoid for later. “But all the tracks are so cool.” Luz sank into her seat.

Bump sighed. “If I may? You demonstrated some sort of sound-based magic during your entrance exam, and I saw you perform sonic transmutation during your duel with Miss Blight. You’d be a good fit for the Bard track.”

A small smile crossed Luz’ face. “At least Ren will be happy.” She sighed.

Principal Bump drew a spell circle, and her uniform changed color. The gray of the tunic darkened, and the sleeves and leggings turned a rich red.

“Your student guidebook will have your class schedule and map.” Luz stood back up.

“Now, I expect you to be on your best behavior today. Off to class.” Bump waved her off, the door closing behind her.

Pulling out the book in question, Luz followed the guide to her first class, Fundamentals of the Bardic Arts, located on the second floor of the east wing. 

The teacher, whose name was written on the blackboard as ‘Professor Giocoso’. The professor was a faun, with curling, ram-like horns atop his otherwise witch-like head. His hair was slicked back on top, but spilled into an unruly mane around his neck. He wore the black robes typical of Hexside faculty, with red sleeves, red trim, and a harp-like sigil badge denoting his place in the Bard Coven. There was also a rather ornate lyre standing next to the teacher’s desk.

“Ah, Miss Noceda.” Professor Giocoso greeted. “I believe there is an open seat next to Skara.”

Luz took her seat, recognizing her classmate as one of Amity’s ‘friends’. The gray-eyed witch gave her an odd look. Before she could ask anything, Professor Giocoso began his lecture, covering the basics of Bard magic, both for the benefit of the new students and as a refresher for the returning students.

“Bard Magic is one of the oldest forms of magic we know of, pre-dating even what we understand as elemental magic.”

Luz quickly pulled out a notebook and began taking notes, jotting down both the professor’s words and her own musings about her recent encounter with early witch-kind and their magic.

“When using Bard Magic, we are calling upon the very Breath of the Titan, by manipulating the vibrations that all objects possess, we are able to perform spells that many witches in other tracks would be hard-pressed to match.”

Skara looked smug for a moment, before looking conflicted, and focusing on the lecture.

Luz lost track of time listening and taking notes, until the bell screamed for the class to move on.

As the students filed out, Skara got her attention.

“Weh? Oh, Skara, right?” Luz greeted.

“And you’re Luz?” Skara shook her hand. “Okay, I gotta ask: What was the deal with challenging Boscha to a Ratworm race?”

“Ratworm race?” Luz asked, before facepalming in realization. “Urgh, Kiiing.” She groaned, before turning to Skara. “That wasn’t me, that was my brother, King. There was a bet involving a body swap….”

Skara raising a hand. “Say no more. Spending an hour as a Coven Guard was…not pleasant.”

“Heh, yeah…” Luz rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly. “Anyway, maybe we could start over here?”

“Fine.” Skara began making her way to her next class, Luz following after checking her own schedule.

Skara froze as she thought of something. “Wait, Luz…as in Luzura?” Skara spun on Luz.

“Where did you hear that?” Luz asked.

Skara summoned a familiar book. “ Ruler’s Reach, Luzura’s Light is my favorite book!”

“Oh, my gosh.” Luz said, realizing she was dealing with a fan of her work. “Yeah, King and I worked hard on that.”

Skara’s eyes went wide. “Can you sign my book?” She held open her copy. Luz gingerly signed it.

“Oh my Titan this is the best thing ever!” Skara squeed.

The bard student collected herself. “I can’t believe I’m classmates with one of the authors of my favorite book! What’s next, you’re secretly the daughter of Raine Whispers?”

“Who told you?” Luz blurted out. Her eyes went wide at the same time Skara’s did.

In the Bonesborough Market District, Eda winced at the high note that set her ears ringing.

“Teesh, I didn’t think a witch could make that sound.” Eda massaged her strained ear. 

Luz rubbed at her ear, glad that her eardrums were still somehow intact.

She was saved from further conversation by the bell screaming again, a warning for them both to get to class.

Her second class for the day was Orchestral Symphonics, where Luz was introduced to the wide variety of instruments that Hexside had to offer its Bard students. As a newcomer to the track, Luz had her pick of instruments while the teacher tried to find the instrument that would fit her best.

She quickly found her limits on what instruments she could effectively play. Most string instruments were out, on account of her claws. The teacher, a blue-skinned demon with a rhino-like horn and a white powdered wig, noted that it would be possible to commission a version with reinforced strings, but it was outside of their budget.

When Luz pointed out that her own experience using Bard Magic was through her voice or by whistling, she had been given a simple bone flute that she was able to demonstrate a basic scale on.

The rest of the class was spent learning how to properly care for her instrument, and getting the hang of playing an arpeggio.

After class was a short break, and Luz found herself wandering the halls while she studied her schedule. She was not particularly keen on Music Beyond Death.

Luz noticed an Oracle student with a crescent-like head put a crystal ball on a rack. Another student bumped the rack, knocking the crystal ball to the ground. The ball rolled until it hit Luz’ foot, and she picked it up.

The manifestation of ectoplasm and post-mortal consciousness appeared in front of Luz, a transparent purple specter wrapped in bandages like a mummy with one exposed glowing eye.

“You will be in trouble very soon.” The spirit predicted.

“Wait, what?” Luz asked, as she felt a towering presence behind her.

“Ahem!” Principal Bump glared.

Luz carefully put the crystal ball back.

“But I wasn’t studying any other magic! It was an accident!” Luz pleaded as Bump led her down the hall.

“Be that as it may, we can’t afford a single slip-up.” Bump responded as he opened a door to a room that had bars on all the windows, and three other students looking miserable.

“What is this place?” Luz asked.

“Where all the troublemakers go now, the detention track.” Bump answered, as another spell circle left her sleeves and leggings a dull gray.

“With the Detention Pit shut down by the PCA, I’ve had to figure out an alternative. Leave it up to the PCA to do something and leave me to come up with solutions.” He grumbled the last part.

“Perhaps you can try again next year.” Principal Bump turned and left.

Luz sulked to her desk. As she sat down, she tried to muster her normal enthusiasm. “Hello, fellow detentioners. Room for one more?”

Her attempt at levity went ignored.

“I like the little spikeys in your hair.” Luz complemented the witch nearest to her, her messy brown hair tied in a bun by a spiked orange scrunchie.

“Hey! You all better be quiet, unless you want to scrub the classroom again.” The supervisor warned as he looked up from his scroll, a blue-skinned witch with three pairs of red eyes behind three pairs of glasses, snow white hair, and a bushy white mustache.

“Hey, don’t blame any of them.” Luz stood back up. “I was the one who started talking.”

“Oh, hurray, a hero.” The monitor drolled, drawing a spell circle that conjured a mop and bucket in Luz’ hands.

“Ah, farts.” Luz groaned as she marched off.

She did not notice the girl she had tried to talk to smile in her direction.

King was thoroughly enjoying his first time sneaking into Hexside. The trash can next to the teacher’s lounge was a particular goldmine of discarded pastries. He’s even found half a box of perfectly good doughnuts!

A shuffling sound nearby got his attention, and he poked his head out of the trash can before yelping at the sight that caught his eye. Ducking back down, he watched the pair of guards shuffled past, their stitched-shut eyes and upside down skull masks looking creepy even to King. The leathery ears and hands holding giant shepherd’s crooks were suitably intimidating, but it was their gait that was most disconcerting. He had not seen any witch or demon move like they did, but it felt eerily familiar.

King’s eyes widened as he remembered what had moved like that: The construct of stone-like bone and mud-like flesh that had taken care of him before Eda had found him.

Had someone found more of them? Or recreated whatever magic had brought it to life? King did not have time for such questions, as the guards were sniffing the air in the hallway. 

“Trouble.” One of them hissed, head swinging toward King’s hiding place.

The demon shifted himself as far out of sight as he could, and held his breath.

The guard passed directly over the trash can, still sniffing, before shuffling off, its counterpart in tow.

As soon as the coast was clear, King scrambled out of the trash can and focused on a way to keep the guards from finding him again.

“Think, King, think.” King wracked his memory. “What did Eda tell Luz about getting out of trouble?” 

A light went off in his head as he remembered. “That’s it!” King hurried to the nearest wall and traced a square out on the drywall, followed by a keyhole. The outline he drew lit up, and he hooked a claw in the keyhole to open the hidden door.

Closing the door behind him, King marveled at the mess of doors around a spiraling walkway and a circular atrium at the bottom. A number of windows were also scattered about, providing natural light.

Curling up in an especially inviting sunbeam, King settled in for a nap.

Luz sighed as she polished the window bars, ignoring the whistling snores of the detention monitor.

“Luz!” She heard Willow’s voice call out from outside. She looked up to see Willow and Gus.

“Oh, my gosh! I missed you guys so much.” Luz exclaimed.

“What’s going on?” Gus asked. “We didn’t see you in any classes, and Amity told us Skara didn’t see you after second period.”

“Principle Bump put me in the detention track for mixing magic.” Luz groused.

“The detention track? You can’t do anything in there.” said Willow.

“You’ll learn less than you did before.” Gus pointed out.

Luz sighed and hung her head. “I thought I was better than this. Just once I was hoping to not screw up and ruin my first day at a new school.”

Willow and Gus gave each other a look of conviction.

“Don’t worry, we’ll get you out of there, dead or alive!” Gus almost shouted.

Willow gave him a withering look and shook her head.

“Okay. Alive.” Gus corrected.

“Aw, you guys….” Luz’ heart melted at her friends’ support of her.

The squeak of a chair caught Luz’ ear and cut the conversation short.

“Whoops, that’s the teacher. Gotta go!” Luz ended the discussion, leaving Willow and Gus to continue on their way while she turned around, finding herself face-to-face with the girl she had tried to talk to earlier.

“Weh!” Luz gasped. “It’s you!”

The girl shushed her, pointing to the still-sleeping detention monitor, before gesturing for Luz to follow her.

The green-eyed witch drew a square on the chalkboard, with a keyhole in the center. Turning the chalk like a key, the square glowed and swung open as a door, revealing a dark stone corridor.

“Whoa.” Luz breathed.

The witch climbed through, offering Luz a hand to help her follow. Luz had to tuck her wings in close to fit. The square closed behind her, leaving a wooden trapdoor.

“Weh, what is this place?” Luz asked in wonder.

“The last room you’ll see alive.” The witch said with a severe look, which quickly shifted to a laugh. “Nah, just messing with ya. I’m Viney.” Viney greeted.

“I’m terrified. I mean...I’m Luz.” Luz replied.

“Thanks for standing up for us back there.” Viney said. “Not many people would do that for a stranger.”

Viney turned and waved. “Follow me! I wanna show you something. You’re one of us troublemakers now, so you get special access to the Secret Room of Shortcuts!” Viney swung open the larger door at the end of the corridor, revealing the tower-like room.

“Weh? This is impressive.” Luz looked around in awe.

“Hey, Jerbo! Barcus! You can stop hiding now!” Viney called up.

From one of the mismatched doors, the other two detention trackers appeared.

“How do we know she’s cool, man?” The taller witch asked. “How do we know she won’t turn us in? What do you think, Barcus?” He turned to the bespectacled dog-like demon at his side.

Barcus gave an approving bark.

“Huh, Barcus says your aura shines like the stars, with the bright silliness of a baby’s laughter.” Jerbo translated. “Welcome!”

“Weh? What’s all the ruckus?”

All eyes turned to the demon who made his presence known.

“King!?” Luz exclaimed. “What are you doing here?”

“I was taking a nap after escaping from those weird guard things.” King gave an adorable yawn.

“Hey, how did you find this place?” Jerbo asked pointedly.

“I just remembered Mom’s advice about what to do in a pinch.” King answered, pointing to a small square door near the floor.

Luz gave her brother a look before allowing him to climb on her shoulder.

“Wait, where do all these doors lead?” She asked, opening a door at random.

The other side of the door was part of the lockers, and she spied Amity pacing in the hallway.

“So, you go to the same school now, that doesn’t change anything.” Amity muttered to herself. Luz wisely left her to her thoughts.

“This place connects all over the school.” Viney explained. “We found it after being thrown in the detention track. The witch who made it we only know as Lord Calamity.” She gestured to a portrait on one wall, caked with bright paint splatters and surrounded by signatures.

“They started this troublemaker wall and we added our names in their honor.” Jerbo added.

“Wait, isn't ‘Calamity’ what Raine calls mom?” King asked. Luz’ eyes went wide.

“You’re right.” Luz agreed, walking up to the portrait and clearing the bulk of the paint with a shimmering aura over her hand.

She was greeted with the smug face of a teenage Eda, almost identical to the memory Luz had seen in her memories. Even before her rejection of the Covens, there was a firestorm in her eyes that promised chaos.

“Why am I not surprised?” Luz asked rhetorically.

“I take it you can get up to so much trouble here?” She asked her fellow detention trackers.

“Sure we can.” Viney chuckled. “But we can also do so much more.” She pointed to where Barcus was watching keenly through a door. Luz joined him, and found he was discreetly sitting in on an Oracle class lecture.

“Remember, seeing the end of a life is the beginning of reading a fortune. We have to work backwards from the end of mortality to find the truth of what will become.” The goat-like teacher lectured, while folding a paper fortune teller.

Barcus held up his own fortune teller appraisingly. Luz hopped down to join Viney and Jerbo on the main floor.

“Since we’re not allowed to study any kind of magic, we study every kind of magic in secret.” Viney explained.

“Huh, so you guys actually like school?” King asked, flabbergasted at the idea of teens liking learning (his sister excluded).

“Yeah, well, we might have liked it a bit too much.” Viney began.

Jerbo spoke up. “I tried using plant magic to summon abominations, but I… may have lost control and it made a mess of the greenhouse. Bump was not thrilled with my work.”

“Huh, Eda once mentioned her abominations have a tendency to go wild.” Luz commented. “I am friends with a talented abomination witch, and Willow was in that track before she switched to the plant track, so maybe they can help?”

Jerbo looked at her, stunned at her tacit support. “Anyway…” He collected himself. “Barcus has been experimenting with using potions as a medium for oracle magic. He says it makes clearer predictions - something about tapping into the ‘waters between’, but Mrs. Beaker did not take knowledge of her own mortality well.”

“What about you, Viney?” Luz asked.

“Mixing healing and beast-keeping was slightly unconventional, but Puddles is a great assistant, Titan dang it!” Viney waved emphatically.

“Who’s Puddles?” Luz asked.

“My pet griffin.” Viney pulled out her scroll and showed Luz some photos.

“Oh my gosh she’s so cute.” Luz cooed.

“She is. And I want to heal both people and animals. What’s wrong with that?”

“Wait, you want to be a vet? My Mama is a veterinarian in the Human Realm.” Luz gasped.

“Wait, you’re from the Human Realm?” Jerbo asked.

Luz rubbed the back of her neck. “Yeah. I was born in the Human Realm, and until a few weeks ago thought I was just a weird human. Turns out, I have a human mom, a witch ‘ren, and King and I share a dad.”

“Huh, neat.” Viney noted. “So what are you in here for?” She asked.

“Bump caught me using oracle magic after he sorted me into the bard track.” Luz explained.

King laughed. “Ha, Mom’s going to be so proud of you, getting thrown in detention your first day.”

“Thanks, King.” Luz deadpanned.

“Hey, we all want to be in more than one coven track!” Viney sympathized. “But Bump just says we need to focus.”

“That’s dumb.” King noted critically.

“Sounds like Bump’s priorities are out of whack.” Luz said more diplomatically.

“I’m glad you’re one of us, Luz. You’ve made a great first impression here.” Viney pulled out a marker. “Care to add your name to the troublemaker wall?”

“Aw, thank you!” Luz reached for the marker, but was interrupted by the sound of Willow’s voice calling through the door to the detention room.

“Luz? We’re here to get you out of that horrible class.”

Three pairs of eyes turned on Luz.

“Eh, they’re probably looking for some other Luz.” Her lie was less than convincing.

Viney stood up and peeked through the trapdoor.

“Maybe she already booked it?” Gus suggested. “She did say she was better than this place?”

Viney closed the door, her expression once again severe. “Oh, you think you’re better than us?” She asked accusingly.

“That’s not what I said.” Luz defended. “I just thought-”

“J’accuse!” Jerbo pointed. “I should’ve known you’d look down on us. Everyone else does.”

Barcus sneezed disapprovingly. 

“Hey, let her speak!” King shouted, silencing everyone with the commanding tone.

“Thank you, King.” Luz said, touched by her brother coming to her defense. “I just thought I was better than getting thrown in detention on my first day of school…again. Just once I was hoping I’d avoid screwing up.” Her wings closed tighter around her, trying to make herself smaller.

King nuzzled Luz’ cheek, while giving the two witches and fellow demon a withering glare.

“Oh.” Viney said, averting her gaze in shame. “I’m sorry. I guess…I’m just sick of people thinking they’re better than anyone else just because they think they deserve it.”

“But that’s not who you are, isn’t it?” 

Luz nodded. “I just want to learn magic like you guys. All that ‘one witch, one coven’ stuff is just a bunch of baloney. My mentor is the most powerful witch on the Boiling Isles, and your idol, and she’s the biggest magic mixer of them all!”

Luz pointed across the room to Eda’s portrait.

“Here! Here!” Jerbo cheered.

“So what do we do about them?” Viney pointed a thumb behind her to the detention room.

“Let me talk to them.” Luz said, poking her head out of the door.

“Thank you, walls.” Willow said as she noticed Luz. “We found a way to get you out to talk to Principal Bump.

“We have an expert disguise!” Gus held up a trash can. “Hop in! It’s even got holes for your gangly teenage legs.”

Luz looked at her friends’ well-meaning intentions. “I appreciate it you guys, but none of the kids here in the detention track deserve to be here. We all just want to learn as much magic as we can. Something’s got to give, but I don’t think I can convince Bump alone.”

“And I think you should stay here until the inspector’s gone.” Luz looked up to see Amity standing in the doorway, before she walked up to Luz.

“You’re right, this whole one-track stuff is garbage, but you can’t risk being seen by the Emperor’s Coven here. Remember the incident at the Knee?” Amity reminded her friend.

“Wait, then why aren’t you avoiding the inspector? You were there too.” Luz pointed out.

“I am a Blight, and still technically Lilith’s apprentice. And I’m also still top student of the abomination track, so I’m obligated to be part of the presentation.” Amity explained, before turning and leaving.

“You guys go on ahead, I’ll meet you after school, and then we all talk to Principal Bump.” Luz told Willow and Gus.

“If you’re sure.” Willow said, uncertain. She and Gus left, and Luz returned to the Secret Room of Shortcuts, idly noting the mop now on the detention monitor’s face, the witch himself still asleep and snoring.

Telling her new friends her plan, they nodded in agreement and newfound hope.

The inspector arrived in the flurry of a blue-tinged cyclone.

“Welcome to Hexside, Inspector Diligence.” Principal Bump greeted from the top of the front stairs.

“Greetings, Principal Bump.” She said with a slight bow. “If everything’s in order, the Emperor’s Coven will be happy to cover the repairs to your facilities.”

“Excellent. Please come this way. We’ve worked hard to prepare a show of some of our finest students.” Principal Bump led the inspector to the Paranoratorium, unable to shake the sense of dread in his gut, or the subtle scent of rotten wood.

Amity was held aloft like a figure skater by her abomination, having finally gotten the hang of mentally commanding complex actions from her creations that morning. Her abomination gently set her down (far more so than any of the abominations Blight Industries produced that she had the misfortune of demonstrating), and she took a deep bow to the applause of Bump and the inspector, her creation mirroring her movement intentionally.

“And that concludes the presentation from the Abomination track.” She said, channeling as much of her ‘mother’s’ showmanship as she comfortably could.

“That was some real Hexside magic, huh?” Principal Bump clapped politely.

“Yes, this is…good.” The inspector hissed. “But let’s see if your student can put up more of a fight!” She stood up, striding to the stage.

“Wait, what?” Bump felt that sense of dread return, as the inspector slammed her hands on the edge of the stage and her form shifted .

Her face grew, her already disconcerting smile stretching to a literal ear-to-ear grin full of sharp, fang-like teeth. Her ears went from the pointed ears of a witch to large, frilled fins. Her glasses hit the stage. Her eyes bugged out, pupils becoming angled figure-eights, set in eyes glowing an unnerving turquoise. A long, serpentine tongue snaked out to lick her lips, an oily gray ichor dripped from her mouth.

“Abomination, fight!” Amity commanded. Her abomination tackled the shapeshifter, who revealed her lower half to be a massive tail, a tattered set of fins on the end. Her skin lost its smooth texture, becoming scaly and gray.

The Greater Basilisk bucked the abomination into the air, and swallowed it whole.

Amity backed away even as the arcanavore towered over her.

“The magic at Gladus High was satisfying, but I hope yours will be more filling.” The inspector said, her voice gaining a spine-chilling undertone.

“Amity, stay back, she’s an imposter!” Principal Bump stood between the Basilisk and Amity, drawing a spell circle.

The Basilisk inhaled, tearing streams of blue from her targets and consuming their magic. Bump collapsed, Amity not far behind him.

With the last of his strength, Principal Bump snapped his fingers, summoning the guards.

“Trouble.” The skull-masked beings announced as they barged into the Paranoratorium.

The Greater Basilisk smashed them down with her tail, then threw them into the air and bit down with a crunch of bone, two bites leaving nothing but tattered cloth and discarded shepherd’s crooks.

The magic-eating serpent slithered through the double doors in search of her next meal.

“Do you feel that?” Luz asked King.

“That spine-chilling dread and visceral sense of wrongness?” King answered. “I feel it too.”

Luz made her way to one of the doors that lead to the hallways, and watched as a massive serpent with arms drained the magic from the Oracle professor.

Willow and Gus screamed.

“More cute morsels!” The demon crooned with a malicious laugh.

“We may be cute, but we’re nobody’s morsels!” Willow shouted back, summoning a massive carnivorous plant. Gus added his own flair with a pair of illusory arms, before Willow launched the botanical warrior at the demon.

The serpent chewed on the plant and swallowed, leaving Willow and Gus to collapse, their magic drained and their skin taking an unhealthy pallor.

Luz felt a protective fury come over her, and she burst from her hiding place to stand tall between the monster and her friends.

“You like eating magic? Well eat this!” Luz pulled out a fire glyph and Shouted through it.

“Weh!”

The monster drank up the flames, and then screamed, clutching at her throat.

“AHGHK! It burns! It burns!” The demon screamed, oily gry ichor spattering the ground as she swung wildly. While the demon was distracted, Luz grabbed Willow and Gus and dragged them into the Secret Room of Shortcuts.

“Guys! We’ve got a massive problem!” Luz shouted.

“What happened to them?” Viney asked as she noticed Willow and Gus’ states.

“Something horrific is loose in the school.” Luz said. Opening another door, they spied the creature draining the magic of the other students, any spells directed against her only serving as a meal.

“Don’t let it see us!” Viney whispered sharply, closing the door. “I think that’s a Greater Basilisk. I heard about them from a class, and my cousin at St. Epiderm said she saw one, but those things should be extinct.”

King’s eyes went wide. “Weh, wait. St. Epiderm, Basilisk, Coven inspector….Oh my Titan!”

“King? What is it?” Luz asked her brother.

“I think that’s Zero!” King exclaimed.

“Who?” Jerbo asked.

“The Emperor’s Coven brought the basilisks back from extinction to study how they drained magic. They escaped, and Zero went to the Knee to hide, but she was recaptured.” King explained.

“How do you know this?” Luz asked.

“While you were with the Blights, I was with Eda tracking down Zero’s eggs before the Emperor’s Coven could.” King continued. “We got them to safety before they could freeze.”

“So, either the Emperor’s Coven knowingly set a demon that eats magic on the schools, or we have a very hungry, very vengeful basilisk attacking our school.” Luz surmised. She turned to her fellow detention trackers. “I’m going to need your help to stop her.”

Jerbo pointed out an issue. “But if Bump catches us mixing magic again--”

“--He’d kick us outta school.” Viney finished.

Luz stood up to her full height. “Hexoleos are out there gettin’ hurt, and we’re the only ones who can save them. We’re troublemakers. We don’t fit the mold. But that’s what makes us awesome. Now let’s get out there and make some trouble. Who’s with me!” Luz raised a clawed fist.

Viney, Jerbo, and Barcus shared a look, before raising their fists (and one paw) in solidarity.

Skara played her harp like her life depended on it while Boscha readied her potions. Against the magic-eating basilisk, her only option was to distract, misdirect, and bolster herself and her friend.

Boscha threw her potion at the basilisk, but the demon was smart, and batted the potion back to its thrower with her tail. Boscha found herself glued to the lockers, unable to stop the demon from draining her magic.

“Boscha!” Skara cried. Her moment of distraction cost her, and the basilisk’s tail caught her in the leg, sending the bard flying.

A blood-curdling scream rang out as the pain registered.

Knees were not supposed to bend that way.

“Hungry! Still Hungry!” The basilisk cried.

A column of ice burst from the ground, knocking the basilisk back.

“From humblest of beginnings, a hero will rise.” Luz said theatrically, a cloak draped around her. “I have trained with a secret society to unlock the power of mixing magic! I am--”

“Dinner!” Zero screamed, charging at Luz. Luz cast off her cloak, a furious beat of her wings sending the garment into her face, setting off the dozens of glyphs lining the inside. The cacophonous explosion of light, plants, ice, and fire launched Zero even further down the hall, where she skidded to a stop, baleful eyes locked on Luz.

While Zero was distracted, Viney emerged from a nearby locker. Kneeling next to Skara, she cast a numbing spell and then reset the broken bones, using her mastery of healing magic to make sure they healed properly, and then using a plant glyph from Luz to fashion a brace.

Skara gave the healer a look, but before anything else could happen, Luz shouted for Viney.

“That’s my cue.” She said, whistling sharply.

Zero found herself beset upon by a griffin, her claws tearing into her scales and buying time for the others to regroup.

“Attagirl, Puddles! Jerbo, now!” Viney shouted.

In the Secret Room of Shortcuts, Jerbo had an abomination open one of the doors by his feet, while he sent a tangle of vines up to yank open a door on the ceiling, that, due to the properties of the room, was positioned directly under the inspector imposter.

Just as Zero managed to throw Puddles off of her, she felt the pull of gravity drag her through the door. Luz dove after her, using her glyphs to form a block of ice around her feet as she landed on the basilisk, forcing her through the door above the Paranoratorium stage. The ice shattered on impact, and Luz backflipped off to land gracefully.

“It’s all you, Barcus!” Luz called.

“Where am I?” Zero asked, dazed from her fall.

Barcus poured one of his oracle potions on Zero’s hand, and began yipping as his eyes glowed.

“What’s he doing? What’d he say?”

“He’s reading your palm, and your future looks bleak.” Luz snapped her fingers, and Jerbo used his abomination to pull up a cluster of sandbags. Puddles cut the rope with her beak, and the weights fell directly onto Zero’s stomach, forcing her to expel all the magic she had consumed.

Wisps of arcane blue flew back to their rightful bearers, Principal Bump and Amity both regaining their energy and pallor.

Luz pulled Viney into a hug. “AH! You did it! You were amazing! You guys--”

“Are in so much trouble.” Principal Bump cut in. Leaving your homeroom, mixing magic again, and--is that a secret hideout?” He pointed to the open door above the stage.

“Yeah, it is.” Luz confirmed. “And the only reason we have it is so we can actually learn magic. I get it, you need coven money to keep things running smoothly. But if you have to hurt your own students to get it, what’s the point? They saved Hexside. They should be allowed to study what they want.”

“B-but--” Bump hugged the coven rule book to his chest.

“Do the right thing, ya dingus!” Gus called from above.

Bump finally caved with a sigh. “Alright, I’m smart enough to know when I’ve made a mistake. Which tracks would you like to be in?”

The magic mixers gasped.

“Healing and Beast-Keeping!” Viney cheered.

“Plants and Abominations!” Jerbo exclaimed.

Barcus gave a bark that Bump translated as ‘Potions and Oracle’.

“So be it.” Bump drew a spell circle, changing their uniform colors. “But if any of you cause more property damage, I will find one of the monstrosities Edalyn unleashed here and feed you to it.”

He turned to Luz. “And you?”

“Like I told you before, I want to study everything!”

“Very well.” Bump cast another spell, and Luz watched in awe as her uniform transformed into eight colors, two complementary shades per limb.

“Principal Bump?” Amity got his attention.

“Yes, Amity?” He replied.

“If I may be so bold, I’d like to multi-track into Oracle magic, and I might be able to convince Lilith to officially sanction it. After all, the Emperor’s Coven allows all types of magic, and being able to master two or more tracks could only be a boon to a prospective member.” Amity explained diplomatically.

“You really are one of my brightest students, Amity.” Bump smiled. Amity smiled back conspiratorially as her leggings darkened to the royal purple of the Oracle track.

Then Amity noticed something in the corner of her eye.

“Luz! Look out!”

Her warning came too late, and Luz turned around just in time for Zero to latch her potion-soaked claws around her ankle. Zero’s eyes shone, and Luz’ own eyes lit up golden-violet.

Ripped out of the ground, watching her sisters be exhumed in turn. Zero, One, Two, Three, Four, Five. The mutilated skeleton of their ortet suspended above.

Forced to feed, cut open and stitched back together to see what makes them tick.

The kindness of those garnet eyes. Teaching them to read, giving them names.

Vee, Ivy, Tria, Bill, Una.

She was given Nil.

A thief in the night breaking their locks, their chains, and leading them to freedom, throwing himself at the mercy of the horned lord, those baleful blue eyes following them.

Splitting up for safety, fleeing to the cold of the Knee.

Her clutch, a generation who would not know chains.

The dark-robed witch, hair as black as night, green eyes as cold as the Knee as she locked Nil in a cage for the horned abomination.

Dragged back into that accursed lab, the shackles even thicker.

The horned abomination standing over her, baleful blue eyes staring coldly into her own.

A gilded gauntlet held above her, putrescent ichor flowing from between the plates. 

A gash opened across her chest, allowing the infestation to take root.

Pain

Pain

PAIN

The all-consuming rot tearing away at her, hollowing her being.

Hunger, all-consuming hunger for magic, for death.

The magic of her tormentors is not enough. Their withered husks restore her mass, and she is unbound by metal. 

The hunger gnaws at her, the rot itches and burns as it consumes. It must feed.

Pain

Pain

PAIN

Luz screamed, a wave of light and force bursting from her. Nil’s grip broke, and the basilisk was thrown bodily off the stage, her back striking a column with a sickening crack of breaking bone.

Luz fell to her knees, tears streaming down her face.

“Luz!” King and Amity both cried, rushing to her side.

Willow and Gus descended from the rafters on a pillar of vines, and joined them.

Nil’s scaly skin sagged, and her breath rattled, before she screamed herself. Putrid green-gray-brown-black sludge burst from her scales, leaving her flesh raw and exposed. The rot gathered into a single mass, a towering skeletal form taking shape. Dozens of baleful blue eyes glowed across the thing’s body. A pair of straight antlers grew from its head, and a jaw filled with short, sharp teeth fell open with a screech.

King stared at the monster. “That’s-that’s a Bane of Magic!”

“A what?” Gus asked.

“It’s supposed to be a myth!”

Principal Bump set a pair of Abominations on the monster, which smashed them to mush. Willow and Jerbo summoned vines to bind it, but it just flowed through their grip like slime, making a firebeeline towards Luz.

Amity looked upon the Bane of Magic with horror, and with understanding.

Standing tall, Amity pulled out a fire glyph and unleashed a torrent of magenta flames at the being of pure rot.

The Bane of Magic screamed, throwing out too-long arms, which were caught by the abomination Amity had summoned, standing eye-to-eyes with the monster.

“Abomination, fight!” Amity ordered, the Abomination shoved the Bane of Magic back, until they hit a wall. The Bane of Magic sank its arms into the abomination, only for the abomination goop to flow around it, engulfing it sludge and goop mingling into one mass.

“Abomination, burn!” Amity commanded, and her summoned construct exploded in a magenta-white fireball, leaving only a stain of soot and scorch marks on the wall and floor. Amity let out a deep breath, as her eyes returned to their normal gold from the glowing magenta that had filled them.

Luz crawled over to where Nil lay, the basilisk’s breath labored and ragged.

Viney rushed over and ran a spell over the basilisk, her expression sinking. “There’s too much damage. Whatever that was just tore her insides up, and drained her magic to feed itself. I’m sorry, I can’t do anything.”

Luz shifted so that Nil could look her in the eye, dull green frog-like eyes meeting the golden brown of her own.

“I’m sorry.” Nil whispered weakly, her voice raspy.

Luz took Nil’s emaciated hand in her own. The oath came to her lips as though by instinct.

“By the Titan’s bones below, by the sea of stars above, you will be…avenged.”

Her eyes closed, and Nil took her last breath.

Luz fought back tears and her own terrible memories, of an incurable rot claiming someone important to her. The grief within her welled, and she gave it an outlet.

“AURGH!!!!!!!”

Luz’s roar nearly brought everyone present to their knees, not from physical force, but from the sheer weight of emotion pressing down on them. In that moment, her grief was something tangible.

The doors swung open, and Eda stumbled through, downing an elixir to make the feathers recede.

“What happened?” She asked, and all eyes turned to her, but her eyes were only on her apprentice and her brother.

Eda carried Nil’s body outside, while Willow and Jerbo used their magic to form a briar suitable as a pyre.

No words were spoken.

Luz used her fire glyph to set the pyre ablaze.

Amity threaded her hand into her claws, recalling the last time they had to lay someone to rest.

As the fire died down, another witch appeared.

Lilith Clawthorne landed near her sister.

“Edalyn?”

Luz and Eda turned around, and Luz. Saw. RED.

Lilith’s only warning was a scream of fury, before a whip of golden fire cracked across her face.

Lilith clutched the side of her face, while Eda shouted.

“Luz! What was that about!?”

“This is all your fault.” Luz hissed at the Coven Head. “You gave Nil to Belos. Her blood is on your hands.”

Eda gently wrapped an arm around Luz’ shoulders, the touch grounding her. Eda turned her gaze to her sister.

“I suggest you get out of here, before someone does something they’ll regret.”

Lilith hurried into the main building of Hexside, and Luz sagged against Eda’s side.

“I wanna go home, Mom.” Luz said.

The two gingerly got onto Owlbert, with King nesting in Eda’s mane, and they took off towards home, hearts heavy and full of fire.

Chapter Text

“Hold still, this is the last one.” Eda intoned calmly, extracting a memory photo out of Luz’ ear. The polaroid-like material developed once exposed to air, revealing a disturbingly clear image of Emperor Belos’ gilded mask and baleful blue eyes, sickening ichor seeping from the joints of his raised gauntlet.

Dipping the memory photo in a shallow dish of Sealing Solution, Eda hung it up to dry, while Luz sat up, rubbing at her ear. 

“Erasing memories is risky work, but with the Sealing Solution, the vividness is dulled for the person while the photo is preserved.” Eda explained.

After Nil’s attack on Hexside, Principal Bump had given everyone a few days off to recover and have repairs done to the school, which turned into the rest of the week when the repair crews discovered a severe pixie infestation. For most of the students and staff that meant recovering from having their magic drained. For Luz, it meant processing the memories Nil had foisted upon her before dying in her arms, something that had weighed on all the residents of the Owl House.

After the third time Luz woke up in the middle of the night with a blood-curdling scream, Eda had turned to mind magic. Going to the Healing Coven was out of the question, considering the content of her nightmares; and for all of Ulvana’s talents, the werehound was not a therapist, nor a psychiatrist, which meant Eda and Raine were on their own taking care of their traumatized daughter.

…Which was an entire other can of snakes for Eda, the fact that Luz had called her “mom”. Eda had long ago determined she was not cut out to be a mother, and now she had three children of her own. She had dropped the ball with King by feeding his fantasies to the point of delusion, and yet the demon had forgiven her. And when he had been captured by Demon Hunters, he called for her as “mom”, and continued to refer to her as such.

Buho was, in a way, easier. The Owlet Beast was rather self-sufficient, though Eda made sure they were fed and lavished with attention. It was not an odd occurrence for Eda to wake up in Harpy Form with the feathery fluffball tucked into her side, and she found she didn’t actually mind it. The fact that her transformations no longer left her aching all over certainly had nothing to do with it.

But Luz was a different story. She was the collective child of the three people Eda had given her heart to, a relationship that she had broken out of fear for their well-being and an inability to be honest about her problems. And then Luz showed up, accepting Eda as an eccentric mentor figure without hesitation. Luz had broken into a prison for her and King, and when told to run, she came back swinging to save them. The girl’s magic was a mystery, one that had only deepened with every new bit of information she had gotten. Owlbert had called it a ‘primordial fury’ when she had wielded his staff against Warden Wrath. That fateful stormy night had forced Eda to come clean about her curse and her past, while Luz had discovered how to intentionally draw upon the magic of the Isles. Learning that her youngest gremlin and her apprentice were siblings was a shock, and had her questioning everything she knew about Manny Noceda, but she had put those questions aside for Luz’ sake.

Then she had reconnected with Raine, her oldest flame. The betrayal that had stabbed at her heart when they joined the Bard Coven was soothed by the revelation that they had become a rebel within the system. Raine could have kept Eda in the dark, kept their work against Belos a secret. But Raine had chosen to place their trust in Eda again. They wanted to be in Eda’s life again, as much as they wanted to be there for Luz.

Eda could not point to the specific moment where she started seeing Luz as her own, only that somewhere along the way her claims of merely being her mentor began to ring hollow. When she had taken Luz under her wing, she had believed she would have only been on the Isles for the season. But now, she dreaded the day Luz would have to return to the human realm, and prayed to the Titan for the first time in decades that she would be able to work something out with Camila. 

Raine sat next to Eda on the couch, going through the memories she had extracted. Their concern for their daughter butted heads with the calculating mind of a rebel leader as they looked at what Nil had experienced at the hands of Belos.

“Are you feeling any better, Luz?” They asked. Luz looked up from where she was pinned to the couch by King and Buho, the two demons having decided deep pressure therapy was something they could do to help.

“I think…I will be.” Luz finally answered. The bags under her eyes reminded Raine of those times when Camila had a bad night’s sleep. Raine looked to Eda, who had the same idea, the wild witch heading to the kitchen to prepare something that had always helped.

“Luz? There’s something else I wanted to run by you.” Raine offered.

“What is it?” There was a glimmer of her old self in those tired golden brown eyes.

“What you went through, what Nil showed you? No one should have to experience that.” Raine began. “But these photos are solid evidence of what Belos has been trying to keep hidden.”

“And you want to show everyone the truth.” Luz caught on to their plan.

Raine nodded. “One of the most difficult parts of running a rebellion is that most people don’t know what Belos is doing in the Castle. But this?” Raine held up a photo of the basilisks being forced to drain other demons of their magic. “This is proof that Belos is working against the people of the Isles.”

“He’s trying to figure out how they drain magic.” Luz theorized.

“After he drove them to extinction himself.” Raine added. Luz’ eyes went wide.

“What?”

“Katya managed to copy some old bestiaries and distribution maps from the Forbidden Stacks in the Bonesborough Library.” They explained. “Until the late Deadwardian Era, the area around the Titan’s Heart was where most basilisks lived, and several documents indicated a temple was built where Belos’ castle now stands.”

“What happened to the temple?” Luz asked, already dreading the answer.

“During the Savage Ages, it was razed. When Belos arrived, he had the entire valley clear-cut, mined out, and his castle built around the Titan’s Heart, claiming that it brought him closer to the Titan.”

Luz could not explain the volcanic churning in her stomach, or her instinctive revulsion and horror.

And then it dawned on her.

Glyphs drew on the magic of the Isles. They were an expression of the Titan’s own power. Luz had experienced what ancient witches had, in calling upon the Titan through the glyphs. From the maelstrom of her mind one thought emerged.

“Belos is a liar.”

Raine nodded grimly. “I thought as much. Especially after our excursion to Patellans. If our use of magic displeased the Titan, why were we given it in the first place?”

“And if wild magic is so wrong, why did he show the apprentice of a wild witch how to use his magic?” Luz pulled out a light glyph for emphasis. She looked at the ball of arcane light, and her shoulders slumped.

“But then, why me?” Luz asked. “What makes me so special? I know I never fit in back in the Human Realm, and I’m not as human as I once thought, but that can’t be all there is, can it?”

Raine wrapped an arm around Luz’ shoulders. 

“Maybe he wanted to be kind to a good witch.” Raine hugged her close. “Because that is what makes you special. You see the good in people that so many would write off, and take everything new with a wonder I’ve only seen in your father.”

Luz looked up at them.

“Camila was right to name you Luz, because you light up our worlds.”

Luz leaned into their shoulder, and let the tears flow.

“It’s okay, just let it out.” Raine ruffled her hair.

Eda returned from the kitchen with a steaming mug, a stick of sinammon visible.

The heavenly aroma got Luz’ attention, and she wiped the tears from her face as she turned to Eda.

“Here, Cam taught me the recipe and it always seemed to cheer her up when she had a bad day.” Eda gave Luz the mug. “I had to substitute some ingredients with their equivalents here, but I think I did a pretty good job.”

Luz took a small sip, then a much larger one, ignoring the fact that it was still quite hot.

“It’s perfect.” Luz sighed, the blend of spices and chocolate flavors reminding her of those times when her mother had been there to console her after a truly awful day at school.

With Luz feeling a little better, their morning continued as normal, with Luz chatting to Willow and Gus over the crystal ball. Luz performed some human sleight-of-hand for her friends’ entertainment, followed by her and King spouting off bread puns.

As tiresome as their comedy act could get, Eda was still pleased to see Luz started to act like herself again.

Their moment of domesticity was interrupted by Hooty sticking his head into the kitchen.

“Hey! Guess what’s been in my mouth that I’m about to throw up!”

Like a cat coughing up a hairball, Hooty spat out a handful of envelopes and a slightly damp box.

“The mail!” Hooty cheerfully informed.

Sanitizing the mail with a quick spell, Eda quickly went through the letters. “Junk, junk, death hex.”

Eda tossed one letter directly into the trash can, which promptly imploded.

Behind the cursed mail was something that caught her eye.

“Oh, a carnival’s in town today!” Eda held up the ad.

“A carnival on the Boiling Isles?” Luz asked in wonder.

King’s tail wagged. “What do you say we take our comedy hour on tour?” He asked Luz.

“You bread my mind.” Luz punned back.

Eda groaned half-heartedly, before Luz pulled her into a half-hug. “Let’s all go!”

“An adventure with friends! I’ll go pack my stuff!” Hooty shouted, before Eda shut him down.

“Not you, Hooty, I need you to hold down the fort and keep an eye on Buho. I don’t want to interrupt their nap.” She pointed to the spot by the window where the owlet beast was sunning themself.

Hooty did his closest approximation to a salute, and retreated to his place on the door. 

“Well, I’m in! To the carnival!” Eda said, summoning Owlbert.

“To the carnival!” Luz and King both cheered.

“Sounds like a date.” Raine told Eda, earning a blush from the wild witch.

The Bonesborough Carnival was on the edge of town, a fence of stone and wrought-iron marking out the fairgrounds. The entrance was framed with various game booths, and a starfish-like ferris wheel towered over the park.

“Well, here we are, kids. The Bonesborough Carnival, one of the best, most fun events of the year!”

“Remember our system?” Raine asked.

“Rides, food, games, attractions, hard to forget.” Eda smiled, turning to her kids. “You’ll want to get the rides out of the way first. Gets the blood pumping, and you don’t want to go on the rides on a full stomach. Then you get energy for the games, and wind down at the attractions. It’s a tried and true method of yours truly.”

Owlbert hooted from his staff.

“Fine.” Eda sighed. “You can go play games, just be sure to come when I call you. I’d rather not be arrested by the fun police…again.”

Raine discretely summoned their violin, the fox-headed scroll detaching and animating into a red fox that gave a big yawn.

Owlbert hooted again, more excitedly.

Luz looked at their ren with awe. “That’s your palisman?” She asked excitedly.

The tiny fox jumped onto Raine’s hand. “This is Fiddlesticks. Eda helped me carve him."

The palisman sniffed at Luz, then gave a friendly yip, before noticing Owlbert.

“You two have fun, just stay out of trouble.” Raine told the palismen, who gave their sounds of acknowledgement as they scampered and flew to a nearby game booth.

“As for you two-” Eda turned to Luz and King. “- same deal. Have fun, take in that fresh air, and try to stay out of trouble.” Eda’s grin widened. “But if you do cause trouble, just make sure not to get caught.”

Luz and King nodded before running off themselves. Eda shook her head with a chuckle.

“I was worried there for a second.” Raine said. “Telling people to stay out of trouble? Who are you and what have you done with Eda?” 

Raine’s laugh told her they meant it in jest.

Eda sighed. “I may create chaos, but those two just seem to draw it in like a magnet.” She shrugged. “But, that’s neither here nor there.” 

“Any plans, Calamity?”

“You know me, Rainestorm. Pick some pockets, outsmart some rigged games…”

“Just like old times.” Raine smiled nostalgically.

“Just like old times.” Eda held out a hand. “Shall we?”

“We shall.” Raine took her hand in their own, and they headed in together.

Luz looked around in wonder at the fairgrounds, all the various games, displays, and rides, using magic she had never seen before.

It felt like the Covention, without the undercurrent of oppressive conformity. It reminded her of going to the county fair with her parents, only with that distinct Boiling Isles flair.

She also noticed a lot of her classmates and a number of teachers from Hexside milling around, a number of them manning the games.

“Dunk the skeleton! Win a prize!” Luz recognized one of the students from the Abomination Track was manning a dunk tank, a skeleton sat above a large cauldron labeled ‘SKIN’. Someone got a bullseye on the target, and the skeleton splashed into the potion, emerging as a pink-skinned witch.

“Ah! I’m covered in pores!” The former skeleton said in shock.

“Now this is my kind of weird!” Luz commented, before turning to King. “So what do you wanna do first? We could brave the molar coaster, or play bumper carcasses…”

“Ooh, what’s that?” King ran up to a prize booth. “Ah, some kind of deadly string weapon.”

“No, silly.” Luz chuckled. “That’s a friendship bracelet.”

“Is that a type of deadly string weapon?” King asked.

“A weapon of love, maybe.” Luz put the charms together, completing their heart shape. “It’s basically a declaration to the whole world that you’re the best of friends.”

“And what is a brother if not the best of best friends?” King’s tail wagged. “Luz, we must have those bracelets!”

“And yoink.” The prize vendor took the bracelets back. “Sorry ma’am. If your bone son wants these bracelets you’ll have to play the games and win the tickets. You know, carnival rules.”

King clung to Luz’s leg. “Beat up the man and steal his things for me.”

“Or, we can just play the games and have fun, then get the bracelets.” Luz suggested.

“Oh, okay.” King agreed.

The siblings laughed as they ran off.

“Games! Games! Games! Games!”

Luz gasped as she noticed some more familiar faces. “Friends!”

“Luz!” Willow exclaimed.

“Hey Luz!” Gus greeted.

Amity looked up. “Oh, hi Luz, and King.”

Luz swept them all into a brief hug.

“Oh my gosh, I didn’t think I’d see carniv-y’all here.” Luz punned.

“Boo.” Gus was less appreciative of her wordplay.

Amity chuckled.

“Puns aside, we didn’t have much better to do, and they even have a Scarris wheel this year.” Willow informed.

“It’s like a human Ferris wheel, but it gives you long-lasting nightmares!” Gus added cheerfully.

“I think I’ll pass.” Luz rubbed the back of her neck. “Still dealing with one set of those.”

Amity reached out. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” Luz downplayed. “Eda had a trick with a potion and memory photos that I think helped.”

“That’s…good.” Amity smiled somberly.

“Ahem.” King got their attention.

“Oh, yeah. We’re on a very important quest to have fun and win a special prize for King.” Luz patted her brother on the back.

“Oh! We can help with that!” Willow said.

“Aw. Does the little guy wanna win a prize? Huh, does he? Does he?” Gus cooed.

“Nyeh.” King batted his hand away, annoyed at what he interpreted as a patronizing tone.

“What do you think, King?” Luz asked. “The more the merrier, right?”

“Um, sure. Whatever you want, Luz.” King said, more disheartened than he let on.

“All right. Approval!”

The quintet started jogging to the fair activities, though Luz had to run back and pick up King after he fell behind and tripped.

Willow cleaned house with skee-ball, though the machine spit a ball directly at King.

Amity gave the living game equipment a ‘watching-you’ glare.

The picture board looked fun, but didn’t have enough holes for all five of them, so they gave it a pass.

Their next stop was the molar coaster, which Willow sat out with King, who was an inch too short to ride.

After the molar coaster, they stopped for snacks, getting the fried orb. Luz, Willow, and Gus shared one, Gus leaving only the stick for King.

Amity handed him her uneaten fried snack.

At the ‘Pop the Polyp” booth, Willow got Luz caught up on the latest Hexside gossip, while King tried to climb atop the counter.

“Argh! Curse these stubby legs!” After falling on his back, he found a pillar of abomination goo raising him up. He turned to Amity, who was maintaining the spell circle. The mint-dyed witch handed him a dart to play the game. When King missed the mark, Amity picked up another dart and scored a bullseye, earning dozens of tickets.

“Why are you being so nice to me?” King asked.

“Do I need a reason?” Amity asked, looking away.

King’s eyes widened and his tail started wagging. “Oh, I get it. You’re trying to get in good with Luz by being nice to me.” 

“Th-That’s--” Amity stammered, turning away to hide her blush.

King’s foul mood was washed away by the drama he was now witness to.

Amity got her blushing under control with the breathing trick Willow had shown her all those years ago.

“Okay.” She finally turned back around. “I may have a crush on Luz, but that’s not why I’m being so nice. Us younger siblings gotta stick together, huh?”

“Oh.” King’s tail stopped. No one had ever commiserated with him like that.

“Wait, where did the others go?” King noticed that Luz, Willow, and Gus had already moved on.

Amity cast a wayfinding spell. “That way.” She pointed.

They followed the trail of violet fog, until one of the tents caught King’s eye. The royal purple was evocative of the Oracle Coven, with a distinctive embroidered trim in shimmering rainbow colors. He couldn’t explain why, but he felt drawn to the tent.

Entering the tent, King was taken aback by the occupant. A seven-eyed demon woman sat in front of a crystal ball. She wore a hooded robe the same purple as the outside of the tent. An eye-shaped amulet rested at her collar, an axolotl in pearl wrapped around the gem. The axolotl imagery continued in the tapestries lining the walls of the tent, and even the legs of the table.

King hopped on the table so he was at eye level with the oracle.

“Ah, I’ve been expecting you, little monarch.”

“I mean, you wouldn’t be a good oracle if you didn’t.” King pointed out.

Her wide mouth quirked in a smile.

“Indeed. I am Jheselbraum the Unswerving.” The oracle greeted.

“So, what sort of readings do you do?”

“For you? Perhaps a palm reading.”

King held out his paws.

“A strong life line. You have many, many years ahead of you.”

He certainly hoped so, then again, most oracles would probably say that to their marks.

“You have been through a great change in perspective, but have grown from the ordeal.”

King thought to learning about his family, and how his entire “King of Demons” image was a fantasy he had lost himself in. It had hurt, realizing his entire life had been a lie. But he had gained a sister out of that mess, and he had started seeing Eda as a parental figure, not just a roommate.

“There is a fire in you, one that will ignite the stars themselves. Hold fast to your family, be they by blood or by bond.”

The oracle looked King in the eyes.

“When the punumbral night dawns, it will fall to you to seek the fallen star and raise them from their perdition.” 

Eda had always told King that prophecies were scams, chosen ones were suckers, and that oracles were not to be trusted with predicting anything further than a week out.

But the way this Jheselbraum person spoke…. There was a weight to her words.

“King?” Amity’s voice cut through his musings as the witch entered the tent.

The oracle’s seven eyes met Amity’s.

“Ah, young champion. May I offer you a reading?”

Amity’s eyes widened imperceptibly.

“No, thank you. I think I’d rather figure things out myself.” She replied. “I’d rather not have anyone else trying to dictate my future.”

The oracle shrugged. “Suit yourself, young champion.” 

King hopped down from the table, and left the tent with Amity.

“Let’s find Luz.” He said, trying to put the oracle’s words behind him.

Amity nodded. “Let’s.”

Following her wayfinding spell, they found Willow and Gus, but no sign of Luz.

“Where’s my sister?” King demanded.

“Luz went off to get some rotten candy, then we were going to go on the bumper carcasses.” Gus explained.

King harrumphed. “Today was supposed to be mine and Luz’ day, before she got all tied up with school.”

“Come on, we’ll find Luz and win you whatever prize you want.” Amity took charge.

Luz found herself drawn to the house of mirrors, her pursuit of overpriced confectionery distracted by a subtle eldritch tone. 

The mirrors were a mix of traditional warped glass and what Luz could tell were inlaid illusions, but that strange sense tugged her ever deeper, until she came upon a mirror unlike any other.

It looked like a monolith hewn from obsidian.

“It’s full of stars.”

Luz’s claws touched the glass, a contradiction of texture between smooth and jagged. 

A flash of light forced her to blink, and when she opened her eyes again, she was somewhere else. 

She was standing on nothing in a starry void.

Beneath her, she could feel smooth glass, completely invisible save the subtle ripples of light around her feet. 

She took a tentative step forward, the ripples following her. She noticed one of the stars glimmering slightly brighter, in the back of her mind realizing that all the stars farthest from her were blue, green, or pink. 

She reached for the closest star, and felt herself change position without moving. The star she reached for grew into a slightly shimmering mirror.

The image in the mirror was her, only not.

It was the same fully-human version of herself she had seen reflected in her subconscious. She wore the exact same outfit Luz did, but had no necklace. Human Luz cast a spell using the light glyph, making Luz realize that even the version of herself who had no innate connection to the Demon Realm had still found the Boiling Isles and learned its magic. 

Closing her claws, the mirror returned to being a star, and another point of light twinkled.

Reaching for it, she felt that strange movement without moving, and found herself looking into another mirror, another version of her. 

This one had the pointed ears of a witch, her hair even wilder, with an auburn cast to it. There was also something distinctly avian in the way she moved. Luz gasped as she noticed feathers in her counterpart’s hair, and a bile monitor gem on her chest.

“Did that version of me…inherit Eda’s curse?” She asked.

The void did not answer. 

Another star caught her eye, and her breath hitched at the sight of another demon like her and King. Luz wouldn’t have recognized her as a version of herself if not for her impeccable fashion sense. This Luz had purple fur, an exposed fanged skull like King with horns that bent upwards and had her earring studs tied to them, and violet eyes. Her legs were digitigrade, with a distinct scar around her left ankle. A tail swished behind her, much like King’s, and a medallion hung from her neck, with a strange glyph-like sigil. 

“Huh.” It was the same symbol she had seen in Amity’s newest necklace.

Then the full-demon Luz seemed to look Luz in the eye, and Luz quickly stepped back, banishing the mirror.

Turning to yet another mirror, Luz felt like she had been kicked in the gut. 

The Luz in the mirror looked human, and then her appearance morphed, becoming the serpentine form of a basilisk with brown and white scales, and a wild mane. Outside of her scales, she was the spitting image of the youngest basilisk she had seen in Nil’s memories.

“Of course there’s a universe where I’m a basilisk.” Luz muttered, guilt once again weighing on her heavier than when King slept on her stomach.

Had this version of her managed to save her version of Nil? Or was the Greater Basilisk doomed in every world?

Dismissing the mirror with a silent prayer to her counterpart, she moved to the next attention-grabbing spark, which showed a version of her that set her teeth on edge.

The Luz in the mirror was visibly struggling with herself. Her outfit consisted of a tattered blue and yellow jumpsuit, the number six barely visible on the back, the rest of the printing torn to illegibility. Her hair was more unkempt than any of the others, and more disturbingly, her veins were a toxic, glowing blue. There was a terrifying glint in her eyes, and she was clutching at her hand, where deep purple-gray scales were emerging.

The Luz in the mirror roared, and the mirror cracked, collapsing on itself and leaving Luz shaken, still in the starry void.

Blinking the afterimages from her eyes, Luz looked around, her gaze falling upon three stars that glowed brighter than the rest, and seemed to be looking back at her.

“Fascinating.” An airy voice spoke, simultaneously youthful and ancient.

“Who-who’s there?” Luz asked.

“I go by many names, child.” The voice spoke. “Some even known to those among your people.”

“Who are you? What are you? What is this place?” Luz asked with growing trepidation.

“This place is my little slice of the realms between.” The voice answered. “Something you will undoubtedly become more familiar with.”

“I am a guardian, a ‘Keeper of the Cosmos’, if you will.”

“Why can’t I see you?” Luz asked, still trying to pinpoint the voice.

“Behind you.”

Luz felt a light shining on her wings, and turned around.

Ĩ̷͈t̴̫͘ ̵͍̅w̷̙͊a̷̭͘s̷̝̍ ̵͇̽a̵̪̍ ̸̮̂ç̷̋ȍ̷̯n̶̥̑t̴̼́ř̴̢a̵̳̿ḋ̸̟i̴̛̝c̴̖̀t̷͍͋i̷̻͆ō̵̲n̷̗̈́.̸͙͋

̵̨̉
̴̙̒I̶̹̔t̵̜̄ ̶̨̈m̸̫̚u̶͎̓s̵͖̓ṭ̷̛ ̷̧̐ḙ̶͒x̴̨́ḯ̶̠s̷̪̓t̵̫͊,̷̼͝ ̸̙̊b̷̲̽u̷̖̒t̶͕́ ̵͓̒b̸̫͌y̷̩̿ ̵̱̆i̵͖͛t̴͍̑ș̸́ ̵̹͝v̴̪̚e̸̲̓r̵̢̀y̵̼̓ ̷̤͘n̸̝̒a̶̗̿ẗ̷̡́u̷̱͠r̴̤͆e̴̮͆ ̸̼̑s̵̝̔h̵̹͋o̷̞͋u̷̙̍ĺ̴̘d̶͎̈́ ̵̭̐n̶͗ͅo̸̝͊ṫ̵̼ ̴̜̓b̸͕̈́ë̶́͜ ̷̗́ȧ̸̤b̴̫̆l̷̪̓e̸̪͌ ̸̞͛t̷̥́o̸͈͠.̸̼̀

̶̗͂
̴͉̉ A̷̰̎ ̸͙̈b̵̝̋e̸͍͠ğ̷̞i̵̢͝n̶̪̚n̶̪͠ĭ̴̟ń̷̼g̵̲̀ ̵͐ͅḁ̵̈́n̶̖͐d̷͖̒ ̵̡̊a̸̙͝n̵̜͠ ̷͚̾ẹ̸̛n̴̢͆d̴̲̚ ̸̺͌f̶̱̒o̵͔͠r̵̻͝c̷̣͂e̷̲͝d̶͚́ ̶̗̊ṱ̵̀o̴̭͆ ̶̠̔o̸͌ͅc̵̖͌c̵̮͐u̶͚͂p̶̝̎ỵ̸͊ ̵̱͂ẗ̴̬́h̸̜̍ȇ̷͕ ̴̝̌s̶̪̄a̴͎͌m̷̜͝e̷̱̽ ̷͆͜p̵͎͂o̴̬̓i̸̗̓ņ̸̃ṭ̶͂.̸̜͊

The tri-color light shone ever brighter, and Luz forced her eyes shut as she felt gravity take hold of her.

Luz gasped as her eyes shot open, feeling like she had fallen back into her body.

Her claws parted from the mirror’s surface, despite the almost fluid cling wanting her to stay.

“Luz?”

The voices of her friends pulled her back to reality, and she noticed the violet fog trail of a wayfinding spell pointing to her.

Following the spell, Luz found Willow, Gus, Amity, and King halfway through the house of mirrors.

Amity was carefully avoiding looking in any of the mirrors, which meant she was looking directly at Luz. She quietly cut off her spell.

“Oh, sorry, I got sidetracked by the house of mirrors here.” Luz assuaged her friends’ concerns.

“It’s alright, we all get stuck in our own heads sometimes.” Gus waved off.

Luz’ stomach growled, reminding them why she had headed off in the first place.

“Why don’t we get a tunnel cake and take it from there.” Amity suggested.

Luz nodded, her embarrassed blush fading.

“Ah, the Owl Lady has fallen right into my trap.” Tibblet Tibblie Grimm-Hammer III crowed. “Soon, I will have my revenge on her and that Bard!”

His attempt to claim the Owl Lady’s bounty had ended with his stand being torn down by the other vendors and patrons of the Night Market, and it had taken him weeks to get back on his feet, and put together his revenge scheme. ‘Tibbles Tent of Tiny Terrors’ proved a marketable concept, and a foolproof basis for his revenge plot.

One drop of his patented Shrinking Solution would make it so the witches who destroyed his livelihood would be feeding his new livelihood.

Tibbles’ musings on his revenge were interrupted by the sound of something crashing behind him.

Spinning around, he saw a small red fox snooping around his tent. The fox noticed him noticing it, and gave a startled yip.

Raising his potion bottle, he prepared to use the wicked brew on the already smaller-than-normal animal.

Then a set of talons nearly raked his scalp, and he looked up to see an equally small brown owl.

“Oh, you won’t be so bold when you’re the size of a gnat!” Tibbles sprayed the Shrinking Solution at the bird.

The owl dodged the spray, and the law of gravity brought the droplets down on the porcine gremlin.

Tibbles’ eyes widened as everything around him grew much bigger.

“Ha! No matter.” Tibbles laughed, tapping his cheeks to reverse the potion’s effects.

Returning to his natural size, Tibbles reached for the fallen potion bottle.

The sound of shattering glass stopped him.

“Oh no.” He whispered, as he felt the heated breath of an angry unicorn down his neck.

Owlbert picked up Fiddlesticks and the duo quietly fled the tent, the fox snagging the potion as he passed.

Between Gus’ keen eye, Luz’ demon strength, and Amity and King’s sheer determination, they quickly went through the various games, occasionally using discrete applications of magic to unrig a few of them.

In addition to the ton of tickets they won, Amity had won a large otter plush for Luz from one of the dart games.

Returning to the prize booth, Luz handed in the tickets, ignoring the talking giraffe skull while the vendor counted out all ten thousand tickets, earning them the friendship charms that had caught King’s eye.

Upon reuniting with Eda and Raine, they bore witness to a stampede of unicorns, manticores, and griffins tearing out of the fairgrounds.

Luz gave Eda a critical look.

“Eda….”

“My hands are clean here.” She defended.

Owlbert gave a mischievous hoot, earning a surprised look from the witch.

“This is your handiwork?” Eda asked. “I’m impressed.” She scratched under his beak.

“Well, what do you say we get out of here before the Fun Police show up?”

Luz gave her friends a look.

“Actually, I figured we’d hit the bumper carcasses before we leave.”

Eda ruffled her apprentice-slash-kid’s hair, before sending her off to enjoy normal teen things like going on fair rides with her friends.

Eda prayed to whoever would listen that Luz got more moments like that.

Raine prayed to the Titan that their daughter would stay safe.

As night fell, the carnival wound down.

Booths were locked up for the night, rides were secured, and game prizes were put away.

In the dead of the night, with only the moon to illuminate, a skeletal figure levitated over the fence. In the figure’s hand was a staff topped with a bluejay.

The living skeleton wove through the tents and booths, eyes only on an innocuous cauldron meant as a dunk tank.

Removing the cauldron’s lid, the skeleton dumped a blend of ground plants and demon parts into the potion, giving an oily iridescence to the contents, which shimmered in the moonlight.

Rising into the air, the skeleton released the staff, which flew on her own wings as her witch plunged into the cauldron, sinking beneath its surface.

A fair-skinned hand gained purchase on the edge of the cauldron, its owner breaching with a deep gasp.

“Ah, new lungs.” She breathed. Emerging from the cauldron, the witch drew a spell circle, summoning a simple robe to preserve her modesty and block the night’s chill from her new skin.

Running her fingers through her hair, she was pleased with the length, the chestnut-auburn mane as wild as she remembered, with only the slightest shocks of gray at her temples. Her olive-green eyes gleamed in the moonlight, the flame of her magic still peeking through her restored flesh.

Another spell reverted the potion to its prior form, erasing all trace of her actions.

Whistling, her Palisman perched upon her shoulder, and the two fled back into the night.

“I definitely need a new outfit. Someone’s gotta have a decent doublet around here.”

Her Palisman chirped.

“Of course it’s important! If I’m going to set that witch hunter on fire, I’ve got to do it in style.”

Chapter Text

Abscyst Bay was the main port on the left arm of the Boiling Isles, the densely-packed buildings forming rough terraces of stone, wood, and bone ringing the harbor. In one of the myriad dark alleys formed by this organic arrangement, an exchange was being conducted.

“Do you have the package?” A witch wearing non-descript gray robes asked his contact. The other witch in the alley, garbed in deep, midnight blue robes and a hooded cloak clasped with a crescent moon made of metal feathers, withdrew a satchel from the folds of his robe.

The first witch opened the satchel, confirming its contents with a nod, before handing his contact a pouch of snails.

“Stars guide you, brother.” The other witch dismissed with a nod.

Making his way down the winding streets, the witch eventually reached his destination. An unmarked steam ship stood moored, a small handful of witches and demons milling around the deck.

The vessel was on the smaller side, with only two smokestacks. Like all ships designed to sail the Boiling Sea, the wooden hull was plated prow-to-stern with treated metal plates. Two hollow gears framed the aft section, a remnant of the days of paddle-wheels, now solely there for aesthetics. The stained-glass windows around the cabin had been obscured with a thin layer of pitch, their prior designs now unreadable. 

Boarding the ship, the witch was intercepted by a fellow brown-cloaked individual, who removed her hood.

“Did you get it?” She asked.

“I did, Kels.” He assured her.

“And you’re sure you weren’t followed?”

“I double-backed twice, and the anti-scryer hasn’t left my neck.” He held up a necklace with a jet black gem.

Kelsiv sighed. “Good. I just worry about you, Ward.”

Ward put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

“Everything will be alright, Kels.”

“We’re ready to depart.” The captain called from the wheel. Captain Lagoda was a short, proud, handsome witch, his glittering black eyes surveying the waters around them, keeping careful watch for the Coven Scouts and Guards that patrolled the docks. Overtop his captain’s raiment, a dark brown seal skin patterned with lighter veins draped from his shoulders.

The crew worked with haste and diligence to withdraw the gangplank and raise anchor, allowing the vessel to pull out of the harbor without incident. Within a few minutes, they were clear of the bay, the open waters of the Boiling Sea ahead of them.

Floren, their navigator, checked the map. The ochre-skinned pentaclops nodded approvingly. “By our current heading, we should be able to reach the Lone Wing within the week.”

The crew of wild witches cheered. Kelsiv pulled Ward into a passionate kiss, her hand brushing against the engraved fang-shaped earring she had given him.

Their celebrations were cut short when the ship abruptly ground to a halt.

Ward looked over the side of the ship, and the blood drained from his face.

“What happened? What did we hit?”

“It’s scargasso.” Ward answered, the green-red algae entangling the vessel’s propellers and clinging to the hull.

“But that stuff only grows near the Toes…” Kelsiv pointed out. “Oh no.”

The realization set in a moment before a column of vines speared out of the water, slamming down onto the deck.

Bark-like claws, serrated with thorns, found purchase on the railing, their owners slithering over the side to crouch on the deck. The creature may have been a witch once, but was now more plant than mammal. An eyeless face looked upon the wild witches, bright red lips curling into a hungry smile filled with needle-like teeth. From the creature’s back, a cluster of foul-smelling leaves and petals speared up, root-like vines snaking through mossy skin like a corpse-flower orchid. More the other creatures clambered over the railings, and the wild witches found themselves surrounded, the fire they had summoned the only thing holding them back.

Another column of vines burst through the deck, topped with a massive venus flytrap. The flytrap opened, revealing a figure that sent shivers down the spines of the witches present.

The elderly witch had ivory skin that showed her age in wrinkles, her silhouette defined by her pale green hair that draped to her knees like wilted leaves. She wore a purple dress with a holly-like hem, yellowed vines serving as belts. More vines encircled her wrists, their roots tapping directly into their wearer. Yet more vines formed her boots. Atop her head sat a red and yellow lily acting as a crown. A pair of violet-pink eyes stared down at the wild witches, dark green lips quirking into a cruel smile.

“It seems we have some thieves trying to abscond with the Emperor’s property.” Terra Snapdragon spoke. “How fortunate I was here to stop you from leaving with it.”

Ward stepped back defensively. “Not a chance in the Abyss.” He said defiantly, bringing the flame in his hand closer to the satchel, the threat implicity.

“Why do they always choose the hard way?” Terra snapped her fingers.

Ward gasped as he breath was forced from his lungs, a thorny vine bursting through his chest, carrying him into the air where the Head Witch of the Plant Coven stood on her floral throne. Another vine snaked out, tearing the satchel from his shoulder. The wild witch was dropped unceremoniously to the deck, his eyes wide.

“Ward!” Kelsiv caught his body.

He wasn’t breathing.

Tears flowed from her eyes as Kelsiv bared her fangs.

“You monster!” Kelsiv screamed, a torrent of fire welling from her palm, intent on incinerating the plant witch.

One of the creatures leapt in the path of the blaze, bursting into a cloud of choking spores. 

“Ah, young love. How tragic.” Terra sighed, casually batting the enraged witch to the deck with the same vine that had impaled her lover. The flames she had been casting did not go out, the fire catching on the wood of the deck.

“I have what I came for. Enjoy your swim.” Terra retreated into her flytrap of a throne, the tower of vines sinking beneath the waves, even as more vines creeped over the sides of the ship, their hardened thorns carving through the metal cladding. Behind the vines was the scargasso, the weight of the algae dragging the ship down until it capsized.

The ship’s keel gave out, and the boat fractured into the water. The scargasso enveloped the ship’s crew, needle-like spines digging into flesh to feed.

On instinct, Captain Lagoda was wrapped in his seal skin, protecting him from the Boiling Sea as he returned to his true pinniped form.

His tears were indistinguishable from the water around him, as his crew was consumed. 

Then the ship’s boiler burst, and the shockwave knocked him unconscious.

Captain Lagoda opened his eyes to a rust-red beach.

A witch was extending her hand to him, the orange hatched egg of a Beast-Keeping sigil on her wrist. Her other hand held a shepherd’s crook of a staff, a brown hawk standing proudly on top.

The witch had pale skin, wild, fluffy gray hair, and bright olive eyes peering over half-moon spectacles. She wore a violet dress with a white fur trim, and a wooden medallion around her neck.

“Oh, good, you’re awake.” The witch said, her voice kindly and concerned in tone.

“Wh-where?” He asked, trying to get his bearings.

“We’re on the shore of Palm Stings, dear.” The witch informed him. “You’re not the first selkie I’ve run into.”

What the witch said next made his blood run cold.

“You’re also not the first person I’ve run into trying to smuggle palistrom seeds off the Isles.” She held up a handful of the blue-hulled seeds.

She noticed the fear on his face, and quickly waved her hands.

“I’m not turning you in, if that’s what you think.” She assured. “My husband’s been working on trying to restore the forests, but it’s slow work, and that Snapdragon is a menace.”

Captain Lagoda looked down, remembering his fallen crew.

The witch’s eyes widened in recognition.

“Oh you poor thing.”

The silence lingered.

“Oh, where are my manners?” The witch held out her hand. “Gwen Clawthorne.”

“Bris Lagoda.” He shook her hand.

“Almost…” Luz concentrated on the magic she was focusing through a citrine-midnight spell circle. In front of her, the contents of a small cauldron sloshed, as her magic saturated the Abomination goop.

She had been working for days trying to cast more than just elemental spells from her own magic, but Abominations were proving more difficult than the girl who had once managed to disguise herself as one had expected.

She had gained a new appreciation of Amity’s talent to be able to make controlling such magic look simple.

“Almost…” Luz continued to infuse her magic into the slime, which began to form a bubble in the surface. Luz’ face lit up.

Then the bubble burst, spattering the floor around the cauldron with Abomination goop.

“Aw, I thought I had it that time.” Luz’ shoulders slumped.

Eda ruffled her hair, her favorite mug in her other hand. “Don’t be so hard on yourself. Even before the curse, my Abominations had the nasty habit of gaining sentience and going wild.”

Luz gave a brief chuckle as she remembered some of the incident reports.

“Besides, half the ‘prestige’ of Abominations is that its one of the most difficult forms of magic to master.”

“What’s the other half?” Luz asked.

Eda gave a sour look. “The other half is Blight Industries being one of the largest employers in Bonesborough.”

“Ah.”

Eda examined the contents of the cauldron. “Well, it’s not an issue with the slime itself, this stuff is better than the textbook formula.”

“Amity showed me how to make it.” Luz informed her.

“Is that so?” Eda teased.

Any further discussions were cut off by Hooty’s announcement of visitors.

Willow and Gus were at the door, having arrived to accompany Luz to school.

Both looked thoroughly disturbed by the House Demon’s antics.

“Hoot hoot, Luz! Time to fill up that darling little head of yours with…” He coughed up a stack of books. “...delicious knowledge.”

“Please hurry!” Gus begged.

“The longer I look at him, the more uncomfortable I get.” Willow whined.

Hooty merely hooted.

“I’m coming, I’m coming.” Luz waved off as she grabbed her backpack, consciously ignoring the fact that it was heavier than when she had packed it that morning. She knew that Hooty could take some getting used to, but it felt like most witches had some sort of instinctive revulsion to the House Demon that Luz could only partially understand. His ability to masquerade as a door knocker was impressive, and he was most certainly devoted to protecting his charges, considering how he subjected himself to boiling rains to keep the Demon Hunters out of the house, and apparently had regularly mopped the floor with entire platoons of Coven Scouts, if Eda and Raine were to be believed.

Though she did have to admit that his ability to take off his own skin to wash it like any other article of clothing was rather off-putting.

With a shudder at that memory, Luz joined her friends in heading to Hexside.

It was midmorning when Raine arrived at the Owl House, a grim determination worn on the bard’s face.

Eda paused in her gardening, banishing her shears and trowel as she noticed her partner’s expression.

“Where’s the latest fire?” Eda asked.

“The Coven Heads have been sent out on missions that Belos is being suspiciously vague about the purpose of.” Raine paused as they noticed Eda’s outfit. “What are you wearing?”

“I needed to make sure my potions ingredients were fresh.” Eda said. She had traded her dress for a pair of worn overalls, a red shirt that had a cutout for her bile monitor gem, thick workboots with mismatched gloves, and a sunhat. “But what’s this about the Coven Heads?”

“Belos has put a million-snail bounty on a Selkidomus attacking ships near the Shimmering Shoals, and Darius and Eberwolf have been assigned to supervise the crew that signed on.” Raine explained.

“But Selkidomus are peaceful, at least to witches. They only get territorial…when they’re taking care of their pups.” Eda’s eyes went wide. “Which means Belos is after something he can only get from a Selkidomus.”

“And whatever it is, it’s important enough to send two Coven Heads after.” Raine finished the thought.

“So, what’s the plan?” Eda asked, the two entering the Owl House and heading up to Eda’s room. Eda ducked behind her dressing screen.

“Our best bet is to intercept the ship once they’re on the water.” Raine suggested. “Amber got into the office at the docks, and they’re scheduled to leave aboard The Saltcourt within the hour.”

“Well then, we don’t have time to lose.” Eda stepped back out, her gardening outfit traded for something more nautical.

Raine had not fully realized how well Eda could rock the pirate captain look. The maroon coat and bicorne suited her well, and her silver mane was pulled into a loose ponytail. The bandolier of potions that had become standard for her ventures with the BATTs was the cherry on top. Raine barely caught the bundle tossed their way, quickly recognizing their BATTs disguise.

The black cloth and brown leather armoring had been commissioned by Eda from a tailor she trusted to be discreet. The sound-damping fur on the cuffs and collar had a hint of rust red at the tips. A black-dyed witches wool cloak was an added layer of protection, and the hood integrated well with the mask that Katya had designed for the group.

Commissioning the outfits for all four of the BATTs had taken a solid chunk out of her savings from the Bat Queen, but Eda had declared them to be “worth every last snail.”

As Raine got into uniform, Eda planned, her gaze carefully averted. “Now, they’ll probably be expecting us if we come in from the air. Luckily, I’ve got just the thing for this sort of occasion.” She turned around to see Raine donning their mask.

“What have you got in mind?” They asked, the enchantment laid into the mask adding a subharmonic to their voice to make it harder to identify for someone not intimately familiar with it.

…Or who had the hearing of an Owl Beast.

After telling Hooty to hold down the fort and keep Buho out of trouble, Eda brought Raine to the toolshed attached to the side of the Owl House, where she kept one of her finest mechanical creations.

“I had to put this together after King ‘borrowed’ Owlbert to visit his island. Back then I was terrified he would be killed by the creature living in the tower. Now, I’m wondering if that thing only saw me as a threat, and King’s horn getting broken was an accident.”

“You think Manny left it there to guard King?” Raine asked.

“Anything’s possible.” Eda shrugged as she dragged her homemade boat out of the shed.

“Did you stick a bicycle in a bathtub?” Raine asked with a mix of awe and incredulity.

“The bathtub is insulated enough to keep the Boiling Sea out, and using pedal power means I’m not using my magic to keep it moving.” Eda tapped her chin for a moment. “Though if I got my hands on a motor from the Human Realm, I could probably rig something up to make the bike redundant.”

“We’ll work on your ride later, we still have a ship to catch.” Raine cut in, reminding her of their time limit.

“Hop in.” Eda said as she took the handlebars. Raine found themselves having to wrap their arms around Eda as they took off, the bathtub flying into the air.

The Shimmering Shoals were southwest of the mainland of the Boiling Isles, believed to be part of the Titan’s tail. They were also one of the most dangerous regions for boats, only narrowly beaten out by the scargasso blooms around the Swampy Toes in terms of the number of ships wrecked upon it. Where scargasso would entangle vessels and drag them below the surface, the Shoals were the nesting grounds of the Selkidomus, one of oldest known varieties of demon native to the Isles.

“Selkidomus are normally peaceful unless provoked.” Eda noted the wrecks.

“Except when they feel their pups are being threatened. Sound familiar?” Raine added.

Eda fought back a blush.

“Some things are universal.”

They sat in silence for a moment, before Eda’s ears caught the sounds of a battle.

“There!” She pointed to where a Scapula-Class hunting ship was pursuing the Selkidomus. The demon was on the larger side of the species, a massive seal-like form with a mane of symbiotic seaweed. Despite her sheer size, she nimbly dodged the spells cast at her while retaliating with her own natural magic, forming spikes of hardened keratin from her scales and launching them after puffing her chest like a pufferfish.

Eda saw one of the sailors lose his head to the spikes, only to reattach the purple clamshell like nothing had happened.

It felt weird seeing someone else with that trick.

Regardless, the two witches had work to do to protect the marine demon. Pulling the bathtub boat alongside the ship, Eda scrambled aboard, leaving her legs behind to disguise her tracks and hopping along the deck with a peg leg meant for a larger demon.

A slightly-modified fog brew set an ominous mist pouring around her, though the crew was too focused on the Selkidomus to notice her sneaking below deck.

Eda’s first stop was the engine room, where she hit the tending engineer with a sleep spell, dragging him behind the barrels of water used for topping up the boiler.

With the engine unmanned, sabotaging it was a simple task. Grabbing one of her potions off her bandolier, Eda whistled, the potion turning from gold to a gritty pale indigo.

“Thank you Luz.” Eda said as she poured the potion into the moving parts of the engine. The blueberry-smelling mix quickly began gumming up the works. For a witch of Darius’ caliber, removing the gum would be child’s play, but it would still delay them. 

With the ship going nowhere fast, Eda made her way to the cargo hold to make the trip a little more worthwhile.

The Emperor’s ships always had the most snails in a convenient place, and it wasn’t the first time she’d robbed one.

Half a million snails disappeared into the burlap sack Eda had brought along.

Making the crew think the Emperor was short-changing them could go a long way, and was less obvious than taking the whole prize.

And the BATTs could do with some additional funding. 

Compressing the bag of holding and tucking it away in her hair, Eda made her way back up, though not before swiping a bottle of apple blood and a jar of expensive moisturizer.

For a final bit of misdirection, Eda threw a flask of ectoplasm and blasted it with a spell, creating a burst of fire that left a spectral residue everywhere.

Sailing was a very superstitious profession, and nothing unsettled sailors like a good ghost story.

With smoke and mist billowing around her, she vaulted the railing and fell right into Raine’s arms.

Reattaching her legs, Eda turned to Raine.

“Having fun?” They asked wryly.

“You know it, Rainestorm.” She laughed.

“There’s still the matter of the Selkidomus herself.”

Eda’s laugh cut off. “Right, right. Let’s show our ‘old friends’ that they should have picked a different job.”

Under the cover of more mist, which was indistinguishable from the welling steam of the Shoals, the two made landfall on the gray beach in front of the maw of a cave.

The course sand carried two pairs of footprints, one set belonging to a pair of heeled boots, the other indicative of a shorter, loping gait, with the occasional claw-print.

The tracks led directly into the cave.

Weaving around the flesh-eating plants that dotted the beach, they followed the Coven Heads into the darkness.

Raine double-checked that their mask was on as they pulled out their violin, while Eda summoned a cutlass of ice in one hand and a bright golden flame in the other. Deeper in the cave, the roars of the Selkidomus could be heard, accompanied by the sound of crashing stones.

Rushing in, Eda and Raine were met with the sight of Darius Deamonne trying to avoid being flattened by the massive marine mammal.

Eberwolf was nowhere to be seen.

The Head Witch of the Abomination Coven stood there, his black and gold cuirass dotted with purple studs of hardened abomination material, paired with abomination lilac tights and white boots that were not designed for spelunking. He had discarded his normal shoulder-cape, and his arm was shifted into a blade of the goop, but didn’t seem to be actively trying to hurt the demon.

That didn’t stop Eda from boosting the power of the flame in her hand and tossing it in his direction.

“Ugh, just what we needed, an old crook and a songbird.” Darius groaned as he deflected the fireball.

Raine didn’t say anything, simply casting a wave of solid sound to drive him back as Eda leapt down from her perch upon the mast of a shipwreck.

“Darius, long time no see.” Eda said, a tinge of bitter levity creeping into her voice.

“Edalyn, not long enough it seems.” Darius jabbed back. “You’re looking surprisingly spry for your age.”

Eda’s eyes narrowed. “Been listening to my dearest sister? We can’t all age like fine wine.”

“Quite. Now what brings such a notorious outlaw to interfere in Coven business? Or is this how you amuse yourself?” Darius glanced up. “Ah, this is about that little rebellion I’ve been hearing about.”

“What can I say? If it’s something Emperor Bonehead wants, it’s something I’m keen to keep from him.” Eda shrugged, her cutlass still pointed at the Coven Head.

“Very well then.” Darius shifted his own blade into a ready position.

“En garde!” Eda charged, ice meeting hardened abomination goop with a surprisingly metallic clash.

Darius shifted his other hand into an abomination blade, and Eda broke off to avoid his swing.

“I didn’t take you as one for dual-wielding.” Eda smirked, as she summoned a second cutlass of her own.

Darius’ eyes glowed green, abomination goop rising up to envelop him.

“What, already bringing out your big guns?” Eda taunted.

Darius rushed forward, feinting to the right as he swung at Eda.

Eda dodged to her own right, scoring a shallow cut along his chest that quickly closed. Eda tossed one of her swords into the air, using her now-free hand to grab one of her potions and throw it.

The conditionally-fragile glass broke, splashing the Coven Head with a solution designed specifically to counter abomination magic. Darius’ Abomination Form quickly began to dry where the potion touched, and he was forced to abandon the protection of the slime.

“I always forget how much trouble potioneers are to fight.” Darius brushed some of the dried goop from his shoulder-cape.

“It’s called knowing your enemy.” Eda crowed. “And if you think that’s the only goodie in my bag of tricks, you’ve got another thing coming.”

Eda bolted forward in a flash, and Darius just barely brought up a shield of abomination goop to block her overhead strike. Another flash, and she was coming at him from the side. He dodged the strike, slipping into the ground with his abomination-based teleportation.

The Coven Head emerged behind Eda, back in his Abomination Form. A tendril of slime snaked around Eda’s waist, lifting her off the ground and tossing her aside.

The wild witch tucked and rolled, before launching a sizzling bolt of lightning at her opponent. Darius flowed around the strike, but not the follow-up burst of frost, which caught him in the face. 

Darius reeled back, heating his Abomination Form’s material to melt the ice around his head.

His distraction cost him, as another wave of solid sound rained down upon him, followed by Raine themself landing in a roll.

“So the Songbird has talons after all.” Darius groused. Raine tightened their grip on their violin bow.

“I should have expected the Owl Lady’s paramour to be every bit the rebel as her.” Darius commented. “But to so blatantly work against the Emperor’s Will? I’m impressed, Raine Whispers.”

Eda and Raine both readied their magic.

“Oh, I have no intentions of turning you in.” Darius said.

Eberwolf emerged from the shadows, a bundle of dull scales in his arms.

“The Emperor wants Selkidomus scales for some reason. He never specified the condition.” Darius noticed his fellow Coven Head’s work.

“This isn’t just damage mitigation, is it?” Eda’s eyes went wide. “You’re actively undermining him!”

Eda laughed. “Ha! Two of Bonehead’s ‘loyal Coven Heads’ are themselves rebels.”

Darius rolled his eyes.

Raine removed their mask and hood. “What’s your angle, Darius? The Darius I remember was every bit as enamored with the Emperor’s Coven as Lilith.”

“Because like you, I’ve realized that the Coven System is more sinister than we were told.” Darius sighed. “So has Eber.”

Eberwolf made a series of grunts and huffs that Eda could understand.

“You knew about the Basilisks?” Eda asked.

Eber nodded shamefully. “Only when they escaped. Sent to track them down.”

The silence hung in the air, only broken by the whine of a Selkidomus pup. The baby emerged from the shadows of the cave, looking around with innocent black eyes. The baby demon butted up against Eda’s leg, and her hand instinctively patted its head.

The mother Selkidomus looked down upon them, as though contemplating if they were still a threat.

Eda found herself staring into those soul-piercing black eyes, and felt the Owl Beast stir in kind. The Selkidomus lowered her head to eye level, and Eda placed a hand on her snout.

“This area is still dangerous. You need to move further out to sea to keep the little one safe.” Eda said. The Selkidomus nodded, raising her head, before coughing furiously and regurgitating a pile of golden, molten wax. With a final nod, the Selkidomus and her pup retreated deeper into the cave to wait for the interlopers to leave.

Darius wore a disgusted look, while Eber and Eda looked impressed. Raine gave their partner a curious look, eyebrow raised.

“What is that?”

“It’s selkigris!” Eda exclaimed. “This stuff is worth twice its weight in gold at the Night Market.”

“I…will leave that to you then.” Darius said, preparing to take his leave.

“Not just yet.” Eda cut in, before turning to Eber.

“If I may?”

The Beast-Keeping Coven Head handed over the shed Selkidomus scales.

Eda grabbed a potion, cast a couple spells on it, and poured it over the scales, restoring their luster, texture, and color. They now looked like they had been taken fresh from the creature.

“Belos won’t suspect a thing now.”

Eber nodded gratefully, before scampering off with Darius.

Eda turned to Raine. “Now let’s get this treasure of the sea stored and get back home. Luz and King will probably be wondering where we are.” 

“As long as we don’t have to share the boat with it.” Raine said dryly.

Eda pulled out an empty burlap sack that shimmered subtly.

Willow hurried about her room, quickly tidying up. Luz had told her that Eda and Raine were out of the house for the day, and her attempt to use oracle magic told her that they wouldn’t be back until the next morning. Willow had offered to let her and King have a sleepover at her house.

They had both agreed in a heartbeat, and Willow’s dads had agreed to host them for the night.

Which led to her rushing about to make sure her plants were on their best behavior, her workout gear wasn’t a tripping hazard, and her homework wasn’t scattered to the four winds.

She had just gotten everything in order when she heard her Papa’s voice.

“Willow, your friends are here!” Harvey Park called from downstairs.

Willow practically flew down the stairs, but landed on her feet.

Luz stood at the door, a sleeping bag strapped to her back while her brother perched on her shoulder. Her claws rested apprehensively around the strap of her messenger bag.

“Willow!” Luz exclaimed as she noticed her.

“Luz!” Willow pulled the hybrid into a hug.

“Sorry this had to happen on such short notice.” Luz apologized to Harvey.

“It’s no trouble.” Harvey waved her off. “Though usually it’s Augustus staying the night when Perry has to work late.”

“Thanks for hosting us anyway.” Luz shrugged. “Eda and Ren just left a note saying they had something important to do.”

“Well whatever the reason, our door is always open if you need us.” Gilbert said as he stepped out of the kitchen. His palisman sat on his shoulder, a small pink and maroon pig.

Luz was - naturally - enamored with the palisman, and Willow smiled as her dad introduced his Palisman to her third ever friend.

“Sullivan here’s been with me since I was Willow’s age.” The pig palisman hopped onto his hand, before shifting into his staff form.

Meanwhile, her papa headed to the kitchen himself to make sure dinner didn’t burn.

Moving to the dining table, Willow and her friends enjoyed their meal, Luz and King regaling her parents with their latest shenanigans.

Willow felt a knot of tension she had not been consciously aware of loosen. Luz had mentioned in passing that she had trouble making friends, but watching her animated storytelling to an engaged audience, she never would have thought that possible.

The Human Realm didn’t know what they were missing.

Darius walked through the stone corridors of the castle, exhaustion weighing on his shoulders.

Having to undo the Owl Lady’s sabotage of the Saltcourt’s engine was a simple, but irritating fix. At least her method of sabotage was not offensive to the nose like most such brews.

Learning that half the promised reward money to pay the crew had gone missing was less simple to deal with.

A crew that had been stolen from was one thing.

A crew that thought they had been shortchanged by their employer was a much graver matter.

It had taken a lot of promises that the crew would be sufficiently compensated to ensure that he and Eber made it back to Bonesborough safely, and then it was a long trek to the castle to deliver their prize.

He couldn’t be too mad at Eda, since her potion trick had fully tricked Belos accepting the scales as fresh.

As he passed by one of the quarters, he heard a cacophonous crash.

He quickly realized the sound came from the Golden Guard’s chambers. He knocked on the door.

There was a shuffling sound, before the door swung halfway open, the masked face of the Golden Guard peering out.

“Ah, Head Witch Deamonne.” The Golden Guard’s voice cracked.

Darius raised an eyebrow at the disheveled appearance of the Emperor’s Left Hand. His armor had been hastily and only partially buckled, his hood was down, and his hair spilled over the edge of his mask like a particularly haphazard bird’s nest.

“All you alright, Little Prince?” Darius asked.

Something shifted in the Golden Guard’s countenance, like a fraying rope beginning to tear.

“Don’t call me that!” He snapped, before immediately stepping back.

“I’m sorry, I spoke out of turn.” The Golden Guard slammed the door shut.

Darius’ eyes widened in silent recognition. 

Hunter cast his mask aside, his breaths shallow and his mind racing.

Undoing the buckles on his cuirass, he cast it to the floor, as his gaze was pulled inexorably to his mirror, and the damning evidence that his uncle had lied to him his whole life.

The healing potions he had been taking had worked wonders on the scars covering his skin, but in the process exposed a far older mark.

A thin line of stitches on the left side of his chest.

He hadn’t been born without magic.

Belos had stolen it from him.

Chapter Text

The Happy Pets Clinic stood just outside of Old Gravesfield, marking the border of the historic preservation area. As such, the clinic was a more modern building compared to the structures that dated all the way back to the late sixteen-hundreds, a squat one story brownstone with a mural of smiling cartoon animals on one wall. It always warmed Camila’s heart to see her daughter’s handiwork on her way in. The clinic wasn’t particularly large, which only made the veterinary staff more of a close-knit group.

In those gray days after Manny had passed, the staff at the clinic had been the only real support network she had.

It would be a sunny day in hell before she reached out to her mother for anything.

Camila brought her thoughts back to her current patient, a one-eyed Maine Coon who got into a fight with some rats near Robin’s Roast.

The fact that she could sense the faintest amount of magic in the wounds was disconcerting, but did mean she was the most qualified to treat him. Drawing on long-forgotten techniques, she drew the magic from the wound and released it into the aether, before applying the disinfectant and bandages. The wounds were shallow, only nicking the skin through the feline’s thick coat, though the area immediately around them had to be shaved to make sure. Once the last bandage was secure, and the appropriate shots given, Camila gave the Maine Coon a comforting pet on the head under the cone around his collar, the cat melting into her touch.

“Okay big guy, you’re all patched up.” The cat stood up, and was easily led to his carrier. Bringing her patient back out, she took note of the mostly empty waiting room.

“Miss Dolmen?” Camila called. The lone occupant of the waiting room stood up. She looked to be the same age as Luz, and she swore she had seen her at the Romeo and Juliet tryouts last fall. The pink stripe in her blonde hair was fairly distinctive. Her eyes lit up as she saw the cat carrier Camila held.

“Will he be alright?” She asked.

“Max was a model patient, and he’ll make a full recovery, as long as he doesn’t lick at his wounds and reopen them.” Camila informed her.

“Thank you, Dr. Noceda.” She nodded, before pausing to think. “I heard Luz got sent to some sort of camp. When she comes back, could you tell her… tell her Clara owes her an apology.”

“I’ll let her know.” Camila told her, having a slight inkling of what she might have been apologizing for.

Subtlety was not in Luz’ nature.

“Thank you.” She turned and left with her father, who had just gotten done working out the bill with the front desk.

With no other immediate patients or appointments, Camila headed to the break room, making herself a cup of coffee.

The reminder of where Luz was now weighed on her, as did the note she had found among the books in the basement. She slipped the worn paper out of her purse, pouring over it once again. 

My Dearest Camila

If you are reading this, then I have passed on. We both knew when we came to Gravesfield that my time on this Earth was limited. But there are things you and Luz must both know.

I was not born on Earth.

The Demon Realm I told Luz about in her bedtime stories is real. Demons, Witches, Titans, all of them. That is the realm of my birth, linked to the Human Realm of Earth by rifts torn by the spilled blood of Titans, and gateways carved by mortal hands.

I chose to become Manny Noceda to understand humans. By living amongst you, I’ve learned that humans and witches still share so much in common, for good or ill. 

Magic is real, and Luz carries its spark within her. It’s part of why she’s drawn so much to the unusual.

I had an ulterior motive in us coming to Gravesfield. This town is a weak spot between the realms, where magic from the Demon Realm can leak into the Human Realm, though such occurrences have become rarer with the existence of a stable portal, one held by our “close friends”. The ears were real.

Four centuries ago, a witch from the Demon Realm found her way to the Human Realm. She left behind some of the Titan’s blood that opened her gateway between the realms. That blood now resides in the amulets I have gifted you and Luz. It is a source of magic unlike any other, and the glyphs I have left are key to harnessing its power.

I cannot be there for you the way I wish. I wish I could be there for Luz’ quinceañera, her graduation, and to walk her down the aisle on her wedding day. But when I am gone, I will still be watching over you from beyond, and I can give you my gift of magic, a light that will not give in.

Through supernovas and solar winds, I will always be with you, mi corazón. 

P.S.: The Good Witch Azura got a lot right about witch magic and culture, even if the dialogue and prose are more flowery than a meadow.

Reading the letter the first time, it had felt like the rug was pulled out from under her feet.

She had been tempted initially to dismiss it as a prank, one last laugh from her late husband, whose sense of humor had been a beacon for her.

But the orb of light summoned by the slip of paper disabused that notion as soon as she thought it.

Then came anger, fury that such a large secret had been kept from her.

But the letter itself meant Manny had wanted her and Luz to know, to be able to take solace in magic as a gift. It was her own grief that left the letter to languish, hiding away the reminders of the parts of herself she had once bared her soul with. Her pride shoved back in the closet.

From that thought came shame, washing over her like cold water. What did Manny think of her now?

And what would Luz think? Camila knew how the stories went, magical powers manifesting in a period of stress. Was she being forced to deal with changes she didn’t understand? She had always stood out from her peers, but what if she found herself even more alienated? Would she even be safe at camp?

Camila resolved to speak to Luz as soon as camp ended, or if she called her first. She prayed that she had enough of Luz’ trust left for her to reach out.

Camila was pulled out of her introspection by a peal of thunder from outside that had her jumping in her seat. Pulling out her phone, she checked her weather app, a thunderstorm warning covering the screen. 

“Okay, everyone. You’ve scaled the Spire of Eternal Dread, and the Dread Lord Aurum stands before you, his golden, squid-like mask still cracked from the blow he took from Uma when you foiled his plan. Behind him, his escape portal is forming. Roll for Initiative,” Marcy narrated.

After Marcy had been informally inducted into Cabin 7, they had decided to let her run a Creatures & Caravans campaign in their spare time. It has taken almost two weeks straight and several all-nighters, but they had arrived at the final boss fight.

The players and cavern master rolled their dice. Marcy looked over the results, quickly jotting them down.

“Okay, Vee, you’re up first.”

The basilisk paged through her character sheet to check something. “I cast wildvine at the portal behind Aurum.”

Marcy rolled for the villain’s reaction. “Aurum fails to intercept the spell, and the portal collapses, trapping him in the room. Robin, your turn.”

“I cast Cadence of Courage on the party.” Robin announced, miming his bard playing the lute.

“Excellent, you all get plus two to hit.” Marcy noted. “Masha?”

“I cast Freezing Ray, followed by an Eldritch Blast,” Masha rolled. “Does a fourteen and a twenty-two hit?”

Marcy rolled her own dice. “Aurum just barely dodges the Freezing Ray, but the Eldritch Blast catches him right in the chest, stunning him as his mind short-circuits, costing him his turn. Morgan, how do you take advantage of this opening?”

The stocky girl began rattling her dice in her hands. “I cross the distance and make an overhead swing with my warhammer!” The dice rolled across the table.

“Nat twenty!” Morgan cheered.

Marcy smiled as she narrated the action. “Uma crosses the room in a single charge, the shimmering metal of her warhammer appearing to catch fire as she swings it down onto Aurum’s frozen form. There is a mighty, bone-shattering crunch, and the masked Illithid hits the ground, his mask knocked off from the sheer force of the blow. He does not get up.” 

“We won?” Vee asked.

Marcy nodded as she folded the big bad’s character sheet up. The cabin mates cheered and high-fived.

“Now maybe we can get a little shut-eye before breakfast.” Masha said. Their fellow cabin mates groaned in agreement, retreating to their bunks. Shortly after Marcy had been unofficially brought into Cabin Seven, she had managed to convince the counselors to move her officially to their cabin, citing issues she had connecting and working with Cabin Three.

While the bunks were not the most comfortable beds, they were fairly easy to assemble from storage, allowing her to join her friends.

Vee woke to the patter of rain on the cabin roof and window, taking a solid minute to realize that they weren’t at risk of their shelter melting.

The flash of lightning and crack of thunder still shook the basilisk enough to knock her from the top bunk, losing her human form in her shock.

“You okay Vee?” Masha asked from their bed. From the top bunk, Mira peered over with a concerned meow.

“Everything’s intact, except maybe my pride.” Vee squeaked out, a clawed thumb raised. She noticed her scales, and with an “eep”, her form shifted back into that of Luz as she hopped to her feet.

“See, not a scratch!” Vee cheered defensively.

Another crash of thunder rang out, followed by the unmistakable sound of splintering wood. Vee darted to the nearest window, wrenching the curtain to the side. Her eyes went wide.

“It’s really coming down out there.”

Marcy joined her at the window.

“Wow, I don’t think Newtopia got rain this bad, and they were directly on the water.”

Another bolt of lightning flashed. Vee’s eyes blinked sideways.

“Guys, I think there’s something in the trees.”

Another flash of lightning.

“It’s gone.”

“Maybe it was just the lightning playing tricks on your eyes.” Robin offered.

“Yeah, just a trick of the light.” Vee dismissed, still not entirely sure what the creature she had seen in the treeline was, or if it was even native to the Human Realm.

There had been something off in the glint of eyes she had caught a glimpse of peering from behind a tree.

Something familiarly malevolent and inhuman.

“Do you think classes are canceled with all the rain and lightning?” Morgan asked from her bunk.

“We’ll be three horsemen deep in the apocalypse before they think to give us a free day.” Masha replied with a touch of sarcastic cynicism.

Vee raised an eyebrow. “What do horsemen have to do with us not having free days?”

“Right, different worlds.”

While Masha explained the story of the heralds of armageddon to the basilisk’s mounting horror, Marcy pulled out a collection of translucent plastic ponchos from the cabinet of emergency supplies.

“I feel like I’m wearing a tablecloth.” Morgan complained as she donned the rain protection.

“It’s what we have.” Marcy said as she made sure her own poncho was secure.

Opening the cabin door, the sound of falling rain drowned out any conversation. The rain poured down in sheets, the storm clouds above blocking out all light, save the lamps around the cabin.

Vee hesitantly stuck a hand into the deluge, shivering at the sensation.

“Huh, it’s…cold.”

“Which just means getting through it will be all the more miserable.” Robin groused, before bracing himself and stepping out of the cabin.

“What are we waiting for?”

Vee left the dryness of the cabin next, the rain cool on her skin. Following the path, the five cabin mates managed to reach the mess hall without getting their boots too muddy.

They were the only ones there.

“Well now I’m disappointed with my own pessimism.”

They still got breakfast, as the mess hall had a decent stock of cereals both cold and hot, and they ate in silence. Marcy smacked her forehead as she read something off her phone.

“Oh, they do cancel workshops for inclimate weather.”

“So we came out here for nothing?”

Vee finished her meal, and left the mess hall, leaving her poncho behind.

“Vee?”

In the darkness of the storm, Vee let herself shift intentionally into her basilisk form. The rain, which had been uncomfortably cold on her imitation human skin, was downright pleasant on her scales. In her natural form, the gloom of the storm was less oppressively dark, and she could navigate through the deluge.

Spotting a particularly large puddle formed in a depression in the grass, Vee went for a swim, one far more relaxing than her last time in the water.

No alien invaders, no life-or-death struggles, just her and the water.

She had heard the phrase “in her element” before, but only now understood what it had meant.

Masha had managed to find some umbrellas and the rest of Cabin Seven now stood on the edge of the puddle, watching her enjoy the stormy weather.

Out of the corner of her eye, Marcy noticed the faint blush on Masha’s face.

“Do we need to go inside so you can warm up?”

Masha jumped and turned. “No, I’m good.”

Morgan gave the enby a knowing look.

Another flash of lightning and a cacophonous boom broke them from their peaceful revere, and they watched in horror as a tree creaked and fell over, landing directly on one of the cabins.

Their horror grew as the lights around the camp, those beacons in the gloom, went out.

“Lightning must have hit the generator!”

“Isn’t that Cabin Five?”

Vee slithered out of the water in a rush, shifting to her borrowed human form.

“We gotta help them!” The basilisk charged ahead. The humans of the cabin had no choice but to follow.

The kids in the Cabin Five were dazed from the tree caving in their roof, but three of them looked to only be shaken. The fourth girl there was less fortunate, her leg pinned under the debris.

Morgan, Masha, and Robin led the girls to the safety of the mess hall, while Vee and Marcy worked to free the last girl.

“Hannah, right?” Vee asked, recalling the girl from orientation. Her dark gray eyes were partially hidden by her bangs, her shoulder length braids quickly becoming soaked in the rain. The white spider pendant she wore around her neck glinted even in the dark to Vee’s night vision. She was breathing heavily from stress, and her eyes widened as she looked at Vee. She gave a small nod of acknowledgment.

“It’s okay, I’ll get you out of here.” Vee dug her hands under the splintered wood, slowly lifting it. The splinters dug into her flesh, and she let her scales peek out, keeping her hands from being punctured. Marcy tore off part of her poncho, and wrapped her hands in the plastic before joining in moving the debris.

Hannah’s leg was almost free when her eyes went wide and she pointed behind Vee.

“Look out!” She screamed.

The breath left Vee’s lungs as something collided with her.

“V-Luz!” Marcy shouted, catching herself just in time to use the name of the girl Vee was impersonating while around someone not part of their Cabin.

Vee kicked out, falling into a roll that took her into a wary crouch.

A pair of wicked orange eyes glared at her, like the last embers of a campfire. The shadowy mass they belonged to loomed over her, an unearthly groan audible over the sound of the pouring rain.

A flash of lightning illuminated the figure, and Vee’s blood ran cold. 

It was at least twelve feet tall, emaciated to a degree that no living being in the Human Realm could survive at. It stood on the remains of cloven hooves, spindly legs holding a warped skeletal torso aloft. Its bony arms ended in a pair of rotten talons, while the embers of eyes gazed out from an exposed skull, the jaw having long fallen away. A massive pair of antlers caught the rain, black water running down its form, as though mother nature herself was trying to wash away the unnatural rot.

Even through the downpour, Vee could smell the monster’s magic.

That stench of rot was old, but unmistakable, bringing forth the same sense of revulsion as her golden-masked tormentor.

The monster’s head tilted in some semblance of curiosity, appraising its new prey as they locked eyes in a standoff.

Marcy, fighting back panic, pulled out one of her souvenirs from Amphibia. Inserting her ‘liberated’ power cell, the green blade of plasma lit up the morning gloom, and quickly carved through the remaining debris. A quick once-over of Hannah’s leg told her that it was bruised, but not broken - she would know.

The stalemate ended, and the beast charged. Vee dodged to the left, and took a deep breath. The monster’s claws gouged into the sodden loam, before the monster screamed. Wisps of arcane blue tore from its body into Vee’s mouth, refreshing her while weakening it. The magic of the monster tasted foul, rancid, like rotten vegetables left to stew in their own decay.

Then the beast lashed out, an overly-long limb catching her in the side and sending her flying into the remains of Cabin Five.

“Hey, tall, dark, and gruesome!” Marcy got its attention as she rushed it, slashing its leg with her plasma knife. The blade of fire carved through rotten flesh and brittle bones like a red-hot knife through plastic.

The monster fell to one knee, and she went for its exposed back.

A memory flashed through her mind’s eye - a blade of crackling orange scything into her friend’s spine - and she stumbled, her dagger falling from her hand.

The monster’s arm lashed out again, swatting Marcy into the mud.

It raised its talons high.

“NO!” Hannah screamed, her voice drowning out the storm. “BEGONE FOUL TREE-HUNGER!”

A cataclysmic bolt of lightning engulfed the monster with an earth-shaking crash and an eye-searing flash of light.

As Vee blinked the afterimages from her vision, she saw that the monster had ceased to be, only scattered fragments of bone to mark its existence.

Vee and Marcy shakily got to their feet, helping Hannah up and carrying her between them to the mess hall, where the campers were gathering for shelter from the storm. The backup generator had switched on, so at least they had light.

The counselors were doing a headcount, and two of them sighed in relief when they saw the three, covered in mud but still in one piece.

“Thank goodness you’re alright.” Miss Miriam said as she rushed to their side. The Counselor for Cabin Seven was a shorter woman, with olive skin, green eyes behind red-framed glasses, and black hair held back by a hairband. Like the other counselors, she was wearing a canvas poncho over her uniform, a clipboard in her hand as she hastily ticked off ‘Luz’ and Marcy’s names.

“Oh, and Miss Foster, let’s get you somewhere you can put your leg up.” She helped guide Hannah to a nearby chair, propping her injured leg on another.

“That’s everyone accounted for.” The camp director announced. Wilson Bradsmith was a tall, fairly skinny man, the kind who would likely be more at ease in a three-piece business suit than the T-shirt and khakis that made up the camp counselors’ uniform.

“Alrighty campers.” Director Bradsmith said through a megaphone, cutting through the chatter inside and the din outside. “I won’t mince words here: the storm outside is…pretty bad, but we won’t be able to assess the damage until it passes. So until then, you all will have to stay safe here. We’ll see about salvaging some of the lesson plans, and maybe some board games to pass the time. That is all for now.”

Marcy and Vee worked to get the mud off their clothes, which was easier said than done for the former. Returning to the crowd from the bathroom, they found their fellow cabin mates gathered around Masha, who had kept their tarot deck on them and was passing the time by giving their friends readings.

Shortly after the two plopped down to join them, the sound of a ukulele became audible, the melody soothing the frayed nerves of the kids and adults.

How Hannah got the ukulele, no one knew, but she certainly played the white-painted instrument well. Even the storm itself seemed to calm as the song went on.

Within an hour, it was safe to leave the mess hall, the sun now shining down.

There were a lot of pained winces at the sight of the havoc the storm had wreaked.

Cabin Five was totaled. Cabin Two had been struck by lightning and blown its fuse box. The pier on the lake was now floating in the lake in pieces. Not to mention that half the fences had been blown down and mangled, and the main generator for the camp itself was now somewhere between modern art and scrap metal. The backup generator was also looking fairly frayed in the wiring, and was an electrical fire waiting to happen.

Thankfully for the staff at the camp, the landline was still functional, and they were able to call an emergency crew, before Bradsmith made the executive decision that the camp could not run in its current state. He began calling the parents, after a call to the bus depot revealed that their fleet had been damaged by the storm and were awaiting inspection to determine how many were still serviceable.

Marcy had managed to find a spot where her phone could get a signal, and a number of kids started calling their parents themselves.

Vee abruptly realized that she did not have Luz’ phone.

Then a boxy, dark lavender station wagon pulled up the camp, and Camila Noceda stepped out, boots sinking slightly into the mud, which did not cling to them.

As the first parent to show up, Director Bradsmith met her directly.

“Thank you, Mrs. Noceda. You’re the first parent to arrive.”

Camila looked over his shoulder and winced. “I can see why you wanted to send everyone home after a storm like that. Was anyone hurt?”

“By some miracle, the worst we had was a bruised leg. Your daughter’s a big dang hero, helping rescue her fellow campers when a tree fell on their cabin.

“Is that so?” Camila said, pride welling in her voice over her worry. If her daughter had manifested magical powers already and was using them to help people, at least some of her concerns would be allayed. Luz may have been something of a troublemaker to school administration, but her heart was always in the right place.

A number of the campers were gathered in a dry patch of the gravel parking lot, and Camila could see her daughter among them, chatting amicably with four other teens her age, one of whom she swore she’d seen at her clinic, and another who looked vaguely familiar to her, in a ‘seen in passing on the news’ sort of way. The latter was listening intently to her phone, her expression slowly falling into a scowl.

Camila bit back a wince at what she assumed was parental drama.

“Mija?” Camila spoke up, getting her daughter’s attention. Luz jumped at the sound of her voice, turning to her. Camila got a sudden sense of wariness from her and her friends. Did she not trust her anymore?

Or did she think her magic was something she needed to keep hidden from her?

Then her daughter ran up to her, practically leaping into her arms for a tight hug, and that coil of anxiety unwound.

“It’s so good to see you again, Mija, even if it’s not under the best circumstances.”

“I missed you too, Mama.” Luz said into their embrace.

They broke the hug, and Camila kissed her on the forehead, before gently ruffling her hair. “Did you at least have fun here, before the storm?”

“I did Mama, I even made some friends!” Luz introduced her friends.

“Morgan, Robin, and Masha are from Gravesfield, and Marcy joined our Cabin a little later.” Luz gestured to her new friends, throwing a thumb over her shoulder to the girl on her phone, whose scowl had become downright stormy. She pulled her phone away from her ear, and threw the device to the ground with an aggravated scream.

“Bones, dirt, and muck!” She shouted, before staring up at the sky and taking a deep breath through clenched teeth. Marcy counted to five, then exhaled, repeating the process a couple times before her shoulders untensed.

“I’m okay, it’s not the end of the world.” She said, before joining Luz.

“Do you think I could spend the rest of the summer with one of you guys?” She asked. “My parents are on a business trip in jolly ol’ England for the summer, and did not have ‘camp ends early on account of apocalyptic storm’ as a factor.”

“We have some extra beds.” Camila offered. Marcy looked grateful.

“Oh, thank you!” She cheered, shaking her hand. “You must be Luz’ mom. I’m Marcy.”

“Camila Noceda.” She greeted diplomatically. “Luz mentioned you in her letters.”

“She did?” Marcy seemed astonished. It seemed Luz wasn’t the only person there who had issues making friends.

While introductions were being made, more cars pulled into the sodden remains of the parking lot, the drivers flagging down their kids. Morgan and Robin both parted ways with the group, while Masha was on the phone with a look that seemed both resigned and hopeful.

“Think I can get a ride back with you guys?” Masha asked, getting off the phone. “My parents are both at work.”

“...Sure.” Camila answered after a moment.

One of the camp counselors came by with a clipboard to sign the kids out, before they piled into her station wagon and made their way along the winding roads back to Gravesfield, chatting happily about what all had happened at camp. It warmed her heart to know that Luz had a good time while it had lasted.

Camila pointedly ignored the sense of magic she felt coming from Luz’ satchel. Once they were home, she would tell her everything, though she suspected the friends she was sharing the car with also knew.

She still couldn’t shake the sense that something was off, some detail in the way Luz carried herself that scratched at the back of her mind.

Like the near-imperceptible scent of sulfur and ozone, a scent that was almost intimately familiar.

As she passed by the sign welcoming people to Gravesfield, she noticed Luz freeze and shudder, eyes locked on the town crest, a golden heraldic bird dating back to the town’s founding around 1635.

Camila remembered bits of what she had been told about the town’s history, the English colony taking on the survivors of a nearby Dutch colony that had burned down in a horrific fire that the English blamed on witches, but which Camila suspected was just bad luck, poor planning, or retaliation by the people they had displaced.

That still didn’t explain Luz’ reaction to a design she must have seen hundreds of times before.

Masha, whose interest in the occult had led them into a deep-dive of Gravesfield’s history, gave Luz a knowing look as they made some sort of connection. Marcy was taking notes in her journal, and out of the corner of her eye she could see her sketching Luz and Masha’s portraits with a heart around them. 

Looks like she’d be giving Luz the Talk sooner than she’d expected.

Before her thoughts were all in order, they had arrived back home.

“Would you like to stay for dinner, Masha?” Camila asked.

“That’d be nice, Mrs. Noceda.”

Entering the house, Camila gestured for the teens to gather around the kitchen table.

“Luz, there’s some things we need to talk about.” Camila sat down, pulling out the letter. “Your friends can stay. I suspect you might already know what I’m talking about.”

“W-what do you mean?” Luz asked with an uncharacteristic squeak. Masha and Marcy both looked wary.

“I mean your father, and your magic.” Camila said, before she finally realized what was wrong, what small detail had been gnawing at her.

“Luz, where’s your necklace?”

“Necklace?” Luz asked, confused.

“The amulet your father gave you, the one you’ve never taken off once since you got it. The one you always reach for whenever someone mentions him. The one you broke that bully’s fingers for trying to take from you. That necklace.” Camila pulled out her own amulet for emphasis.

Luz was pressing herself back in her chair. Masha and Marcy both looked guilty.

Then Luz blinked, nictitating membranes moving sideways.

Camila leapt to her feet, her chair hitting the ground with a bang.

“Who are you, and what have you done with my daughter?” Camila demanded, a crackling ball of light appearing in her hand, the spell’s ethereal rings forming around her wrist.

‘Luz’ fell back, her form rippling as her human form was replaced with a naga-like serpentine body. Tan skin gave way to swamp-green and cream-colored scales, neat brown hair traded for a wild mane of navy blue. A pair of black eyes with golden pupils and aqua sclera stared wide with fear, her tufted ears folded back. The peacock blue ring piercing her tail fin clattered against the tile floor.

Before she could fully comprehend what she was seeing, something burst from her satchel, and Camila found herself staring into the glowing crimson eyes of a pink, lion-like being with an equally glowing mane that flared as they hissed and growled in warning.

Camila took a step back in fear and recognition of the predator standing on her table.

“WAIT!” Marcy shouted, throwing herself between the mother, the imposter, and the alien feline. “Vee didn’t do anything to Luz!”

The alien cat seemed to stand down, crimson fading to cyan and the flame-like mane smoothing out.

Masha helped ‘Vee’ get upright, their arm staying around her shoulders.

Camila’s fear gave way to shame as she realized she was about to use magic against a bunch of scared teenagers. The magic she had gathered in her hand dissipated, and she found herself relying on the counter for support.

“I’m sorry.”

“No, no, you have every right to be upset, but please, just let us explain.” Marcy said diplomatically, one hand over her heart.

“I thought I was going to have to explain to Luz about how her father was secretly from the Demon Realm.” Camila breathed out, trying to recenter herself.

“You already know about the Demon Realm!?” Vee exclaimed.

“Only what Manny told Luz in her bedtime stories, and wrote in his letter to me.” She answered. “But I’m guessing that means you’re from the Demon Realm yourself?”

Vee nodded. “I was just trying to find somewhere I could be safe. And then I saw your daughter on the other side of the Owl Lady’s portal. I went through the portal, and then you were there, and it was just instinct that I made myself look like her. I’m sorry for lying to you.”

Camila barely heard the apology, as her mind raced.

Luz had found her way into the Demon Realm on her own.

The portal had been open long enough for someone else to cross over, long enough that Luz could have gotten back.

Luz had run away.

Luz had run away from her.

A memory of harsh screams and slamming doors on a rainy night rang through her head.

“Dios mío, me he convertido en mi propia madre.”

She was pulled out of her spiral of shame by a plaintive mew, the shapeshifting cat butting their head against her arm until she brought up a hand to pet them. The warmth and the rumble of a purr brought her back to reality. The feline was smaller now, about the size of the Maine Coon she had treated the day before.

“Thank you, Mira.” Marcy sighed.

Vee shuffled up to her. “I’m sorry I took your daughter’s place. But she was with the Owl Lady when I crossed the portal, and I don’t think she’d let her get hurt.

“No, she wouldn’t.”

“Wait, you know her?” Masha spoke up.

“I thought I did, a long time ago.” Camila sighed again, the old heartbreak rising to the surface.

Vee reached out with a scaly hand. Camila took it in her own, tracing a circle with her thumb.

“I’m sorry I scared you. That was…not appropriate of me.” 

“You’re just worried about your daughter. I get it.” Marcy pointed out. “Frog knows how worried mine and Anne’s parents were when we went missing in another world for months.”

Camila snapped her fingers. “That’s where I remember you from! You were one of the girls involved in that whole ‘Frogvasion’ thing, right?”

“I’d…rather not talk about it.” Marcy averted her gaze, rubbing the back of her neck.

“Okay, okay.” Camila placated, before a thought came to her.

“Wait, if you went to camp and sent those letters…” Camila pulled out her phone, quickly navigating to her message history.

“The last text I got from Luz was the night she was supposed to be at camp, which means she must have sent it from the Demon Realm!”

‘I think I’m going to like it here.’

The narrative wrote itself from there.

Luz found her own way into the Demon Realm, and was most likely taken in by Eda. A realm of magic was far more appealing to her than the promised boredom and suppression of creativity advertised by the camp, so she chose to stay. If she knew her daughter, she’d probably have figured that she could spend her summer in the Demon Realm and come back when camp was supposed to end, either hoping that Camila would be none the wiser, or having learned enough magic to impress her mother.

But just as Marcy’s parents had not factored in camp ending early, neither did Luz, and the deception had been revealed.

Camila composed a simple text for Luz, and waited for a response, busying herself by making the dinner she had promised Vee and her friends. Despite the rocky start, they were all-to happy to help her cook. 

The sancocho was simmering nicely when her phone rang. Leaving Marcy to watch the pot, Camila answered.

“Mamá?” Luz’ voice was concerned, and Camila had to fight back tears at hearing her voice again.

“I know.” Camila said. Her daughter had tried to keep her in the dark, so it was only fair that she was just a bit cryptic in turn.

“We need to talk.”

Chapter Text

Luz sank into the couch, exhaustion seeping into her bones.

What had started as a normal day of magical education and Luz getting to flex her experience with mind magic in Photo Class had turned into her second trip through someone’s mindscape.

Somehow, Boscha had managed to sneak into the classroom and set Willow’s memories on fire. When Amity confronted her, the triclops had admitted that she wanted Amity’s first friend to forget about her, so things could go back to the way they were before.

Amity had rejected her offer, declaring that she wasn’t that person anymore, before leaving with Luz, Gus, and the amnesiac Willow to the Owl House to fix the damage.

Fixing the damage entailed Eda sending her and Amity into Willow’s mind. Luz as the most experienced with mind magic, and Amity as the one who knew Willow best. Luz had gotten to see first hand the friendship between Amity and Willow, before seeing how it had come crashing down because of Amity’s parents.

Any lingering guilt Luz had about putting Odalia Blight in a coma was absolved after seeing the woman threaten to ruin the life of a seven-year-old for not being an early bloomer. 

She and Amity had also been forced to confront the Inner Willow, who was more than a little mad at being set on fire. Luckily, Luz was only lightly singed by the psychic flames, and was able to use her ice magic to cool her down enough to calm her and repair the memories.

While the duo had been busy putting Willow’s mind back together, Gus had been interviewing Raine for his journalism class. The Bard did not hold back on sharing how much of a nightmare coven politics were, while also commiserating with the Illusionist about being considered a prodigy, and the isolation that came with it.

Once Willow had recovered, she, Amity, and Gus had left, and Luz found herself trying to decompress after the ordeal.

Then she noticed a notification on her phone, and her heart caught in her throat as she realized it was a text message from her mother.

Picking up the device, Luz silently thanked Eda for having retrofitted her phone with the screen from one of her old smart-scrolls. She did not trust her claws not to wreck the touchscreen of a Human Realm smartphone, but smart-scrolls were designed to be used by all manner of witches and demons.

The text was the four words no teen wants to hear from a parent:

‘We need to talk.’

Eda, Raine, and King noticed Luz freeze, and gathered around her.

“Aren’t you going to say something?” King asked.

“She’s right, I think we’re long overdue for this.” Eda gestured over the family.

Luz swallowed hard, nodded, and called her mom.

She picked up after the third ring.

“Mamá?” Luz asked.

A moment later.

“We need to talk, mija.” Camila Noceda’s voice came through the speaker.

“Can’t it wait until I get home from camp?” Luz tried to stall. Behind her, Raine and Eda both buried their faces in their hands.

“Mija, camp ended early. A storm blew through and they had to send everyone home. Luz, I know you’re in the Demon Realm.”

Luz felt her veins turn to ice. “You know? How?”

“A little snakeshifter told me.”

Raine discretely passed a handful of snails to Eda, who gave them a smug look.

Camila continued. “I found a message from your father, and it had some things that you need to know.”

“I know dad was keeping secrets.” Luz said flatly. “And mamá…just…promise me you won’t freak out when you see me.”

“Luz? What happened?” Camila asked, worry filling her voice.

Eda gestured for Luz to give the phone to her.

“Cam?” Eda greeted.

“Eda? So Luz is with you.” Camila said, her tone bordering on accusatory.

“Long time no see, Cammy. I think we all need to meet up and discuss things.”

“When and where?”

“Luz told me that my old cabin wasn’t too far into the woods by your house.”

“...I know the place.” Camila said.

“I’ll meet you there in…ten minutes.” Eda checked her watch.

“You’d better have a good explanation for ghosting us, Lechuza.” Camila ended the call.

“Well, that could have gone worse.” Eda admitted.

“Ya think?” Luz asked sarcastically.

Eda shrugged, and pulled out the Portal Key. A press of the eye brought the Door out of whatever hammerspace it normally resided in, unfolding from its travel configuration before swinging open to the warm evening air of the Human Realm.

Luz braced herself, and King clambered up to her shoulder, his tail draping around the back of her neck for emotional support.

“Thank you, King.”

“That’s what siblings are for.” He said sagely.

With that, Luz stepped through the Portal back into the Human Realm.

The first thing she noticed was a sudden chill. Not a physical chill, from the wind, but something more subtle, an immaterial void. She closed her eyes, and reached out with that sixth sense of hers.

He could feel the warmth of her own magic, shining like a star into that void. From King, she sensed a similar warmth, smaller in size but just as brimming with potential. Behind her, she could sense Eda, Raine, and Buho, the witch, Owl Beast, and fusion of the two easily discernible now, where at the beginning of summer she would have only been able to describe them all as magic.

Coming up along the path were four more magical presences. One carried the same warmth that Luz felt from her amulet, with the faintest scattering of stardust, which she realized must have belonged to her mother. Beside her, she could sense the unmistakable inverted shine of a basilisk, one who had fed fairly recently. A shiver ran down her spine as she remembered Nil. On one side of the basilisk was a magical presence almost completely unfamiliar to her, though it tugged at her memory. The last presence she sensed bore embers of magic, the last glowing coals of an extinguished fire, but a light she recognized nonetheless.

It was the light of the living paradox she had witnessed in the Realm of Mirrored Stars.

She heard a gasp, and opened her eyes to meet her mother’s gaze.

“Mamá?”

Camila looked at the being wearing her daughter’s face and speaking with her voice.

The being on the steps of the old abandoned cabin was taller than the Luz who went to camp and was distinctly fluffier, a thick coat of dark fur visible on the backs of her hands, her neck, and the cat-like tail that swayed behind her, twitching with anxiety Her fingers were segmented claws of bone, with a pair of similarly armored horns rising from her wild brown curls. A pair of bat-like wings framed her, their membranes an iridescent midnight with shimmers of green, blue, and amber. Instead of the hoodie Luz had gone to camp with, she wore a gray tunic with a darker gray mantle and belt. Her sleeves and leggings were an assortment of colors, each limb sporting a darker hue and a lighter hue. Her face had the same shape, but the whites of her eyes had turned a midnight black, her irises still golden brown, but glowing like molten metal.

And around her neck, that two-of-a-king amulet, whose twin Camila wore.

And perched upon her shoulder was one of the cutest creatures she had ever seen, with the same dark, fluffy fur, orchid eyes, and an exposed skull that managed to look more adorable than a Cubone.

“Luz?” Camila stepped forward. Her daughter descended the steps, and before she knew it, was pulling her into a hug.

“Mija? Why are you so…fluffy?” She asked as she broke the hug, still holding Luz’ shoulders.

“It’s a long story, mom.” Luz said, tears of relief gathering at the corners of her eyes.

“And who is this cutie-pie?” Camila scratched at the chin of the adorable little guy perched on Luz’ shoulder, who promptly lost his grip and flopped into Luz’ arms.

“Ay, que lindo.” She cooed.

“This is King.” Luz introduced. “And he’s…he’s my brother.”

“¿Qué?” Camila asked.

“Don’t you see the family resemblance?” King spoke up. Camila jumped at the cat-like demon talking, but could not argue. He and Luz had similar horns - though one of his looked to have been broken off and then reattached - and the same fur and bony claws.

Camila looked between them. “How?” She asked.

“Ain’t that the million snail question.” A painfully familiar voice joined in, and her eyes darted to the owner.

“Eda?” She asked. When last they met, Eda’s hair had been a fiery orange mane kept barely tamed in a ponytail. The witch standing in front of her looked decades older, but carried that same glimmer in her golden eyes.

“Hi, Cammy.”

Camila let go of her daughter, and marched up to the taller witch, whose expression quickly fell, noting her scowl.

“Fourteen years.” Camila growled. “You left us fourteen and a half years, and didn’t even leave a note!” Her scowl turned watery. “Why?”

Eda winced. “I’m sorry. The truth was, I was scared. I didn’t want my world’s problems to become your problems. You deserved better.”

Eda averted her gaze, only to realize that Camila was holding her hand.

“You may think I deserve better, but what I wanted was for you and Raine to be there for us.”

Camila’s eyes darted to the other witch in front of the cabin. Raine had aged more gracefully than Eda, but still bore hints of gray in their mint-green hair and a weariness in their eyes.

“But please, no more lies, no more secrets.”

Raine took her other hand.

“We both messed up because we couldn’t be honest with each other. We owe you the truth, and maybe you can let us back in.”

Camila was silent for a long moment, before wiping the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand. “I think I’d like that.”

Luz looked from the drama between her birth family and her found family, and saw the two girls who had accompanied her, along with what she could only describe as a magic lion. The taller of the two had shiny black hair, olive skin, and dark brown eyes with some faint specks of green. There was also something in the way she carried herself that twigged something in the back of Luz’ mind.

The girl next to her made Luz do a double take.

She was pretty sure she didn’t have an identical twin.

At least identical to the Luz who had first entered the Boiling Isles, though her dark brown hair had a subtle violet sheen to it, was smoothed down in a neater version of her old pixie cut, with a green hair barrette keeping it from sticking out like it normally liked to.

Before she could start to question how she had a doppelganger, her mother’s words repeated in her mind.

“A little snakeshifter told me.”

That first night after her first day at Hexside, Eda and Raine had sat her down and told her about their own encounter with the basilisks Tria and Ivy, who had told them that Una and Bill had fled into the Boiling Sea.

By process of elimination, that meant…

“You’re Vee.” Luz said breathlessly.

The basilisk disguised as a human was taken aback.

“How do know my na-”

She was cut off by Luz tackling her in a hug, sobbing into her shoulder.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

“What? What are you talking about?” Vee asked, bewildered. She had been expecting the girl she was impersonating to be infuriated with her identity theft, not breaking down in tears on her shoulder.

Her crying got the attention of the adults, and Eda approached with a look of sympathy, gently prying Luz off of Vee, before placing a gentle hand on the basilisk’s shoulder.

“Belos…he caught Nil.”

Vee’s eyes went wide with horror as Eda continued.

“He infected her with a Bane of Magic, and she attacked Hexside. Luz managed to stop her, but she died in her arms, though not before foisting her memories on her.”

Vee’s eyes went even wider, and her ears shifted to their natural tufted form as her emotions roiled. Vee stepped forward, and pulled Luz into a hug of her own.

“I’m sorry you had to experience that.” She whispered in her ear.

Camila had her hand over her mouth to muffle her gasp of horror, before pulling them both into a hug.

“Ay mis pobres bebes.” Camila hugged them tighter.

“Estaré bien, mamá.” Luz told her as she wiped the shimmering tears from her eyes with the back of her hand. “Vee just caught me off guard.”

Eda was about to say something, but was distracted by the sound of a small animal’s cries of distress nearby.

Luz’ eyes followed her mentor’s, to where a small white rabbit was caught by the leg in a trap.

Camila pulled out a pair of latex gloves, and hurried to the critter’s side. With a look of concentration, a pair of garden clippers appeared in her hand, which she used to cut the string entangling the rabbit. In her other hand, a circle of arcane sigils had manifested, the rabbit visible calming, before taking off as soon as it was free.

Camila stood back up, turning to see Eda, Raine, Luz, and King all looking at her in shock.

“You have magic!?” Luz almost shouted.

Camila sighed. “That was one of the things I wanted to talk about with you when you got back from camp.”

She looked at the snare trap with a scornful glare, before throwing a ball of sizzling magic that turned it into a small scorch mark.

“If I find whoever’s been setting out these traps…” She left the rest of the threat unsaid, and Luz felt just the slightest bit of sympathy for the cabrón who had just earned her mother’s ire.

The rumbling growl of a stomach interrupted any further discussion, and Luz blushed when she realized it was her own stomach.

“Mija…” Her mom gave her a look, before turning to Eda and Raine.

“We can talk over dinner. I made sancocho.”

“How can we say no to that?” Raine asked rhetorically.

Returning to the Noceda residence, they all washed up and sat around the kitchen table while Camila brought out the stew. Marcy grilled Luz about her own experience traveling to another world.

“So let me get this straight…” Camila gave Eda a pointed look.

“Not like anyone here is.” Eda whisper-coughed. Camila rolled her eyes.

“...You followed Eda’s palisman through her door, and she blackmailed you into helping break into a prison and start a riot?”

Luz swallowed hard. “When you put it like that, it does sound pretty bad.” She admitted. “But the people there were imprisoned unjustly!”

“And one of them was my student.” Raine chimed in, before taking a bite of sancocho.

“Hmm, feels like it’s missing something.”

Eda’s eyes lit up, and she dug around in her mane for a moment before pulling out a small red bottle with the symbol of a flaming demon skull on the label.

“I remember a little bit of heat being the perfect addition.” She put a few drops in her own bowl, followed by Raine’s and King’s.

Raine coughed in surprise after the next bite. “I forget how spicy those peppers can get.”

King was already digging in, while surreptitiously slipping a few chunks of the meat to Buho, the Owlet Beast trying to stealthily beg for scraps.

“Okay, what is with the adorable oso búho ?” Camila asked, taking notice.

Eda let out a bone-rattling sigh. “Hoo-boy, that is an answer that requires a lot of context.”

She looked around the table, where all eyes looked at her with rapt attention.

“Fine.” She began. “To start with, when I was a little older than Luz, I was cursed. My sister and I were supposed to duel for a place in the Emperor’s Coven. Two years younger and yet more than a match for her. So she took the Bonehead’s advice to heart, and found a curse that promised to drain my magic.”

Raine gasped, while Eda wiped a tear from her eye.

“It did far more than that. What prissy little Lily didn’t realize was that the curse wasn’t meant to drain a witch’s magic. The curse was the cage on an Owl Beast, trapped in the scroll by a monster from the stars.”

It was Camila’s turn to sharply inhale.

“That morning, we were supposed to duel. I forfeited. I refused to fight my sister, just like I refused to fight my friend at that first H.E.C.K.” She gave Raine a wry smile, before her expression returned to the seriousness of the conversation.

“Not a minute after I said Covens weren’t for me, I found myself transforming, the first of many excruciating shifts.”

Raine placed a hand over hers, fingers interlocking. “The Coven Scouts overseeing the duel started throwing rocks, and Eda ran off.”

“I don’t remember how I even managed to turn back that first time.” Eda admitted. “Only that Raine was there.”

“I used my bard magic to lull you to sleep, and you changed back.” They told her.

“Oh.” Eda said inelegantly, before sighing again. “As I was saying…I was now cursed to turn into the Owl Beast, a demon never seen before on the Isles, with talons that leave wounds that resist healing, and all the ferocity of a wild animal. The Curse cost me so many relationships. My dad lost his eye and his ability to carve, and I ran from home when my mother told the healers to cut it out. That was how I found the Portal Door, buried near a ruined gate. I fled here, to the Human Realm, and began splitting my time between two realms. I managed to fix up Dad’s old tower, and managed to make friends with a House Demon to keep it safe, while in this realm, I squatted in the old cabin the portal opened to, until I had the skills to fix that up and make it livable.”

Eda paused to take another bite of sancocho before continuing.

“Once I had some semblance of stability, I started branching out, exploring the Human Realm. I even started bringing Raine along, which led to the four of us hitting it off, and you know how that turned out.”

Camila blushed in remembrance.

“But being the ‘Wild Witch of Bonesborough’ is not easy. By refusing to bind my magic to one Coven, or keep it as an enforcer, I had a mark on my head. For a while it wasn’t too bad. I still had my magic - even if I had to ration it somewhat - I had the skills I’d picked up as Hexside’s greatest troublemaker, and if the heat got too much, I could retreat to the Human Realm through the Portal Door, or to the Owl House, where Hooty would drive off whatever the Emperor could afford to throw at us.”

“While also maintaining a relationship with three other people.” Camila pointed out.

Eda blushed, but continued on.

“And then things took a turn for the worse. Lilith found out about the Portal, and managed to get it away from me.”

Marcy gasped.

“I got it back just as quickly, but not before she sent a pair of Scouts to find out what was so important to me in the Human Realm.”

Camila’s eyes widened in horrified realization.

“You took them out on our front lawn.” Luz interjected.

“That I did, kid. And I saw that you were expecting, which made me realize that I couldn’t risk my world’s problems becoming yours to suffer from.”

“And then I made it worse.” Raine added. “I broke up with Eda because she wouldn’t tell me what was wrong, and then betrayed everything she stood for by joining a Coven.”

“That’s not true, Rainestorm!” Eda shot back. “You couldn’t have gotten your job as a teacher without joining the Coven, and I wouldn’t stand in your way if it meant you would be happy.”

“Eda…” Raine said, touched.

“Wait, where does the Owlet come in?” Marcy asked.

Eda sighed once more. “Right, right, I was getting to that.” She got back on topic.

“About eight years ago, I found an island that wasn’t on any maps. On the island was some sort of fortress that had clearly seen better days, but was still shelter from the boiling rain. That was where I found King, a weird puppy-like demon making little statues out of rocks. I took him in, and told him stories about Kings to keep him entertained.”

King piped up, slightly embarrassed. “I…may have gotten it into my head that I was a despotic overlord who had been deposed and cursed.”

Luz patted him on the head. “It’s okay, King.”

“And then Luz showed up, running out of my tent in the market to grab her book that Owlbert had stolen.”

The palisman in question gave an apologetic hoot.

“Apology accepted.” Luz told him, before Eda cleared her throat.

“So you already know about the whole prison break incident, and that night I remembered the Noceda name, and it all came flooding back.”

Luz took over her part of the story. “King and I had our first encounter with the Owl Beast during a boiling rainstorm. She caught us and stuck us in her nest trying to keep us safe, but I learned the light glyph and used that to distract her while King got the elixir to change her back. After that, Eda took us to her healer friend, who discovered that we’re siblings.” Luz pulled King into a hug.

“As for Buho, Luz showed up with them after a trip to the library.” Eda continued.

“The Wailing Star summoned the being who trapped the Owl Beast, and I swiped the scroll containing Buho from his belt.” Luz set King back in his seat and picked up the Owlet Beast, who looked at Camila with soulful black eyes.

Camila started scratching under his beak, and Buho trilled at the affection.

“And after Buho showed up, Luz ended up being the key to treating the worst of the Curse.” Eda gave her apprentice a smile.

“Something about my magic just completely negates the Huntsman’s.” Luz stated between bites.

Camila’s expression dropped into one of pure terror. “You…fought…the Huntsman?” Camila asked, her voice growing more terrified with every word.

“The Wailing Star summoned him from a book, Amity banished him back from whence he came.” Luz looked at her mother. “And he recognized me as your daughter. Mamá, why does some cosmic nightmare know you by name and have a vendetta?”

“That’s…a long story, one that can wait until you’ve finished telling me what you’ve been up to in the Demon Realm.” Camila said diplomatically. “Maybe starting with this ‘Amity’ person?”

“Now ain’t that a story.” Eda gave Luz a firm pat on the back. “Somehow Luz here went from being bitter rivals with the girl to thick as thieves.”

“I wouldn’t say we were bitter rivals. She was just in a less-than stellar situation that I helped her out of.” Luz explained sheepishly. “And then she saved me from the Huntsman….And then we ended up exploring an ancient abandoned city together.”

“Don’t forget she single-handedly took out the Bane of Magic possessing Nil.” King added. 

“Uh, what’s a Bane of Magic?” Marcy asked, having pulled out her journal.

“One of the nastier cryptids known to the Boiling Isles.” Eda explained succinctly.

“Wait, the Boiling Isles has cryptids?” Marcy asked, her curiosity even more piqued.

Eda gave a snort of laughter. “Of course we do. I used to be something of an urban-legend junkie myself back in the day. Twig-foot, Lenderman, Time Pools, possums…”

“Possums are very real.” Luz countered. “I’m pretty sure there’s a whole nest of them living in the cabin.”

“Yeah right, I’ll believe it when I see it.”

Vee merely pointed to the window, where one such marsupial was crossing the windowsill. The possum gave a hiss at being noticed, before scampering off.

“Huh, what’d’ya know, they are real.”

The conversation continued on until the sancocho was gone, and they moved to the living room to continue the discussion.

“Oh mija, you’ve grown so much.” Camila commented. “And I don’t just mean…this.” She gestured to her demon aspects.

“I’ve learned so much over there. Staying there was the best decision I’ve ever made.”

Camila’s expression grew severe with hurt. “Luz, mija, please be honest with me. Did you…did you hate living with me that much? To run away to a…a death world ruled by a tyrant?”

“Mama, no!” Luz almost shouted. “It wasn’t you, it never was! You’re the one thing here that made living in the Human Realm worth it. But over there, I feel like I truly belong. I’ve learned more about myself in a month and a half there than I have in fourteen years here. I have friends there, people who actually like to be around me. I’m not just the weird kid who gets sent to the principal’s office every other week.”

“Heck, she’s taking every track of magic and is doing pretty well in terms of grades.” Eda chimed in. “And she has family in the Demon Realm.”

“Speaking of…” Raine said, drawing a spell circle that summoned a sack full of precious gemstones onto the coffee table.

“What?” Camila asked, holding up a handful of gems.

“I had to double-check the conversion rates, but that should be fourteen years of child support.” They pulled out a now-familiar vial, the shimmering red still vibrant.

“Wait, so Luz here has three bio-parents?” Masha asked. “How is that even possible?”

“Magic.” Eda replied cheekily. “And it’s not exactly uncommon on the Boiling Isles. My own mother had two moms and a dad, and I think the most parents ever recorded for a witch was nine, though with that many people it’s more of a ritual than anything accidental, and it’s become less common lately.”

“There is one thing I still don’t understand.” Camila said. “If Manny was from the Demon Realm and came to Earth, when did he have King?”

“I mean, I did hatch from an egg, so…” King responded.

“And those ruins looked to have been abandoned for centuries. It also looked like someone lay siege to it, considering all the rubble, and the massive chunk taken out of the top.” Eda recalled. “If I had to guess, someone or something attacked the place, and Manny might have been forced to flee before he could bring King’s egg with him.”

“Do you think it could have been the Huntsman?” Luz asked. “He did recognize my fur and claws.”

“Anything’s possible, kid.” Eda shrugged. “But if it was, then he messed with the wrong family.” She shifted her hand into the Owl Beast’s talons for emphasis.

“Woah, sharp.”

Eda gained a wolfish grin.

“Thanks to Luz helping me actually talk to the Owl Beast, and break the corrupting part of the curse, I can do this!” Eda spun around as she entered her Harpy Form.

“Dang, and I thought my power-up was cool.” Marcy muttered.

Camila and Raine were both blushing as Eda showed off.

While the adults were dealing with their own feelings, Luz found herself, King, and Buho sharing the couch with Vee, Masha, and Marcy, along with the magical cat who was draped over Vee’s shoulders.

“So, what did I miss by not going to camp?” Luz asked awkwardly.

“You have more people who want to be your friend than you thought.” Vee told her. “My first night in Cabin Seven everyone thought you were the coolest.” 

“And our cabin mate Morgan was the one who gave Mercy that black eye.” Masha added.

“Serves her right.” Luz said vindictively.

“Marcy joined us a little later.” Masha followed up. The girl in question looked up from her journal at the sound of her name.

“Yeah, Vee asked if I wanted to hang out, and I agreed.” 

“So where did this little fella come in?” Luz pet the arcane feline, who nuzzled into her claws.

“Mira crashed down in the woods near the camp.” Vee explained. “They’re one of the last of their kind, and we formed some sort of…telepathic? Empathic? Some kind of mental link that let me understand them.”

“And then you two fought off the alien that was after them.” Masha pointed to the basilisk and the ranger.

“Aliens are real?” King squeaked.

“Says the being from another world.” Masha noted.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” King demanded.

“Wait, so you literally fought an extraterrestrial invader?” Luz asked, shifting the topic.

“Vee and Marcy did, the rest of us mostly just ran away.” Masha admitted.

“What happened?”

“Marcy blew up his ship, and I lured him into the lake to drown him.” Vee explained.

“Woah.”

“Luz, our sister is hardcore” King said with a note of approval.

“Wait, sister?” Vee asked.

“I mean, Luz is my sister, I’m pretty sure her mom has already decided you’re hers now, which makes us siblings too.” King reasoned.

“Can’t argue with that logic.” Luz said cheerfully, wrapping a wing around Vee’s shoulders.

Masha leaned over. “What’cha drawing, Marcy?”

Marcy showed them her journal, where she had sketched Luz, King, Vee, and Mira, with scribbled notes around them.

“Fellow isekai protagonist?” Luz questioned the note pointing to her. “Wait, you’ve been to another world too?”

“I kinda got me and my friends trapped in Amphibia for months…” Marcy admitted sheepishly.

Luz winced.

“Why do I look familiar?” King asked, pointing to the commentary on his own image.

“Not entirely sure, actually. Some of my memories are still a bit scrambled.” Marcy tapped her temple. “Got all the important stuff back, but a few things might have slipped through the cracks.” 

“That’s…concerning.” Luz admitted.

“Yeah, but there’s nothing I can really do about it.” Marcy sighed. “Can’t change the past, but I can still hold on to what I have, and make new memories.”

Luz re-positioned herself so she could envelop all of them with her wings.

“I could have made friends if I’d gone to the camp, but I can’t say I’m not glad I went to the Isles instead. I mean, if I went to camp, I never would have met my brother or Ren, and I wouldn’t have gotten the magic I now have.”

“So how do you cast magic?” Marcy asked inquisitively.

“Well, initially, I was told humans couldn’t do magic, since we don’t have bile sacs.” Luz pulled out her notepad. “But then I discovered the wonders of glyph magic.” She drew the light glyph, and tapped it to generate a witch light.

“Woah”

“Awesome”

“Wicked”

Luz drew three more light glyphs, and handed them out. “Go on, try for yourself.”

“Amazing.” Marcy stared into the green light her glyph produced, while Vee and Masha were similarly in awe of the more typical yellow-white glow from theirs.

“I wouldn’t try eating that.” Luz warned Vee, seeing the glimmer of the thought in her eyes. “From what I saw, glyph magic does not react well to being consumed.”

Vee tried anyway. 

“Okay, that’s pure spice right there.” She gave a cough like she had just downed a bottle of hot sauce in a single shot.

“I warned you.” Luz shrugged, before summoning a glass of water from the kitchen for her.

Vee’s coughing fit got the adults’ attention, their admiration of Eda’s Harpy Form having shifted to the latter talking Raine down from adding ‘murder of a Coven Head’ to their repertoire of treason.

“You okay, mija?” Camila asked Vee.

“I should’ve listened to Luz’ warning.” She shook her head with a pained smile.

Luz wrapped an arm around her shoulder in a half-hug.

“Don’t feel too bad. I probably would have done the same in your position.”

“They’re siblings alright.” Masha smiled, earning a laugh from the others.

“Mamá?” Luz asked, broaching the big question she still had.

“Yes Luz?”

“How did the Huntsman know about you?”

Camila took a deep breath, exhaled with a shudder, and repeated a few times before meeting Luz’ eyes.

“I guess it’s time I told you my own experience with, what did you call it? Isekai?”

Marcy nodded.

“There’s a reason I never visit your abuela, Luz.” Camila said.

“You ran away.” Luz realized.

Camila nodded, as she glanced towards one of the magnets on the fridge, a border of gold framing a navy, lavender, and magenta flag.

“That is where it started.” Camila began her tale.

Chapter Text

Camila ran, the chill of the rain pelting her holding nothing on the cold pit occupying the place of her heart. She tugged her beanie down, trying to keep the stinging rain from the still-bleeding cut above her ear.

She knew her clothes were getting soaked, even through her jacket, but she didn’t care. All that mattered was getting away.

The streetlights and house lights did little to cut through the darkness of the rainy night, her vision already blurry from the tears streaming down her face, her feet splashing in every puddle.

Until her foot sank into one puddle, deeper than the rest, and her whole body joined it. It took all her strength to hold onto her hat and bat as she tumbled through a watery void.

She fell through the other side, and hit the ground with a thud, consciousness fading to clear red skies.

When her eyes creaked open again, the sky was still that clear red, two suns gazing down like burning eyes.

…Wait, two suns?

Camila dragged herself into a seated position, taking in her surroundings.

The grass around her was a rusty orange, the ground sloping around in a valley of hills. On the horizon, she could make out mountains like massive rib bones. 

“Well Toto, I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore.” Camila said to no one. 

Her hand wrapped around her bat, and she climbed slowly to her feet, muscles protesting as she rose. Rolling her shoulders, she froze as a growl sounded behind her.

Slowly turning to the source of the sound, her grip tightened, and her eyes went wide.

The creature was hexapedal, six powerful legs ending in disproportionately small paws. Its body was feline, covered with a coat of short, bristly violet fur. Its head was covered with a helmet of blue glass, a glowing crescent moon on the forehead.

The creature lunged, and Camila reacted, her bat swinging into the helmet, which shattered with a crash. Momentum took it over her head, and it spun around, revealing a roughly feline head with insect-like mandibles and compound eyes.

Camila’s surprise cost her, the creature’s next lunge allowing it to clamp its jaws around her ankle. With a scream of pain and fear, Camila brought her bat down, and something cracked on impact. The creature let her go, but looked to be preparing another strike.

Camila could feel her strength giving out, and she couldn’t put weight on her injured foot. The creature knew that. 

But she wouldn’t go down without a fight.

Salvation came in the form of a ball of fire catching the creature in the side, the explosive impact launching it into the opposite side of the valley, dazed. Shaking its head, it gave a chittering snarl, before fleeing over the hill.

Camila fell to one knee, and looked up at her savior.

The…person was garbed in tattered clothing that might have once been an ornate robe, a cloak of coarse fur pinned around their shoulders. A pair of gleaming, cat-like eyes gazed down on her, before they slid down the hill to stand in front of her.

The first thing Camila noticed was that their skin was blue, with a pair of lynx ears poking through a thick indigo mane. A y-shaped scar marked the side of their face, winding down their cheek and neck. Their eyes were a golden amber, pupils briefly flashing in a y-shape like the scar, before reverting to feline slits.

Then Camila felt the rest of her strength leave her, and she pitched forward, the cat-person catching her before she hit the ground face-first.

“I’ve heard of maidens throwing themselves at people, but I didn’t think it was like this.” They said with a wry chuckle.

When Camila awoke, she found herself staring at a crackling fire. That coarse fur cloak had been draped over her like a blanket, and the sky had turned a deep violet, though the view was blocked by a rocky overhang.

Camila levered herself up, only to hear the voice of the one who saved her.

“You want to take it easy, save your strength. That poison was no joke.”

Camila turned to see her rescuer tending the fire. Now that she was closer, she could see numerous bandages wrapped around their limbs, and a staff of blue wood propped up next to them. Their tail flicked idly at their side.

They couldn’t be more than a year or so older than her.

“Thank you…”

“Azur.” They answered.

Camila gave them an incredulous look. “Your name…is ‘Blue’?”

“Better than my cousin Pawsley, at least.”

Camila found herself laughing, until she winced at the sharp pain from her ribs.

Azur rushed to her side, holding a clawed hand over her. In the palm of their hand, a circle appeared, a set of diamond shapes contained within it, shifting in strange orbits.

“Ah, just some bruised ribs, probably from when you landed here.” They diagnosed.

Camila gave a pained sigh of relief.

“You also had some glass lodged in the cut on your head.” They told her. “I managed to get it out and close the wound, but I don’t think that came from here.”

Camila looked away. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“I know that look.” Azur said. “You were betrayed by someone you thought you could trust.”

“How did you…”

“Know? I lived it.” Azur said. “My own mentor cast me aside as soon as she got what she wanted. But Light Spinner forgot that us Magicats are survivors. We survived when the Horde buried Half-Moon. We survived when our Princess was cut down in battle and her crown claimed as a trophy by Hordak. I survived escaping the Fright Zone, and the Whispering Woods, and I survived getting stabbed in the back by that weaver of shadows and shoved through that rift.”

Camila stared, wide-eyed at the alien in front of her.

Azur’s gaze returned to her. “I’m sorry, where are my manners? I never got your name.”

“C-Camila, Camila Noceda.” Camila stammered, still in awe at the aura of strength radiating from them.

“A huntress who will not give in, how fitting.” Azur noted.

“How do you know that? And how are we even speaking the same language?” Camila asked, trying to cover her blush.

“Probably a small mercy from the First Ones, if I had to guess the latter.” Azur shrugged. “As for your name, it was a little trick I picked up from an old witch in the woods. Names have power, and knowing what they mean can go a long way.”

“Huh, good to know.” Camila said elegantly.

“So…what is this place?” She finally asked.

“This is the Hunting Grounds, or the Hunter’s Moon, if you want to get technical.” Azur explained. “The Huntsman brings the prizes from his Hunts here to torment at his leisure.”

“Who, or what is the Huntsman?”

Azur looked out to the night, where the stars twinkled faintly.

“The Huntsman is an Archivist, a being born directly of the stars themselves. All he cares about is finding unique beings and hunting them for sport.”

At that moment, a sound like a warhorn rang out over the hills. Azur grimaced.

“We better get moving. The Huntsman’s Trappers are not to be trifled with lightly, and you definitely don’t want them getting the drop on you.

Camila groaned as she rose to her feet, noticing the bandages wrapped around her ankle, a faint blue shimmer across the fabric. Azur doused the fire with a ball of water they had summoned, before offering Camila their hand.

She took it gratefully, her eyes still adjusting to the starlit night.

“We don’t have stars where I’m from.” Azur admitted. “The only light we have at night comes from the moons.”

“Moons, plural?”

“Twelve of them.” Azur clarified. “Their magic provides the light and warmth to keep Etheria alive even in Despondos, along with supplying power to the Moonstone of Bright Moon.”

“Moonstone?” Camila asked, stumbling over a rock. Azur helped her get her balance back.

“Etheria is dotted with Runestones, ancient gemstones that harness the power of the elements, and grant their power to the Elemental Princesses they are connected to.” Azur went on. “As a Sorcerer of Mystacor, the magic I can wield is nothing compared to a Runestone Princess, but we make do with what we have.” Azur summoned a blue flame to their hand, extinguishing it just as quickly.

“Where are we heading?” Camila finally asked.

“You see those spires on the horizon?” Azur pointed. Camila nodded.

“Those are the ribs of an ancient Leviathan, and the most potent source of magic on this entire forsaken moon.” Azur explained. “If there’s any chance of either of us getting home, it’s there.”

Night turned to day turned to night again, and they made camp once more, this time in the ribs of some long-dead megafauna.

“So how does magic work, exactly?” Camila asked.

“Magic is…complicated.” Azur admitted. “Magic is life, but it’s also its own thing, a force of energy with a life of its own. As Sorcerers of Mystacor, we are taught how to harness the magic within and around us to fuel our spells, calling on the elements, or in dire cases, drawing on beings beyond our realm.”

“How do you determine who can use magic?”

“Just about anyone can use a proper incantation, though those require having ambient magic to draw upon. In your case, I might be able to teach you a thing or two, especially with the magic lingering on you from the rift you fell through.”

And so began Camila’s crash course in the arcane.

She could not describe the rush that washed through her when he held a ball of sunlight in her hand, shining in time to her heartbeat.

From creating light, she was taught to wield the power of fire, an invaluable tool for any mage. Fire was dangerous, able to burn beyond control if not kept in check, but it was also warmth, a candle against the darkness. Fire could harm, but it could also heal, burning out infection, and could act as a vehicle for transformation, boiling water to potability, and making the meat they could hunt more edible.

They had made camp atop a rocky mesa when Camila finally mastered the fire spell, using it to shoot down and cook a hawktopus.

Her mastery of magic that could be used offensively came not a day too soon, as they had their first encounter with the Huntsman’s Trapper cult. The zealots were humanoid, physiques torn right from the covers of sword-and-sorcery pulp novels, and garbed in stitched-together pelts. Their faces were hidden behind masks fashioned from horned skulls, through which jaundiced technicolor eyes peered out with malevolence.

Every one of them carried spears made of bone, sharpened jawbones forming each speartip.

Camila wreathed her bat in fire, and met them head on with a battle cry.

The Trapper in front of her was easily twice her height and thrice as broad.

Her bat smashed down into the fingers gripping his spear with a sickening crunch.

The spear dropped, and her next blow shattered the bone of his mask, dropping him to the ground. 

Another Trapper raised his spear, only for a flare of magic to flash behind him. The Trapper fell to the ground like a toppled plank, a glowing dart embedded in his spine.

The remaining two Trappers had already been knocked prone, glowing claw marks visible across their arms and torsos.

Azur retracted their claws, and retrieved their staff.

Leaving the unconscious Trappers, the duo fjorded the river, before continuing upstream.

Once the Trappers were well behind them, they made camp, and took advantage of the river for some much-needed bathing. 

Hanging their clothes on a convenient overhanging branch, they washed away the grime and detritus of their journey, as well as reducing their chances of pursuit by obscuring their scent.

As Camila rinsed the dust from her hair, she caught a glimpse of Azur without their robe and bandages. Rippling muscles criss-crossed with scars glistened in the sunlight, only broken by the fabric wrapped around their chest.

The amount of scars they had was quite concerning, both in quantity and variety. At a glance, she could see scratches from blades, the jagged marks of beastly claws, the branching of Lichtenberg figures carved in flesh, and strange, fluidic scars that almost seemed to move, and matched the scar she had seen on their face.

Her gaze met a single golden eye looking over their shoulder, and Camila looked away with a small “eep!” and a furious blush, her heart pounding in her ears louder than when she had been fighting for her life.

She barely heard the flirtatious chuckle from Azur.

“Like what you see?” They asked.

Camila let out another squeak of embarrassment, and sank deeper into the water.

Then Azur pushed her down entirely, forcing her to spring up for air, before turning to glare at the feline sorcerer, who just gave a wide smirk.

Camila retaliated by setting off a wave that left them sputtering, their wild mane soaked and looking every bit an angry wet cat.

“So that’s how you want to play it.” They growled, magic sparking between their claws.

Camila’s eyes went wide as a wave taller than herself rose above Azur, who had a playful grin.

The wave crashed, and Camila dragged herself onto the shore, Azur flopping down next to her. 

Camila laughed, a chuckle of pure joy and relief that she had not realized she could.

Her laughter was infectious, Azur joining her in the expression of mirth, their voice like honey to her ears.

Azur’s laughter tapered off, and they sighed.

“I don’t remember the last time I could laugh like that.” They admitted.

“Me neither.” 

Drying off in the sun, they retrieved their clothes and retreated to a nearby grove of trees as day turned to night. 

Camila woke to a blue arm around her midsection, and a tail coiling around her ankle. She could also feel Azur’s breath against her ear, and felt all her blood rush to her face.

When Azur finally woke up, Camila did not bring it up, merely focusing on finding something to break their fast.

They continued dancing around each other like that for another week, until Camila discovered another side to the Magicat, one far more disconcerting.

They had been traveling across a stretch of arid plains, no predators or Trapper bands in sight.

Both groups knew better than to risk the attention of the creature who had claimed the plain as its territory. 

The first sign that something was wrong was when the wind went still. Then the ground rumbled, and a massink trunk covered in fleshy bristles burst from the dirt, wrapping around Camila’s leg and dragging her into the air. A dozen more such trunks tore loose from the soil, flailing in the air.

Azur unleashed blue flames against the beast, melting dense, leathery skin, and scorching the muscle beneath.

A roar like a stampede screamed out, and the center of the beast was unearthed, tearing through the shallow hill that had formed over it. Rows and rows of lamprey-like teeth ground against each other, at the center of the rings a single cephalopod eye that glistened with an inhuman callousness. Camila found herself staring into that abyssal pupil, feeling the abyss staring back.

Then a blade of midnight-colored fire tore through the monster’s arm, allowing gravity to pull her down. A pair of ethereal tendrils arrested her descent, pulling her away from the beast’s maw.

Camila stared at Azur with shock and more than a little fear.

Black flames wreathed the sorcerer, eyes of burning sulfur glaring at the beast with a terrifying malice and hunger. The flames surrounding them coiled like serpents, tearing into the creature’s flesh and withering it. The shadowy flames spread, engulfing the eldritch brittle star, which let out an agonized shriek as it sank into the consuming void.

That sound would haunt Camila’s nightmares for years.

Azur turned their sulfuric gaze to Camila’s cower, eyes going wide as the plasmic shadows receded to their projector, eyes returning to their natural gold, and pupils returning to feline slits.

“¿¡Que demonios fue eso!?” Camila shouted, trying to put distance between herself and the living nightmare she had just witnessed, before her hand fell on her bat, the paint worn away and the aluminum now etched with arcane circuit-like script. She grabbed her bat and pointed it like a sword at them.

“Camila, please, just let me explain.” They begged.

Camila saw the earnestness in their eyes, and lowered her bat.

Azur offered their hand, and Camila allowed them to help her back to her feet.

“It’s called the Spell of Obtainment.” Azur explained over the fire, having once again taken refuge under an overhanging ridge. “It’s an ancient spell, possibly developed by the First Ones themselves. It’s meant to draw power from the world to empower the caster, but it is a very…delicate spell. It’s all too easy to slip up, and be consumed by the spell instead, left a magical parasite that can’t live without feeding on external sources.”

“Is that what happened to you? The spell backfired?” Camila asked. Azur gave a huffing scoff.

“Oh, the spell worked perfectly when I cast it. But Light Spinner wanted to modify the spell, find a way to make herself powerful enough to destroy the Horde. She wanted to turn herself into a living Runestone. I thought it was madness. But I hated the Horde. I wanted to make them hurt, like they hurt me and my people. So I sought out the texts she wanted, delving the ruins of Arxia that Mystacor was built on, and going against almost every one of our traditions. Light Spinner always said my passion was my weakness, and now it really is. The Spell of Obtainment opens a door inside you. And what lies on the other side of that door is not something to be trifled with. I’ve managed to keep it in check, but then you were in danger, and I couldn’t stop it fast enough with my normal magic. So I let it out, and you saw what happened.”

“Does this happen often?” Camila asked.

“I normally have a good handle on it.” Azur turned their gaze to meet Camila’s. “But I couldn’t let you get hurt. I care about you, more than I’ve cared about anyone before.”

Camila felt her cheeks go red, the twisting feeling in her gut crystalizing with clarity.

“I-I care about you too.”

Camila felt them take her hand, fingers interlocking.

“Why does this feel so scary?” She asked, feeling those butterflies return.

“You tell me.” Azur said, a waver in their normally measured voice.

In the morning, Camila finally opened up about how she had ended up on the Hunter’s Moon.

“Are you telling me your people dictate who you have to love?” Azur asked in furious disbelief.

Camila nodded shamefully.

“Why do you want to go back there?” They asked. That gave Camila pause.

“...Earth has problems, but it’s still my home.” Camila said weakly.

“...Why not come with me to Etheria?” Azur suggested.

The sci-fi fan in Camila wanted to leap at the chance to explore another world, one teeming with new life and civilizations to meet. The more cautious part of her had concerns.

“Didn’t you say Etheria was being threatened by that ‘Horde’?” She asked.

“The Horde is one army, and they lack magic. If Mystacor and the Runestone Kingdoms would work together, the Horde wouldn’t stand a chance.” Azur argued. Their tone said it was an old argument for them.

“And as horrific as the Horde is, even they don’t have…that.”

Camila thought for a long moment. “I think I’d like Etheria.”

Azur gave her a genuine smile.

It had taken the better part of a week, but they had finally arrived at the ribs of the fallen Leviathan.

It was a breathtaking sight, a vaguely humanoid skeleton sprawled across the horizon. An arm the size of a mountain range lay severed, forming a rain shadow that turned the basin around the ribs into a desert. 

The angular skull of the Leviathan speared into the sky, the lower mandible long gone, and ossified sinew weaving around the bones, carved with inscrutable symbols and designs.

Azur placed a hand on one of the massive ribs, closing their eyes and pulsing their magic, before sighing with disappointment.

“The marrow’s all dried up. There’s no blood here.”

Camila placed a comforting hand on their shoulder. “We’ll find a way back. We have to.”

Then the ground began to rumble, and a sand dune near them erupted.

A massive worm-like creature towered above them. Like the first animal Camila had encountered on the moon, this one too had a glass-like mask over its face with a glowing crescent moon sigil. Unlike the Ant-Lion, the worm had metal chains anchored in its flesh, leading up to a comparatively tiny rider.

“For the Huntsman!” A dozen Trappers leapt off the worm’s back, using magic to cushion their landing.

Azur let their frustration boil over, midnight flames wisping around them as their eyes turned a luminous sulfur.

With a feline yowl, Azur met the Trappers’ charge with claws bared, their staff left behind.

One of the Trappers managed to avoid the demonically-empowered Magicat, and went after Camila, who brought her bat to bear against him.

Enveloping her bat in arcane power, she knocked the Trapper’s lunging spear to the side, following up with an elbow into his masked face. The Trapper rolled with the blow, and drew a spell circle in the air, causing serpentine chains to slither from the ground. Camila swung her bat at them, only for the chains to wrap around her weapon and wrench it from her hands, where it was swallowed by the sand.

Camila could tell the Trapper was smiling cruelly under his mask.

Camila let out a growl she hoped was intimidating as she readied a pair of spells in her hands.

The Trapper lunged with his spear again, and Camila summoned a shield, catching his weapon by the shaft and shearing it in half.

The Trapper growled, and tossed his broken spear to the side, withdrawing a pair of massive broadswords made of roughly-forged iron, with wickedly-jagged edges like knapped stone.

Camila’s eyes widened, and she barely managed to backpedal away from his first swipe. She raised a shield for the follow-up strike….

Only for the blade to shatter the dome of magic like it wasn’t even there.

Camila gasped, and threw herself to the side as the iron sword carved through air and sand.

Camila scrambled to her feet, and unleashed a gout of fire that would make a dragon blush.

The Trapper plunged his swords into the sand, and parted the flames like the Red Sea, the orange of the blaze gleaming against the blood red of his eyes.

The flames ran out, and the Trapper stood unharmed among a field of glass.

Camila snarled, but began thinking tactically, summoning a more complex spell array. She hadn’t gotten much practice with illusions in a fight, but there was a first time for everything.

Camila vanished under the illusion, and three of her appeared to rush him from different angles.

While the mirror images charged, Camila went wide, whipping up a small dust storm to obscure her movement, until she was behind the Trapper.

“Only one shot at this.” She muttered to herself, forming another spell array, the illusion spell wrapped around her arm so she could draw her next spell.

The Trapper had just destroyed her last illusory copy, which shattered the array over the arm, when Camila unleashed a burst of sizzling plasma, which caught the Trapper square in the back. 

The Trapper let out a grunt, then topped over, a smoking crater in his back.

Camila breathed heavily, trying to ignore the overwhelming scent of ozone over burnt flesh.

Then she heard the sound of an ungodly shriek, and turned to see that Azur’s battle with the other Trappers and their mount was not going their way.

Summoning Azur’s staff, Camila ran for them.

Azur had been throwing the Trappers around like trees in a hurricane, but the Trappers’ sand worm was too big to be dislodged, and was beginning to encircle them. The beast had scorch marks on its side from where Azur had struck, but it still had them on the ropes.

Camila planted her feet, and focused on the magic in the staff, the blue wood that seemed to carry some sort of life of its own.

With a battle cry, Camila fired off a burst of concussive force from the staff, striking the sand worm in the mask, which gained a spiderweb of cracks. The crescent moon grew dim, and the creature began to buck its rider off, swinging its head wildly until it struck one of the ribs. The rider was thrown off by the impact, and the worm hit the ground, before retreating under the sand, leaving behind most of its mask.

The remaining Trappers grabbed their wounded and ran, heading towards the Leviathan’s skull.

The ethereal flames receded around Azur, leaving them to stumble from exhaustion, their robe more tattered than it had been before.

Camila rushed to their side, offering them their staff.

“Thank you.” They sighed, climbing slowly to their feet.

Azur pointed in the direction the Trappers had run.

“I think their base must be in the Leviathan’s skull, some kind of temple to the Huntsman.

“Which means if there is still a way off this moon…”

“It’s going to be in there.” Azur finished the thought. “And I can sense a powerful magical presence there, something more powerful than anything I’ve seen here or on Etheria.”

“So the Huntsman is there?” Camila asked with a shiver running down her spine.

Azur nodded. “He must be, which means we have to get through him to get to Etheria.”

“How do we do that? We barely managed to fight off this latest band of Trappers.”

Azur approached the nearest rib, unsheathing their claws, they lit up with magic, and began to carve into the bone.

“Leviathans are said to be the only beings the Archivists feared, as they were the only beings with magic stronger than theirs, and their fury could shatter the stars.” Azur monologued as their claws slowly scratched through the ancient bone.

“Leviathans are so powerful that their bodies produce magic long after they are dead. From their corpses, new life springs forth, evolving to harness the magic themselves.” Carving the Leviathan’s bone was slow work, fighting their claws for every inch.

“The First Ones who settled Etheria learned to harness magic themselves by studying the corpses of an Archivist, and even more fallen Leviathans. There were even rumors that they used a Leviathan’s skull to build a castle.”

“How do you know all this?” Camila asked.

“I found so much that the First Ones hid in Arxia. They had developed a weapon called the Heart of Etheria, one that was sabotaged by one of the key people to it. Mara sealed Etheria in Despondos to keep the Heart from being fired, but lost her own life in the process. The remaining First Ones on Etheria fell into obscurity, washed away by history.” Azur finally separated a shard of rib bone, which fell into their hands. They turned around and presented their prize.

It was a shard of bone two feet long, and tapered to a rough point. The non-pointed end had a pair of notches near the end, like an arrow or spearhead.

Retrieving the swords of the Trapper Camila had felled, the two made camp once more, under the shadow of the ribs. 

“With this, we’ll stand a chance against the Huntsman.” Azur explained, as they began forming a kiln from the sand.

“Leviathan Bone carries some of their power, and Celestial Iron negates almost all magic, including Archivist.” Azur gave a huff of bitter remembrance. “Light Spinner once suggested coating my claws in the stuff. I asked her why, when the Horde doesn’t have magic.”

“Did she say why?” Camila asked, helping them shape the kiln.

“She never did.” They huffed again, before putting the finishing touches on their makeshift foundry.

Melting down the swords was a long and arduous process, and Camila gained a new respect for the ancient metalworkers who figured out how to process iron that didn’t have magical properties. Part of her wondered if Celestial Iron was the reason fairies were repelled by iron in the stories, but dismissed it as just a storytelling trick to make otherworldly beings seem even more otherworldly by being vulnerable to something so mundane and ‘earthly’.

Once the metal was melted down, Azur began etching the bone in circuit-like patterns.

“What will those do?” Camila asked, pointing to the engravings.

“These are a script that I’ve found in areas associated with the First Ones. A couple scholars I was in touch with determined it was some kind of magical siphon. If we can drain away the Huntsman’s magic, we can make him vulnerable.”

“Do you know any other ‘First Ones’ language?”

“A little bit, mostly the parts that are relevant to magic.”

From there, Azur launched into a lecture about the First One’s script, and how it seemed to channel magic, which Camila compared to circuitry. Somehow - she wasn’t quite sure how - it led to Azur bringing out a magically-conductive ink and using it to give her a tattoo that made it easier for her to access her magic, though it was only visible when magic was being sent through it.

That boost to her magic proved useful when it came to the next step of forging their weapon against the Huntsman: Adding the Celestial Iron to the spear, and sharpening the bone. Leviathan Bone was remarkably resilient by every possible metric, to the point that their only option for sharpening it ended up being using a shaped chunk of Celestial Iron to knap the edges.

Once the spearhead was complete, Azur affixed it to their staff, the blue wood growing to secure the shard of bone in place, while the arcane script engraved itself down the haft.

Azur swung the spear around, giving it a few flourishes, before firing a beam of golden light into the air like a beacon.

Then Azur held the spear out for Camila.

“You want me to take it?” She asked, bewildered.

“You helped forge this, and you need a new weapon.” Azur assured.

Camila took the spear with a sense of reverence.

“I dub thee… The Spear of Bitter Retribution.” She intoned. The Huntsman’s worshipers were bloodthirsty fanatics who had only seen her and Azur as prey to be hunted.

Now it was time for the Huntsman to become the hunted.

They would make it off the moon, even if it meant slaying a so-called god.

The approach to the Huntsman’s temple was quiet, disconcertingly so. The temple itself had been carved into the roof of the Leviathan’s mouth, with ossified tissue shaped into organic slopes, and a grand staircase to the top.

Azur wove a complex spell array, and teleported them directly to the entrance.

Camila bit back a “beam me up” comment, and tightened her grip on her spear.

They met no opposition as they crossed the threshold, save an oppressive feeling of arcane power settling over them. Steeling their resolve, they marched onward.

Lining the corridor were numerous trophies, statues of all shapes and sizes.

The only thing in common was that every statue had the same blank, glassy eyes.

At the end of the hall, before a set of double doors, eleven statues stood.

They were the Trappers they had just fought, now trapped in stone for eternity.

With a nervous gulp, they approached the doors, and entered the Huntsman’s sanctum.

The room was an arena in design, circular, with a glowing orb resting on a platform in the center. The room was carved from the blue stone of the Leviathan’s ossified brain tissue, with a floor of dense red sand. Banners hung on the walls, tapestries glorifying the Huntsman, who himself floated in the center of the room.

A sand blue and midnight black cloak draped around his shoulders, covered in cosmic iconography, the hood down to reveal his face. His head was bald, his expression placid. His skin was split between a golden yellow on his right side, and an ashy blue on the left. Day and night, one might say. His features were sharp, as though hewn from marble, with pointed ears and thin, snow white eyebrows. Vermillion eyes cracked open to gaze on the interlopers to his inner sanctum.

“So you’re the ants who have given my Trappers such trouble.” The Huntsman’s voice had a childish lilt to it, one tinged with a hint of a sadistic glee.

“We are.” Azur said defiantly. “And we seek your portal.”

“Ah, my portal.” The Huntsman tilted his head. “You seek my greatest trophy.”

The Huntsman snapped his fingers, and the orb at the center of the arena glowed, the drum of a tortured heartbeat sounding as blood flowed along a channel in the sand to an archway in the wall. Within the archway, space rippled, a sea of eldritch swirls and bubbles. The warp of the portal pulled into a rift, through which a green forest could be seen, one that Camila recognized.

The rift closed, but the eldritch ripples remained.

“It would only be sporting to give you a chance to prove yourselves. Best me in combat, and I will return you to your worlds.” The Huntsman offered.

Camila and Azur locked hands, resolve burning in their eyes.

The Huntsman’s lips quirked into a smile. The Archivist stood from his meditative position, still in the air, as his robe fluttered to the floor, revealing a tight-fitting robe that looked like a window into the night sky, an assortment of skulls and scrolls hanging from his belts. The Huntsman snapped his fingers, and the arena was replaced with a stellar void, one peppered with rocky constructs like asteroids, one of which Camila and Azur now stood on.

Channeling magic through herself, Camila leapt off the platform, catching herself on a rock barely large enough for her to stand on. The floating boulder spun under her, and she used the momentum to reposition herself to lunge at the Huntsman.

A shield of glittering crystal halted her charge.

“Predictable.” The Huntsman said dismissively.

Azur emerged from the Huntsman’s shadow, spells crackling in their hands.

The Huntsman flickered out of the path of the lightning, turning around in less than a blink to land a kick to Azur’s solar plexus that sent the Magicat flying.

Azur hit an asteroid back-first with the sound of crunching bone.

“Pathetic.” The Huntsman sneered.

Camila saw red, and launched a fireball at the Huntsman, who batted it aside.

But the distraction had worked, and he had to physically dodge her spear, hovering off his asteroid platform and growing in size until he dwarfed them both.

A magenta-tinged net flew from his fingertips, which Camila sliced in half with her spear.

That gave the Huntsman pause.

“So the ants have a few tricks, I see.”

The asteroids began spinning wildly, smashing into each other. Camila propelled herself to Azur’s side, the sorcerer forming a bubble from their shadowy fire. The flames crystallized into a shield, as the asteroids ground themselves to powder.

Wrapping one hand around the Spear of Bitter Retribution, Azur channeled their magic into the weapon, arcs of inverted lightning wreathing the bone and iron. Their shelter rocketed forward, bouncing off the remaining debris like a pinball before slamming into the Huntsman’s raised arm.

Their shield shattered under the force of impact, and they were thrown back, spinning through the void until Azur used their magic to bleed off their momentum.

The Huntsman stared.

Across his forearm, the golden skin had been carved through, glittering gold blood welling from the wound like a coronal mass ejection.

The Huntsman clamped an ash-blue hand over the injury, as his eyes snapped hatefully to his opponents, vermillion eyes glowing like twin solar eclipses as his face twisted into snarl.

“You dare wield the power of those beasts against me !?” The Huntsman roared like a solar wind, an aura of power erupting around him as the void was replaced by the arena, gravity reasserting itself as Camila and Azur landed roughly in the oily red sand, which Camila now realized held the metallic scent of long-spilled blood.

Using the spear as a crutch, Camila levered herself back to her feet with Azur.

The Huntsman set down on the other side of the arena, the sand around him fusing into brittle glass that cracked underfoot.

“I am going to add your skull to my collection, and then I’m going to that mudball you call a planet and burning it to the core.” The Huntsman said with a barely-restrained fury, something broken within his eyes.

Camila barely had time to raise her spear against the torrent of stellar plasma launched at her, throwing Azur out of its path. A shimmering rainbow aurora coated her, as the Spear of Bitter Retribution parted the deadly laser.

Slowly, Camila stepped forward against the blaze. It felt like swimming against a riptide.

Drawing on all the arcane knowledge she had been given in the past week, she focused on siphoning some of the Huntsman’s power into the spear, the shimmering aura shielding her growing brighter.

The more power she siphoned, the less intense the beam of plasma grew, and the brighter she herself shone, until she was able to lunge at the Huntsman, the tip of the spear nicking his face just below his eye.

A wall of force struck her, and she slammed back into the arena wall, her breath leaving her as she hit the sand.

The Huntsman stared, one hand reaching up and coming away with more of that glittering stardust that served as blood for his kin.

The Huntsman vanished in a flash of stars, appearing before her out of nowhere and lifting her by the collar, slamming her back into the arena wall, cracking the stone.

“What are you, to challenge a god?”

Camila grunted, forcing air into her lungs through the pain.

“My name is Camila Noceda, and you are no god!” 

Camila rammed her spear into the arm holding her, and the Huntsman screamed.

“You’re just a cosmic bully throwing your weight around and getting mad when your victims fight back.” Camila spat.

The Huntsman snarled, before a crystalline broadsword formed in his uninjured hand with a swirl of stardust.

The Huntsman charged with a brutal overhead swing.

Camila parried with her spear, the astral diamond biting into the bone as Camila was forced to one knee.

Then the Huntsman’s sword exploded with light and force, shoving Camila into the sand.

One edge of the spear’s blade was burned and broken. 

The Huntsman swung again, and Camila raised the spear in her defense. The sword struck the shaft, and Camila barely managed to close her eyes in time not to be blinded by the flash of blue that erupted.

The Huntsman was thrown back, skidding to a stop.

Camila stared at the spear in her hands, the wooden shaft in two pieces, green fluid leaking from the wood and onto her hands.

Camila pulled herself out of the crater she had been blasted into.

And then the Huntsman struck, his fist catching her in the plexus and sending her flying.

The wall was approaching faster than she could hope to survive.

Before she made impact, an aura of midnight flames stopped her in midair.

Azur held one hand outstretched, spell arrays enveloping their hand, while the other clung to the glassy orb of the portal generator. From that hand, circuit-like script etched into the glass.

The entire arena began rumbling, as the sky visible outside the temple grew bright with an eye-searing aurora.

“What have you done!?” The Huntsman screamed.

Azur spoke with a voice not their own.

“Your abuse of my power must be answered for. For your crimes against my people and your corruption of your duty, you shall wither in Despondos for all eternity.”

“NO!” The Huntsman bellowed, a boar-spear forming in his hands as he rammed into Azur, running them through.

“NO!” Camila screamed, unleashing a blast of arcane power that caught the Huntsman in the back. Azur was thrown aside, and Camila rushed to them.

Azur was still breathing, but it was a labored affair.

“C-Camila, the p-portal.” They stammered between breaths.

Camila looked to see the portal the Huntsman had originally summoned was still open.

Wrapping one of Azur’s arms around her shoulder, Camila began carrying them to the portal, while the Huntsman frantically tried to undo dimensional shift Azur had set off, to no avail, even as the temple began falling apart around them.

The Huntsman leveled a hateful glare at the two, and Camila summoned her remaining magic to lift the broken shaft of the spear. Azur lay their hand over hers, adding their magic to her own and guiding her aim.

“Rest now, Atlaseia.” Azur muttered, as they released the wooden projectile.

The broken shaft pierced the glass of the portal generator, impaling the heart within, which glowed with golden light.

The Huntsman’s eyes widened as the glass orb burst, and a cataclysmic shockwave filled the arena. The portal collapsed, Azur and Camila being thrown through seconds before it closed.

It was raining in the forest.

Azur could feel most of their bones were broken in some way, but they dragged themself to where Camila lay. Their relief at their miraculous escape was torn away as they realized Camila wasn’t breathing.

“Camila?” They asked, placing two fingers at her neck. There was no pulse.

“No, no, no, no, no.” They muttered. They had promised her they would get her home, but not like this.

The Earth felt wrong to the Magicat, a void bereft of magic, save what they had within them. A chill ran down their fractured spine as the demons within them began to roil. There was no ambient magic to keep their door closed. If they stayed, they would become little more than the parasite that the spell’s creator’s had warned of.

But they could still do something.

Taking Camila’s cold hand in their own, they began their incantation.

“As children of Half-Moon, we are born with nine lives, nine chances to make things right. I have wasted two of mine, and I give my remaining seven to you, Camila Noceda, the huntress that will not give in, who made a god bleed, and will live to tell about it.”

Their body glowed golden, rivers of magic flowing along arcane channels.

Camila took a sharp breath, and her eyes cracked open just in time to see Azur’s body scatter into motes of light to join the heavens.

Camila cried silently in the forest, alone.

Roxanne Wittmore set down the novel she was reading to answer the door.

“Who would be knocking at this time of night and in this weather?” She grumbled as she opened the door, her annoyance giving way to shock.

“Cam?”

“Hey Rox, do you think I could stay here a while?” Camila asked.

It didn’t take a genius to realize something was wrong.

Camila stumbled through the doorway, and Roxanne led her to the couch, where she promptly fell asleep.

“I stayed with Roxanne and her family for a while. She was the only one I was out to, but I didn’t tell her about the Hunter’s Moon. I mean, who would believe me? I was already the weird nerdy girl. If I told anyone what I had gone through they’d think I had finally cracked.” Camila finished her story.

“That’s…terrible.” Eda finally said. “You went through all that and couldn’t trust anyone with it?”

“Look who’s talking.” Raine said pointedly, before wincing at what they had just said.”

“Even at my lowest, I still had some trusted company. I may complain about him, but Hooty definitely helped me stay sane.” Eda defended, before turning to Camila.

“May I?” She gestured. Camila nodded, and found herself in a hug from the Owl Lady.

Luz took that as an invitation, and wrapped her wings around her mothers for good measure in a tearful embrace. Raine joined in too, as did King. From the cuddle pile, Camila managed to meet Vee’s eyes, and gestured for her to join.

It was a few long moments before they were comfortable breaking the group hug, and Camila wiped the tears from her eyes.

“Thank you. I think I needed to get all that off my chest.” Camila said graciously.

“Uh, not to be rude or anything, but my parents are asking when I’ll be home.” Masha spoke up. “And they have a strict ‘no surprise sleepovers’ policy.”

Camila looked out the window to see that night had fallen over the course of her tale.

“I can drive you home.” Camila offered, spinning her keys. 

“You sure you’re up for that?” Luz asked.

“I’m sure.” Camila assured her with a hug. “I’ll be back soon.”

Vee and Masha hugged goodbye, before Vee shifted to her Luz disguise, and went with them.

It was a fairly short drive. Masha’s family lived close to downtown Gravesfield, within walking distance of the Historical Society.

“I wonder if they’re still hiring?” Masha observed as they based the old building.

“I’d be careful around that place if I were you. The curator is a witch-obsessed conspiracy theorist.” Camila warned.

“Guess I’ll have to take his job then.” Masha suggested. Camila could not tell if they were joking or not as she pulled up to their house.

Masha said their goodbyes, and Camila made sure they got in safely before heading home.

Masha’s parents were having their after-dinner coffee when Masha finally returned, and the first thing they did was hug their parents tight.

Masha was not usually a hugger.

“Masha, sweetie, what’s the matter?” Their mother asked.

“Nothing, just…I’m so glad you’ve been supportive of me.”

Their mother hugged them back, wondering what she had missed.

When Camila and Vee got home, their guests and otherworldly family members were still gathered in the living room, discussing something in hushed tones.

Once the door was closed, she joined her family on the couch.

“Well, I’ve told you all my past, so I guess now we need to talk about the future.”

“Especially in regards to Luz.” Eda pointed out.

“Luz, mija.” Camila met her daughter’s eyes. “I just want to say that I’m sorry. I was so worried you would suffer like I had when I was your age, that I tried to change who you were. My biggest mistake was trying to protect you from the world the wrong way, by changing this beautiful good witch into something she wasn’t. I didn’t stand up for you when you needed me most.” She wiped another tear from her eye. “I forgot about the Astral Oath.”

“The what?” Luz asked, confused. Eda and Raine perked up, the latter summoning a book.

“The Astral Oath is a promise, made between Captain Avery and his family, to love and protect each other just as they are…”

“Through supernovas, and solar winds.” Eda and Raine repeated with her.

Camila smiled at the two witches, before returning her attention to Luz.

“I promise, I will support you in what you want. And that goes for you too, Vee.”

The basilisk blinked at the sudden mention.

“Wait, you mean it?”

“Of course. Who knew I had such a strong girl living under my roof.”

“But I just took your real daughter’s face and pretended to be her.” Vee said.

“And was fighting an alien to protect another pretend? Was rescuing one of your fellow campers pretend?” Camila asked. “You may have been borrowing Luz’ face, but those heroics were all you.”

Vee’s scales turned pink, and she began to tear up.

Luz and Marcy were quick to pull her into a hug. “You’re family now, Vee.” Luz told her.

“Oh.” Was all the basilisk managed to say.

Camila pulled her daughters into another hug.

“So, Luz. What do you want?” She asked.

Luz thought for a moment. “I want to stay in the Demon Realm, and keep learning magic at Hexside with my friends. And I want to be with my family, both my Human Realm family, and my Demon Realm family.” 

Camila nodded. “You can spend the rest of the summer in the Demon Realm, and we’ll work something out when school starts up in the Fall.”

Luz’ eyes lit up with joy, and her tail beat against the couch.

“On a few conditions, however.” Camila stated, and Luz’ tail stopped wagging.

“Condition one: You’ll keep your grades up at Hexside.”

Luz nodded. “I’ve been doing pretty well in most of my classes.” She said proudly. “Except abominations.” She muttered.

Camila shelved that discussion for later. “Condition two: No lying to me. If you are having problems, tell me.” 

Luz nodded a little more hesitantly.

“And condition three: You show your mother the Demon Realm.” 

“Escusa-what-now?”

“I’ve been kept in the dark about the Demon Realm for almost two decades now.” She turned to Eda and Raine. “I can understand wanting to keep it a secret for safety, but if we’re going to make this work, we all need to be on the same page.” 

“I think we can work something out.” Eda said, holding up the portal key.

“Take me with you!” Marcy shouted, flinging herself at Eda.

“W-what?” Eda asked, both bemused and bewildered.

“I wanna learn witch magic!” She exclaimed. “I already know some Amphibian magic, and I even got a magical girl transformation once!”

“Okay, okay.” Eda gestured. “Hold your snorses. Ordinarily I’d say that humans can’t do magic, but that sentiment has been thoroughly debunked.” She ruffled Luz’ hair. “And I wouldn’t mind seeing some of this ‘Amphibian’ stuff for myself. I won’t lie, the Boiling Isles can be pretty dangerous, and Emperor Belos is an oppressive tyrant.”

“Where’s the rebellion?” Marcy promptly asked.

“It’s concerning that that was your first thought, but you’re looking at ‘em.” Eda gestured to herself and Raine.

“Please tell me you aren’t the only ones fighting this Belos person.” Camila begged.

“Of course not.” Eda assured. “We’ve got Rainestorm’s students, the Bards Against the Throne, two Coven Heads who are actively undermining the bonehead, and the various wild witches who don’t agree with the Coven System. Heck, Luz here practically started her own revolution at Hexside, letting witches study multiple tracks.”

Luz blushed at the praise.

Eda then turned to Vee. “And I personally saw to it that Tria and Ivy were able to take sanctuary with the Bat Queen.”

Vee’s eyes went wide, and she let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding.

“We also rescued Nil’s clutch. Belos won’t be able to touch them.”

Vee acted on instinct, coiling around the Owl Lady in a hug.

“Ah, there, there?” Eda awkwardly ruffled the basilisk’s hair.

“So I guess the only question left is: who’s staying where for the night?” Raine asked.

Vee untangled herself. “I’m not too sure about going back to the Demon Realm just yet.” 

Luz’ eyes lit up. “You can stay in my room! We even have a bunk bed.” 

Luz grabbed Vee by the hand and her upstairs to her room - now their room.

Eda turned her prospective apprentice. “It’ll take a day for me to prepare a room for you at the Owl House.” In a whispered mutter she added “And I might as well get Luz some better furnishings while I’m at it.”

“What was that?” Camila asked.

“Nothing!” Eda waved off.

Raine shook their head at their partner’s antics.

King, meanwhile, yawned, before curling up in Camila’s lap, an implicit recognition of her as family.

“Ay, que lindo.” She cooed quietly at her stepson.

Catra still wasn’t used to the night sky being full of stars.

Her entire life, the only objects in the sky of Etheria were the moons, and even those were normally obscured by the industrial smog of the Fright Zone.

Catra sighed as she leaned against the windowsill. On the windowsill were the two items that occupied her thoughts. The first was her old crown, the pieces recovered from the Velvet Glove, and repaired by Adora. The cracks in the crimson metal had been welded back together with golden brazing. There was something poetic in that, she figured. It had clearly been broken, but there was beauty in the repairs.

Underneath the crown was the true reason she was out overlooking Bright Moon in the dead of night: A sheaf of slightly singed papers found in Mystcor by Castaspella.

Azur of Half-Moon had been a promising, if troubled sorcerer, who had escaped the Fright Zone following the fall of Half-Moon, bringing warnings about the Horde’s aggression that went ignored by all but one - A master sorceress by the name of Light Spinner, who had listened to them, and used Azur to find knowledge of the First Ones that had been buried with Arxia, including the nightmarish ritual that had turned Light Spinner into Shadow Weaver, before disappearing under mysterious circumstances. 

Catra sighed at the unsolvable mystery of one of her people. The only person who might have known what had happened to them was long dead, and the only piece of her culture was a crown that she had worn for years without realizing its significance.

Shadow Weaver probably knew. She wouldn’t put it past the witch to have let her have it as a joke at her expense. ‘Look at the last of the Magicats, who doesn’t even know she wears her people’s sacred badge of office like any other accessory.’

Catra growled and shook her head, trying to drive away the bitter thoughts.

A burst of sparkles flared behind her.

“I thought I’d find you out here.” Queen Glimmer said.

“How’d you tell, Sparkles?” Catra snipped, though without any of the bite that the nickname once carried.

“I come up here when I can’t sleep too.” Glimmer admitted, joining her in surveying the kingdom at night. The Queen of Bright Moon was wearing a glittery lavender gown with a pale blue cape. She had forgone her crown and enchanted bracer for the night, and Catra could tell she had had trouble sleeping too, given the bags under her eyes.

“Memories of old times?” Catra asked. Most of her nightmares these days had to do with Horde Prime.

Plumeria’s therapists could only do so much.

“No, I just keep seeing these…eyes. I’ve never seen anything like them before, but there’s a malice to them like Horde Prime, only somehow worse.” Glimmer gestured.

Catra stared at the queen, who noticed her staring.

“Are they vermillion?” Catra asked.

“How did you-”

“Those have been haunting my nightmares too.” She answered candidly.

Glimmer stood silently for a moment. “Do you think it’s some kind of omen?”

“I don’t know, isn’t magic stuff like that your thing?”

“I can do a few scrying spells, but for something so vague, I’ve got nothing.” Glimmer shrugged.

“Guess all we can do is be ready for whatever comes next.” Catra said wistfully.

“Guess so.” Glimmer turned to leave. “By the way, Adora’s looking for you.”

“Of course she is.” Catra sighed with a smile, grabbing her crown and papers before swinging out the window.

Glimmer shook her head at her enemy-turned-friend’s preference for parkour, before teleporting back to her room with one last glance at the starry night sky.

Within the void-realm of Despondos, the Huntsman’s vermillion eyes were the only remaining source of light.

He had been granted a temporary respite from his prison by the light of Watcher’s Heart, finding the spawn of his hated enemies, and the Titan’s chosen champion from among the ants. While his conduit to the Demon Realm had been severed, and he had lost one of his trophies to the abominable hybrid, he still had connections with the realm of the Titans.

One of his Void-Blessed was stirring against its prison. All the Huntsman had to do was wait, and he would be free once more to bask in the starlight and the entrails of his enemies.

And for an immortal, time was all he had.

Chapter Text

‘This is starting to get old.’ Amity thought as she opened her eyes to the rippling dark waters and eldritch geography of the In-Between. Rising to her feet, she began looking for the other inhabitant of the liminal space.

She found Manny Noceda looking into some sort of mirror cube, his back to her. Even without looking, she could feel the weight of some unidentifiable emotion pressing down on his shoulders, a dense cloud of ether that stirred unpleasant memories of Luz’ grief over Nil. 

“Mister Noceda?” Amity asked, getting the demon’s attention. His claws left the mirror cube, which floated up to join a dozen identical boxes hovering in the canyon.

“Ah, Amity. I didn’t notice you there.” He said with a dry chuckle.

“Is something wrong?” Amity asked, noting the tears gathering around his good eye.

Manny gave a bone-rattling sigh.

“For all the years I’ve been observing humans, even living amongst them, I still underestimate them.” He said, gesturing to one of the cubes. “My wife fought the Huntsman at his peak, and she survived.”

Amity gasped.

He gestured to himself. “I ended up here after my own battle with that cosmic -” 

Whatever descriptor he used could not be understood to a witches’ ear, and gave her a headache to hear, like a storm front rolling through.

Amity quickly put two and two together. “You lost.”

Manny nodded. “A pyrrhic victory at best. The Huntsman was driven from the Demon Realm for a time, the last of my children were beyond his reach, but my soul was left here to languish, until something shook me from my malaise, and I began to look at what was happening across the realms. I saw the witches and demons of the Boiling Isles prospering, I saw a fallen empire of sentient amphibians, and I saw the Human Realm embroiled in conflict. Eventually, I recovered enough power to form an avatar in one of the Realms. I chose to experience life as a human, to better understand them. I saw the best and worst of humanity, and even found love.”

The face of the mirror cube shifted, an image of a woman who could only be Luz’ human mom appearing, sharing the frame with Eda and Raine.

“But nothing lasts forever, and my time came sooner than I had hoped.”

Another cube appeared, showing a scene of rain in a Human Realm cemetery.

“I underestimated how deeply humans can be affected by grief. But just as I underestimated them before, I underestimated their drive and endurance.”

Suddenly, Amity heard another voice, one with a slight echo-y quality to it, like a recording.

“No more lies, no more secrets.”

Amity realized it was Luz’ mom speaking.

Manny raised his pinky, before waving his hand. Amity felt a subtle band of immaterial magic shatter around her finger.

“I release you from the promises we made.” He said. “I have to trust in my family to be able to handle the truth, and your choice to do what you think is right.”

Amity felt that familiar pull of not-gravity as she sank back into the waking world.

Amity opened her eyes to a ceiling that was not her own. It took a few moments for her brain to catch up and recall where she was, the rafters crossing the vaulted ceiling a scaffold for vines and hanging planters.

The sound of Willow’s snores reached her ears, as she remembered having stayed at Willow’s house for the night following the ordeal with the plant witch’s memories.

She owed it to Willow to try to make up for her treatment of her first friend. 

The first rays of the day star shone through the window, and hit the sunflower Willow had grown as an alarm clock, which rose to the light and let out a chime like golden bells.

Willow’s snores cut off as the witch woke up, an instinctive spell quieting the floral wake-up call. The plant prodigy rose groggily, stretching with a yawn before noticing Amity in her own cot, looking contemplative.

“Snail for your thoughts?” Willow offered as she put on her glasses.

Amity took a deep breath, turned to Willow, and began to explain.

Willow’s eyes were wide by the time Amity finished her tale.

“So let me get this straight.” Willow shook her head in disbelief. “Somehow, you managed to astral project yourself into the dimension where Luz and King’s dad’s soul is trapped, and he initially told you to keep it secret, but now he wants you to tell them?”

Amity nodded. “Well, he left it up to me, but…”

“But keeping secrets from friends only hurts them.”

Amity winced, but nodded again.

Willow sighed. “I think…if Luz cares about you like I know you care about her, then she’ll understand.”

“Thanks Willow.” Amity told her. “You-you’re a better friend than I deserve.”

Willow gave her an indecipherable look, before climbing out of bed.

“I think I hear dad making breakfast.” Willow changed the subject as she headed to her dresser.

Amity grabbed her own Hexside uniform from her bag, looking at the orchid sleeves and purple leggings with contemplation.

As Willow went to the bathroom to get ready, Amity turned to one of the many plants filling the room, her gaze falling on an orchid still in its bud. Spinning a small spell circle, Amity watched the lavender-petalled flower blossom with her magic.

As Camila’s alarm blared, which she silenced with a groan, before the reality of the last day came crashing down.

Luz hadn’t gone to camp, she had ended up in the Demon Realm while a basilisk took her place. Luz had found Eda, and then Raine. Raine, who turned out to have as much relation with Luz as Manny and Camila herself. Luz had come in to her magic and heritage, while also finding a brother on the Isles.

And Camila had agreed to visit the Demon Realm herself.

The sound of chatter downstairs finished rousing her from bed, and she briefly took stock of her appearance in the bathroom mirror, neatening her hair and tying it back, with a glance at her roots, where the barest hint of white was showing. She reached for the bottle of hair dye she kept on the top shelf of the medicine cabinet, before thinking better of it.

She had already told her family the truth about her past, and she was about to enter a world of witches and demons.

The mark of her previous experience with the supernatural would not stand out anymore than being a human, possibly less so.

Arriving in the kitchen, Camila found Luz, Vee, Marcy, and King all talking animatedly, a few dozen glyph cards scattered over the table. Marcy was furiously jotting down notes of her own.

“What happens if you combine two different glyphs?” She asked.

“Hmm, I haven’t actually tried that.” Luz admitted. “I know slapping two light glyphs against each other produces lightning, and Eda told me that witches get their spells from different spell phlegms mixing in their bile sac.”

“So if witches mix together fluids to create spells, then maybe you can combine glyphs to do the same thing!” King exclaimed.

“That still leaves the question of how to combine them.” Luz scratched her chin.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Camila made her presence known. “Connect them in a circuit.”

The kids all looked up at her.

“Mom! You’re up!” Luz jumped out of her seat.

“Buenos días, Mrs, Noceda.” Marcy greeted.

“Buenos días, Marcy.” Camila replied instinctively. “Luz? Did you have trouble sleeping?”

“Just some portal lag, it’s no big deal.” Luz waved off.

“Portal lag?” Camila asked with a raised eyebrow. 

“There’s a few hours time difference between here and the Isles, and the Demon Realm has a twenty-five hour day. I guess my internal clock already adapted.” Luz explained with an awkward chuckle.

“As long as you’re getting enough sleep, mija.” Camila assured her daughter she wasn’t in trouble, before thinking about what she had just said.

“Wait, what time is it on the Boiling Isles, then?”

Luz did some mental math. “Should be right before dawn.” Her eyes went wide.

“Come on! You’ve got to see the sunrise there! I can’t think of a better first impression of the beauty of the Isles!”

King hopped on Luz’ shoulders as she ran for the door, Camila and Marcy following.

Camila turned to see Vee still at the table.

“I’m guessing you’d rather stay here? I know the Demon Realm wasn’t the kindest to you.”

Vee nodded sheepishly.

“Maybe someday I’ll go back, but I think I’d like to stay, hold down the fort, y’know.”

“Of course, mija.” Camila gave the basilisk a parting hug.

In front of the old cabin, Marcy was bouncing on her heels and clapping in excitement, while Luz held out the portal key. On the way, Marcy had explained that she had also checked in with her parents and let them know she was staying with a friend from camp the rest of the summer. Once Camila had joined them, she pressed the eye on the key, which caused the cabin’s door to outline with golden-white light, swinging inward to reveal another world.

“Welcome to the Boiling Isles.” Luz said as she guided her mother and new friend through.

Camila was startled to find herself on a forested cliff overlooking an ocean, alien stars twinkling overhead in the twilight.

Marcy was in awe.

“If you’ll look this way, you can see the sunrise.”

The first rays of sunlight crested the red-leaved pines, the deep purple of the night becoming the pale blue-white of morning, the clouds gaining their subtle sulfur hue.

Luz closed the portal door, which folded up into its attaché case form. Marcy tore her gaze from her admiration of the morning sky to study the portal. 

“Woah, how does the portal work? Where did you get it? Can you go to other places with it?”

Luz quickly met her inquiries. “I’m not entirely sure, but you need the key to summon and open it. Eda found it buried near her parent’s house when she ran from home. And it only seems to connect to that cabin, but Eda might know more. Speaking of…”

Luz made a sweeping gesture.

“This is…the Owl House.”

“Woah, rustic.” Marcy commented.

Hooty decided to make his presence known.

“Luz! You’re back!” The house demon stretched from the door to encircle the witch, who patted him on top of his head.

Marcy looked equal parts intrigued and disturbed, while Camila had the look of someone trying to figure out where she had seen something like him before.

“Alright Hooty.” Luz said. “Could you let us in?”

“What’s the password?” Hooty asked, twisting so his face was upside down.

Luz rolled her eyes with a fond sigh. “It’s ‘hoot’, you haven’t changed it since I first got here.”

Hooty retracted himself and opened the door.

“So is Hooty merely attached to the door, or is he the house itself?” Marcy asked.

“Don’t ask questions you’ll regret the answer to.” Luz answered flatly. “Trust me, trying to understand Hooty is just asking for things us mortals were not meant to know.”

With that cheerful comment, Luz led her mother and her first human friend into the place she now called home.

“This place is beautiful.” Marcy looked around awestruck. Luz felt a sense of deja vú.

“Oh, good, you’re back.” Eda said as she stepped into the living room.

The Owl Lady had clearly chosen to try to impress her guests, having donned a pink ‘Kiss the Cook’ apron over her usual dress.

“Raine and I made breakfast.” She said.

Luz’ stomach chose that moment to growl.

The group gathered around the kitchen table, where griffon egg omelets had been prepared.

“Now humans aren’t naturally able to digest a lot of food on the Isles, but griffon eggs have been a pretty safe bet with Luz, even before her own magic started coming in.” Eda explained.

Marcy gave a queasy look. “Uh, do you have anything that isn’t eggs? The textures are just…ick.”

She gave a shudder. “So much yolk.” She muttered under her breath, recalling a bad memory.

“Sure thing kid.” Eda took her latest apprentice’s needs in stride. “We’ve got sinammon toast, booberry paincakes, spidermilk yogurt, and crab apples. And to drink we have water, spidermilk, soft apple blood, sunblossom tea, and the wood varnish Rainestorm calls coffee.”

“Excuse you, it’s Klatchian coffee, and it’s imported. About the only thing Belos does allow to be traded.” Raine held their mug close.

“I think I’ll try the toast, apples, and tea.” Marcy chimed in.

Once everyone had eaten, Raine had to take their leave, adjusting the concealment stone around their wrist, making sure that the illusion of a Bard Coven sigil was solid, and rolling their sleeves down for good measure.

“Now as much as I despise formal education, Hexside is currently the best option, and it’s about time for Luz to head there, so--” Eda turned with a clap. “--who wants the scenic tour of the Isles?”

Camila tried desperately not to look down. Only Eda’s arms braced around her gave her the courage to take in her surroundings.

Marcy was far more enthusiastic about being in the air.

“Wow, this is amazing.” She commented.

“I know, right?” Luz asked from where she flew next to them on her wings.

Marcy took in the sights with awe, somehow managing to balance on the staff and draw in her journal, something about the mountainous bones framing the landscape jogging the girl’s memory.

“Huh, this is a kid-friendly hellscape on a giant carcass.” Marcy muttered.

“What was that?” Luz asked over the gentle breeze.

“My friend Anne mentioned meeting a human who had traveled to Amphibia from a quote ‘kid-friendly hellscape on a giant carcass’, unquote, along with her silver-haired witch mentor.” Marcy explained.

“I haven’t seen any other humans on the Isles.” Luz admitted.

“And I doubt there are other witches with my good looks taking in human apprentices.”

“Oh my frog, time travel.” Marcy squee’d.

“What the heck are you talking about?”

“At some point in the future you must have created a temporary portal to Amphibia, and run into my friend Anne back when we were all trapped there.” Marcy elaborated.

“Huh, I wonder why I’d be making a portal of my own?” Luz mused.

“I’d cut off that train of thought, kid, if I were you.” Eda advised. “I’d rather you not tempt fate.” She rapped her knuckles against her staff for good measure.

“I thought you said we had to choose ourselves, and that prophecies were bunk?”

“Just because prophecies are ninety-percent making things up, doesn’t mean it’s wise to tempt the universe. Don’t humans have some kind of law about that? Milo’s Law?”

“Murphy’s Law, Eda.” Camila chimed in.

Before the conversation could continue, Hexside was upon them, and Eda and Luz set down on the front path. Marcy dismounted with the grace of one used to riding, while Camila was somewhat shakier on her feet.

Eda helped her stay upright, and she blushed.

Luz took Marcy’s hand and led her to where her friends were waiting on the steps. Willow and Gus were chatting, while Amity was looking around with a tension in her posture, an anxiety that seemed to grow when she noticed Luz.

“Friends!” Luz called out. Willow and Gus jumped up at her voice.

“Luz!” Willow exclaimed.

“Willow! Are you alright after the whole…thing, yesterday?” Luz asked.

“Don’t worry, you and Amity managed to get all my memories back in order.” Willow assured. “So, who’s your friend?”

“Okay, after you guys left the Owl House, I got a text from my mom. Turns out summer camp had to end early and a basilisk had been impersonating me, but Mom found out and we ended up telling her everything, and it turns out she ended up on another world when she was our age and had to fight the Huntsman to get back, and now she’s here. And this is Marcy, one of the friends Vee - that’s my basilisk sister’s name - made at camp, and she wanted to come to the Boiling Isles and learn magic too.”

Somehow, Luz managed to say all of that in one breath. Marcy waved in greeting.

“Oh my Titan, another human on the Isles!” Gus shouted enthusiastically, bounding down the stairs.

“Hi! What’s your name? Do humans really use barbed wire to store treats on their teeth? Are you going to learn magic here like Luz? Did humans really land on their moon? What paper-clips are the best source of soothing sounds? Are possums real? Where are your gills? Do you know about high-fives?” Gus asked in rapid-succession.

“Marcy Wu. No, we use braces to straighten misaligned teeth. Frog yes I’m here to learn magic! Six times. The best sound is to just get a whole canister of them and scoop them up. Yes. Between my ribs. And up top!” Marcy answered with equal enthusiasm, holding up her hand for a high-five, which Gus promptly reciprocated.

“Gus Porter, Illusionist Extraordinaire!” He greeted.

“Okay, my turn.” Marcy took a breath. “What are all the differences between witches and humans? What are your sources on human culture? What all can you do with Illusions?”

“Oh Titan, there’s two of them.” Willow commented.

Hieronymus Bump was expecting a spike in the general chaos levels when he admitted the apprentice of his most infamous student, especially after learning said apprentice was the daughter of Eda’s partner in crime. By some mercy of the Titan, Luz did not share her mentor’s penchant for causing chaos, but trouble seemed drawn to her like a magnet regardless.

He figured that it would be an eventful semester when a possessed basilisk attacked on the first day.

While resigned to being dealt unexpected surprises, he could at least ask the Titan if it was too much for Eda to at least let him know ahead of time that the girl’s human mother wanted to meet him, and that she was bringing another prospective student with her. Alas, the Titan was silent, though the principal could not shake the sense of someone laughing.

Camila Noceda had a wary look in her eye as she entered his office. It seemed both of Luz’ mothers bore a distrust of authority, particularly educational administrators.

Bump hoped that he could allay some of her concerns.

“Hey, Princy B!” Eda announced.

…He’d settle for at least two of Luz’ parents being cordial with him.

“Eda, how nice of you to drop by almost completely unannounced.” Bump greeted.

“Well I finally reconnected with Cam here, and she wanted to see where her daughter was learning.” Eda wrapped an arm around the human’s shoulders. The way she leaned into the embrace did not go unnoticed.

“I see.” Bump commented. “Mrs. Noceda, I think you’ll be pleased to know that Luz has been a breath of fresh air for Hexside.”

Camila looked taken aback.

“I think that’s the first time I’ve heard a principal have anything nice to say about mi hija .”

“I think that speaks more about the quality of her education in the human realm. Luz has been one of the most focused students I’ve ever seen, and for someone who grew up without magic, she’s taken to it like a spider making a web.” Bump gave a dry chuckle. “She’s actually given many of the top students in the tracks a run for their snails, at least when it comes to theory. Her approaches to the practical demonstrations have been…unconventional, but not unexpected.”

“How so?” Camila asked, genuinely curious.

“Most of her magic seems to be tied to the elements of the ‘glyphs’ she’s discovered, along with her own innate talent with sound-based magic. With only those four glyphs and her voice, she’s managed to keep up with and in many cases exceed her peers. I can honestly say I haven’t seen such a promising student here since Eda herself.”

“You really mean that?” Eda asked, her voice cracking.

“One of my greatest failures as an educator, Eda, was allowing you to be driven from these halls.” Bump apologized.

Eda tried to brush it off. “Faust would have turned me over to the Emperor’s Coven himself if he had the chance.”

“And I regret that it took you dropping out to finally build the courage to challenge the old bull.” Bump steepled his fingers.  

“Challenge?” Camila asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Do humans not determine leadership with trial by duel?”

“...Not generally.” Camila replied, before muttering under her breath. “I didn’t realize you guys had Dornian promotions.”

Eda snorted at the apparent human reference. 

“But I imagine you didn’t come all this way to hear an old witch ramble about the past.” Bump shifted the conversation.

“I mainly wanted to know how Luz was doing here.” Camila told him. “And what accommodations I need to see about getting her.”

“I see. Luz seems to have had no problems adjusting to Hexside’s curriculum, aside from the incident her first day, despite choosing to take every track; though I would recommend remedial tutoring in History, since she wasn’t raised on the Isles.” Bump informed her.

Camila nodded gratefully. “And what about her peers?”

“Luz has gotten along with most of her peers quite well, barring a one-sided rivalry with Miss Coronette, which has yet to escalate to the point of a witch’s duel.”

“So you only intervene in conflicts if it literally comes to blows?” Camila asked critically.

“I’m not sure how dangerous the Human Realm is, but here we find it prudent to teach students how to stand their ground. Furthermore, Luz has shown an aptitude for unconventional conflict resolution.”

Camila took a deep breath. “Alright, I will defer to your cultural judgment. But if I hear about Luz getting hurt by any bullies, we will be having words, ¿lo entiendes? ”

Bump swallowed hard. “I understand.” He could have sworn he’d heard a rumble of thunder, despite there not being a single stormcloud in the sky or forecast.

“There’s also the matter of my new apprentice.” Eda chimed in. Marcy looked up from her journal, tucking the notebook in her bag.

“Hi! I’m Marcy Wu, former Captain in the Newtopian Rangers, level one mage, and prospective exchange student!” Marcy held out her hand.

Bump shook her hand gingerly, while giving Eda a look. “I can see why Eda took you in.” 

“Uh, question, are you the witch or the demon on your head?” Marcy asked bluntly.

“I am every bit the witch your mentor is. Frewin here helps me see.” Bump answered. The palisman in question wagged his tail at the attention.

“Ah, I didn’t mean any offense. I’m just really curious about everything.” Marcy rubbed the back of her neck.

“I can tell. You and Luz seem to have a lot in common.” Bump commented. “Am I to assume you also have access to glyph magic?”

Marcy pulled out her own glyph pad, summoning a ball of peridot light, and a sea-green ice cube. “I also have some knowledge of Amphibian magic, including level one curses and necromancy, and mycology.”

“I see.” Bump drew a spell circle to summon a booklet and a checklist. “If you don’t mind, please fill out this form with the tracks you would like to take. I imagine you would rather not be restricted to a single track?”

Marcy took the booklet and form and started reading, making notes in her journal at the same time.

Within five minutes, Marcy had made her decision, returning the checklist.

“Bard, Beast-Keeping, Plant, and Potions? Interesting choices.” Bump noted.

“I already know how to play the violin and drums, and the rest I picked up some things that might help from Amphibia.” Marcy defended.

“I wasn’t criticizing your choices, Miss Wu.” Bump said placatingly. “I honestly expected you to try all the tracks.”

“Maybe later. I figured I’d start with what’s familiar.”

“Very well.” Bump drew another spell circle, materializing a bundle of cloth in front of Marcy.

“We will have a schedule for you to begin next week. May you enjoy your time at Hexside School of Magic and Demonics, and try not to get eaten or cause too much chaos. There’s only so much chaotic energy these old stones can weather.”

“Thanks Princey B!” Marcy cheered as she took her uniform. Bump shot a glare at Eda, who simply shrugged, before the principal waved them off.

When his visitors had finally vacated his office, Heironymous allowed himself to breathe, feeling like he had just stared down an entire family of Slitherbeasts.

His crystal ball chimed, and he gave a weary sigh as the youngest Blight entered his office.

Willow walked with purpose down the hall, a witch on a mission. Boscha had always been more of a thorn in her side than the thorn-covered plants she worked with now, and setting her memories on fire crossed a line. Bump wouldn’t punish the Grudgby Captain whose parents were on the PCA, and now practically leading it with Odalia Blight out of commission.

A good witch was expected to handle her problems herself, and Luz was clearly dealing with bigger things than the resident bully, if her human mom was on the Isles.

Amelia had told Willow where Boscha would be hanging out with her accomplices. The triclops potioneer was chatting with Cat, while Skara stood awkwardly to the side.

“Boscha!” Willow shouted, getting the Grudgby Captain’s attention. The pink-haired witch looked to her teammate.

“Is half-a-witch talking to me ?” She asked derisively.

“You have a lot of nerve acting like nothing happened after what you did yesterday.” Willow ground out.

“Yesterday? What are you talking about?” Boscha asked with an awkward chuckle.

“Don’t play ignorant with me, Boscha. Did you really think you could set my memories on fire and get away with it?”

“What are you talking about, half-a-witch?” Boscha stared her down imperiously.

Skara stepped between them. “I’ll handle this, Bosch.” The bard told her placatingly, leading Willow away by the shoulder until they were around the corner.

“Boscha doesn’t actually remember any of yesterday.” Skara admitted.

“What.” Willow said flatly.

“Boscha managed to take over the Secret Room of Shortcuts yesterday because I couldn’t stand up to her.” Skara averted her gaze. “Viney and the other multi-trackers managed to reclaim it, but we had to shred Boscha’s memory of learning about the room.”

“So she doesn’t remember any of it?” Willow asked.

“No, and I swear I didn’t know anything about her messing with your memories.” There was sincerity in Skara’s warm gray eyes, and Willow sighed.

“Fine, I’ll let this slide just this once. But I am done letting Boscha walk all over me, got it?” Willow felt the tell-tale burn of magic in her eyes, hopefully getting the point across. She didn’t want to lose control, but having her mind catch fire left her feeling more than a little frayed.

Willow turned and left, taking deep breaths while counting to four as she walked, feeling the burn of her magic subside.

By the time she found her friends, her magic was back under her control. 

Amity’s uniform had changed from when she had seen her earlier, the orchid and purple of the Abominations and Oracle tracks now on one sleeve, with both shades of blue on her leggings, and green and yellow on her other sleeve. Luz was ecstatic about Amity branching out her studies, with a faint blush dusting her cheeks and nose.

The human who had shown up with Luz earlier that morning now wore a Hexside uniform of her own with four different colors. Her sleeves were green and yellow, while her leggings were red and orange, capped off with a pair of rugged boots that had clearly been through a lot of mud.

Marcy noticed her arrival. “Hey Willow!” She waved. She had that same energy Luz showed when they first met, an exuberant fascination with magic coupled with a new perspective. But there was something else in the way Marcy carried herself. In Luz she had seen a fellow outcast. In Marcy she saw something deeper, something which made Willow want to take on the world on her behalf.

“So, Willow, I hear you’re an expert on plant magic?” Marcy asked, forcing Willow to focus on the conversation. “Can you tell me what some of the coolest plants you’ve encountered are?”

As Willow got the chance to exposit on her magic track of choice, she felt her anger melt away in favor of matching Marcy’s enthusiasm.

Amity felt her heart pounding in her chest as she approached the Owl House.

The bird tube of a House Demon greeted.

“Oh, you’re Luz’ friend right?” The wyrm said, contorting himself so his face was upside down as he circled the witch.

“Yes, and I’d appreciate it if you’d let me in, or at least tell Luz that I need to talk to her and her family.”

“Okay!” The House Demon said chipperly, retracting into the door like a tape measure, swinging the door open when he was done.

Amity let a shudder pass through her spine. She could understand why an outlaw as notorious as the Owl Lady would have such a demon protecting her abode. There was something distinctly eldritch about the House Demon, more so than was normal for the Demon Realm, and she’d overheard some of the horror stories shared by Coven Scouts who had the misfortune of crossing him.

Thankfully, her unwanted musings were interrupted by the sight of Luz at the door.

“Amity?”

“Oh, hi Luz.” Amity greeted, all confidence fleeing her. “Uh, is your mom still here? There’s something I need to talk to you about -- all of you.”

“Are you okay?” Luz asked.

“That depends on you.”

“What do you mean?”

“Please, I’d just like to say this once, with everyone who needs to know.” Amity pleaded.

“O-kay. Come on in. We were just about to have dinner.” Luz waved her in.

The inside of the Owl House was as chaotic as Amity had expected, her only experiences so far having been during the Moonlight Conjuring, where Luz had been the only regular occupant, and when she and Luz had been repairing Willow’s memories, where Eda, King, and Raine had been present.

Now the Owl House felt almost packed, at least in the kitchen where everyone had gathered. Luz’ human mom bantered with Eda and Marcy at the stove, while King and Raine were chatting with two more humans, one of whom looked almost identical to Luz, at least when she had first seen Luz at Hexside, with a glowing pink cat and an Owlet Beast brushing against her leg. Amity realized belatedly that the doppelganger must be Vee. She bit back a shiver at the memory of Nil draining her magic, and steeled herself for the conversation ahead.

Clearing her throat got the attention of everyone in the kitchen.

“Uh, hi.” Amity waved, her planned lines fleeing her in the moment.

“Amity, right?” Camila guessed. Amity swallowed hard and nodded.

“What brings you here this evening?” She asked cordially.

Amity braced herself. “There’s something important I need to tell Luz, and you, and Eda and Raine.”

“We’re listening.” Eda chimed in, setting the stewpot to simmer.

Amity began her story.

When Amity finished retelling her experiences with astral projection and her meetings with Luz’ father, the Nocedas were in shock.

Camila had a hand over her mouth, while Eda and Raine both looked thoughtful.

Luz’ expression was blank, one hand around her amulet, and King looked almost in tears.

“...And, I’m sorry I kept this from you, Luz.” Amity averted her gaze.

“...He’s really been looking out for us this whole time, huh.” King squeaked out, before Eda swept him up into her arms.

“Amity…” Luz stepped forward, taking Amity’s hand in her own. “Thank you for telling us.”

Amity looked up. “You’re not mad?” 

“I could never be mad at you, Amity.” Luz said, and Amity failed to control her blush.

Then Luz pulled her into a hug, and her blush went incandescent at the arms and wings embracing her.

Camila coughed into her fist, and Luz broke the hug, wiping the beginnings of tears from her eyes.

“Ahem. If you don’t mind, we have room for one more here.” Camila offered.

Amity raised an eyebrow at the kitchen stool that had not been there before.

Dinner at the Owl House was far more filling and lively than it ever was at Blight Manor or the fancy business dinner parties Amity was used to being dragged to.

All the smiles were genuine, not hiding knives behind fanged grinned, and the conversations were candid and engaging. Camila talked about her work as a veterinarian, caring for animals like a healer, and admonishing the Owl Lady over magic rats one of her patients had encountered, getting a promise from the most feared witch in the Boiling Isles to clean up her mess. Meanwhile, the humans asked dozens of questions about magic and Hexside. Vee’s friend Masha was particularly curious about Oracle magic, and despite the bad taste it left in her mouth from why she already knew so much, Amity was happy to share her knowledge, satisfied with the thought that a human could possibly become a better Oracle than her own mother.

Dessert was a cake that had “Welcome to the Boiling Isles” written on the top. The cake was moist, airy, had a meringue frosting, and brought tears of joy to Camila’s eyes.

“I can barely remember the last time I had Bizcocho Dominicano.” Camila commented. “This is excellent, Eda.”

“Thank Hooty, he’s the one with the talent for baking here.” Eda gestured.

After dessert, Luz turned to Amity. “I could actually use your help with something.”

“What sort of help?” She questioned.

“I think I’m close to getting Abomination magic to work, but I could use some pointers.”

Eda gave a sly look as Luz led her friend to her room.

The abomination goop in the cauldron formed a bubble, a citrine-midnight spell circle in Luz’ hand as she tried to make the material bend to her will.

The bubble popped, the spell circle broke, and Luz let out a tired sigh.

“I don’t know what I’m doing wrong!” Luz exclaimed. “I followed the directions to the letter!”

Amity stirred a finger through the goop, the thick consistency providing a high resistance.

“I don’t think it’s a problem with the formula.” Amity noted.

“Then why can’t I get it to form an Abomination?” Luz groused.

“Maybe you need something to anchor it?” King chimed with a suggestion.

Luz’ eyes went wide with revelation.

“King, you’re a genius!” Luz picked her brother up and hugged him, before rushing downstairs.

Luz carefully used her claws to carve arcane circuitry into the stone Hooty had unearthed from the depths of the Owl House’s storage. She had two pieces of the strange bone-like material - a roughly triangular piece with two eye-like divots, and a larger oblong stone, upon which she was carving the patterns her Mamá had shown her, though she was operating mostly on instinct.

They had moved to the backyard to cut down on the risk of damage or mess from her experiment, but she had a good feeling about this.

It might have helped that Amity mentioned her dad working on something similar, and was now standing over her shoulder with a look of curiosity.

She wiped the sweat from her brow, her hand brushing against her necklace on the way down. A sudden thought struck her, and she pricked her palm with her claws, allowing a drop of violet blood to fall onto the center of the array, which glowed with her magic as it sunk into the stone.

Cauterizing the wound shut, Luz picked up the stone and moved it toward the cauldron of abomination goop. Drawing another spell circle, this time she focused on the goop anchoring onto the stone, which it enveloped, flowing up and around the keystone.

“Abomination, rise!” Luz commanded.

A vaguely crescent-shaped head rose, the eye divots glowing citrine, as a pair of thick arms of abomination goop formed, three stubby fingers on the end. The abomination pulled itself out of the cauldron on a pair of equally sturdy legs.

“Ha! I was right!” King crowed and clapped.

Luz waved her hand experimentally.

The abomination copied her.

“I-I did it!” Luz exclaimed with disbelief.

“You did it, Luz!” Amity cheered, hugging her around the shoulder. “I knew you could!”

Then Amity leaned in, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

Luz froze, slowly turning to face Amity, her gaze briefly going to her lips.

Amity blushed a luminescent red as she realized what she had just done.

“Uh, g-great job! Farewell forever!” Amity stammered as she walked off, shaking her head and muttering. “ Why’d I do that why’d I do that? ”

Luz felt her knees buckle with a case of the jelly legs, and her moms were at her side in an instant.

“Mija?”

“Kid?”

Luz brushed a hand against her cheek where she had received her first kiss, and a blush of her own bloomed across her face.

“ Oh. ”

Chapter Text

Luz took a deep breath as she entered Hexside. It had been a long week since reconnecting with her mamá and showing her the Boiling Isles, and Amity revealing her dad’s continued presence in her family’s lives.

The thought of Amity still brought a blush to Luz’ face, after that spontaneous kiss when she made her breakthrough with Abomination magic. The witch herself had been distant since then.

She hadn’t even shown up for Skara’s birthday party, which Luz herself had been invited to.

Luz was very thankful for Raine’s advice in dealing with Boiling Isles high society, and especially in avoiding becoming the center of attention, despite being one of the guests of honor. She also added another mark in favor of her theory about The Good Witch Azura having some connection to the Boiling Isles, since the party was a dead-ringer for Book Five’s ice festival, only with more bones and music and less animated ice sculptures.

More mortifying than the prospect of public embarrassment was being sat down by Eda for the Boiling Isles version of the Talk, which had in turn led to another heart-to-heart with her mamá about her crush.

“I mean, it’s not the first time I’ve had a crush, but every time I’ve actually asked anyone out I just get shot down for being too cheesy.” Luz admitted to her mother, pacing in the Owl House’s living room.

“Mija? Why didn’t you tell me about any of this?” She asked. Luz found herself collapsing into her mother’s arms.

“I was scared you’d be mad…about me being bi.” Luz choked out.

“Oh mija, I could never reject you for who you are or who you love.” Camila hugged her tight. “I wish I’d told you about Eda and Raine, and Azur sooner. You aren’t alone, Luz, and I’m sorry if I ever made you feel that way.”

Luz shook the memory out of her thoughts, and pushed on.

The first thing she noticed were the balloons of cream-colored abomination goop floating near the ceilings, anchored to columns by strands of spider silk, and joined by colorful streamers in the shades of the nine tracks. In the atrium, she could see one of the teachers for the Baby Class setting the balloons up.

There was also a nervous energy in the air, with more muttering between students than usual.

“Huh, there’s something different today.” Luz mused. “Did everyone get a new haircut?” She joked.

Willow piped up. “Oh yeah! I forgot you haven’t been here before for the social event of the season.”

Gus put on a showman’s bow. “Welcome to your first--”

The illusionist was cut off by the two school healers rushing past, wheeling in a stretcher.

“Outta the way!” One of them ordered, the other making siren sounds. The stretcher was wheeled up to a bat-eared biped demon in Beast-Keeping orange, his eyes hidden by his blonde bangs. Luz had seen him in her classes, and at Skara’s party, but she hadn’t gotten his name.

“Come with us immediately! Your disease--it’s advancing!” The healer said urgently as they helped him onto the stretcher. Luz felt her heart drop with bitter memories.

“Is there a cure, doc?” The student asked, and Luz detected a hint of forced drama in his voice.

“Only one…” The healer said severely, before their voice did a one-eighty to enthused gushing. “...finding the perfect date to Grom!”

The Beast-Keeping student turned to Skara, who was at his side already.

“If that’s the cure… then, Skara, will you go to Grom with me?” He asked, holding up a still-beating heart with the word ‘GROM?’ written in red ink.

“Ahhh! Of course I will, or whatever.” Skara tried to downplay her excitement even as she embraced him and the surrounding students and staff cheered. Luz looked up and noticed the gilded spiderweb banner proclaiming the event in bold letters. 

Luz gasped excitedly herself, shoving her own bitterness about failed confessions into a deep pit. “You guys have a weird version of prom on the Boiling Isles? I was kicked out of my last school dance for dressing like an otter, but maybe here, I could be your Grom Queen!” Luz struck a pose.

Willow winced. “That’s, uh, not exactly something people sign up to be. It’s kinda a big responsibility.”

“What sort of responsibility?” Luz asked, before someone collided with her from around the corner with a clatter of falling books as Luz lost her balance, catching herself with her wings and finding Amity in her arms. 

With a groan, Amity looked up, and promptly blushed, causing Luz to blush in turn as her heart skipped a beat and her brain froze. 

“Oh, h-hi Amity!” Luz stammered as her mind rebooted.

Amity’s eyes refocused. “Oh, Luz, sorry, I wasn’t watching where I was going.” She apologized, slipping out of the impromptu embrace and bending down to pick up her books.

Luz stooped down to help her, their hands brushing sending another set of furious blushes across their faces. Luz averted her gaze as she handed the last textbook to her fellow multi-tracker.

Standing up, Luz noticed Willow slipping a pink note into Amity’s hand, a knowing smirk on her face.

Then the intercom shrieked on, Principal Bump’s voice ringing through the halls.

“Attention students of Hexside, this is your principal speaking.”

“Oh man, this is it.” Gus vibrated with either excitement or fear.

“He’s announcing this year’s Grom royalty.” Willow whispered to Luz apprehensively.

Luz felt a pit forming in her stomach.

“This year, I have the unenviable privilege to bestow our highest Grom honor to… Luz Noceda!”

Luz jolted with shock. Her?

“Our Grom Queen! Miss Noceda, would you please report to my office for further information?” Bump concluded his announcement.

Then the whispers began, and the fur on the back of her neck stood on end.

Luz turned to her friends, who looked at her as though someone had just handed her a terminal diagnosis.

“Uh, guys? What does being Grom Queen mean here?” Luz asked fearfully.

Amity gained a determined glint in her eyes, and grabbed Luz by the hand.

“Come on, let’s get to Principal Bump, now.”

Luz allowed Amity to lead her to his office, her mind a daze between the overwhelming sense of dread and the other source of her stomach roiling at Amity having taken her by the hand.

When they got to Bump’s office, Luz could already hear the sound of her mother reading the Riot Act.

“What do you mean my daughter has to fight a fear monster living under the school!?”

Oh, so that was what being Grom Queen meant.

Amity rapped her knuckles against the door before entering. 

“Ah, Luz, Amity. Your promptness is appreciated.” Bump greeted diplomatically, even as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. Camila was standing in front of his desk, while Eda leaned against the window, looking torn between concerned and lovestruck.

“What’s going on?” Luz asked.

“Shall I start with what is immediately relevant, or would you like the history lesson first?” Bump asked.

“Uh, context first?” Luz chose.

“Very well. Grom, short for Grometheus the Fear-Bringer, first appeared sometime during the Late Deadwardian Era, driving back a pirate raid on Bonesborough, before going on a rampage itself and being driven off, where it became sealed in a cavern under Capitulum, where it slumbered for centuries, until the Conquest of Capitulum, where the cavern was breached, and I had to seal it under what would become Hexside.” Bump explained with an accompanying slideshow of illusory murals.

Luz listened with rapt attention.

“Unfortunately, the seal only lasts a year before Grom has enough strength to break free, requiring it to be fought back before it can invade Bonesborough. As Vice-Principal, I had enough sway to organize a party as a backdrop for the fight. Having the student body supporting a chosen champion and dancing with their dates generally improves morale when facing a monster that preys on fear. I have also found that students confronting their fears is beneficial to their mental well-being.”

“And the Grom Royalty?” Luz asked.

“A committee of faculty and the PCA decides which student is most qualified to face Grom. There were two prime candidates this year, both you and Miss Blight.” Bump explained. “And frankly, I could tell that the PCA had ulterior motives in nominating Amity.”

“Why would this Parent-Creature Association have it out for a student?” Camila asked, eyebrows scrunched in concern.

“Because until quite recently, Odalia Blight was the leader of the PCA, and with her currently indisposed, there are some elements who would seek retribution by proxy on her. I had the deciding vote, and chose Miss Noceda, who has already demonstrated both skill and conviction, and may the Titan forget me if I let the PCA throw one of my students to the direwolves for the sake of a grudge.”

Luz took a deep breath. “I see.” She exhaled. “So, how long do I have to prepare?”

“Grom is tonight.” Bump said plainly. “And classes are ending early today so everyone can prepare. Just because the fate of the Isles are at stake doesn’t mean we can’t have some fun, and I have faith in your abilities.”

Luz was taken aback, but nodded nonetheless.

“Are you sure you’re up for this, mija ?” Camila asked.

“I’ll be fine.” Luz assured her, hoping at least some confidence made it into her voice. “Besides, this might be cathartic.”

Camila gave her a long, scrutinizing look. “...Alright, you can fight Grom, on one condition. Let us help you.”

“Of course, Mamá.” Luz gave her mother a hug. When they broke the embrace, Camila kissed her forehead. 

“Ahem, and I would also like to extend the invitation for you and Eda to chaperone the event.” Bump told Camila. Eda gained a stunned look on her face.

“You want me to chaperone?” She asked, pointing to herself.

“So long as you keep your usual chaos to a minimum, and avoid spiking the punch bowl…again. Mage Whispers is also invited.” Bump gave Eda a pointed look.

“I’m not about to prank kids , Bumpikins, especially when my own is involved.” Eda rolled her eyes, but accepted the offer.

“Okay, I’ll see you at the Owl House, and don’t forget to bring your friends!” Camila told her as she and Eda took their leave.

“Is there anything else you need from me, Luz?” Bump asked.

“I think I’m good.” Luz replied, heading out herself. She had a lot on her mind, and not a lot of time, so she focused on the immediate issue of her classes.

The whispers about her being Grom Queen followed her, but she managed to tune them out for the most part. At lunch, she found herself re-reading the section in Holloway’s Guide about Grometheus.

‘…Ancient witches spent their nights cowering from the Void-Spawn, the nightmarish shapeshifters feeding upon the fears of their prey, often until they died of fright, or were consumed entirely. But more than that, the Void-Spawn could rarely be slain, regenerating from all wounds given time….

…For those fated champions: Above all, remember that Grometheus’ powers are most effective when in direct physical contact. Do not let it touch you, lest your deepest nightmare become reality.’

“Well, that’s helpful.” Luz commented with a sigh.

Arriving at the Owl House, she heard Eda’s voice upstairs.

“Ouch! Careful with those combs.” She complained.

Luz made her way upstairs and was greeted with an interesting sight.

Eda’s nest-room had been set up with an impromptu hairdressers station, and both Camila and Raine were focusing on taming her wild mane. Luz noticed a pile of random junk half her own height, a few pieces of which she had seen Eda pull out of her hair on occasion.

Luz merely gave them an inquisitive eyebrow.

Eda noticed her, and whispered. “Help. Me.”

“Do I want to know what’s going on here?” Luz asked.

“Apparently I’m not ‘presentable’ enough to chaperone a school dance in the eyes of these two.” Eda complained.

“You’re long overdue for a spring cleaning, Calamity.” Raine told her, gesturing to the pile of accumulated knick-knacks, elixir bottles, and empty snack bags beside them.

“I have a system!” Eda defended. Camila gave her a skeptical look.

“Okay, fine. I did need to clear out the hairmer space. But I’ve been doing just fine with my hair with my spells.” Eda sighed.

“Just let us pamper you for once.” Camila told her. That got the Owl Lady to relax a little as her partners worked.

Luz found herself a seat on the edge of Eda’s nest, and sat down with her thoughts. 

“Worried about tonight, mija?” Her mamá asked.

“A bit.” Luz admitted. “I am fighting a giant fear monster, after all. And you know my track record with school dances.”

“I don’t think they’ll kick out their Grom Queen for wearing an otter costume.” Camila said with a playful tone.

Luz let out a huffing laugh, before she winced at the memory.

“Luz? What is it? Did I say something wrong?”

“It’s not you Mamá, it’s me.” Luz wrapped her wings tighter around herself. “I lied to you about how the dress you made for me got ruined.”

The words spilled out from there.

“I didn’t fall into the punch bowl, Mercy tripped me into the table, and caught my dress with a seam ripper on the way down, right after I got rejected by my crush in front of everyone.”

“Mija, that’s assault. Why didn’t you tell someone? A teacher?””

“What good would that do?” Luz demanded. “Mercy is the rich kid whose parents are on the school board and the city council, and I’m just the school screw-up!”

Luz realized her parents were now staring at her.

“Just, finish your story, kiddo.” Eda said softly.

Luz took a deep breath. “I ran out and picked the lock on the home ec room, and got my otter costume. I just wanted to show them that I wouldn’t let her keep me down, and that I didn’t care what they thought of me.”

“And that’s when Mr. Florence called me to pick you up.” Camila finished. “Mija, I’m so sorry I didn’t notice what you were going through.” She stood up and hugged her. Luz felt another pair of arms wrap around her leg, and glanced down to see King offering his own sympathies.

Eda ruffled her hair. “I can’t say I’m not proud of you for standing up for yourself like that. Though I am slightly disappointed.”

“For not going to an adult?”

“That I won’t be able to teach you to pick locks myself.” Eda smiled ruefully.

The moment of levity was just what Luz needed to soothe her spirits.

“That’s what you’re hung up on?” Camila asked.

“Trust me, I know first hand how cruel kids can be, and how useless adults in positions of authority are when they only care about covering their butts. Titan-forbid that they actually do their jobs when it comes to looking out for their charges when there’s a convenient scapegoat.” Eda’s bitter commiseration tapered into a rant, which cut off when she noticed the attention now directed at her.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Raine asked.

“Not today.” Eda turned to Luz, ruffling her hair affectionately. “This is your day, kiddo. Don’t let those bullies get you down from another realm.”

Luz gave her a watery smile, and latched onto her in a hug.

Amity paced in the woods near the Owl House, her note clutched in her hand.

“I’m gonna do it. I’m gonna talk to her.” Amity muttered to herself.

“Hey, Luz. Remember that kiss thing? Well, I don’t! ” She laughed nervously. “But if I did, hypothetically, would you be interested in doing it again?” She shook her head. “No, no, no. Too forward.”

Amity let out a frustrated groan bordering on a scream. “Argh, why is this so difficult!? I’ve faced down a Coven Official and a Bane of Magic and I barely broke a sweat. But now I can barely be in the same room as her without falling apart! Why is this so scary?”

“Fighting monsters and villains is easy. Baring your heart to your friends is hard.”

Amity looked up, seeing Marcy hanging upside-down from a tree. The human girl swung herself right-side up before hopping down from the branch, managing to twist in mid-air as she fell so she was facing Amity when she landed.

“What’s the haps, Ames?” Marcy asked.

“I…may…have a crush on Luz.” Amity admitted. “And I want to ask her to Grom, but…”

“You’re scared she’ll reject you and you’ll lose her friendship in the process.” Marcy surmised.

“Am I that transparent?”

Marcy sat down on a fallen trunk, patting the spot next to her.

Amity joined her.

“I’m not…good with people.” Marcy told her. “That was always Anne and Sasha’s thing, and for the longest time those two were my only friends. I still care about them, but I was so obsessed with keeping what we had that I nearly ruined it.”

“What happened?” Amity asked, before backpedaling. “If it’s not too much to ask.”

“I got us stranded in Amphibia for months. Anne and Sasha came to blows over Anne’s found family. I tried to get our friendship back to what I saw as normal, but that normal wasn’t healthy.” Marcy sighed. “We did eventually work things out, but we still had to say goodbye in the end. My family moved across the country, and we still talk over the phone, but it’s not quite the same.”

“You can’t go see them yourself?” Amity asked.

“Our country is quite a bit bigger than the Boiling Isles. The Isles are about the size of one of our smaller states.”

“I see.” Amity looked ahead, where the Owl House loomed above the treeline.

Marcy patted her on the back. “Well, it was nice talking, but I should see how I can help Luz get ready for Grom…and find something more formal to wear.” Marcy stood up and headed to the Owl House, turning back before she left the clearing. “And just so you know, I’m ninety-percent sure Luz feels the same as you do.”

Amity sat in the clearing, lost in thought.

Luz dug through her wardrobe chest, picking up and putting aside various outfits. Off to the side, her Abomination stood, holding up the outfits she had decided were a ‘maybe’. King had named the construct ‘Claude’, which Luz had acquiesced to as it was his idea that made the Abomination work.

Currently hanging from Claude’s arms was the dusky purple tuxedo Luz had worn to Skara’s birthday party, along with a dark red dress that she might have worn to a cousin’s quinceanera once.

She pulled out another two prospective outfits. One was black with witchy frills and a yellow crescent moon and belt. The other was her beloved otter onesie, bringing forth bittersweet memories that had already been stirred by her prior confession.

Her crush publicly rejecting her heartfelt request for a dance.

Mercy Court shoving her into the punch bowl while dragging a seam ripper against her side.

Running off in tears, ignoring the unnatural burning in her eyes like wildfire.

Picking the lock to the home ec room, and retrieving her magnum opus of garment construction and tailoring

Allowing herself to dance without a care, if only for a moment, rejecting the world that had already cast her out.

Being dragged back to harsh reality and sent out, her head held high with her last scrap of pride until she could break down in private.

Curling up against her Mamá’s side while animal documentaries soothed her to sleep, still in that onesie.

Luz was roused from her reminiscing by Hooty’s voice.

“Oh, Lu-uz! Your special friend is here!” The House Demon said directly into her ear.

“Weh? Hooty! Personal space!” Luz gently pushed Hooty away from herself. Normally she didn’t mind the House Demon’s tactile nature, but she was still feeling on-edge at the moment, and he was getting too close for comfort.

Hooty obligingly retreated out her window, just in time for Amity to enter her room, picking feathers out of her hair.

“Ugh, what is with that bird-tube today? Is he usually this touchy?” Amity asked before looking squarely at Luz and taking a deep breath. “Anyway, you ready to train?”

“I was actually waiting on Eda.” Luz admitted. “Which one do you think works best for Grom?” Luz held up the dress. “This one says ‘witch with a dark side.’” She held up the otter onesie. “But this one says ‘I’m an otter…with a dark side.’”

Amity hid a giggle and a blush, before regaining her serious look.

“You might want something a bit sturdier than otter jammies for facing Grom.” Amity advised.

“You’re right.” Luz sighed, putting aside the dress and the onesie and picking the tuxedo out of Claude’s arms. “I do have the tux Ren got me for Skara’s party, but it doesn’t feel quite ‘me’. You get what I’m saying?”

Amity’s gaze turned sympathetic. “Oh, believe me, I know what that’s like. But you do need to train. If you can’t defeat Grom, all the Isles will be forced to live out their worst nightmares.”

“You wanna hear my worst nightmare?” Hooty butted in.

Amity gave the House Demon a glare that promised violence if he continued invading her personal space.

Hooty did not get the memo, and was put in a very cold time-out for the next hour.

Amity called in her siblings to help Luz train. Much of Grom’s strategy was almost indistinguishable from illusion magic, if not somewhat more limited. A skilled illusionist could force a person to question their very senses, and such lotus realities could only be achieved by Grom if it had fully consumed a victim.

The only reason Luz was relying on the twins and not Gus was because the latter had been given the illustrious honor of emceeing the fight, and offer he had subsequently extended to King, who had proudly proclaimed that they would “turn this blood-bath into a fun-bath!”

Luz felt marginally better now that knew her whole family would be backing her up.

Edric and Emira met them in front of the Owl House, where Hooty was still thawing out. 

“Okay, Grom will transform into your deepest, darkest fears. What is it you fear, Luz?” Amity asked as she did her best to channel a drill sergeant.

Luz thought for a long moment, and the twins chimed in themselves.

“Wanna say our greatest fears?” Edric suggested to his twin sister. “On three. One, two… being alone forever!”

“Being stuck with you forever.” Emira said simultaneously.

Luz winced at the implications, and Edric looked wounded.

Then Luz remembered the list she had written up during class. “I’ve actually prepared a list!”

She handed the paper to Amity, who looked over it with her siblings, who put aside their feuding to manifest the fears and phobias on the list.

Edric conjured a giant version of Luz’ phone showing an inflammatory comment.

“Ugh, jerks online who want to debate.” Luz groaned. Her fanfics had accrued the typical trolls, and she had taken to moderating comments to ward them off.

Emira cast the next illusion, a cat with a very human face in a rictus of existential pain.

“Yeek, human souls trapped in animal bodies.” She should not have sneaked downstairs to see that c-grade horror movie when she was four.

At that point, Eda, Raine, and Camila arrived from inside, the Owl Lady’s hair looking a lot tamer than it normally was.

“I thought you were waiting for us to start training?” Eda asked, running a hand through her freshly groomed hair, trying not to be distracted by the softness.

“Sorry Miss Eda, I’m just worried about Luz not being prepared enough.” Amity apologized.

“No, no, it’s fine. I just wanted us down here for moral support.” Eda waved off. “Besides, you’re looking at a former Grom Queen here!” Eda rolled her eyes. “Well, technically a former Grom Queen. Lily was the one chosen, but I jumped in and hit it with all the fire I could muster!”

“Nice.” Edric commented.

“It was very noble.” Raine reminisced, trying to ignore the Slitherbeast in the room that came with mentioning Lilith.

Luz was brought out of her mentor recalling her own Hexside memories by something tapping her shoulder.

She turned around to see a towering Abomination made entirely of cheese wheels.

Luz leapt back and flapped her wings hard. “No! I’m lactose intolerant!” The force of the wind she’d generated blew away the illusion in a puff of blue smoke.

“Be serious!” Amity admonished. “Grom goes deeper than stuff that just creeps or grosses you out. It goes for the throat, the fears that keep you up at night, that chill you to the bone. What do you fear, Luz?”

“You got any advice, Ranger?” Eda asked Marcy, who was seated in front of the door, focusing on a sketchpad.

Marcy looked up. “What was that? Oh, our deepest fears?”

“Yeah, you had to have run into something like that in that frog world?”

Marcy looked thoughtful for a minute, then clutched her head wincing.

“Kid?” Eda reached out.

Marcy brushed her hand away, before sighing. “If I did, I don’t remember. But before I found the Calamity Box, my greatest fear was being separated from my friends, and well… that one came to pass in a way, and my attempts to stop it just got us all hurt.” Marcy noticed everyone looking at her. “It’s alright. We all grew from the experience, worked out the toxic parts of our friendship, and we still stay in touch. I’m fine.”

“If you say so, Marcy.” Eda ruffled her hair.

“I think… My biggest fear is losing any more of my family, not being able to protect you.” Luz finally said.

“Oh, mija .” Camila pulled Luz into a hug. “It’s our job to protect you .”

Then an alarm chimed, and Emira looked at her watch.

“Dang it, we’re out of time. Sorry Luz, but we’ve got to go get ready ourselves.” She apologized, gesturing down the forest path.

Amity gave a grim nod. “I’ll… see you at Grom.” She turned to follow her siblings, only to find Luz catching her hand.

“Wait, Amity.” Luz said softly. She met the hybrid witch’s eyes, which gleamed in the late afternoon sun.

“My other fear is being made fun of again, but I don’t think I can face Grom without doing this first: Amity Blight, will you go to Grom with me?” Luz asked, placing a crystalline flower in her hand.

Amity’s breath caught in her throat.

“I know it’s spur of the moment, but-” Luz was cut off by Amity pressing the pink note from earlier into her claws.

“Read it, please.” Amity told her gently.

Luz unfolded the note.

‘Luz,

Will you go to Grom with me?

-Amity’

“Yes.” They both said simultaneously, eyes wide.

Luz pulled Amity into a hug, holding each others’ hands as they pulled away.

“I’ll see you there.” Luz said softly as they parted.

Amity wore an ecstatic smile as she left.

“Oh my Titan she said yes!”

Luz felt Eda wrap an arm around her shoulder. “That’s my girl!”

“Oh, my daughter has a date!” Camila exclaimed, a wide smile not even trying to hide behind steepled hands.

“Now comes the hard part.” Raine stepped up. “Getting ready for the dance.”

Eda summoned her staff. “We still have enough time to drop by Prim and get Luz something suitable.”

“Wait! I have some ideas!” Marcy leapt up, waving her sketchpad.

As day gave way to night, Hexside lit up the gloom as students gathered for the social event of the season.

Witches and demons milled about inside and out of the building. While the gymnasium served as the main dance floor and sported the arena underneath, the cafeteria had been set up with refreshments and photo booths, the typical school dance amenities.

The residents of the Owl House arrived via staff, and Luz took a bracing breath as she approached, crossing the threshold with her head held high. She ignored the stares and whispers, but got a sense of awe from the crowd, rather than the derision she was familiar with.

King scurried ahead to meet with Gus, his neckerchief replaced with a bright red bowtie, while her parents were looking at each other in awe of their outfits.

Eda had traded her normal tastefully torn dress for a brown blazer with elbow patches and matching trousers, overtop a red dress shirt with a yellow bowtie that complemented her eyes. Her typical heels were also swapped out for a pair of simple black dress shoes with dark tan soles. 

Raine had nearly given Eda a heart attack when they had appeared, their maroon tuxedo managing to simultaneously evoke both an orchestral conductor and a Human Realm secret agent. The only concession to their position in the coven was the clasp on their bolo tie bearing the sigil of the Bard Coven. Their heeled boots now let them look Eda in the eye without having to look up at all.

Camila spent nearly an hour digging through the basement storage before finding something suitable. Her chosen outfit was an elegant dress that had once been a Cosmic Frontier cosplay. The skirt had been hemmed to ankle length, and she’d had to replace the costume’s belt, but it still fit well enough, and she had paired it with a golden orange shawl with crimson trim, along with a pair of sensible flats.

Marcy, meanwhile, chose a suit of her own, a red tailcoat with a black inner lining and gold cuffs, a lighter red dress shirt, black slacks, yellow toed dress shoes, and a white bow tie tying it together. Her outfit fit in rather well among the rest of the students.

Approaching the gym, Luz was taken aback upon catching sight of Amity.

Amity’s outfit maintained the color scheme of her Abominations, a dark purple waistcoat over a pale pink blouse, of which only the short, puffy sleeves were visible. A darker rose pink skirt fell to her knees, swishing slightly as she paced. Her shoes were the same shade as her waistcoat, with lighter lavender toes and heels that matched her socks. The eye-like amulet she had received from Luz’ father hung around her neck. She had touched up her makeup since last she had seen her, her eyeliner sharp enough to stab with, and the triangular studs of her signature earrings glinted in the light from the gym. Most striking, however, was her hair. Her dyed aquamarine locks were now a stunning lavender, her ponytail held up with a pale blue hair tie.

Luz felt a swarm of butterflies rise up in her stomach as her heart fluttered.

Amity noticed her and looked up, her own eyes widening.

“Woah, you look…nice.” Amity found her voice. “A little strange, but nice.”

Prim had done good work on such short notice. Her tuxedo jacket was a deep blackberry purple, with a gray-blue inner lining visible on the cuffs and lapels. Her white dress shirt had been darted with princess seams for shape, and she had three layers of flowing petal-like skirts in navy blue, lavender, and magenta. Leggings the same shade as her tuxedo lining led to a sturdy pair of dark leather dress boots that had been fitted with thin metal panels evocative of claws over the toes. Her hair had been slicked back, her curls spilling behind her, revealing the slight points of her ears, and her own onyx earring studs, which had been engraved with the light glyph.

“Thanks.” Luz took Amity’s hand in her own. “You look beautiful.” 

Amity giggled, her other hand reaching up to cup her cheek.

“When this is over, do you maybe want to… go on a date?” Luz asked with trepidation.

“Luz? Do you want to go out with me?” Amity asked in reply.

“Yes!” Luz’ eyes lit up.

Amity’s other hand reached up to cup her cheek.

The sudden dimming of the lights interrupted her, and she sighed.

“I guess that’s my cue.” Luz’ shoulders tensed.

“You’ve got this Luz. I have faith in you.”

They unclasped their hands, as Gus’ voice rang out over the crowd.

“Now, introducing our Grom Queen.” Gus announced. “You know, you love her… you’ve at least heard of her. Luz Noceda!”

The spotlight turned to shine on Luz.

“Wish me luck!” Luz waved to Amity.

“Break its leg.” Amity muttered a stagehand’s prayer.

Luz entered the gym proper. Her parents were in the bleachers, looking on with pride and some concern. Willow had drawn a crowd of her own summoning corsages, looking adorable in her white and green dress. King stood on stage, having somehow found a magician’s cape to go with the bowtie Eda had given him, while Gus played to the crowd, having worn a sea-blue suit. Principal Bump stood to the side, in his normal robes.

An ominous black pedestal scurried on-stage, upon which Gus slammed the big red button on top.

The floor split open, students retreating to a safe distance as the ramp down into the arena was uncovered. 

Skara and her date both shed their suit jackets to reveal Grom jerseys as they cheered. Luz quirked her head at the sight, as she could have sworn she’d seen Skara with Boscha in the cafeteria, but put it out of mind.

Between the arena and the entrance, two walls laden with weapons rose. Luz took stock of her options, noticing a number of weapons taken straight from human realm media. Taking into consideration what she had read, she picked up a flail. Better to fight Grom at range, and she could augment the flail with her glyphs more easily than with a staff or spear.

On one side of the flail’s head, she placed an ice glyph, on the other, fire.

“I would have gone with the battleaxe.” Eda stage-whispered to Camila.

Luz descended into the pit.

Grometheus’ form seemed to consume the light, like it had been cut out from a starless void. Its form flowed like slime, slinking through the shadows as it rose.

“Alright, Gromarama. Let’s rumble.” Luz narrowed her eyes.

From the darkness emerged a clowder of cats with disturbingly human faces.

“Luz, help me. I’m a man. Make me human again.” the human souls trapped in cat bodies said overlapping each other.

“Ugh, so weird.” Luz cringed, before building momentum with her flail. She slammed the spiked ball of metal into the ground in front of her, summoning a wall of ice that sent the creatures flying.

“And there she goes, folks! Using the power of glyphs to keep Grom at bay!” Gus announced. “And now to hand it over to my co-emcee: King!”

Luz sent a smile of confidence to her brother as he took the mic.

Meanwhile, Grom regathered itself for round two.

A towering construct of cheese wheels formed, letting out a foul roar.

Luz looked unimpressed, before a smirk graced her lips. “Well, I might as well turn up the heat!”

Luz spun a spell circle that unleashed a gout of fire that reduced the lactose abomination into a puddle that smelled like pizza.

“Ha! ‘Turn up the heat!’ That’s my sister down there!” King cheered at her quip.

Grom’s next angle was to appear as a giant version of her phone, displaying hateful comments.

‘Heczura will never be canon.’

‘Azura x VL 4evah’

‘You’re writing is trash, kys.’

Luz growled, her eyes burning with magic.

“You’re not coming from a place of intellectual honesty and are just trolling, so debating you would be pointless.” Luz spun another spell circle, which she ran along her weapon, freezing the chain into a solid haft with a hammer-like head that caught fire.

“You need a good ol’ fashioned banhammer!” Luz declared, swinging her impromptu warhammer into the screen, which went dark and shattered.

“That all you’ve got, Gromy?” Luz taunted.

“Well, if it isn’t the Luzer in Hell where she belongs.” A snide, holier-than-thou voice sneered.

Grom’s new form was a human girl the same age as Luz, with light skin, shoulder-length brown hair partially covered with a bandana, and a round face that belied the coldness in her blue eyes. She wore a white blouse with a pink lavallière under a baby blue sweater-vest, faded blue jeans, and pristine white sneakers. Despite her unassuming appearance, there was no mistaking the malevolence worn in her expression.

“Mercy Court.” Luz hissed.

Those who had heard Luz mention the name before took note, now having a face to the name.

Camila narrowed her eyes. 

“I should’ve known you were the spawn of the devil, Luzer.” Mercy spewed her verbal venom. “Your kind has no place among humans, and that outfit, eick.” A cruel smile formed on her face.

“Here, let me fix that for you.” Mercy pulled out a seam ripper.

There was a shink of ice piercing imitation flesh, and the simulacrum of Mercy looked down to see an icicle piercing its heart, black blood welling around the entry point.

“You’re nothing but a close-minded bully who follows a belief system that’s four-hundred years out of date.” Luz rebuked.

The simulacrum melted like a candle under a blowtorch, and Luz let out a shaky breath.

“Weh, that was cathartic.” She rolled her shoulders.

“I could do this all night, but I have a date, so let’s just cut to the finale, eh?” Luz shook the remaining ice from her flail.

Grom slithered in the shadows.

“Looks like even Human Realm bullies can’t handle the awesomeness that is my sister!” King hyped her up.

Grom finally found a fear to play on.

“Why didn’t you save me Luz?” A strained voice begged.

Out of the darkness crawled a greater basilisk, scales dull and falling away, eyes glowing baleful blue.

“Why did you kill me, Luz?” Nil pleaded for an answer.

Luz dropped her flail.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” Luz said weakly, her bravado evaporating in the face of her guilt.

In the stands, Eda looked ready to leap in.

Nil’s skeletal hand wrapped around Luz’ ankle, and she screamed as her eyes glowed white.

A high, cruel laugh echoed through the school.

Grom’s eyes turned a burning vermillion as its form shifted once more, chuckling the entire time.

“Oh díos no.” Camila muttered in recognition.

Grom rose into a towering form, eleven feet tall and rail-thin.

He looked just like he had when he was banished during the Wailing Star.

His two-toned skin was scarred with cracks from her shout, but his posture was one of strength and fury.

“I’m back, Camila-spawn.” The Huntsman declared.

“Weh? What is that?” King asked fearfully.

Amity’s eyes went wide at the same time as the Huntsman’s.

The multi-tracker bolted across the gym, lunging onto the stage and yanking off her necklace, looping the amulet around the little demon’s neck and clasping it firm. The amulet glowed as the Huntsman’s eyes fell on him.

“Who said that!?” The Huntsman demanded. Amity stepped in front of King and spun a spell circle.

“You!” He hissed. “I told I would return, and your realms would burn! And now I have a new conduit in my Void-Blessed, my greatest weapon.”

“You created Grom!?” Luz exclaimed.

“Grom? What a quaint name.” The Huntsman looked thoughtful. “Ah, but I might as well indulge your curiosity, Camila-spawn. After all, I created the Void-Blessed to eradicate your foul kind from my domain.”

Luz staggered back, her heart pounding in her chest.

“Huh, that’s odd. I can’t sense this Void-Blessed’s host.” The Huntsman shrugged. “No matter, if it was too weak to withstand my blessing, it should never have sought it in the first place. But it has served its purpose, opening the door for me to return once again and continue my Hunt.”

The Huntsman summoned his stardust boar spear, only for a jet of liquid fire to strike him. The abomination napalm didn’t burn him, or even singe his robe, but it distracted him.

“Luz! Run!” Amity screamed.

Luz shook off her terror enough to flare her wings and take to the air, flying straight up.

The Huntsman summoned a javelin in his off-hand, which he launched at Luz. The hybrid witch just barely dodged, the glowing spear shattering the skylight, which Luz twisted her way through.

The Huntsman flew after her, unbound by gravity or the laws of aerodynamics.

Luz bolted through the air.

Back in the gym, everyone was in shock at what they had just witnessed.

“What the heck was that!?” King asked, looking at Amity.

“I couldn’t let him see you.” She told him.

In the stands, Raine was trying to keep Camila from having a panic attack, while Eda tried to keep the Owl Beast under control.

“Erg, we’re in this together, remember? You won’t help anyone going on a rampage right now.” Eda muttered.

“Eda.” Camila said, finally finding her voice as fear gave way to determination. Eda looked up. “I need the Portal Key.”

Eda fished the key from her hair, whereupon Camila swiped it from her hand and summoned the door.

“Keep that hijo de perra distracted.” Camila ordered as she crossed the threshold.

“Aye aye, Captain.” Eda stood atop the bench in front of her, and allowed the Owl Beast’s power to flow through her.

Her golden eyes glowed on seas of black as she stared at the broken skylight, her enhanced vision tracking the retreating form the Huntsman.

Her wings stretched out, the primaries gaining a blood-red hue. 

“Wait for me!” Amity shouted, a springboard of Abomination goop launching her onto Eda’s back. Eda glanced over her shoulder to the witchlet clinging to her feathers.

“Hold on.” She told her passenger as they soared into the night.

The Huntsman was savoring the chase, allowing Luz to maintain a small lead.

Then a fireball caught him in the back.

The Archivist glared over his shoulder at his own pursuer, recognizing the faded echoes of his own magic in the Harpy chasing him, and sensing the touch of the four-horned corruptor who had given him such trouble.

“Tch, insects.” He sneered, a flick of his wrist casting a glowing net behind him.

Eda carved a spell circle in the air, a glacial snowball forming in the path of the net. The Owl Lady’s eyes burned with memories of the Huntsman’s binding on the Owl Beast. The net wrapped around the airborne chunk of ice, steam sublimating where the cords dug in.

The glacier exploded, withering the net to cinders while obscuring the sky with a screen of steam.

The Huntsman turned back to see his prey having gotten further ahead, nearing the cliff overlooking the Boiling Sea.

A cruel smile split the Huntsman’s face.

The hybrid had power, and her nature had gained an equilibrium since last they had fought. But she was still far from her potential power.

Raising a hand, an orb of scintillating magenta-sulfur forming over his palm, a beam of stellar energy lancing out and striking his prey.

Luz screamed as pain tore through her from her wing, a hole in the left membrane as electrical agony ripped through her nervous system, knocking her out of the sky.

Through clenched eyelids, Luz saw the Boiling Sea rapidly approaching, and heard the subtlest sound of beating wings over the wind.

Eda shrieked as she saw her child fall, the Beast’s rage fusing with her own as fire raced through her veins. She had enough presence of mind to drop Amity off on the nearest tree, the witch forming a ramp of Abomination goop to bleed off her momentum.

The Owl Lady charged through the air, overtaking the Huntsman. Her claws lashed out as she passed, raking through the side of his neck and sending him reeling. Eda turned her soar into a dive, pulling in her wings to gain speed on her falling apprentice, wrapping her arms around her and flaring her wings at the last second to reverse her momentum, a cacophonous wave rippling across the Boiling Sea as she ascended.

The Huntsman clutched his neck, glittering stardust blood welling between his fingers. For a mortal, such a wound would have been fatal, and even for the Archivist, it was slow to mend, the wounds themselves burning.

The Huntsman abruptly remembered why he had sought out Owl Beasts for his collection.

Owl Beast claws contained traces of Celestial Iron.

In front of him, the cursed witch who wounded him rose, moonlight shining upon her six strigiform wings like a vengeful archangel.

In her arms lay Luz, one arm hanging on to the Owl Lady’s shoulders, her tattered wing falling limp, and her eyes clouded with pain.

The Huntsman growled, and launched another beam of solar light.

Eda flash-stepped to the side. Her free hand drawing a spell circle that caused stone Hootys to burst from the ground and encircle the Huntsman.

The air around the Archivist flared with a magenta corona, vaporizing the stone. He raised one eyebrow, as though he didn’t look like he had just been mauled.

A wall of solid air slammed into Eda, knocking her to the ground and sending Luz toppling from her grip.

Magenta ropes coiled around them both, dragging them into the air. 

A rustle in the trees was the only warning the Huntsman had for the wave of ice that shot towards him. A flick of his wrist melted the ice to vapor, only for the caster to strike low, a blade of flaming slime carving through his calf. 

“Argh!” The Huntsman grunted, falling to one knee, his hateful vermillion glare leveled at the lavender-haired interloper.

“Ah, the little champion, another insect to flatten beneath my heel.”

“I think you’ll find this ‘insect’ packs a sting.” Amity shot back, baring her fangs.

“Such arrogance, to think yourselves my equal.” The Huntsman taunted, setting another coil of spectral rope to trap her in the air, her blade falling to inert mud.

“You are all of you beneath me!” The Archivist roared, his voice drowning out the sound of unfolding wood. “I am a god! Eternal as the void and more brilliant than the stars themselves. Now show the proper tribute and--”

The Huntsman’s voice cut off with a strangled choke, his eyes going wide as he slowly looked down to the foot of sharpened bone emerging from his chest.

“Get away from them you bastard !” Camila shouted as she twisted the remaining half of the Spear of Bitter Retribution in her foe’s heart.

The magic holding Eda, Luz, and Amity aloft dissolved, dropping them unceremoniously to the ground.

Golden-white light burst from the Huntsman’s wounds, glittering tendrils whipping about wildly as the Huntsman let out an earth-shaking scream, his form detonating in a concussive flash of light.

Camila was thrown back, being caught by Raine.

Amity rushed to Luz’ side, helping her back to her feet as Eda stood protectively over them, two pairs of wings receding as the Owl Beast’s fury faded.

Camila was on her feet in an instant, hurrying to her daughter and assessing her injuries. Her wing still hung limply, the membrane torn and useless.

“I’ll be okay.” Luz tried to assure her date and parents, not helped by the way she winced with every jostle of her wing.

“Mija, let me help you.” Camila gently offered, her hand glowing with magic.