Chapter 2: Crossing Over

After saving Luz from the rock monster, Jack walked her back home to ensure that nothing else would attack her. When they reached the front door of Luz's house, she hugged Jack tightly in gratitude. "I know you don't want to talk about it right now, but you don't have to go through this alone. You're my best friend, Jack. I care about you," Luz said, concern for his well-being evident in her voice.

Jack just stood there, saying nothing. He returned the hug as best he could before nodding his head and leaving without a word.

Luz watched his retreating figure disappear into the night, hoping that tomorrow they could put all of this behind them.

Jack kept walking for what seemed like hours until he stopped in front of his home. He took a long look at it and then walked away. Feeling the changes his body was going through, he knew he couldn't return to his normal life anymore. Too scared to simply sleep all his problems away, every time he thought about resting, all he could see was The Lich. How his power now coursed through his entire body made him wonder if he was even himself anymore. He couldn't tell; all he felt was cold—no heat, no hunger, no thirst, only cold.

When it started to rain, he instinctively tried to find shelter. Luckily, he found an abandoned cabin in the woods. Upon entering, he saw nothing but broken furniture everywhere. With a flick of his hand, a green glow emanated from it, causing all the objects in the room to float away and clearing a place for him to sit.

Not wanting to sit in the dark, he snapped his fingers, creating an eerie green fireball. He let it float in the air next to him while he tried to gather his thoughts. After a few minutes, he noticed a broken mirror in front of him. Casting another spell, he repaired the mirror. He wanted to see what he had become. Looking straight at it, he first saw himself. His face looked the same, but there were slight changes. His hair had gone from dark blonde to a light green, and his eyes, once a shade of blue, had turned a sickly bright green. His skin was now pale, and his ears seemed to have become pointed at the tips. Before he could adjust to his new visage, his image in the mirror twisted and distorted until it became the face of The Lich.

"So, child," The Lich began, "it seems you have succeeded in saving your friend—a complete waste of magic if you ask me, hahahaha," he laughed at Jack's act of heroism.

Jack should have been angry, yelling at The Lich in rage, but he felt calm and collected, devoid of any strong emotions whatsoever. "We had a deal, and you had to keep your end of it," he said, sounding more robotic than human in a monotone voice.

"Yes, we did. But now it is your turn to honor our arrangement," The Lich said with glee. "You are to be my vessel for the human realm and continue my work in causing the extinction of all life." He somehow managed to show a smile despite not having a face.

"But we had a deal about saving Luz's life. Causing the extinction of everyone and everything goes against that," Jack replied, still maintaining his cold, logical tone.

"You are wrong," The Lich stated. "The deal was to only save your friend from the golem. It does not extend to preserving her or anyone else's lives."

Reality set in as Jack was completely surprised by his deal with The Lich. "I refuse," he said in a voice so small that no one could hear it.

"What?" The Lich asked, confused by his statement.

"I said, I REFUSE!" Jack yelled, showing some semblance of emotion for the first time since this all began.

"You have no choice," The Lich replied in an icy voice. "You agreed. You said you would do anything to save your friend from the golem."

Silently, Jack cried, stone-faced. He just wanted to help—to save his best friend from being hurt or worse. But now he had to not only kill her but all those other innocent lives as well.

"Don't worry, boy." The Lich's words brought him out of his thoughts. "After I erase what's left of your mind, you will not even care about these pitiful lives."

"What do you mean? Erase my mind?" Jack questioned.

"Do you really think your human mind could withstand all my knowledge? In order for you to realize my full power, your mind must be cleared of all your useless thoughts and memories." The Lich then mumbled a few words. "There, I just cast the spell. In a few minutes, Jack Hawthorne will be no more, and The Lich will rise again!" A surge of energy emanated from the mirror. "I'm almost thankful to that brat The Collector for banishing me here! HAHAHAHA!"

Jack was afraid; he could feel it. His mind slowly began to go blank, all his memories fading into nothing, while new ones—obviously The Lich's—took over. They showed him eons of knowledge, galaxies, planets, and secrets of life itself, but the memories containing spells caught Jack's attention. He remembered The Lich mentioning that he was sent to this world, which meant that he could be sent back. He would not simply surrender to this monster; he would fight back with the last ounce of his strength. Sorting through all of the spells that The Lich had learned was a daunting task. Spells for raising the dead, controlling minds, and personal contact information for Hudson Abadeer—a testament to his infinite lifespan. He would have been impressed if he didn't have to save his life. Finally, he came across the spells he was looking for. He cast both spells: one that could save this world.

The Lich noticed this. "A futile attempt, child. My spell cannot be stopped. Even if you succeed, we are forever intertwined. YOU WILL BE THE NEW KING OF RUIN," he proclaimed, confident of his victory.

"I'm not stopping your spell; I know I can't beat you. I've seen your memories," Jack said before smugly adding, "So I cast two spells—the same one you used on me. The other one was to send us back to where you came from!" He yelled as hard as he could.

"YOU FOOL!" The Lich roared in rage. "You have no idea what you've done! All my years of existence will be undone just like that! I have witnessed the birth and death of entire solar systems. I saw countless species rise and fall; I WILL NOT BE DEFEATED BY A MERE FLEDGLING!" Panicking, he continued, "The demon realm is swarming with the vermin called witches! They would easily dissect a human like you for pleasure! That brat The Collector will tear us to pieces for coming out of his so-called time-out and interrupting his games!" His tone held an unexpected amount of fear.

"If it means this world is safe, then fine by me," Jack replied, finding peace in his decision. True, he didn't know what would happen to him, but he was confident it would be better than being a puppet to The Lich. A portal then appeared in front of him, and he walked forward, ready to accept his fate. The portal folded into itself, leaving nothing but an empty cabin.

Darkness engulfed him; that was all he could see around him. Silence ruled, as no sounds could be heard either. Until he heard laughter—it sounded like a child's. "And then—Good—Azu—." A sudden pain struck his head, and clutching it, he tried to push through. "You… are now bound to me, child." This time a low and deep voice sounded. Pain assaulted him again, feeling as if it would last forever. He suffered, thinking that he would do anything to make it stop. Then he heard music—sweet, soothing music. It drowned out the voices and the pain. Relieved, he closed his eyes to enjoy his new, peaceful slumber.

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Raine Whispers, a prominent member of the Bard Coven, was in the middle of a clearing in the woods, surrounded by flowers, trying to compose a new song. This was a special place for him. It was a sanctuary that reminded him of happier days—before he joined the Bard Coven, before he broke up with Eda. He sighed, "I really need to complete this before the Coven Day parade; everyone is counting on me." He knew that with only a few days left, he wouldn't be able to finish it. But everyone else was too busy with their own problems to help; even the Coven Head, Scooter Crane, was swamped with work from the Emperor, leaving him as the only one left to compose an entirely original score for the whole parade. Deciding to take a break, he closed his eyes to hear the rustling of the wind through the trees. Until he heard an explosion; his eyes snapped open as he looked around to see what made that noise. He noticed a plume of smoke rising over the treeline and ran as fast as he could, viola ready, in case it was something dangerous.

A boy was lying face down in a smoking crater. He then started to convulse, letting out groans of pain. Pulses of green energy radiated from him, causing all the grass around him to die.

Seeing this young man and the condition he was in, Raine rushed to his side, playing notes to stabilize whatever type of strange magic he was unconsciously casting. His magic slowly encompassed the boy, stopping the seizures. He breathed a sigh of relief and slowly walked toward him. He checked to see if he was injured anywhere. After examining him, he decided to take him to a hospital run by the Healing Coven. While on his way there, he realized that with no one to identify this boy, he would likely not receive the proper treatment he needed. So he came up with the only plan he could think of: when he got to the front desk, he said, "Please, please, someone help save my son! He injured himself casting a spell that became unstable!" Lying was never his strong suit, but hopefully no one would question him during an emergency.

After the healer examined him, he told Raine that there were no severe injuries. He was unconscious but in no real danger to his health. He could wait with him in his hospital room if he wanted.

Relieved, Raine decided to visit him. When he got to the room, everything was normal; the boy was lying comfortably on the bed. Until he saw the boy convulse again, glowing a pale green. Shocked, he played his viola once more, trying to contain this magic. Once more surrounded by bard magic, the boy suddenly calmed down, resting and breathing peacefully once more. He even started to drool in his sleep.

The smell of herbs and chemicals filled the air. The sound of people walking by, wheels rolling, and the distinct sound of a viola playing right next to him filled his ears. He opened his eyes to see an unfamiliar ceiling. Slightly turning his head, he saw a man with medium brown skin, mint green hair, round glasses, and earrings in his right ear, his eyes still closed, focusing on playing his instrument. After enjoying the music for a few minutes, he decided to speak. "That's a very nice melody; what is it called?"

Surprised at the sudden question, the man stopped playing. "Oh, you're up! How are you doing? Do you feel okay? No pain, I hope?" The man was clearly concerned for the boy's well-being, standing up to look after him. Noticing that the boy was confused at his words, he explained, "I found you outside in the middle of the woods, with nothing or no one around you. You looked injured, so I brought you to a hospital."

The boy, now more relaxed, said, "Thank you for your kindness. What is your name, Mr…?" He asked, now slightly trusting this man.

The man nodded his head. "You can call me Raine, Raine Whispers. And what do I call you, my mysterious friend?" he asked with a smile, reassuring him.

The boy looked at Raine for a second before realizing that parts of his memories were hazy. He closed his eyes to get a better picture before a sharp pain ran across his head. "AHHHHH!" he yelled in pain, and Raine quickly rushed over to see if he was okay.

"It's okay, it's okay! You don't need to tell me right now," Raine said in a soothing voice, trying to calm the boy down. "You can tell me later, when you've healed up more," he added, giving him a smile.

"No," the boy replied, still in pain. "I-I don't remember my name. I don't remember anything at all." Fear and unease showed on his face. "Can you help me, please?" he said out of desperation.

Raine looked at him, scared and alone, thinking about how the boy's life would be without anyone there to help him. He made his decision: "If you would allow me to, I will become your guardian, to help you find your way home. But before any of that, we need a name for you." After thinking hard for a few minutes, he decided, "How about Finnian, or Finn for short?" He was satisfied with his naming sense.

The boy looked at Raine, smiling. "Finn, that sounds perfect; thank you." He was happy that he now had a name to call himself. "Now, what happens?" he asked, unsure of what to expect.

"Well, actually I—" Raine was interrupted when the healer came into the room.

"Hello there, young man! Good to see you're up!" The healer said while smiling, looking over Finn's chart in his hand. "Excuse me while I just examine you once more." The healer then waved his hand with only his pointer finger extended. A bright white circle was then formed in mid-air. The circle then became larger, floating toward Finn. After a few seconds, the circle hovered around him and then disappeared. "It seems you are going to make a full recovery. Now all you have to do is practice your magic more carefully. I'll just leave you and your father to talk; please, if you need anything, call me," the healer said before he left.

Raine awkwardly looked at Finn. "As the doctor said, as far as anyone else is concerned, you are my son," he said with a strained smile. "The lie worked for the most part; both your hair and eyes match my own. And I keep most of my private life to myself, so even my fellow Coven members wouldn't know if I had a son or not." He sat next to his bed, looking him straight in the eye. "Finn, would you allow me to become your guardian? I promise to do everything in my power to help you find your missing memories and send you to where you belong." He thought that this boy needed help—not just because of his memories, but also to guide him with his use of magic. What he had witnessed so far led him to know with certainty that a cursed boy with no memories or parents would live a life of horror. He couldn't leave them alone to wander aimlessly—not again, not since Eda.

Finn slowly digested all of this information. "You saved me, even when I'm a complete stranger. You even lied to everyone just so I would get proper treatment. That is more than what a guardian does; it's what family does for each other." Turning to him with a smile, he added, "I will happily accept your kind offer, Dad."

Trying to hold back a tear, Raine nodded. "I'm sure we'll get along just fine, 'son.'"

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After getting a few more days of rest, Raine explained a few things that were considered common sense, such as magic, witches, covens, and the Boiling Isles. After leaving the hospital, Raine and his new "son," Finn, headed to their home.

Finn walked close to Raine so he wouldn't be separated, still skeptical about everything Raine had explained to him. He observed his new surroundings, taking in all of these different "people"—these creatures running around. Nervously, he stayed behind Raine as they continued to walk.

Noticing his son's behavior, Raine decided to inform him about his new home. "Finn, this place is called Bonesborough, located on the remains of a titan called the Boiling Isles. Here, both witches and demons live." He began to go into more detail about their society. "The entire Boiling Isles is ruled by Emperor Belos, who saved our lives from wild magic by establishing the coven system." A slight frown crossed his face. "I, myself, belong to the Bard Coven, one of the main nine." Raine then pulled at his sleeve, showing off a sigil of a red lyre.

Brought out of his thoughts, Finn looked at the sigil, contemplating. "Does that mean that as your son, I have to join the Bard Coven as well?"

"No," Raine responded. "I could teach you bard magic, but it would be better to find the perfect magic you are suited for. When we get you settled in, we can begin your lessons. But until then, I have a few books you can read." He looked nostalgic. "Or I could enroll you at Hexside," thinking back to his own school days.

"What is Hexside?" Finn asked in confusion.

"Hexside School of Magic and Demonics. It's where young aspiring witches go to learn everything they need to properly cast magic," Raine said with a smile, then noticing a few students. "In fact, look over there; those kids are students from Hexside."

Finn noticed two girls dressed in black cowls with different-colored sleeves. Paying attention to both of them, he saw one had olive-green eyes with glasses and short navy-blue hair, while the other had golden eyes and brown hair.

Seeing someone looking right at them, the girl with glasses waved at him. Seeing this, the brown-haired girl also waved, both of them smiling.

Surprised, Finn blushed and immediately used Raine as a shield, pushing him forward to walk past them. In the distance, he could hear both of the girls laughing. After walking for a few more minutes, they stopped at a house.

"Well, here it is, your new home, Finn," Raine said with joy.

Finn looked at his new home, gradually smiling.

This was the start of his journey. As Finnian Whispers, he would go on to become one of the best witches on the Boiling Isles and, after reuniting with an old friend, a savior to both the human and demon realms.