Chapter 1: Booker Bridges

"Booker," said a Nun, looking down at the 13-year-old boy sitting on his bed. Booker Bridges was an orphan who was slightly shorter than most boys his age. He had messy, gold-blonde hair and gold-yellow eyes. He wore a black T-shirt under a green lizard hoodie with a roll of fake spikes going down his back and two big eyes on the hood. He also wore blue jeans and white and black shoes.

The most distinct feature about him was his ears were slightly pointy.

Booker averted his eyes from the Nun as she looked down at him. The Nun then reached down and, with her hand under his chin, made him look up at her, showing the cut on his right cheek and the black eye a kid far bigger than he had given him. However, size didn't change the outcome of the fight, as Booker was able to knock out the bully.

"Booker..." she reached down and made him turn his head towards her. He jerked away, making her sigh in annoyance. "What're we gonna do with you? You must be tired of these lectures. I know I'm tired of giving them. Now you have to stay here even longer when you could have been in a new home. With a new family."

"I don't care," Booker said, looking down at his bed.

The nun sighed and nodded her head. "Yes, that is the crux of the problem," she said, walking over to a bookshelf that held many other books like a fantasy novel series called The Good Witch Azura and the Dark One . 

He was introduced to the series by a friend from his school when he still had his family before the accident. The content of the novels focused on the adventures of the title character, Azura, who embarked on magical quests fighting evil and bringing peace across enchanted lands. The Dark One of the title refers to the second main character, Dominic, who was just a normal farmer boy before discovering that he's been gifted with powerful magic that he's seeking to control.

Booker turned his head to look at the book that was lying next to him. "I don't see why I'm in trouble-"

"Because you started the fight," the nun interrupted, looking at him with a critical gaze. "Beat up another boy until you broke his nose."

"He wouldn't give me back my book," Booker protested.

The nun sighed and shook her head. "I told you to leave those books in your room. You only have yourself to blame," she said, walking back to stand in front of him.

"Don't give that punk the right to just snatch it from me," Booker growled.

"Does that give you the right to start throwing punches?"

Booker remained silent for a moment. The nun was about to turn and walk out of the run when he said, "It wasn't just about the book..."

She turned back and looked at him. "What was it, then?" The nun questioned. "Did he make fun of your height?"

"No!" Booker snapped before calming down. "It was... nothing." He sighed in defeat and looked down. She wouldn't understand, and he wasn't in the mood to talk about it now. "I'll save it for confession."

This was not an answer that the nun wanted to hear, and she started to leave in a huff. 

"I don't know why Father Dean even tries," she said harshly, stopping and turning back to Booker. "Even after 7 years in this church, you're still going down this sad road to destruction. What a waste."

Booker watched with a glare as she walked out of the room and slammed the door behind her. He sighed and lay down in his bed. Turning his head to look at the book next to him, he grabbed the novel and opened it to a page. Inside that page was a photo that he hid from the nuns. It showed him as a 7-year-old boy with his family. Booker came from a very loving family named the Bridges. He had a father, a mother, and 6 older brothers. He was the seventh youngest of them all. They were all happy and were respected in the community. 

But, about 7 years ago, on the day of his birthday, tragedy struck when a mysterious fire started in their home. Booker was found out of the house, lying unconscious, when people ran out to see the disaster.

In the end, he would be the only survivor of that fire. Everyone, parents and brothers, were killed in the flames.

Tomorrow is July 7th, his 14th birthday, seven years after he was orphaned.

The next morning, Booker was sent off to school. He walked alone, as many of the other orphans who went to school with him didn't like to associate with him. He was known for being one of two troublemakers at the school, which was why he had to go to summer school.

As he approached the public school, he heard his name being called out by the other troublemaker.

"Booker! Over here!" 

He turned around and saw his best friend and secret crush running towards him.

Luz Noceda was a thin, tan-skinned teenage Dominican-American girl with golden-brown eyes and dark brown hair in a slightly outgrown pixie cut. Her clothing consisted of a set of small, round black earrings, a short-sleeved half-lavender and half-white shirt with cat ears attached to its hood, high-waisted jean shorts over dark navy-gray capri leggings, and a pair of white loafer sneakers. 

"There's the birthday boy!" Luz exclaimed, holding out a little cupcake to him with a small candle on it.

"Hey, Luz," Booker said with a bright smile and took the cupcake. No matter what, she always brought a smile to his face, and celebrating his birthday was one of those treats she did for him. It's one of the many reasons he fell head over heels for her. "Are you ready for the presentation?"

"You know I am!" Luz said with a bright smile. However, that smile dropped when she saw the cut on his face and his black eye. Instantly, she became worried and reached out to touch his face. "Booker, what happened?"

"It's nothing," he said, trying to brush it off.

"You and I both know that a lie," Luz told him sternly, still holding his face. Booker moved her hand away. "You got into another fight, didn't you? You said that you'd stay out of trouble."

"It was just some fatass that was talking shit about my parents," Booker said, blowing out the candle, throwing it in the trash, and then eating the cupcake to try and calm himself. "I tried to be cool about it, but he just had said they're burning in hell..."

Luz smiled at him. "You know that they're just trying to get to you, right? Just do what I do, and just laugh it off," she said to him before the two started walking into the school. "So, did you get everything that we'll need?"

"Yep," Booker said, setting his backpack down and zipping it open. From it, he presented Luz with a diagram of a castle and cave. "It was a miniature of the castle and cave of the final battle."

"That's so cool!" Luz exclaimed, stars in her eyes. "With the snakes I've got, this will be the perfect—"

"Whoa, whoa, snakes?! You brought actual snakes to school?!" Booker exclaimed, pulling out a pair of toy snakes from his pocket. "What about using the fake ones?"

"Those would never express the true tone of fear and despair," Luz said. "If we're ever going to get out of summer school, this project needs to knock their socks off!"

"Luz, are you sure about this?" Booker asked his friend. "You know that I love Azura and the Dark One-"

"The Good Witch Azura and the Dark One ." Luz corrected him. Her love for the book series ran much deeper than Bookers, and it led to him being convinced that she was obsessed with the series a long time ago.

"Whatever," Booker said, moving to stand in front of Luz and stopping her from leaving. "I just think that maybe we're going a little too far with this. I'm already on thin ice with the orphanage."

"Relax. Everything is going to be just fine," Luz said, waving him off. "It's not like we're going to get in trouble and get sent to the Principal's office. I promise that we're not only going to ace this report, but we're going to do it without getting in trouble."

"Well, you did it," the school principal told the two students as they sat in front of him with guilty expressions. Luz's mother and the priest who runs the orphanage were called into the office with them. "The two of you have single-handedly been sent to this office more times than any other student in this school! And that's counting summer school!"

The principal slumped into his chair.

"It makes me so sad seeing you two walking through the halls," he said. "Two students full of energy getting in more trouble than even the bullies."

"I don't see what the big deal is," Luz said. "All we've done is do our book report."

"Booker," sighed the priest, Father Dean. The man looked at her and his most troubling resident with a disapproving expression. "Your report is why you're here. You used live snakes for your team book report."

"Yeah, and I think we knocked it out of the park, Father Dean," Luz said with a smile.

Booker facepalmed.

"Really, then tell me, did 'knocking it out of the park' involve THAT?" the principal shouted at the two and pointed to the window of his office's door. On the other side of the door, several summer school students were running around screaming, with snakes biting them.

"This is why I told you not to put the backup snakes in my backpack," Booker said, glaring at Luz, who was nervously rubbing the back of her head.

Luz's mother, Camilla, then pulled out the very same firecracker that Booker built for their report. "And what were you two going to do with this, Mija?"

"That...was for the Act Three closer," Luz said, finally realizing just how much trouble she was in and how much trouble she'd placed her best friend in. 

The two kids were then startled when the principal shot up from his seat and slammed his hands on the desk.

"This is what I'm talking about! Doctor Noceda and Father Dean, with all due respect, but your daughter and Booker have caused nothing but trouble at this school and, quite frankly, have become menaces!" The principal yelled, making Booker and Luz gasp in shock and fear before he pointed at each of them. "She's scaring everyone with her weirdness, and he's no better! Oh, and he's getting into fights! Father Dean, you know that this school is more than willing to allow your orphans to go here, but this incident is the last straw for this little runt!"

The moment he called him 'little runt', Booker's anger skyrocketed. He was about to lung at the principal and beat him to a pulp when Father Dean and Luz had to hold him back. "WHO ARE YOU CALLING A HALF-PINT, BEACH BALL MIDGIT!? I'M STILL GROWING YOU JERK!"

"That's not what he said, Booker!" Luz yelled.

"Principal, please!" Father Dean begged. After seating Booker back down, he turned to the boy with a stern frown. "I know that Booker has caused problems in the past, but he's a good kid. I've talked with Doctor Noceda, and we've come to an agreement that would help them."

The principal groaned in agony at not being able to tell the saint no. "Just make them normal somehow already, and I'll let them come back!" he yelled at the priest before breaking down into tears and covering his face with his hands. "I can't take this anymore!"

Booker and Luz gave each other awkward glances. Even Camilla and Father Dean didn't know how to respond. They've seen the Principal yell and shout at the kids, and they allowed it as if it was to discipline them, but never had they seen a fully grown man be reduced to tears, all because of a few misbehaving kids. 

The two adults took the kids and led them out of the office as the principal continued to cry his eyes out.

When the door closed, Father Dean rubbed his temple to ease the headache coming on. Booker looked at him with an expression of shame. 

"Father Dean, I'm so sorry..."

"Booker, stop. It's too late. What's done is done," he said to the boy. He'd never used that tone of voice with any of the other boys except him, and it was when he did something really bad. "Right now, we need to talk to the two of you about something important—something that'll help the two of you."

Camilla pulled out a pamphlet and handed it to the two friends. Booker took it, and Luz looked at it. It was a pamphlet for a camp called Reality Check Summer Camp. It was a camp that was supposed to help kids with wild and uncontrollable imaginations to get a handle on them and have them think back in the box. 

After looking at it, Luz looked up at her mom in disbelief. "You're sending us to Summer Camp?"

"Mija, I love your creativity, but it's gotten out of hand," Camilla said to her daughter, kneeling down in front of her. "Do you remember why you two were in the principal's office the last three times?" Luz looked away from her mother in shame.

"We all love that you express yourselves, but this just proved, Luz, that you're unable to separate fantasy from reality," Father Dean said to the young girl. "And Booker." 

Booker looked up at him. 

"While you've got a better hold of your imagination, this summer camp could do you some good. It'll only be until school starts again. You'll be so busy balancing checkbooks and learning to appreciate public radio that the time will fly by!"

"But we don't like any of that stuff," Booker protested, with Luz nodding her head in agreement. "We like editing anime clips to music and reading fantasy books with convoluted back‐stories, and then reenacting our favorite moments."

"Kids, your fantasy world is holding you back," Camilla bluntly told the two. "Do the two of you even have friends other than each other? Real ones, not imagined or drawn or reptilian?"

"Booker, I know that it's been...difficult for you. Losing your family the way that you did, you use all this fantasy stuff to cope with it, but it's time that you let go of the past and look to the future," Father Dean told Booker. Booker looked away from his caretaker with a frown. "Just give this a chance."

Booker and Luz looked at each other with looks of uncertainty.

Booker's burnt-down house still stood where it remained the day the accident happened. Nothing was done to clean it up or even repair it. The only thing that was done was to plant trees around it to hide it away. Its charred and burnt structure still stood as a monument for a family that people loved. And as he stood on the sidewalk, looking at it from a distance, Booker looked sadly at it. It's been years since he'd been back to it, but he only came because Luz's house was right next to it.

"Booker?" He turned his head to see Luz staring at him with sad eyes. "Are you okay?"

Booker looked away from her before looking back with a forced smile. "Don't worry. I'm fine," he said. "What about you? Are you ready for this?"

Luz pulled out her The Good Witch Azura and the Dark One book and stared at it sadly. "I don't know. For all I know, I might as well do this," she said, blowing a raspberry and throwing the book into the trash.

"Yeah, well, I don't think it'll be like that," Booker said, walking over to her, trying to cheer her up. He then walked over to the trash can to grab her book. "Why don't you just take the book with you?" He stopped when he looked into the trash can, and his eyes widened when he couldn't see the book in the trash can. "Where's the book?"

"Huh?" Luz walked over and looked into the trash can. She only meant to do that as an exaggeration, but now she started to freak out when she saw it was gone and started digging around in the trash. "Where is it?! Where is it?!"

The two friends then heard an owl hooting and looked up to see a brown owl staring at them with a bag filled with.

"Is that an owl," Booker asked the obvious.

But then Luz spotted her novel sticking out of the bag and gasped. "Give that back, you tiny trash thief!" She yelled and chased after it. Booker followed after her, and the two ran after it as it headed for Booker's old home.

Luz continued to follow the owl, but Booker stopped for a moment when he saw where it was going.

"Come on!" Luz came back and grabbed his arm. 

But Booker didn't budge. She looked back to see it was his old home. She hesitated for a moment before angrily grunting and pulling his arm again with a determined expression. 

"Booker, I know that it's you're home, but I'm not going to let an adorable owl seal a book I spent months getting my hands on."

Booker stared at her face as she gave him puppy eyes. Even without those eyes, he couldn't say no to his crush. 

"We have been stuck together since third grade; why stop now?" He grabbed her hand, and together, they entered the burnt house.

"Stop adorably hopping away, you—" Luz stopped her sentence, and the two kids stopped running after the owl when they looked up and saw the inside. "Huh? Whoa."

Booker's home looked like it had been turned into someone else's storage closet—or, when they saw the flaps, a storage tent. The place was much smaller and filled with weird stuff. Most of it was junk, like a refrigerator, an old grandfather clock, clothes, boxes, and various other items.

"What is this place? Someone's garage?" Booker ask,

"I know. I thought I had a lot of weird stuff, but this‐‐" she picked up a freaky little doll with a baby head that had a pink hanger running right through its ears, attached to the body of an alligator, with a fork for one of its arms. "...this is impressive." It tried to reach for her, but Booker grabbed it and threw it away.

"Finally, you're back," said a woman from the other side of the velvet purple curtains. Luz gasped, but Booker placed a hand on her mouth to silence her. He then shushed her, and the two friends walked over to the flaps.

"Now let's see what we've got here," said the woman when they opened the curtains slightly. She was wearing a sleeveless two-tone maroon dress with a ripped-like hem design and gray leggings. For footwear, she wears maroon high-heeled boots. Her untamed hair is thick, long, and layered with two tones of gray.

She was a tall, slender woman, but what stood out was her ivory skin and orange claw-like nails.

The owl from before landed on the top of a wooden staff. The woman then grabbed it and started turning him like it screwed, which turned out to be truer than Booker and Luz thought. On the last turn, it had become a wooden talisman.

Booker and Luz watched as she opened the bag and started pulling items out of it. 

The first was a new iPhone. "Garbage..." she threw the phone away before pulling out a diamond ring. "Garbage..." 

She then pulled out another object. This time, something that looked like the holy grail. 

"Garbage." The woman then looked into the bag again and gasped. 

She then pulled out a pair of drooping eyes spring glasses. "Now, this... This will make me rich," she said, wearing them over her golden eyes.

Booker looked back at the door they had come from and grabbed Luz's hand. "Luz, we have to get out of here," he whispered.

Luz was about to when she saw the woman pulling out her book from the bag. "And this... Oh, that'll make good kindling," she said, about to set it on fire over a candle's flame.

When she saw this, Luz gasped and pulled her arm away from him. Excuse me, sorry, it's mine, thank you!" She quickly said, snacking the book out of the woman's hands and then running back into the tent.

"Come on!" Booker hissed, holding the door. Suddenly, before the two could get out of there, the door yanked out of his hands and closed. The door, with a giant eye, then folded up. Now, it was a case and floated away.

Booker turned back to Luz but gasped when he saw the woman facing them with a key and glasses still on. "You two are not going anywhere," she said with a glare, taking off the glasses and gazing into their souls.

"Suck it, bitch!" Booker retorted before he and Luz lifted up the tart and got out. They ran as fast as they could but then stopped when they stopped. What they saw was beyond anything their overactive imaginations could've come up with.

Standing at the edge of a cliff, the two friends found themselves looking out at a town that looked like something out of their worst nightmares. It was looking at a surreal depiction of hell. The town was pretty much alive, full of random hands and eyes in strange places and with some built with monstrous parts. There was really no other way to say it. It was a town where the monsters were the town.

And the people weren't any better. Monsterous people. Ice creams that ate the people wanting to eat them. Giant birds. Giant heads with only legs to get around. And even a giant bug with a man's face married to a strange pink fly before going off to work.

"Oh, no, no, no, no!" Luz said, shaking her head as they backed away.

"I don't think we're in Kansas anymore," Booker said. "As if we were in Kansas, but Jesus! Did we just step into a twisted version of Middle-Earth?"

"I don't know. What's going on?" Luz asked fearfully, slightly hugging Booker's arm, making the blonde blush. The two then shrieked when they came face to face with a tiny purple fairy. "Oh, hello, little fairy. Are you going to tell me this is all a fantastical dream?" she asked, shrugging her shoulders and giving it a nervous smile.

"Give me your skins!" The fairy suddenly shouted, showing large teeth.

Luz screamed before Booker punched the fairy in the face. "Not today!" He yelled, sending the fairy fair away.

"Where are we? Did we die?!" Luz questioned, hiding her face on Booker's shoulder, who tried to comfort her by just patting her head. It was something that calmed her. "Are we...in hell?" 

Suddenly, a hand landed on the kids' shoulders.

"You wish you were," said the woman, looking down at them.

"I'm so sorry! I just wanted my book!" Luz screamed after the woman dragged them, kicking and screaming back through the tent and then out in front of it. She then threw them in front of a table, and Luz started to freak out. Booker placed himself in front of her protectively, glaring at the woman in question. Luz buried her face into the back of Booker's shoulder as she held onto him.

"Look, I don't know what's going on, but if you think that I'm gonna let you eat her or myself, you've got another thing coming lady!" he yelled, putting up his fists to fight.

The boy had tenacity, that's for sure. Eda looked at the young, and it was like looking back in time for the woman. The way the boy looked, from his golden hair that freckled light off it to his youthful face, harkened back to a time that Eda had long since forgotten about. 

To a person, she knew greatly.

"Eat you? Why would I eat... two potential customers?" The woman suddenly smiled, gesturing to the sign above her. 

Red lettering on a yellow background reads 'Human Collectibles'. Various items from Earth were spread out on the green tablecloth atop the white table. In front of the tent are blue and yellow shelves to display items, along with a wooden chest.

Booker and Luz looked confused.

"Can I offer you a human foot filled with holes?" she asked, pulling out a green Croc sandal. "A bar of green human candy?" 

She pulled out a case of deodorant. 

"Oh, oh! How about this black shadow box that reflects only sadness?" She held up a battery-powered TV, holding it out to Booker and Luz to show them their reflection in the black glass.

In the reflection, the two kids stared at their reflections before Luz chuckled and stepped out from behind Booker. "That's not all it can do. Here, let me see it," she said. Taking the TV, she grabbed two batteries from a bowl that was labeled as 'human candy' and put them in. Pressing the button at the bottom, the TV powered on to show some really 80s workout video. "Voilà!"

However, Booker heard voices behind him and turned around to see that the creatures of the marketplace had heard the dancing music. They had taken notice of the TV and were starting to bid money—or in this case, snails, for the 'screaming box'. One even asked if they could eat the guy in the video.

The crowd clamored, and the woman looked a little surprised but then looked in the kids' direction. "What did you say your names were?"

"I'm Luz. Luz Noceda," Luz said with a smile.

"The name's Booker Bridges," Booker said.

While the woman was grabbing people's money, she stopped for a moment, and her eyes widened when she heard that name. She then turned around and pointed at him. "Wait, did you say your name was...Bridges?"

"Uh, yeah? Why?" Booker asked, a little confused.

The woman was silent for a moment and stared at his golden eyes for a moment. No, it couldn't be him.

"Well, Luz, Booker, that was pretty clever..." she said, going back to taking people's money. "...for little humans."

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU CALLING LITTLE?!" Booker shouted. Luz pulled him back and rubbed his back to calm him down before turning back to the woman.

"Sorry, that's just… kind of a weird thing for another human to say," she said, tilting her head at her.

"Oh, dear child..." she playfully rolled her eyes. The woman then grabbed the green bandana wrapped around her forehead and yanked it off. 

Revealing a pair of long pointy ears with orange spherical earrings on them. Different from Booker's long yet rounded ears.

"I'm not like you two." She then climbed onto the table to introduce herself dramatically. "I'm Eda, the Owl Lady, the most powerful witch on the Boiling Isles."

"A witch?" Booker and Luz asked simultaneously.

"I am a respected, feared‐‐"

"Busted!" said another voice before a large fist smashed the TV into pieces. 

The people ran away from the stand as a large, buff human-like creature stood before them. He wore dark and white garments and a metal cone face mask. The only thing visible was the eyes glaring at Eda. 

"Eda the Owl Lady, you are wanted for misuse of magic and demonic misdemeanors," the guard said, holding up a wanted poster of her.

"Whoa! Witch criminal!" Luz said.

"You are hereby ordered to come with me to the Conformatorium," the guard said, grabbing Eda by her waist and trying to pull her.

"Would you guys quit following me around?" Eda snatched her arm away from him with a glare. "I haven't done squat.

"And you two are coming too..." the guard said, grabbing Booker and Luz by their hoods and holding them up. "...for fraternizing with a criminal."

Booker reacted instantly. He grabbed the nose of the mask and punched the guy in the eye. Making him scream in pain, causing him to drop the kids. Years of being trapped in that orphanage where he was picked on made him a skilled fighter. Booker grabbed the man by his arm, threw him over his shoulder, and slammed him on his back.

Luz stared at her best friend with amazed eyes and a small blush on her cheeks. "Whoa," she said, having never seen Booker actually fight. 

Meanwhile, the man started to get back up on his feet and glared angrily at the blonde-haired boy. 

"You're dead, you little—!" 

Just as Booker started to get angry when he heard the word 'little', the man was hit across the face by Eda's staff.

"Booker, that was so cool!" Luz exclaimed, running over to him with her book in hand.

"Thanks," Booker said. He then looked her up and down for any injuries. "What about you? Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine..." Luz trailed off when she saw Eda using her magic to have all of her things and the items of the stand floating in the air, surrounded by a gold aura.

"Whoops. Can't forget this." Eda pulled out the key she used to close the magical door into a case. Pressing the eye button made the case/door float over with the rest of the stuff. She then had it all wrapped up inside the green cover, sticking her staff through the knot. "Follow me, humans!"

Seeing the guard about to get up again, they started running after her. 

"This is crazy. If I die here, my mom's gonna kill me!" Luz yelled.

"I think that guy will take care of that!" Booker yelled.

"Ha! I won't let 'em hurt you. Humans like you are much more valuable to me alive than dead. Especially you," Eda said with a smile.

Booker narrowed his eyes on her. "Wait. What's that supposed to‐‐"

Suddenly, the witch grabbed the two kids and jumped into the air. Raising her staff high over her head. The owl talisman then opened its wings, and after placing the kids on it, Eda flew off into the sky just before the guard could grab them. 

"You won't get away with this, Owl Lady!" He yelled with a raised fist. "Yeah, all right. You did. You got away with it. She got away with it, everybody! Typical."

"You can open your eyes now, human," said Eda. The two kids were in front of the staff. Booker was at the front of the staff, while Luz was behind him. While he was holding onto the staff for dear life, she was holding for dear life. Burying her face into his shoulder again, she hugged him tight enough that he could feel her heart beating against his back.

Luz hesitantly removed her head from his shoulder as he opened his eyes. They both looked down to see the ground hundreds of feet below them rushing past. Booker tightened his grip on the staff, and Luz held onto him even more tightly. 

"Okay, I'm going to need some answers! I mean, flying staff? Crazy monsters? You're a wanted witch criminal?" Booker asked, looking back at Eda. "What is this place?"

"This is the Boiling Isles," Eda said as they flew through the sky. Booker and Luz took the moment to observe the land. Taking in the view of the blood-red trees, the violet sky, and strange mountains that looked oddly like rib bones. "Every myth you humans have is caused by a little of our world leaking into yours."

A second later, a giant griffin flew up next to the staff and screeched, clawing at the sky. "A griffin!" Luz gasped in amazement. 

And then, just like how she and Booker had done a project on it, the griffin opened its beak and breathed out a swarm of spiders. 

"I knew it!" she exclaimed happily.

"Yep. Griffins, vampires, giraffes," Eda listed.

"Giraffes? But, they're from our world," Booker said.

"Oh, that's because we banished those guys—a bunch of freaks," she said, bringing the staff down to the ground. 

When they landed, Eda got off. Booker and Luz were about to do the same when they saw Eda's still-living hand still holding onto it. Booker screamed at the sight of it, causing himself and Luz, who was still hugging him from behind, to fall off.

"Oops. That happens sometimes." Eda grabbed the hand and put it back on like it was no big deal. "Listen, let's go back to my place. It's not safe out here," she said, grabbing her staff in one hand. 

Then, she used her magic to have the green bag float in the air and follow her. 

"Now, come along, humans."

Booker and Luz shared a glance before following her.

They walked in silence for a few minutes, all while Eda glanced at the young boy. The way he looked, sounded, and felt seemed so familiar. Could he really be what she thought he was? 

Soon, the three of them approached a large house made from white brick with a sloping blue roof. A stained glass window above the door gives the impression of a large orange demon eye. Much of the house consists of a crumbling stone tower with orange moss growing

"Aren't you worried about those guards finding us?" Luz asked as they approached the door.

"Nope. My house has a state‐of‐the‐art defense system," Eda bragged proudly.

"Hoot‐hoot!" Booker nearly flinched when he heard the high-pitched voice, but when he looked, he saw what it was. In the door was a wooden Barn Owl's face with brown eyes and an orange beak. "Password, please!" it said before Eda poked it in the eyes with two fingers. "Aah!"

"We got no time for this, Hooty. Let us in," Eda said, deadpanning.

"All right! Geez! You never want to have any fun! Ow! Hoot!" 

Suddenly, Hooty retched and opened his mouth to the size and shape of a doorway. Eda, Luz, and Booker walked inside. Once inside, Hooty retched again and closed his mouth, burping at the end.

At first, it was hard to see anything in the house. There was nothing but darkness. That was until Eda held up a hand and snapped her fingers. 

"Welcome to...the Owl House!"

Booker and Luz's eyes filled with wonder and excitement as it turned out the house was much bigger on the inside. The first room they were in was the living room, and when the candles lit up, the entire place seemed to just come to life. A fire started in the fireplace, and a broom started sweeping, and a wooden spoon started steering in a cauldron. Massive artwork of an owl creature on the ceiling started to glow brightly, bringing even more light to the room to show it had two couches, a wall of artifacts, and Eda's wanted poster.

"...where I hide away from the pressures of modern life. Also, the cops. Mm, also ex‐boyfriends." Eda snorted a chuckle.

"This place is beautiful!" Luz said as she and Booker looked around the room wide. Fascinated by every aspect of the house. "Do you live here all alone?"

Suddenly, the ground started shaking with the sound of thudding footsteps. Luz quickly hid behind Booker as Eda crossed her arms. 

"Actually, I have a roommate," she said, looking to the right corner of her eyes.

Booker turned toward a doorway leading into a hall and got into a fighting position for what was coming. 

"Who dares intrude upon I," said a deep voice as a large shadow could be seen on the walls. 

But then the creature showed itself. 

"The king of demons?"

The 'king of demons' appearance erased all worries of him being a threat, too. 

As it turned out, it was some sort of a magical canine creature with mostly dark gray fur, although his torso and the tip of his tail were covered in light gray fur. He had three fingers and two toes that (excluding his thumbs) looked like white claws. He wore a red collar with a yellow tag and had pink eyes with yellow scleras. The highlight of his appearance was a buffalo-like skull with a broken horn attached to his head that hid his mouth.

To say that the demon's appearance was extremely anticlimactic in comparison to his name would be an understatement, especially considering that it was wearing a ducky towel and holding a rubber ducky.

For a moment of silence, Booker stared unimpressed at 'the king of demons' as he gave his ducky a few squeezes. Making it squeak. 

But the moment Luz saw him, she gasped.

"¡Ay, que lindo!" Luz exclaimed in Spanish, rushing over and picking up the small demon. She started hugging him tightly, rubbing her face against his. "Eda, he's so cute! Who's a widdle guy? Who's a widdle guy? Is it you? Is it you?" she asked, gushing over the demon.

"No! I don't know who your little guy is!" He exclaimed, freaking out and desperately trying to get Luz away from him. "Eda, who is this monster?!"

"Okay, Luz, that's enough," Booker chuckled, pulling Luz away. She didn't give up, however, and tried to hug the demon again. "Well, it was nice to meet you, Eda. But I think we've had enough of this dark fantasy stuff that we're not really ready for, so can you help me get back home?"

Eda then stuck her staff in front of them, making Luz stop. Booker instinctively placed himself in front of her protectively. For a moment, Booker believed he had to fight the witch to get himself and Luz out of the house. 

"Alright. But first," she said with a hearty laugh. Eda then turned to the demon. "King, this is Booker and Luz. They're humans, and they're going to be here to help us with our little situation."

"Oh! Hooray!" King exclaimed, now understanding.

Booker's eyes widened before he and Luz stepped in front of Eda. "Wait, wait, wait. What are you talking about," Booker asked, uncertain and nervous about what they were going to say. "You said that you would get us home, not that we would help you."

"Yeah, I don't like the sound of this 'situation,'" Luz said with air quotes.

"Just... let me explain," Eda said, stepping into the middle of the room. 

With both hands, she used her fingers to draw a circle of light, which took on the appearance of gold flames in front of her. In that ring, she showed an image as she told a story. 

"King was once a mighty king of demons, until his crown of power was stolen, and he became... this," she said, referring to King's adorable and tiny body.

"You mean this little bundle of joy?" Luz asked, hugging King again.

"The crown is being held by the evil Warden Wrath and locked away behind a magical force field that only a human can break through—a human, like you two," Eda finished, making the ring and the images disappear. "If you help us retrieve his crown, we'll send you back to your realm. So whaddya say?" Eda picked up King and held him up by his head. "Plus, who could say no to this cute face?"

"No! Please don't encourage them!" King screamed before Eda dropped him. "Ow, my spine!"

"Okay, and why should we do this," Booker asked, throwing up his arms.

"I mean, we're kinda your only way home," Eda said.

Damn, she was good. Booker was very conflicted. Here he was, in another world with the girl he loved since he lost his parents, talking to a witch and her pet demon. And what's more is that they were being told to go on a quest for that same pet that just so happened to be a demon king.

They had no other options if they wanted to go home. He looked at Luz and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. She stared at him as Booker turned back to Eda.

"So we don't really have a choice, do we?" he asked, uncertain.

"Nope! Now, we've got no time to lose," Eda said, grabbing the two kids before they could react, placing them on both of her shoulders and starting to walk them to the front door.

Before following them, King picked up his rubber ducky. "Soon, Mr. Ducky, we shall drink the fear of those who mocked us," he said before following.

"I can relate," Booker said, gazing down at the floor.

"Where are we going?" Luz asked.

Eda just said, "Somewhere super fun."

Thunder clapped in the darkened sky overhead as the group stood in front of a dark prison that towered ominously. Surrounded by giant rolls of sharp teeth. It was like something out of a horror fantasy book or something from the Souls series.

After gazing up at the tower while hiding behind a corner with Luz, Booker turned to glare at Eda. 

"...You filthy liar," he said.

"The Conformatorium, a place for those considered unsuitable for society," Eda explained sarcastically. Finding the idea of it ridiculous.

With King on her head, Luz ripped off a poster from a wall. It was another one of Eda's wanted posters with a bounty of one billion. 

"Whoa. These guys really have the hots for you," she said.

Eda winked. "Yep. But we were never caught because we're too slippery."

"Try to catch me when I'm covered in grease. I'm a squirmy little fella," King said, slipping off and falling down to the ground.

Booker took the wanted poster and looked at it for a moment before crumbling it up and turning to Eda and King. 

"So, what's the plan," he asked, ready to go.

"You two and I will sneak up to the top of the tower, where they're holding my crown," King said, pointing to the tower.

"And I'm gonna make sure the warden's distracted," Eda said.

Luz gasped happily. "Will I need a disguise?" 

Eda raised an eyebrow and looked at Booker. He shrugged. 

"I've been waiting to use this." The girl then pulled her cat hood over her head and flicked the ears up. "Meow, meow! Come on, Booker. Now it's your turn."

Booker shrugged with a smile. She got him the hoodie as a gift, so it was the least he could do. He pulled the lizard's head over his head, making it look like he had two pairs of eyes—his normal eyes and the eyes on his hood that pointed outwards. 

"Still think I look stupid, Luz," he complained.

"You like it," she said teasingly. "Besides, te ves tan lindo!" She squealed, hugging him. Booker blushed and laughed lightly.

"Uh, thanks, and you too," he said nervously.

"You both look hideous," King said.

"Shut up!" Booker snapped.

"Oh, you two will fit right in," Eda said before raising her staff and then slamming the bottom of it into the ground, forming a magic circle of light underneath them. "Hang on tight." She stepped off the circle.

Booker and Luz almost lost their balance and nearly fell off when the circle suddenly lifted into the air and floated into the sky. The circle took the two of them and King to a window in the tower before suddenly disappearing. Booker and Luz quickly grabbed onto the ledge, and King grabbed onto their legs.

"Meet you guys at the top of the tower," Eda said, flying away on her staff.

"Why didn't you just take us with you!?" Booker yelled at her. King climbed up their bodies before crawling in. He let Luz go first, and when she did, she helped him inside. However, the two fell onto the stone floor.

"Ha‐ha! Cat's don't do that," King said, making Booker bonk him over the head.

He and Luz stood up and gasped at the sight of the prison tower's interior. A path spiraled along the walls, taking people up and down. In the walls were hundreds, if not thousands, of prison cells, housing many prisoners in each section until you saw a large skylight window, the only source of light into the building.

"Hey, cat lady and lizard boy, how did you get out of your cell?" a woman's voice behind them asked. 

The two humans in disguise turned around and saw it was one of the prisoners. A slender girl with pointy ears, dark skin, black hair in a ponytail, hazel eyes, and notorious fangs. She was wearing a purple shirt/dress that bared her shoulders and covered all of her upper arms and about half her forearms, as well as a gold band around her neck.

"Oh, no, no, no. I'm not a cat," Luz said, taking off her hood to reveal herself.

Booker did the same. "These are just clothes, and we're not criminals," he said.

"Not yet, you're not," Kings said, perched on top of Booker's shoulder.

"Neither are we. The stupid warden likes to lock people up who don't fit in," the woman said before grabbing a book and opening it to a random page. "Like, I write fanfics of food falling in love. I like food, I like love... Just let me write about it!"

Then, a monster with more than two eyeballs, with a few eye sockets missing an eye, joined in the conversation. "I'm here because I like eating my own eyes," he said, plucking one of his eyes and then eyeing it.

And then it popped right back into its socket.

"We are agents of fwee expwession!" yelled another person with some form of rhotacism. The two kids turned to see a small round creature with large blueish eyes, a rather prominent nose, and reddish hair. She's practically just a big head without a body, with her limbs coming out of it. "They will never siwence us!"

The fanfic writer pointed her thumb at her. "Yeah, she's really big into conspiracy theories," she said, rolling her eyes.

"THE WORLD IS A SIMUWATION!" Tiny Nose yelled while grabbing the bars. "WE ARE BUT PWAYTHINGS FOR A HIGHER BEING!" 

"Wait. These aren't crimes. None of you actually did anything wrong," Luz said, pacing around the cell, trying to fathom why anyone would do this to them.

Then, a realization hit Booker, and he walked to Luz with a sad expression. "You guys are just like us," he said as Luz pulled out the wanted poster. "You're all just a bunch of weirdos. Misfits."

Suddenly, thudding footsteps came their way from the other side, a door a few cells away. 

"It's Warden Wrath! Hide!" The fanfic writer exclaimed.

Booker then grabbed Luz's hand and pulled her into an empty open cell. Luz hopped up, grabbed the bars, and pulled them down to close it. Just in time before the door opened, the warden stepped inside the tower.

Warden Wrath was a humanoid creature with a large, muscular build. He wore a hood that was non-standard for a guard and a mask with yellow button-like lenses, resembling a medieval plague doctor. He wore a white sleeveless tunic with brass buttons, a leather belt with a brass buckle, and black trousers tucked into dark purple shoes. On the uniform, one can also see a triangular brass badge, which apparently emphasizes his position.

With his silhouette looming over him, the light in the other room making him even more menacing, and his yellow lenses glowing, Wrath said in a deep tone, "I can hear you." Just as always, Booker placed himself in front of Luz as she hugged him tightly. King was also doing it, as Booker held the two of them protectively. Looking rather nervous at first, Wrath walked deeper into the tower. "Just what are you fools whispering about?"

He looked down, and when Booker followed his gaze, his eyes widened. Luz dropped the wanted poster.

"Ah. The Owl Lady..." he said.

Suddenly, he crushed the poster with a snarl from under his mask. His hand then transformed into a hammer, and he slammed it against the two teenagers' call's door, denting it badly.

"I'll get my hands on her soon enough," he growled.

Then he turned his head towards the three in the cell. Booker let go of Luz and used his body to shield her and King from Wrath. Glaring at him with a brave expression. If he wants to hurt his best friend/secret crush or the little demon, then he'll kill him.

"Fight against the oppwessor!" Tiny Nose suddenly shouted. Wrath turned to her and reformed his hand to normal, releasing the poster. "We will wesist! We will conquer! We will never be afwaid of you, you old cweep!"

Wrath did not say a word and just pulled a level next to the cell door. Opening the cell.

"Hooway! I'm fwee!"

But that joy was cut short like a blade through flesh and bone when Wrath grabbed her. His large hand covered her arms, legs, mouth, and anything below her nose and eyes. 

"Let this be a lesson to all of you. There's no place in society for you if you can't fit in," he threatened the other two prisoners. 

Tiny Nose muffled a scream as he crushed her. Almost hard enough to make blood leak from her eyes. Like he was going to pop her.

Booker and Luz watched with terror as the warden then turned and stomped out of the tower, taking the small girl with him to an unknown destination and fate.

Without a moment to waste, Booker and Luz opened the cell door, and the three of them ran out into the fanfic writer's cell. 

"Don't worry. We'll get you out," Luz said as she and her best friend tried to push the door open. Turning to her right, she saw the lever and tried to push it up. But to no avail. "Curse my weak nerd arms!"

"Hang on!" Booker came over, and the two tried to push the lever up. But it wouldn't budge. "Come on! I'm supposed to be the strong one!"

"Just get out of here while you still can, kid," the writer sighed. She then turned and walked away from the cell bars. "Enjoy freedom for us." 

The two teenagers were conflicted and shared their internal conflict with a glance. Were they really going to leave them here? What could they do for them? Realizing it was futile to try to help, they turned and walked out of the tower with heavy hearts. 

Traveling down a hallway toward the location, Eda was waiting for them.

"Hey. I just checked. The warden is distracted, tormenting some tiny creature," she said with a smile, floating down to them on her staff. "He won't be coming around here anytime soon."

"Terrific," Booker replied with a grim scowl as Luz looked sad. The two of them passed the witch, making her wonder what was wrong with them.

Together, the two humans approached a large door that was boldly labeled with the word CONTRABAND.

"My crown! It's close! I can sense its power!" King exclaimed, rushing to the door. At first, he scratched at it before seeing the large doorknob. Jumping up at it, he grabbed on and tried to use his body to turn it.

"Aw, he gets so cute when he's thirsty for power," Eda gushed at the small demon. However, Booker and Luz weren't amused, with the boy rolling his eyes and the girl frowning. 

"It's not fair that they're all in here," Luz said, looking up. "They just want to be themselves. Why does everyone think that being a weirdo is so bad?"

Before the conversation could continue, King broke off the doorknob from the door. Cackling victoriously, he pushed against the door with all his might, opening it slightly before slipping in.

"Come on, before he hurts himself," Eda told the teenagers, and they started walking to the door.

"Ow!"

"Oh! Too late." Booker said as they entered inside. 

The chamber was massive on the inside, mostly because it was empty, devoid of furniture or decorations. However, in the middle of the room was a large column of white light with a green aura.

King was in front of this light column. He rubbed his head after his first attempt failed before trying again. He charged at the light for a headbutt, but when he made contact with it, it deflected him. It bounced him back until Booker caught him.

"I've got you, little buddy," he said with a smile. King just huffed, before slugging a bit into him.

"We have humans, remember?" Eda said, gesturing to Booker and Luz.

"Oh, yeah," King said.

Booker placed the small demon down. Are you ready for this?" he asked Luz.

Luz took a deep breath before grabbing Booker's hand with a weak, unconfident smile. Trying to be brave for him with a nod.

Together, they walked to the barrier. The closer they got, the warmer it felt. Booker took the first step. Reaching out with his right hand, he placed it on the light. Suddenly, something appeared on his hand that made him, Luz, and even Eda gasp.

A strange, gold mark appeared on the back of Booker's hand. It looked just like a magic spell circle or an alchemy transmutation circle, but this one was different. It was basic in its design: circles with squares that had four circles between them and then two more circles inside the squares. And inside those circles was a strange-looking symbol.

Booker took his hand away from the light, and the circle disappeared. He then slowly reached out and placed his hand on the light again, and the circle appeared again. Pushing against the barrier, his arm was able to slip through, and he pulled Luz with him into it.

When they made it through to the other side of the light, the two teenagers opened their eyes and saw a mountain of various stuff in front of them. At the top was something shining. The two looked at one another and nodded. Together, they began to climb up the mountain.

Along the way, Booker grabbed onto something, and it became loose. Losing his balance, he pulled it out and nearly fell down to the ground but managed to grab onto something from the pile.

"Booker! Are you okay?!" Luz called down, having gotten ahead of him.

Still holding onto what almost made him fall, he looked up to her. "I'm fine! Just go on without me. I'll catch up!" She nodded and continued up. Booker then looked at what was in his hand, and his eyes widened with amazement and awe. He saw that it was a sword in its sheath.

The sword was just at the right length, not too short or too long for the teenager, with a beautiful scabbard. Booker looked down at its grip and saw it was made from a large dragon tooth capped in a metal pommel. Grabbing the smooth tooth, he pulled out the blade and marveled at how beautiful it was. Like it was still brand new. The silver blade itself was a single-edged weapon. Its shape was a vaguely half-leaf shape, with runes running along the blade of the sword. Its spine was fairly straight, meaning it should also function well as a thrusting weapon, as well as cleaving through enemies.

"I'm keeping this," Booker said with a smirk. Sheathing the sword and placing it between his back and backpack, he continued to climb with the sword as his new weapon.

It wasn't too long before he and Luz made it to the top together and looked down at the crown with big smiles. However, those smiles disappeared when they saw the crown."Wait a second," Luz said, "Is this a..."

"...You've got to be fucking kidding me," Booker said.

"YOU LYING BITCH!" He shouted at Eda the moment he and Luz stepped out of the barrier. Pulling out his newly found sword, he marched up to Eda as she raised her hands in the air. Shocked to see him so angry and with a weapon. "We came all this way on this dangerous quest so that you could send us back to our world! Risk our lives! Almost got killed! And you're telling me that it was for THIS !?"

He held out the crown to reveal it was nothing more than a Burger King paper crowd.

"My crown! Give me! Give me! Give me!" King begged the blonde boy, jumping up and down to try and grab for it. 

Booker glared at him before tossing the crowd aside. King rushed over to it and picked it up. Raising it over his head, he slowly placed it on for dramatic effect. 

"Yes. Yes! I can feel my powers returning!" He then pointed to a stuffed rabbit. "You, there. Nightmare critter. I shall call you Francois, and you shall be a minion in my army of darkness. Ha‐ha!" He giggled after picking it up.

He then yelped in fear when Booker stabbed the sword into the stone floor. 

Booker took a moment to breathe and catch his breath. Luz then took the moment to ask, "That crown doesn't give him any powers, does it?"

"Uh, no." Eda snickered. Suddenly, Booker swung the sword at her head, and she ducked down to dodge it. "Whoa, hey! It's easy with that thing. Someone could get hurt."

"That's kind of the point of me swinging it at your head!" Booker shouted, pointing the blade of the sword at her neck, furious at the witch. 

"Okay, okay, let's all just calm down," Luz said, trying to de-escalate the situation. 

"What the hell is wrong with you, Eda?! You lied and used us to get a stupid crown that's nothing but paper! Were you ever going to let us go home!?"

"Of course I was, Booker!" Eda exclaimed, pushing the tip of the sword away. Booker wasn't having it and placed the tip between her eyes. Seeing that he wasn't going to lower it, she held up her free hand and looked at the two teenagers with a serious but saddened expression. "Oh, look at us, kids. King and I don't have much in this world. We only 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 looked at Eda in amazement. Booker's death glare softened to a sad expression. In a lot of ways, he could relate. He had no one. No one at the church, not even Father Dean, cared for him. All he really had in his life was Luz, and even she was all alone in the world. 

So, with a long sigh, he lowered the sword to the ground. The curved blade dinged against the floor as his shoulders slumped. "Sorry," he said. "I just…"

"I know, and I'm sorry for lying. We owe you two. Now, let's get out of here before the warden finds us and loses his head," Eda said before a familiar dark familiar came up from behind her. Towering over the witch.

"Too late."

Wrath turned this hand into a scythe and cut her head off.

Time slowed down for the two teenagers as they watched the head fly in the air before Luz caught it. She screamed, staring into Eda's dead face. 

But then she suddenly came to life again. "Ow! Oh, I hate it when that happens," she said with an annoyed expression.

Booker and Luz started to scream.

"Eda! Are you okay?" Luz asked, worried as she and Booker tried to calm down from the shock.

"Yeah. This just happens when you get older."

"Does it?" Booker whimpered. That's when he noticed Wrath walking towards them.

"Finally, I have you cornered, Eda the Owl Lady," he said. 

Reaching down, he grabbed King's crown off his head, surprising the little demon. Booker stood in front of Luz and Eda with his new sword as the warden stepped closer to them. King jumped up and down to grab back. All the while, the witch's body was trying to find its head. 

"My guards could never get you, but I knew if I took your pet's toy, you'd come running."

He then crushed King's crown right in front of the demon.

King's eyes widened, and his pupils shrank as he watched his crown fall to the ground. "No! My power!" he yelled, tearing up. 

Booker scooped him up and held him close with one arm, and the little demon quickly wrapped his arms around his neck. Booker then felt something wet on his skin, and knew that it was King. He was crying. It saddened him, but it also made the young man want to cut the warden in two.

"What do you want with me?" Eda demanded, also angry about what he did to King. "I've never actually broken any of your stupid laws... in front of you."

"I want you..." Wrath walked closer to them, got down on one knee, and pulled out a...

...a bouquet of flowers?

"...to go out with me."

Eda blinked. "Wha...?"

Luz blinked. "What?"

Booker deadpanned. "Are you kidding me?"

"Go, boss!" one of the guards in the room cheered, and the others gave their warden thumbs up for support.

Wrath gave the thumbs-up before turning back to Eda. "You've always eluded our capture," he said. "You've always been the one who got away. I found that alluring."

"Geez, I thought that little girl was exaggerating when she said you're a creep. You people are messed up," Booker said in disgust.

"I hate everything you're saying right now," Luz said, also feeling the same way.

"You brats, stay out of this!" Wrath threw the flowers over his shoulder and then shapeshifted his arm into a mass of tentacles, which he launched at the kids.

Booker pushed Luz and Eda out of the way before stepping to the side, dodging the tentacles. He then swung down and chopped off the tentacles, sending blood spewing out and onto the floor. Wrath screamed in pain as he stumbled back a bit, clutching his injured arm as it turned back into a hand. His injury healed. 

He growled and glared at Booker. However, he looked at the sword and became fearful.

"Y-You wield the Dragon's Bite," he asked in a shaky voice.

At first, Booker was confused until he realized that he was talking about his new sword. "Uh…Yeah, I did!" he boasted, twirling Dragon's Bite in his hand. "What're you going to do about it?"

"I'm not going to do anything," Wrath said, pointing to his left. 

Booker turned and gasped in shock when he saw the guards had captured Luz, King, and Eda's head. 

"But I can't promise they wouldn't snap your friend's little neck."

Luz's eyes widened before the guard holding her grabbed her head. Making her scream.

"Stop! Okay!" Booker begged, sheathing Dragon's Bite on his back. "Just, please..."

Wrath turned to the guard holding Eda's head and King and nodded. The guard then tossed Eda's head to him, and the warden caught her by her hair. 

"So how about it, Owl Lady? The most powerful witch of the Boiling Isles and the feared Warden Wrath. We'd be the strongest power couple ever."

"Dude, that's just wrong in so many ways," Booker yelled before suddenly being grabbed by Wrath with his tentacles and held high into the sky. Grunting in pain, the warden tightened his grip on him.

"Silence! Don't think you're getting out of this too, boy. You're much more valuable alive than dead, but that doesn't mean I can't torture you," said the warden before turning his attention back to Eda. "So, what do you say? I mean, it's‐‐ it's not like you can say no right now."

Eda frowned as she looked worriedly at the young boy. Booker struggled to break free but stopped when one of the tentacles morphed into a blade and was placed between his eyes. She then looked to Luz as she struggled to get out of the guard's hold, just as King was.

Seeing no other alternative, Eda let out a sigh. "All right, Warden. You win. I'd just like to say something first. Come closer." 

Wrath leaned in a little. 

"No. Just come a little bit closer." 

He leaned in closer. 

"Just..." 

He got even closer to her head. 

"Yeah, that's good."

She then stuck out her tongue and blew a loud raspberry in his face. The warden grunted as Eda's spit got on his mask, causing him to loosen his grip on Booker. Eda started laughing as he wiped the spit off his mask.

"Impudent wench! Don't you know how many germs are in your mouth?" He complained.

"Get over it. You had your guards stalk me, and then you cut off my head. I am not going out with you," she fumed.

"If you don't accept, then I have no choice but to des‐‐" He was cut off when Booker grabbed Eda's staff and whacked him in the back of the head. Knocking him down to the ground, unconscious.

At the same time, Eda's body got behind the two guards holding Luz and King, grabbed their heads, and slammed them against each other. Getting them to let go of Luz and King.

"Luz!" Booker tossed Luz the staff, and she caught it. "Grab King! We're leaving!" He shouted, picking up Eda's head. Together, they got on the staff as the owl's wings opened. Luz was in the front, holding the witch's head on her lap. Booker was behind her, with King on his shoulder. Eda's body was in the back.

"Expecto... flying? Magicus... escapicus!" Luz exclaimed, trying to get the staff to take off, but it didn't.

Eda looked back at Wrath and saw him getting back up again. "Gun it, magic stick!"

The staff lifted off the ground and started flying out of the room just as Warden Wrath stood back up.

"Owl Lady, I won't let you get away again!" Wrath yelled, transforming both of his arms into large masses of tentacles. He used them to carry his body forward, chasing after them at fast speeds.

Booker looked back and saw Wrath following them. He then turned back, and as they passed multiple other cells, he saw that they were coming upon three familiar ones. "Luz, look!" He yelled, pointing ahead.

Luz saw what he meant and nodded. "Eda, lend me a hand!" she exclaimed, raising her hand. Eda placed her hand on Luz's back, and together, the two of them pushed up the levers to the three cell doors, releasing the prisoners.

Soon, they slammed the tower entrance doors open and flew out of the prison. The staff pitched up before nosing down in a dive. Warden Wrath rushed out of the tower and jumped down to follow after them. He lashed out his tentacles at them and hit the back of the staff, knocking them off and sending them crashing.

Booker yelled in pain as his back hit the wall while holding King tightly to protect him. "Booker! Are you alright?" King asked worriedly as he set him down.

"I'm fine," Booker muttered. Warden Wrath landed on the ground and transformed his hand into a scythe.

Eda dug into her hair and pulled out the interdimensional door. "Booker...Luz... go back to the human world," she said, tossing them the key.

"What about you guys?" Luz asked worriedly. The rest of the guards were starting to come out to watch the fighting.

"If you think this guy is bad, you shoulda seen her last boyfriend," King said as he ran to help Eda as she dodged some attacks from Wrath.

"Not my boyfriend." Eda grabbed King and rolled out of the way from a double attack from Wrath. She then rushed over to the teenagers and pushed them onto her staff. "Go! Go!"

"But—But I—"

Eda didn't give them a chance to speak, so she slapped the back of the staff, and it took off with the kids on it.

"Eda!" Booker yelled as they took off into the sky. 

From up above, they watched the fight as Wrath removed his mask, revealing a huge mouth of large sharp teeth, as well as almost tiny eyes. From that mouth, he fired a breath of fire. Eda countered this by forming a ring of light before moving to the left. The fireball entered into the first ring and disappeared before Eda made a second one. From the second one, the fireball came out of it and hit Wrath in the chest. Knocking him back into a wall.

The teenagers watched as Wrath got right back up, shapeshifted his hands into scythes, and rushed at Eda. However, from that wall, Booker and Luz saw the prisoners they met peeking out.

"Get the others out of here," Booker told Luz as he directed the staff to the ground. When they landed, he got off and turned towards where Eda and Wrath were fighting.

"Wait!" Luz rushed over and grabbed his arm. "What are you going to do?" she asked worriedly.

Booker turned to her and smiled. "Whatever I can," he said, pulling out Dragon's Bite.

Eda grunted as she was thrown against the ground. He was too powerful. The warden tossed King to her, and she safely caught him. 

"No more running away, Owl Lady," said Wrath, raising both of his scythe hands. Today, I capture you once and for all!"

"RAAAAH!"

Booker let out a battle cry as he slashed the back of the warden. Making him scream in pain and fall to one knee. He then turned to the teenager and swung one of his bladed hands at him, but Booker parried the attack. Cutting into the warden's flesh. 

He lunged to attack the warden when he was hit in the chest by his hand, which turned into a hammer.

Pain shot all throughout his body as he hit his back against the wall. The young boy tried to get back up when the legs grabbed him, and he was pulled out of the hole. Dragging Booker across the ground before throwing him at another wall. Watching as he tumbled and rolled before coming to a stop. 

Booker gritted his teeth and fought back against the pain as he tried to push himself back up, sitting out blood. All his life, he's had to fight against people bigger than him, and normally, he could come out of all those fights being the victor. 

This wasn't one of those fights. It was unlike anything he'd ever fought. He was against an opponent who was stronger and faster than he could ever be, with magical powers. 

"And I thought Butch was tough," he said, barely able to stand up with blood running down the side of his head. "For a fatass—"

Wrath turned his hand into a fork and lashed at Booker. Grabbing him and pinning him by his neck against the stone wall. 

Walking towards him while shrinking his arm back to normal length, Wrath said, "I've grown tired of you, boy." He raised his scythe hand. "It's time to put an end to your—"

"Go, go, go, go!" Shouted a familiar voice. 

Booker turned to see Luz flying towards them with her cat-ears hood up, leading the other prisoners to attack him. Together, the misfits tackled him to the ground and tried to pin him to the ground.

However, it would prove to be in vain, as the tentacles lashed out and knocked them all back. "You little brat! Who do you think you are?" He growled at Luz

"Do not underestimate me, Warden Wrath, for I am Luz, the human, warrior of peace," Luz said dramatically as the wind blew in her hair. "Now eat this, sucker!" 

She pulled the fireworks from her backpack, threw them into the air, and then hit them with the staff toward Wrath.

Wrath just cut it in half.

There was an awkward silence as Luz saw her plan fall apart. How could it have? This was supposed to be like her big Azura moment. "Uh oh," she said before Wrath grabbed her.

"Well then, human, I'll rip you to pieces and feed on you—"

Booker let out a battle cry and charged, swung his sword down, and cut his arm clean off. Wrath screamed in pain as his arm released Luz, and she dropped to the ground. 

Booker didn't give him a chance to recover and stabbed the warden in the stomach.

"GAAAAAAH!"

"And I am Booker Bridge!" He proclaimed with the same dramatics as Luz. "Seventh son Malcolm Bridges and Elizabeth Bridges!"

Eda's eyes widened as she gasped. 

Wrath growled and then, to Booker's shock, grabbed the blade of Dragon's Bite and pushed it into his body even more. All the way until the handguard was against his chest, and the tip was stabbing out his back. He opened his mouth and got ready to unleash another breath of fire.

Booker glared at him as he tried to pull out the sword. 

Then, something amazing happened. 

His eyes started glowing, and the mark that appeared on his hand returned on both of them now. Then, the runes on Dragon's Bite, which spelled out its name in an ancient language, started glowing.

He managed to pull the sword out of Wrath's grip and pull it out of his body before...

SLICE!

Cutting his head clean off.

Wrath's head rolled off his shoulders and thumped onto the ground before his body fell to his knees and then collapsed. Blood splattered across the floor.

Luz, Eda, King, and the misfit prisoners all looked toward the gold-blonde teenager, panting like crazy. His eyes then stopped glowing, as did the runes of Dragon's Bite. The circles on his hands disappeared. Booker then turned to the other guards and saw them running away back into the prison.

Such a sight of their oppressor's death and the retreating of his minions had fanfic writer, eyeball monster, and Tiny Nose cheering for victory. 

"Booker!" Luz ran over to him and hugged him tightly with a giant grin on her face. "That was incredible!"

"It certainly was," Eda said, walking over to them with a smile.

King climbed onto Booker's shoulder. "That was actually one of her better breakups," he said.

"Not a breakup," Eda quickly said. "Anyway, let's bounce before any more monsters fall in love with me."

When they returned to Owl House, Booker and Luz were gushing over the battle's events. "I can't believe you actually got those guys to team up with you like that," Booker exclaimed as they entered the house.

"And I can't believe you actually were able to chop that guy's head off like that," Luz said, swinging her arm pretending to be holding and swinging a sword. She then opened her eyelids wider. "And when your eyes were glowing, and you had this marking, and your sword's runes were glowing too!"

Booker stopped and looked at her in confusion. "Wait, what?" He pulled out Dragon's Bite and looked at its runes. "When was it glowing?"

Then, it was Luz's turn to be confused. "You...You don't remember? Were your eyes glowing? It was like you were using magic," she stated with a big smile.

However, Booker wasn't all too certain, and there was something on his mind that he wanted to know. 

"Eh, I'm not surprised," Eda said, walking over to the young boy and patting him on the back. Grinning happily. "Considering that you're Malcolm's kid, right?"

Booker froze for a moment and looked at Eda with wide eyes. "You... you knew my father," he asked hesitantly. 

"Hell yeah, I do! I had a feeling, especially when you got your old man's face," Eda said, reaching down and pinching Booker's cheek. Laughing as he blushed with embarrassment and slapped her hand away. "Yep, me and ol' Mal Bridges go way back. One of the best and most powerful witches in the Demon Realm."

There was a moment of silence in the air. No one made a sound until Luz slowly turned her head to look at Booker with wide eyes. "Whhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaa?!"

"M-My dad was…a what," Booker asked, unable to believe what Eda was saying. 

"A witch, just like you. Well, half-witch," Eda said, flicking one of his ears. "So, where's good old Mal, huh?! He disappeared for fourteen years and never called me." 

Booker's eyes widened at first before lowering his head. Luz looked uncomfortable. 

"Huh?" Eda looked at the two kids, confused. "How is Mal?"

"Eda…I'm sorry," Booker said, grieving his father and the knowledge she didn't know of his fate. "Dad…died 7 years ago today."

Eda's happiness turned to devastation when she heard what she was told. "No…Mal?" she whispered, unable to believe it. That was until she saw how miserable Booker looked. "Oh, Mal…"

Eda dropped her staff and fell on her knees, sobbing into her hands. Completely heartbroken that she had lost someone as wonderful as Malcolm. For 14 years, she thought he was alive and well in the human world, but to know that she'd been so wrong for so long shattered her. 

That's when a pair of arms wrapped around her. They belonged to Booker, who sobbed with her. For a moment, neither Luz nor King said anything, letting the two embrace. 

Pulling away from the young boy, Eda tried whipping her tears away. "Damn it, kid, I-I'm so sorry," she said, ashamed. "I didn't know. If it's not too much to ask…how did it happen?"

"It was Booker's birthday when there was a fiery explosion," Luz said, walking over to hug Booker from behind. "Booker was the only one that survived. The fire took his entire family."

"Ah, geez, I'm really sorry," Eda said, shaking her head. Trying to recompose herself, she stood up and helped Booker to his feet, too. "So…you're his seventh son, huh? You know, Malcolm was the seventh son of his family, too. He said that it's what made him so powerful. It makes me wonder how powerful you, his seventh son, will be."

"Really?" 

"Yep, but that doesn't matter anymore," said the witch sadly. "A deal's a deal. Let's get you two home."

Snapping her fingers, she called upon the key in Luz's bookbag. Booker and Luz watched as the key flew toward Eda's hand. Pressing the eye button, she summoned the door and opened it.

Booker and Luz stared at the glowing door for a moment before turning back to Eda and King. King sadly looked down at the ground, upset that he wasn't going to see his crown again. So, to make him feel better, Luz dug into her bag and pulled out the head of her Azura doll that had a toy crown on it.

"Before I go—I know it's not the same, but... a king shouldn't be without a crown," she said with a smile.

Taking the crown off the doll's head, handed it to King. He looked at it for a moment and then placed it on his head. 

"This shall suffice," he told the two humans. Then he pointed to a plant. "You there, plant! You are now under my command."

While her friend trotted over to the potted plant, Eda picked up Luz's book and the summer camp brochure. "Oh, and don't forget this."

Luz took it and looked down sadly at the brochure as she and Booker walked towards the door. Then she looked at her novel. Then she looked at the door and stopped, causing Booker to stop and look back at her.

"Luz," he asked, walking back over to her. "What's the matter?"

What's the matter? They actually went on an adventure that was unlike anyone would be able to believe. They fought evil and saved the innocent, and it was a miracle to be a part of it. And now they were just going to leave it all.

Luz looked at the mirror on the wall behind the door and gasped. Then she held up the book, staring at it and then lowering it down. She, Booker, Eda, and King were all just like on the cover of the book. That's when an idea struck her brain, and she turned around towards Eda and King.

"Okay. I know you got your head cut off, started some kind of prison riot, and Booker killed a warden, but this was the most fun I've ever had. I don't fit in at home. You don't fit in here. If I stay, we could not fit in together," Luz offered. Booker's eyes widened as she pulled out the brochure and crumbled it. "I'm not going back to summer camp."

"Luz? What are you saying?" Booker asked.

Eda chuckled at first. "What's summer camp? What are we talking about here?" she asked in confusion

"I'm saying that I want to stay and become a witch like you! And Azura!" Luz stated, holding out her book to show Eda.

Booker stared at his best friend in shock as Eda laughed. "What? All right, that's crazy," Eda said, pushing the book away from her. "Humans can't become witches."

"Maybe that's because they haven't tried," Luz said with a wink. "If you teach me to become a witch, I'll do anything you want."

"Let her stay!" King tugged on Eda's dress before whispering. "She can make us snacks."

Eda picked up the little demon and said, "Well, I could use a hand keeping this goofball out of the cupboards. But what about you, Booker?

Luz drew her attention to her best friend as he stood near the door. How could she have forgotten about him? After all, it was she who dragged him into this world just to get her book back. 

"Booker, I completely understand if you want to go back. I hope you don't mind me staying," she said shyly.

Booker was silent for a moment before smiling. "Then I guess I'll be seeing you after summer, huh?" he said with a forced smile, trying to hide how much he was going to miss her. He was then surprised when Luz jumped on him and her best friend tightly. Booker's face dropped as he hugged her back, not wanting to let go.

"Happy birthday, Booker," she said.

When they pulled away, he turned around and walked to the magical door. With Dragon's Bite sheathed on his back, Booker opened the door and stared through it, out into the neighborhood that his former home used to be.

And then he stopped. He continued to stare out into the world that he had just left hours before.

A world where he was nothing more than an orphan.

Where he never felt like he belonged and was an outcast.

Where he had no future.

Eda, Luz, and King stared at him, the young girl getting a little worried. And then, to their surprise, he closed the door without going through to the other side. 

"Booker, what's the matter?" asked Luz as he walked back over to her and the others. She looked worriedly at him as he stared at the ground with a serious and sad expression. "Didn't you want to go home?"

He picked up his head and looked at her. "What's the point, Luz?" Booker asked, shaking his head. "Even if I go back, nothing would have changed." 

He then turned to Eda and walked up to her. "I want to stay with you on the Boiling Isles," Booker said. "There's nothing waiting for me back there. If I really am a witch, then I want to learn how to use magic and become a great one, like my dad."

That was not something Eda had expected in the slightest. While Luz's request was more of a desire and a need to belong, Booker's was the same, but there was something more to it. It was more personal. He was an orphan who just learned that his dad was a powerful witch and her best friend. Just looking at his face, she could tell that this was what he wanted. If he was anything like his father, taking him on would be dangerous. His powers could spiral out of control and destroy everything around him, and there would be people who would be after him if they knew about his existence.

Luckily for her, Eda loved danger, and Booker was the last thing she had to remember from her best friend.

"All right, you two," Eda said with a chuckle before putting on a serious face. "I'll teach you the way of magic. But you have to work for me before you learn any spells. Especially you, Booker, as we need to find a way for you to control your magic. Deal?" Eda stretched out a hand to the two. Booker nodded and shook her hand before Luz came over and brought all of them into a bone-crushing hug.

Afterward, Booker and Luz were shown to their new room for the time they'd be staying there. The boy opened the door, and the two best friends walked in. It turned out it was a dirty storage closet with random items, but it was more than enough for Booker and Luz.

Facing away from each other, the two kids got into their sleeping clothes, rolled out their sleeping bags on opposite sides of the room, and lay down. That's when both of them got a text on their phones. Luz saw it was from her mother, and Booker saw it was from Father Dean.

"What are you going to tell your mom," Booker asked, turning his head to Luz.

Luz shrugged and said, "She also said that Father Dean was wondering how you were doing. What are you going to say to him?"

Booker sighed. He didn't want to burn that bridge after all the priest had done for him in the past. 

"I don't know," he said, grabbing Dragon's Bite and sitting up.

Just then, they heard King clearing his throat and saw him at the door with his new stuffed rabbit. "Your sleep cocoons look fluffy," he said slyly.

Luz looked to Booker, and he nodded with a smile. She then turned back to King and patted a spot on her sleeping bag for him. King trotted over to the spot, doing a little dog-circle to soften up the bag before lying down on it. Luz then sent a message to her mother and lay down.

[Play music: Star Wars Episode IV A New Hope Soundtrack 06: "The Hologram Binary Sunset Medley" - Skip to 1:50]

Booker sat there for a long time, deep in his thoughts. He then got up with Dragon's Bite and walked over to Luz with a blanket in hand. Setting down the sword, he laid the covers over her. His crush snuggled into them.

Booker smiled before standing up after grabbing Dragon's Bite, walked over to the window, and opened the window. Setting his weapon against the wall, he leaned against the windowsill and stared out into the sunset. There were so many emotions going through Booker at that moment as he stared at the horizon of this strange and dangerous world. But at that moment, all he could think about was what the future would bring. This was a moment he's been waiting for a long time. He felt a sense of freedom and new beginnings. He felt like he could connect with his family again as he took on this apprenticeship. It was really hard to explain. Other than that, he had a sense of freedom and belonging.

He closed the window and went to bed, not noticing the eye of the Owl House blinking.

The Seventh Son