Chapter 17: Emperor's Game (Part 1)
Flint and Luz were getting ready to head out when they saw Eda looking out the window with a pair of binoculars and a yellow scarf wrapped around her neck. In the center of the room, Eda had a wooden spoon stirring something with her magic as she watched what was happening outside in amusement. Judging from the sounds, Flitn could gather it was the Emporer's Coven…again. Seriously, they were getting pretty relentless lately.
A coven scout slammed against the window before falling down as Flint heard laughter.
"Well, gotta hand it to Hooty, he's very effective…and possibly a bit sadistic," Flint spoke up, the last part with a wary edge.
Eda chuckled as she took a sip of tea. "Yep. He may be a thorn in my side, but he always manages to dig his way into my heart…he does concern me enough to pity those scouts though," Eda admitted, a tad traumatized herself. She remembered having to teach him to stop maiming them…her outfit wasn't always red, after all.
So…so much blood…
As Eda was having her own PTSD moment (she made a mental note to apologize to Bump at some point), Luz looked curiously into Eda's cauldron, wondering what was inside only to see a stringy substance.
"Ooh, magic 'sghetti." Luz said as she tried to touch it, only for her hand to be slapped by the spoon.
"Hey! That 'sghetti is Witch's Wool. It repels powerful spells. Every witch worth their salt has a cloak made from this stuff." Eda explained, holding up some of the wool.
Luz stared at the wool in awe. "I'm worth salt...I want cloak!" Luz said, trying to grab the cauldron but Eda pulled it away from her.
"You're worth a whole lot more to me," Flint muttered.
"You say something?" Luz turned back, not hearing what he said.
"Nothing," Flint said quickly.
"Easy, Luz! With the Emperor's goons at my doorstep, I need this for protection. They have really stepped up their attacks lately." Eda said thoughtfully.
Luz's face became really intense looking. "I think I finally understand why the Emperor wants you so badly…" Luz then became not intense at all. "He's got the hots for you, doesn't he?" Luz said jokingly.
"I'm pretty sure it's because of his stupid indoctrination method of controlling magic in such menial categories so that everyone that even considers trying to defy him will be hard-nerfed so that he can crush them easily. That or he wants to eradicate all magic because of some stupid bigotry and hero-complex while his brother got laid." Flint remarked.
Luz and Eda stared at him for a moment in dead silence.
"…What?" Flint asked, wondering why the two were looking at him like he was crazy.
"Oddly specific, but he does want to control all magic through his coven system. Honestly, you might have a point with that first bit, given the types of covens there are. I always did find it weird how Bard and Illusion aren't just under the same name." Eda pondered for a moment. "Anyway, he ordered my capture years ago because I refuse to fall in line."
"And he won't stop until he's got you..." Luz trailed off, her head drooping.
"Awww, don't sound so worried. I'm a master escape artist. The only thing that can slow me down is my curse, and that hasn't bothered me for weeks!" Eda stated confidently, raising her arms up…
Only for tons of feathers to pop out of Eda's arms.
Flint facepalmed. See folks, this is why you don't tempt the universe. It will always respond 'Are you sure about that?'
"…Uh oh..." Eda managed to say before transforming into the Owl Beast with a shriek.
Luz gasped in horror as Flint just looked on in boredom to her right.
Flint nonchalantly casts a spell, causing chains made of scarlet light that lock the Owl Beast in place, making it flail in vain as it attempts to free itself.
"Oh, nice one Flint," Luz said with relief.
"King? Trixx?" Flint called out.
King peeked into the room. "Weh?"
Trixx poked out from the other side in her Zorua form. "You rang?"
"Would one of you be a dear and get one of Eda's elixirs?" Flint let out a hum as he looked at the Owl Beast. "Actually, scratch that, grab a few," Flint requested.
The Owl Beast screeched as King and Trixx quickly ran off. After a bit, the two returned, with Trixx now in a disguise that looked like a more human version of Boscha but wearing the same outfit as her Luz-a-like disguise. She carried a bunch in her arms as King ran up to Flint, struggling to hold three at once due to his smaller arms.
Flint cast another spell that held the Owl Beast's head in place as he rose on a pillar of ice, popping the cork on the elixir and empowering it before dumping the contents down the beast's throat.
After a few moments, no change occurred, causing Flint to frown as he gestured for another. Luz grabbed the next and handed it to him as he repeated the process, still to no avail. In the end, it took them 10 attempts before Eda finally returned to normal, shaking her head.
Eda noticed the bottle in Flint's hand and sighed with relief. "Whew! Thanks for that!" Eda said as her foot bumped her foot against the other emptied bottles on the floor.
"And those..." Eda trailed off, realizing just how many they had used as her scarf fell off.
Luz's eyes widened as she noticed something. "Hey, your gem! It's still dark!" Luz pointed out.
True enough, the gem on Eda's outfit was still part-dark, as Eda scrambled to try and hide it.
"No, it's not! You're nuts!" Eda tried to counter.
"We're all nuts, but you've been lying to us." Flint accused as he evaporated the ice under his feet to reach ground level.
"The curse has been getting worse and you've been hiding it!" Luz added.
Eda sighed. "You're right. It's taking more elixir to turn me back and more magic to keep the curse from rearing its feathery head. Even the amplification spells are barely leaving a dent." Eda admitted.
"So it's outpacing your magic recovery." Flint deduced.
"Um, what happens if you use your magic up? Do you...die?" Trixx asked worriedly
"No! Jeez, you guys are morbid. I just kinda sorta, turn into the Owl Beast...forever. I mean, without magic, I can't hold it off anymore. It's almost worse than dying if you think about it." Eda laughs sarcastically.
"Don't joke about something like that!" Flint screeched in disbelief.
"No! No, I-I can't let that happen! There's gotta be something we can do about it! We'll find a cure and then-" Luz sputtered in worry.
Eda puts her hand on Luz's shoulder, interrupting her thoughts. "Hey, don't worry. I just have to limit my magic use a little." Eda said, using her hands to force a smile on Luz's face. "Ah! There's the Luz I know!"
Luz's face immediately moves into a pout with- No! Not the eyes! Anything but the puppy eyes!
Eda sighed, accepting her fate by raising her arms. "Go on. Do the parallel arm thing..." Eda said.
Luz immediately beams and latches onto Eda with a hug, with Flint joining in from behind.
King and Trixx, who dispersed her disguise, each latched onto one of her legs.
"King demands huggies too!" King said.
"Please don't go, Miss Eda!" Trixx said worriedly.
"I'm not going anywhere, okay? Now can you get off me? You two have school still," Eda says, managing to strip the humans off her as she walks them over to the kitchen door with King and Trixx still latched to each leg. Honestly, they were like heavy legwarmers.
Eda pushed the two out the door and waved them off. "Have a good day!"
Luz continued to worry though. "Get rest! Drink lots of water! Stay out of the sun! Lift with your knees, not your-"
SLAM
The two stared at the now-closed door for a moment. Flint looked over at Luz's worried expression and sighed.
"Come on, we don't wanna be late for that school trip." Flint tried to change the subject.
His attempt was unsuccessful though, as Luz still frowned. "But what about Eda? She has enemies everywhere, she isn't even safe in her own body. I wish I could help her."
Flint sighed. "Sometimes it just can't be helped." Flint then smiled, nudging her shoulder playfully. "But hey, I'm sure we'll find a way to cure her, or at least the very least help out the best we can."
Luz smiled a bit at her friend's words.
Suddenly the two hear a distant scream. Curiously, the two peek through some bushes to see Hooty wrapped around a bunch of beaten-up guards and serving them tea, missing the cup as the contents pour onto the ground. One of the guards moved an arm feebly as they tried to escape, their body undoubtedly battered and bruised by the bird-tube.
"The roughhousing was fun, but I like this part of our playdates even better!" Hooty said with glee.
Luz and Flint backed up and looked at each other for a moment.
"New fear obtained?" Flint asked in a partially haunted tone.
"Yep. I'm going to be having nightmares tonight," Luz confirmed in a similar tone.
Both proceeded to shudder, feeling no shortage of sympathy for those guards before continuing to school.
The two arrived at Hexside where Principal Bump and various students were lined up for a flying ship. Noticing Willow and Gus, the two walked over.
"Luz, Flint, you guys ready for the field trip of a lifetime to the one, the only, Emperor's Castle!" Gus played things up, holding a book in his hands.
Luz frowns, remembering how the Emporer's forces treat Eda.
Seeming to sense what Luz is thinking, Flint leans in and whispers into her ear. "We could get info about our enemy, maybe steal some stuff."
Luz chuckled a bit at Flint's words. He wasn't wrong, it would make for a good opportunity to do that. Unfortunately, she also realized just how close his face was to hers, causing her to blush a bit at the proximity.
"Hurray. An opportunity to see Lilith again." A voice called out sarcastically.
They looked over to see Amity walking up to them with a bit of a limp.
"Hey Ams. Leg still a bit sore?" Flint asked.
Amity sighed. "Yeah, but better thanks to you."
After getting injured during their grudgby match the other day, the group had taken Amity over to the Owl House to get her patched up and hang out for a bit. Flint had decided to try something he'd been working on and cast a spell. A flame erupted in his hand, but this one was green in color. Flint had gone up to Amity and let the fire lick off his hand and coat her leg in the green flames as he rubbed it as if he were applying lotion.
Flint had decided to try combining fire with healing magic, creating what he called a 'healer's fire'. This fire would heal instead of hurt and quickly allowed Amity's leg to heal. He wasn't able to completely heal Amity's leg due to rookie status with healing magic, but this method made his attempts at using healing magic come naturally to him.
He also enjoyed teasing the girl with the impromptu massage. What could he say? Seeing her face go full tomato was incredibly adorable to him. It's no wonder that was the first of his Amity drawings. He still didn't understand why he had to fight the urge to give her lavender hair though.
"Need a little more?" Flint asked.
Amity sighed. "That'd be nice, actually."
Flint cast a spell and created the same green flame, letting it flow through the air and wrap around Amity's leg once more, eliciting a small moan from her.
'Good grief you're bad.' Flint and Willow thought bluntly.
Gus meanwhile shoved a book in Luz's face. "There's all sorts of cool stuff at the castle!"
"Like what?" Luz asked.
"Like ancient relics! Look, it's the Plant Coven's Green Thumb Gauntlet! It can grow whatever you imagine," Willow said, pointing to one of the pages depicting its effects.
Luz hummed in acknowledgment as Gus pointed to another item. "And the Oracle Sphere! It shows you which path will help you become your best self!"
"It's said that the sludge of the Primordial Abomination can grant the user the ability to shapeshift. Rumor is that one of the previous abomination coven heads discovered it. Ever since any head has been able to become an abomination themselves just by using a piece of it." Amity said, pointing to a depiction of a glass sphere that held abomination goo in it. She then gave a disgusted look. "But rumor is that you need to consume it for that to happen. And that you lose your sense of taste for a couple of years, if not forever. No thanks."
Flint and Luz blinked at that.
Flint leaned over. "Sounds like Midoriya was lucky with that hair."
Luz nodded. "Agreed," Luz said before something in the book caught her eye.
"'The Healing Hat. Made from the magic of the Savage Ages. It is said to cure the deadliest diseases...and heal any curse'?" Luz recited in shock.
"Nani?" Flint asked, swiping the book to look at it himself.
"Yeah! This is gonna be so cool!" Willow said.
"All aboard students!" Principal Bump called out to everyone, urging them to board the flying ship with Willow and Gus going ahead.
Flint looked to Luz. "We're both on the same page, right?" Flint asked.
"If that page involves borrowing the Healing Hat to cure Eda, then yes." Luz agreed.
Amity sighed, having a feeling this was going to happen as she grabbed one of each of their hands. "Come on you two. Scheme on the way at least." Amity said. She could already tell where this was going.
She was also desperately trying to focus on the fact they were scheming as a part of her screamed in pure bi-panic that she was holding their hands.
After a while, the flying ship could be seen headed for the Emperor's Castle, with some students on board cheering excitedly.
"Okay, so you'll map out our path as we go along with the tour, and I'll gauge the surroundings for weaknesses we can exploit." Flint ran through their plan.
"If we can't get it now, we can try to get it later, maybe with Trixx sneaking around as a guard," Luz stated.
"Just for the record, you should probably talk a little bit quieter," Amity advised from beside them.
The two blinked at her.
"You're not going to say we shouldn't do this?" Luz asked curiously.
"Let's just say I still hold some resentment for Eda's sister," Amity stated. "Their security will be the most lax during the tour, by the way," Amity added, looking over to them with a small grin.
"Hey guys, we're getting close to the castle," Willow said as Luz and Flint looked over the side of the ship at a large castle in the distance. "Emperor Belos built it as a symbol of unity. Before he came to power, folks were doing magic all wrong. He taught us that the only way to respect what the Titan gave us is through joining covens." Willow explained.
As Luz looked on doubtfully, Flint sneered at that notion. 'As if. That damned megalomanic.'
"So, Willow...would you say this Belos guy is like, powerful?" Luz asked.
Willow chuckled. "No offense to Eda or you Flint, but the Emperor is the most skilled witch that's ever lived. He can even talk to the Titan."
Flint snarled. "'He can even talk to the Titan.' F*** that."
The group looked at him, stunned.
"Whoa. What's got you all upset?" Amity asked. This might've been the coldest she'd ever seen him acting.
"Anyone can say they speak to a deity. Do you think homicidal maniacs back on Earth don't go trying to justify things through their own religion? Anyone who claims that and has no proof just raises red flags. Royalty back in the day used to think they were 'chosen by God'. A load of bullshit, all of it." Flint said angrily.
The rest of the group wasn't sure what to think about Flint's behavior. It was especially odd to Luz, as there weren't really any times she could think of that had him this hateful about someone other than a certain group during a certain World War…well...there was one person she could think of.
Before Luz could ponder further, the ship landed in a space in front of the castle. The towering doors to the building open, revealing a small figure on the other side of the chasm between the castle and the landing area.
"Now, the Emperor's assistant will be your tour guide. Please don't make me regret taking you here." Principal Bump said…before looking at Luz and Flint in particular, locking eyes with them.
Luz leaned over to whisper in Flint's ear. "He's talking about you."
"You would know, wouldn't you? Takes one to know one," Flint shot back.
Amity looked on with a mixture of fondness and slight jealousy at the scene.
The figure on the other side waited as the bridge extended. The students go onto the bridge as it retreated, bringing everyone closer to the figure. The figure's name was Kikimora. There were few working under Emperor Belos that held a position higher than her, something that the gremlin took immense pleasure in…though that higher position was definitely not in the height department.
Kikimora stands on a platform as a bridge extends to the ship.
"Children of Hexside, Emperor Belos welcomes you to his castle. We're honored by visits from students. You'll soon be a part of a coven, some lucky few may even find their home here, in the mighty Emperor's Coven!" Kikimora greeted eloquently.
Many of the students gossiped excitedly, but Flint and Luz were busy taking in their surroundings.
As the tour through the castle went on, the two humans had their duties. Luz was busy attempting to write down their path, Flint was quietly relaying information to her. Flint made sure to pay attention to the tour but was also making sure to take good looks at their surroundings. If needed, they could use Memory Tweezers to help later on.
Luz eventually stops at a grate near the ground and looks at it with an idea.
"That was, until our great Emperor ascended to the throne, and taught witches how to use magic properly," Kikimora said, gesturing to a mural on the wall of Belos holding up a beam of light, and witches below celebrating his power. "Our next stop is the Emperor's personal collection of relics."
"Oh! Luz, you'll like this. It's where-huh?" Willow said, turning back to see Luz with a fire glyph on her palm as she was about to use it on the grate.
Luz turned to them as all three of the humans' friends looked at her, before she quickly pulled the hand behind her back and…
Flint pinched the bridge of his nose. 'Did she really just start doing the Not-So-Innocent Whistle?'
Amity sighed, grabbing Luz's hand and dragging her along. "Come on. Just wait a bit first." Amity advised, already knowing what the two were planning. Luz was a very open book, after all.
Soon enough, they catch up and eventually come to the next attraction of the tour. The doors opened, revealing a semi-dimly lit room with spotlights that turned on in a pattern above 8 items sitting on pedestals on either side of the path, half of them matching the relics they had seen earlier in the book.
"The Relic Room. These items are reminders of our great Emperor's overwhelming power. From the curious and mighty." Kikimora presented, gesturing to the Oracle Sphere as Gus looked on in wonder.
"To the very handy." Kikimora continued, passing the Green Thumb Gauntlet, which Willow looked at dreamily.
"Oh, I could grow such beautiful things with that," Willow said.
"And even, the most valuable." Kikimora finished, passing the Healing Hat.
Luz and Flint stare at the hat for a moment. Luz is about to go over to it, but is stopped by Flint, who guides her back with the tour.
The tour comes to a crossway as Kikimora stops for a moment. "Here at the Emperor's Coven, we require members with sophistication, elegance, and grace."
SLAM
Everyone turns to the source of the noise to their right, revealing an angry Lilith Clawthorne. Her hair was disheveled with leaves and feathers sticking out of it.
Flint silently snapped a picture. Hopefully, this would make it up to Eda for the blackmail pics he took of her a while back.
She spits out some feathers and vanishes her staff before entering. With this in mind, Luz and Flint quickly moved to the wall and hid from her sight, knowing she would recognize them immediately.
"Ah! Make way for Miss Lilith Clawthorne, students." Kikimora said mockingly, making the students back up to let her pass.
The class let out a series of excited murmurs, minus one Amity Blight, who growled as she glared at her once-idol.
"Yes, and if I'm not mistaken, she's on her way to see the Emperor himself. Let's all wish her luck!" Kikimora said knowingly, no doubt donning a shit-eating grin beneath her outfit's collar.
"Good luck, Miss Lilith!" The class said unaware, with Amity joining in mockingly.
Lilith blushed before taking a deep breath to calm herself before glancing over her shoulder at them. "Thank you, students. Good luck with puberty."
Kikimora directed the tour forward as Lilith went her own way, but Luz and Flint stopped to look at the door Lilith left through.
The two followed Lilith from a distance, keeping out of sight as she walked through the castle until they reached a massive door, no doubt the throne room.
After a bit, Flint jumps slightly when Luz gasps, pulling away from the door as she covers her mouth, running off. With his curiosity piqued Flint looks through the keyhole himself.
He is met with the sight of a massive throne room. A beating green heart, far larger than would belong in any current living creature, is hooked up to pipes above the golden throne, which is flanked with flaming braziers. Various guards are standing around the room, and Flint even manages to recognize the Golden Guard standing directly behind the throne to the side. Belos himself is sitting upright on the throne, as Lilith was kneeled before him.
Belos wore a golden mask with two long upward-facing horns, akin to antlers. His eyes are hollow through the mask, creating the appearance of having empty eye sockets. He wore a large white and brown cape with gold trim that draped over his entire body. He also wore a pair of golden-armored gloves.
"How's the hunt for the Owl Lady? I heard you attempted a raid this morning." The Emperor's voice echoed behind his mask.
"Yes, but we were-"
"Unsuccessful?" The Emperor interrupted as he got to his feet. "That was obvious enough. It's been a little over a month since you promised to bring me the Owl Lady. Well, where is she?" Emperor Belos asked, his tone slightly annoyed.
"If I just had more time, I-"
"I'm getting bored of your excuses, Lilith." Belos interrupted once again, asserting his control over the 'conversation'. He then proceeded to sit back down. "Don't worry, I'll…give you the time you need. Bring the Owl Lady to me by twilight. She'll join the Emperor's Coven and in return, I'll heal her little curse. But…if you fail..."
Flint could feel his heart rate increase as Belos' nails dug into his throne, the heart above the throne beating faster as if to match both Flint's heart and Belos' anger.
"You will be stripped of your rank and banished from my coven. You do know what happens to covenless witches, don't you?" Emperor Belos threatened, gesturing to a mural that matched the one Flint had seen earlier. He could almost hear the phantom screams as he saw the image in a new light.
Lilith stands up. "I-I understand. I will not fail." Lilith states before turning to leave.
"For your sake, you'd better not."
Flint quickly backs away in fear before running off.
Luz hid behind a curtain in a corridor, peeking out and looking to see if Flint was nearby.
'Come on. Where are you, Flint?' Luz wondered worriedly.
Luz shook her head before looking out the window, which let her see the entrance and the class as they left, seeing herself and Flint boarding with their friends as Lzu looked up at her knowingly.
"Please don't notice we're gone, please don't notice we're-" Luz paused, registering what she had just seen. "-boarding the bus?" Luz looked on in confusion.
There really was a version of herself standing with the others. Did Trixx sneak in with them or something?
Suddenly Luz is tapped on the shoulder, causing her to jump cartoonishly into the air with a yelp, closing her eyes.
"Whoa! It's just us!" Luz heard Amity's voice.
Realizing she hadn't fallen to the ground, Luz opened her eyes again to see Willow and Gus in front of her. Gus was spinning five spell circles with noticeable strain on his face.
"Oh! Guys. I, uh..." Luz's voice faltered as she realized her position. Looking to her other side, she saw Amity looking down at her. After a few moments, it finally clicked that Amity was currently holding her bridal style.
It seemed like Amity realized this at the same time, as she quickly let Luz down, both girls' faces blushing profusely.
'What has my life become?' Willow thought with a sigh as she looked at the two.
"Amity told us. You two were planning on taking the Healing Hat, weren't you?" Willow asked.
"Technically, we were planning to borrow the hat." Luz corrected before quickly beginning to explain herself. "Look, Eda has this curse and it's zapping away her magic, and-"
"Luz, it's okay. You said something earlier about needing it for a cure for Eda?" Amity asks.
Luz nodded. "Eda has a curse. And it's getting too strong. If we can get that hat, we can get rid of it and save her," Luz explained.
Gus released his illusions and smiled. "Then let's do it!"
Luz is nearly crying. She wipes away whatever tears manage to form before smiling. "Thanks, guys. I know exactly what we gotta do. It's time for a heist! Hopefully, we'll find Flint again on the way."
Amity's eyes widened. "Wait, did you two get separated?" Amity asked worriedly.
"I think he stayed behind to watch, but I'm confident he wouldn't let himself get caught. Knowing him, he'll probably be on his way toward the Relic Room, so we'll just meet up with him there," Luz replied.
The four traverse the castle, doing what they can to move past any guards they might find. Things like hiding behind plants or having two of them disguised as a guard as Amity worked with another to hide within an abomination. Gus manages to use an illusion of Kikimora to get the guard to leave.
Luz went to use a fire glyph on the vent when Amity stopped her, smiling confidently as she had an abomination squeeze through the vent. They walked up to the now unguarded door as it opened, revealing Amity's abomination on the other side. Amity pets it with an approving pat on the shoulder as the group walks past it, the sludge golem smiling before shifting into a messenger bag slung over Amity's shoulder.
The four enter the room and each goes to the relic they were interested in.
Luz stood before the Healing Hat. "Healing Hat, you're Eda's last hope," Luz said, removing it from its pedestal as it glows. "Whoa! I-I can feel it! I can feel the magic flowing!" Luz said excitedly.
"Me too!" Gus called, holding the Oracle Sphere. "Finally, I'm about to become my best self!" Gus said excitedly, holding the sphere up as a purple-tinted double of him appeared.
"You're always your best self." The copy whispered to him, making the real Gus tear up and start crying as his copy patted him reassuringly.
Willow meanwhile had taken it upon herself to don the Green Thumb Gauntlet. She grows a large wooden arm, which flexes and then sinks back into the gauntlet, the jerky movement and sudden mass causing her to stumble a bit.
"Whoa! I just wanted to try it out." Willow chuckled before placing the gauntlet back.
Amity meanwhile stared deeply into the container holding the Primordial Abomination. So much power, but at the cost of possibly losing your sense of taste forever. Amity shook her head. Even if she did want that power, she knew she wouldn't be ready for it. And she didn't need it to be a powerful witch.
"Alright. Now we just need to find Flint, then we can cure Eda and get this hat back before anyone knows it's gone." Luz laughed triumphantly.
"I will know."
The four (and even Gus' copy) went ramrod stiff. The dark aura and menacing voice chilled them to their core as its presence radiated all around them.
Amity instinctively holds Luz's arm as Gus and his copy do the same with each of Willow's, all of them backing up toward the entrance as they look around them.
"We need to go. Now." Luz said in a haunted voice. This was not good!
Barricades proceeded to drop in front of the doors, locking them in and eliciting gasps from most of them.
Willow took charge, freeing herself from the Gus' and donning the Green Thumb Gauntlet again. "Stand back!" Willow warned them.
Using the gauntlet, Willow grows a massive buff tree, extending its arms at one of the barricades.
In a hallway, Lilith could be seen pacing in front of the stained glass mural of Belos.
"Lilith, think! You've given your entire life to this coven, you can't lose it. What's Eda's weakness? She has no attachment, no friends. Think!" Lilith thought out loud. There had to be some way to strike at her sister, something to lure her in. Lilith needed to make up for her mistake!
"He's lying, you know."
Lilith jumped at the sudden voice, looking at the source to see a figure leaning against a passageway.
"How did you get here?!" Lilith demanded.
"That deal of his, he won't do it," The figure -Flint- stated, staring at her.
Lilith growled. "You don't understand. He's the most powerful witch on the Boiling Isles. He's the only hope I have!"
Flint raised a brow. "What about the Healing Hat?"
Lilith scoffed. "That thing? Impossible. In order for it to work, you have to know everything about the ailment. Even if I did try to use it…"
Flint's eyes widened. "It wouldn't work…"
"Those relics aren't all they're cracked up to be." Lilith then paused as she looked at Flint briefly…before realizing something. "You were here for the Healing Hat, weren't you?" Lilith asked.
'Shit shit shit shit shit!' Flint chanted internally in a panic. This was not good!
Another thing seemed to dawn on Lilith. She smiled wickedly and looked straight at Flint. "I think I have an idea."
'Double shit double shit double shit!' Flint altered his internal chant.
CRASH
The two blink a bit as they both look to the side to see a hole busted through a door to the Relic Room.
'Triple shit triple shit triple shit!'
Luz coughs as the cloud of debris clears, revealing a hole busted through the door. Luz begins to run toward the opening as Willow's tree shrinks to nothing.
"Come on, let's-" Luz suddenly gasps midsentence, seeing Flint with his arms and legs spread out and retrained against the wall with barriers, his mouth gagged as he struggled to free himself.
"Flint!" All of them cried out in worry.
Just before Luz could run out of the room to him, Lilith stepped in front of her, pointing her staff at Luz with a wicked smile on her face.
"Why, isn't this a find? Both of Eda's human pets…how perfect." Lilith said.
Luz begins to back up as Lilith steps forward. Lilith noticed Amity and frowned. "I thought better of you, Blight," Lilith said with disappointment.
Amity scoffed. "The feeling's mutual, cheater."
Luz was panicking, holding the hat close. "Stay away! If you touch us, Eda will come after you so fast-"
Lilith suddenly teleports in front of Luz. "That's the plan."
Willow notices something behind Lilith and hardens her expression. "Run, Luz!" Willow called out, raising the Green Thumb Gauntlet and growing a wooden arm to grab Lilith's staff.
Luz runs as Lilith uses her staff to fling Willow toward the door, only to be immediately tackled from that direction, causing her and her assailant to tumble across the floor, the figure between her and the door as the other children move out of the way.
Lilith looks up and her eyes widen before her face becomes furious. "How did you break free!?" Lilith yelled angrily.
Flint smirked confidently, cracking his knuckles as Amity got into position at his side. "You think something like that was gonna hold me?"
Lilith glanced behind him, only to see that her restraints were still there, but there was now a melted outline of a person in the wall, causing her to growl in annoyance.
"Luz, the hat is worthless! Just run!" Flint said, not looking back.
Luz looked horrified. "What do you mean?! And I'm not just going to leave you guys!"
"The book lied! Just get out of here! Now!" Flint called back, summoning a staff made of scarlet fire in his hand and getting on guard.
Amity turned back briefly. "We'll give you guys a headstart! We'll be right behind you!" Amity said, casting a spell that made the abomination messenger bag revert to a golem. "Abomination, attack!" Amity ordered, sending her soldier forth.
Flint charged with the abomination, his staff colliding with Lilith's as she held both the boy and sludge back.
Luz was about to go back before Willow and Gus each grabbed one of her arms, dragging her away.
"They can handle her, we need to run while we can!" Willow said, discarding the gauntlet. She was already in enough trouble as is, she didn't want to add more theft to it.
"A little late for that, I'm afraid."
Suddenly, all five children were frozen in place, red energy surrounding them as it shot from the exit. Stepping through the door was the Golden Guard, his staff alight with the same glow as he held them still, moving them all in a line next to each other.
"Nice to see you again, Flint." Golden Guard said venomously.
Flint glanced at Luz. "Think Goldilocks is still mad about the staff?" Flint asked nervously.
"Of course, I'm still mad about the staff!" Golden Guard exclaimed childishly. "And for Titan's sake, it's Golden Guard!"
Amity glanced at Flint. "Flint, could you maybe not piss off that guy that just captured us?"
Willow looked absolutely done with today. "Don't bother, we all know that won't happen," Willow responded with a resigned sigh.
Oh, there's the other functioning brain cell of the group. I was wondering where that went.
"For once, I'm glad to see you Golden Guard," Lilith stated semi-cordially.
Golden Guard gave a gesture of mock offense, holding his free hand over his chest. "You wound me, Lilith…but how come?" Golden Guard asked, his curiosity winning out.
Lilith gave a sinister grin. "Because I know how to bring Eda to us."
"…I'm listening." Golden Guard urged her to continue, now thoroughly interested.
"Leave the humans here, but send the others with a message." Lilith began.
"Oh ho ho! I get it now." Golden Guard laughed behind his mask. He obliged, switching Luz and Amity's positions and releasing the three witches from his spell.
"If you want to see your friends again, deliver this to Edalyn," Lilith said, throwing her staff at the three, causing them to fly away as it dragged them along.
"Luz/Flint!" Willow and Amity called out respectively.
In the Owl House, Eda folded a completed witch's wool cloak. "I'll have to give Flint a raincheck on his. This one took long enough to make alone." Eda said, putting the folded cloak on the table.
Hooty opens the door. "I spy with my little eye something coming this way!"
Eda's face brightened. "The kids!" Eda blinked for a moment. "Wow. Never thought I'd say that." Eda thought out loud.
"Wait!" King's voice got Eda's attention as he pushed a cake into the living room. with Trixx's help in her Bosch-a-like form. "Wait for me! You two aren't the only ones who know dark magic!" King said triumphantly, holding up a box of cake mix.
Trixx frowned. "I'm a Dark Type. I don't have dark magic." Trixx corrected.
"Potato, tomat-o." King waved her off. "Now stop gawking and help me into the cake!"
Eda stands up and comes over to help. "Say, what's with the new look?" Eda asked Trixx.
Trixx shrugged. "Thought I'd change it up. Plus it helps tell my disguise apart from Luz easier if I'm not looking like her. Now help me in too!" Trixx said, reverting to her true form as she wanted to get in too.
Eda chuckled at her antics, finishing to help the two in before she heard a knock at the door. She opens the door expecting Luz and Flint, only for her smile to fall when she is met with Willow, Gus, and Amity. And she didn't like the worried looks on their faces.
"Eda, we have some bad news..." Willow said.
Eda glanced behind them, seeing Lilith's staff floating and glowing blue. Eda glares at it.
"King, Trixx. Wait in the cake. I'll be right back." Eda said, closing the door behind her.
This was the last straw.
The sun was setting as Lilith stood on the bridge to the Emperor's Castle.
"Come on, Edalyn. You would be late when I need you most." Lilith said, looking back at the castle. Her gaze fell on Emporer Belos standing atop the castle, his expecting gaze felt even through his mask.
A yellow flash of light occurs from the other side of the bridge, and with it, Eda. And booooooooyyyyy did she look pissed.
Seeing her sister had arrived, Lilith smirked, only for her expression to turn neutral again as her staff was launched past her, crashing into the castle behind her and lodging itself in the now-crater in the wall.
"Sister! I see that you got my invitation to a Witch's Duel!" Lilith mocked, only to be suddenly barraged with a volley of bolts of electricity, though only one hit her. Eda flies at her, bolting around as she is engulfed with energy. Lilith blocks one bolt, only for Eda to zip around her from one side to the other. Lilith quickly summoned a shield before calling her staff to her, which landed in her awaiting hand as she immediately used it to shoot a beam of blue energy at Eda.
Eda dodged the beam and corrected herself midair, flying straight at her sister. "Where are they?" Eda demanded.
"Easy now," Lilith warned, causing Eda to stop in her tracks. "The humans are safe."
Lilith taps her staff to the ground, causing a blue bubble to fly out of the castle, with Luz and Flint inside of it.
"Eda!" Luz cried out in worry.
"Bird lady!" Flint said deliriously, looking extremely out of it as he drooped forward with his arm over Luz's shoulder, his eyes dilated.
Eda blinked before looking at Lilith questioningly.
Lilith looked sheepish. "We um…we had to sedate him or else he'd keep fighting back."
"He wouldn't stay asleep, so we might have used too much on him." Golden Guard admitted from the entrance.
Flint gasped as he noticed Lilith. "Two bird ladies?!"
"…Scratch that. We definitely used too much." Golden Guard corrected.
That boy is higher than a kite.
Lilith steeled herself as she walked in front of the bubble. "You can have them back, provided you do as I say. Renounce your wild ways and join the Emperor's Coven. He can help heal your curse!"
Eda scoffed. "Don't believe everything that bonehead tells you. He doesn't want to heal me, he wants to controlme!"
Lilith spins her staff, preparing for battle. "Then I will take you in by force."
Eda descended to the bridge. "You've always looked down on me because I'm wild, but fortunately, that just made me work harder than you." Eda declared, slamming her staff on the ground, summoning a towering owl made of light behind her. She rushes at Lilith, launching her in the air beside a bunch of guards watching from inside the castle. In the air, Eda appears behind Lilith, but Lilith vanishes in a spurt of magic as Eda swings her staff. Lilith reappears behind Eda, but the Owl Lady is too fast and disappears again. Eda appears behind Lilith and kicks her, then zaps away to chase her, the two zipping across the sky as they attempt to get a hit on each other.
From the bubble, Luz watches Eda and Lilith in awe. Her vision of the two had devolved into merely gold and blue flashes. It showed her just how much power Eda held, even in her weakened state. How powerful would she have been without being cursed? And is this what those anime fights would look like to a normal person?
"Oooh. Pretty." Flint watched dumbly.
Luz so wished she could record her friend's state right now. Unfortunately, there was now a beam of blue energy coming right at them!
The beam hits the space on the bridge behind the bubble causing it to be sent flying. Eda lands on the bridge and chases after them. Luz yelps as Flint giggles.
"Kids!" Eda cries out in concern, blasting past them.
Eda redirects the boards of the bridge under the bubble, looping them back onto the bridge to where they had been before and keeping them from falling off. Lilith drops down, and Eda rolls out of the way to prevent being crushed by her sister, putting them back at square one.
"Weeeee!" Flint giggled as they rolled around.
Eda summons a Hooty-Hydra to wrap Lilith up, before spinning her staff to send a giant blast at Lilith. Lilith thinks quickly and moves the bubble between them. Eda's eyes widen, quickly redirecting the bolt to the side so it would not hurt her kids.
Eda was now panting, her limit showing itself. "Stop hiding behind Luz, you coward!" Eda demanded before letting out a groan, holding her side.
Lilith was panting, but not as much as Eda was. "It's sad to see you slowing down sister. Tell me, is it the curse?" Lilith taunted.
Eda growls, sounding partly like the Owl Beast as her gem begins to grow darker.
"Eda! Your gem!" Luz cried out in worry, banging her fist against the bubble.
"Maybe it is the curse. But then how pathetic are you, that you can't best me at my worst?!" Eda declared, spinning her staff and summoning a dozen rings of magic, all of which send bolts at Lilith. Eda's Hooty Hydra drags the kids' bubble to safety as Lilith summons a shield to protect herself. Luz looks at Flint in worry, seeing he was still too far out of it to be of any real help.
'Come on! There has to be something I can do!' Luz thought. She couldn't bear the feeling of helplessness, looking down at her hands and clenching them in frustration, feeling the fabric of her…wait!
Luz looked at her hands and realized that neither Lilith nor the Golden Guard had taken their Grafters! Quickly, she used an ice glyph from her palm to pierce the bubble with a spike, popping it and freeing the two.
Golden Guard brought his guard up. "Dang it! I knew there was something I was forgetting!" Golden Guard chastised himself as both he and Luz prepared to fight, with Luz having to also try and protect Flint.
"Maybe you are stronger than me, but that made me work smarter! I became smart, crafty!" Lilith said.
"A lapdog for a tyrant!" Eda countered, firing more bolts toward Lilith, though one notably sailed past her.
"You always thought you were better than me, that I could never beat you in anything!" Lilith said.
"I am better than you!" Eda said confidently, still firing off attacks.
Lilith's anger reached its limit, causing her to snap.
Her next words shook everyone present.
"THEN WHY WERE YOU SO EASY TO CURSE!?"
Lilith quickly realized what she said, letting out a gasp as she covered her mouth.
The world seemed to ground to a halt. Eda looked at her sister in shocked betrayal. Luz's let out a gasp as she turned toward Lilith in shock. Even the Golden Guard, with a perfect opportunity to strike, didn't.
"Wait, what?" The Golden Guard said softly, shock evident in his voice.
With her mind much clearer, Lilith attempted to calm her sister panickedly. "A-And I have the power to remove it, if you would just let-"
SHINK
Lilith's eyes widened as her barrier expectedly burst. Before she could figure out how, Eda let out a piercing yell of pure fury, rushing forward and with a swing of her staff, launched Lilith into the wall of the castle behind her and leaving a small crater.
"Eda, stop! Your magic!" Luz said worriedly as Flint started to get to his feet.
The black in Eda's gem was writhing furiously, the curse seeming to react to Eda's emotional state. Seeing this, Lilith smirked as she used a spell to grab Luz, floating her in the air.
"Human. That orb was for your protection." Lilith said, moving Luz over the edge of the bridge, releasing the spell and causing her to drop over the pit of spikes.
"Luz!" Eda called out worriedly, drawing a shaky spell circle with her staff to hover Luz.
"Eda, stop! You'll run out of magic!" Luz called worriedly.
"It's my power, kid. And before you showed up, I spent my whole life wasting it." Eda said.
Lilith grinned evilly as she floated in the air. She began casting a spell-
WHOOSH
But she is forced to stop as a fiery javelin whizzes past her. She looks toward the source to see Flint glaring up at her, notably pissed.
"You bitch!" Flint screamed, rocketing into the air with a burst of fire. In an instant, he was in her face as she moved to block him, the boy grabbing the staff as each struggled to overpower the other.
"How did you get back to normal?!" Lilith questioned. It didn't make sense! There's no way he could've recovered that fast!
Flint smirked. "Come on, you out of anyone should know how skilled Eda is."
"A lapdog for a tyrant!" Eda countered, firing more bolts toward Lilith, though one notably sailed past her. The bolt passed Eda, changing trajectory and going straight at the still-loopy Flint. The bolt struck him and his pupils shrank.
After Lilith's reveal, Flint's face shifted into a hate-filled scowl. Still close to the ground, he was able to discretely cast a spell, shooting a kunai made of fire into Lilith's barrier, causing it to burst.
Lilith growled. "Stay out of this!"
As this was happening, Eda was still trying to lift Luz back up. Suddenly a red blast of energy whizzed past her, causing Eda to stumble, losing her grip on Luz with the spell.
Wanting to help Eda and thinking quickly, Luz threw her hand up with plant glyphs glowing as vines shot from her hand, latching onto the bridge as she held on. She then began to retract the vines while still holding on, causing the vines to pull her up to the bridge.
Seeing the kid had it handled, Eda turned to the source of the blast, that being the Golden Guard, his staff alight with energy.
"You didn't forget about little ol' me, did you?" Golden Guard taunted, firing more blasts at Eda.
Eda grunted with effort as she tried to protect herself, casting a circular barrier between herself and the Golden Guard.
Lilith eventually managed to overpower Flint and sent him crashing back to the ground next to Eda. Flint and Eda locked eyes, and with a nod, shifted around. Flint spun, throwing out a fiery whip and slashing through some of Golden Guard's attacks while Eda moved her shield to the other side to block a blast from Lilith.
Luz managed to climb back up to the bridge. Noticing Flint's fight, she faced her palm toward him and fired a ball of ice at him. The ice whizzed past his face, catching his attention. Using the momentary distraction, Flint wrapped the end of the whip around Golden Guard's staff and threw it into the air.
Flint panted. "Ha! Let's see how tough you are without-"
THWIP
Flint's eyes bugged out as Golden Guard threw his arm in the direction of his staff without looking away from Flint, with his glove suddenly shooting out vines that grabbed the staff in mid-air, before retracting to pull it back into his awaiting hand.
"Oh no, don't mind me. Please, finish your sentence." Golden Guard prompted in a taunting manner, the back of his hand alight with a plant glyph.
"How?!" Flint and Luz exclaimed.
Golden Guard laughed mockingly. "What? You didn't think you were the only ones to have these, did you?"
The two heard Eda grunt, falling to one knee as she struggled to hold her shield spell.
"Eda!" They both cried out in worry. Luz and Flint shared a nod, slamming their hands on the ground with ice glyphs and making a thick wall of ice between themselves and the Golden Guard.
"Eda stop! You're almost out!" Luz cried out in worry.
"We need to get out of here! We'll find a cure, just don't leave us!" Flint voiced his own worries.
Eda turns back to them with a smile, her gem almost entirely black and the whites of her eyes darkening in tandem.
"They'd only find us anyway," Eda remarked before letting out a sigh. "I don't think I'll be making it out of this one kids. Keep an eye on the furballs, and remember to feed Hooty, okay?" Eda said.
Tears welled up in their eyes. "Please, no!" Luz cried.
"Don't leave us!" Flint cried.
Eda closed her eyes sadly, a tear leaking out from the corner of her eye as she opened them again, wishing for the last thing she saw to be her…her kids. "Luz, Flint…thank you so much for being in my life. You two made every day the best I've had in a long time. You're gonna go far…I just…wish I could've watched," Eda said sadly.
With the last bit of magic she had left, she moved her barrier between them, before letting out a scream. She let out all the remaining magic she had let in an explosive burst of energy, with Owlbert flying out of the epicenter and around the shield. The burst pushed Lilith back, unable to erect a shield in time. The blast was so immense, it could be seen for miles on end.
When the dust settled, Luz and Flint brought their arms down to see the result, their shield was gone, allowing them to see Eda's prone form.
"Eda." Flint and Luz said in worry, running up to her, each holding her for a moment.
Eda's body rolls over and screams, her voice rapidly overlapping with the Owl Beast's as she transforms in record time. In an instant, and without any of Eda's magic left to hold it back, the Owl Beast loomed over the two.
Flint pockets something before bringing his arms up, regrettably preparing to defend himself and Luz, only for the Owl Beast to quickly be bound by blue magic and dragged in the direction of the castle.
Lilith landed on the bridge in the space between them and the Owl Beast as the Golden Guard disappeared into the castle.
"Come along, sister. Now we can let the healing begin." Lilith said to the struggling beast. She looks up at Belos above, as he turns away.
"You monster!"
Lilith was suddenly lashed in the back by a fire whip as Luz jumped on her back. Owlbert flew by her side, diving to peck at Lilith's head. Lilith manages to grab Luz by the cowl and throws her, with Flint catching her before she hits the ground. The two are then wrapped in a blue glow.
"Leave, humans!" Lilith demands, forcing them back with her spell to the other side of the bridge before grabbing Owlbert as he dove at her once more. "Edalyn is finally with her family. Her real family."
Lilith taps her staff on the bridge, activating the mechanisms in the bridge and causing the gears to turn, pulling the bridge toward the castle.
"Go back to your world. This one is ours." Lilith said her parting words to the two.
Flint punches the ground in frustration as the doors to the castle close, his magic too spent right now to fight anymore, whether it be Lilith or the Owl Beast.
It took them hours. They trudged across the land for so long that the sun was starting to rise, but Luz and Flint finally made it back to the Owl House. Tired.
Physically? Yes. Emotionally? Definitely.
Neither of them had said a word the whole way back. And every beast or bandit that attempted to attack them?
Let's just say that they got to learn firsthand, why you shouldn't piss off a guy who can create fire with a thought, and is not in the f̷̻̮̾̀̌͌̀͠ͅu̴̞͍͛̄̂̓c̵̢̛̥̩̟͈k̷̡͓͓̜̪̓ͅi̷̥͙̳̣̪̥̍n ̛͙̅̽̂͠g̶̨͕̯̾̑̀ mood.
Hooty blinked awake, having learned how to wake up when someone was approaching. He was the guard-Hooty, after all.
"Oh, Luz, Flint, there you are!" Hooty said with a yawn.
"Hi, Hooty," Luz said, barely speaking up.
Flint opens the door to the dark living room and lets Luz go in first. The two look to the side, their eyes widening as they see the surprise that had been awaiting them with all sorts of party decorations, and Luz's cloak wrapped in a bow on the table, next to the cake, the candles having been long burned out.
Suddenly, King and Trixx burst out of the cake.
"The cake is us!" The two say together, only to pause as they look around confused.
"Hey, um, where's Eda?" King asked.
Luz and Flint's eyes water as they subconsciously cling to one another, falling to their knees in their despair, both at the reminder of what happened, and the realization they'd need to tell King.
Hooty's perpetual smile fades as he looks at the two with worry. As chaotic as he could be, there were times that Hooty knew he couldn't be his usual happy-go-lucky self. This was one of those times. His friends were in pain.
King and Trixx quickly went over to the two, hugging their sides as Hooty wrapped around them for a hug, all three trying whatever they could to comfort them as the two cried themselves to sleep.
Omake: You will never know!
King and Trixx sat in the dark interior of the cake.
"So…what do we do while waiting?" King asked.
Trixx pulled out a deck of playing cards. "Go fish?"
King stared at the cards for a moment before looking at Trixx. "Where were you keeping those?"
"Flint taught me," Trixx answered.
"Okay, but where though?" King asked.
King never got an answer to that question.
Actor AU Omake: Catch!
Flint panted. "Ha! Let's see how tough you are without-"
THWIP
Flint's eyes bugged out as Golden Guard threw his arm in the direction of his staff without looking away from Flint, with his glove suddenly shooting out vines that grabbed the staff in mid-air, as he began to pull it back into his awaiting hand.
"Oh no, don't mind me. Please, finish your-"
THUNK
Golden Guard was suddenly struck in the head by his staff, having flown past his hand and knocked him off balance, causing him to land on his back with a groan.
CUT!
Hunter groaned as pulled off his mask.
"Are you okay, nephew?" Philip called out worriedly from his spot atop the castle.
Hunter just lay there, staring at the ceiling. "That hurt."
"The staff or the fall?" Luz asked.
"Yes," Hunter said in annoyance.
"Sorry!" Steve apologized.
"Are you sure you're okay? Caleb would kill me if anything happened to you on my watch," Philip said with heavy concern.
"I'm okay Uncle Philip!" Hunter responded as he was helped up by Gus and Willow.
"Let's just get your part done," Willow said as Gus handed him his mask.
Hunter sighed as he put the mask back on. "Thank goodness for all the perspective changes in this scene. Hopefully, it won't take us too many attempts."
It took them another 67 attempts before they got the shot right.