Chapter 7: In The Eye of the Abomination

"These relics are reminders of our Emperor's great and overwhelming power."

Izuku tried not to groan as he followed around a tiny demon woman, keeping the rear of a herd of students. This day, it was St. Epiderm. One tour was actually not too bad. Two, he had begun to wonder what the punishment was. For the third day in a row, he realized what it was. Five times?

"-and the handy." Miss Kikkimora gestured to the hat.

Five. Times. If Lilith's punishment was for Izuku to eventually take over tour duties for even one day, the idea was enough to scare him. Speaking in front of a group of judgmental peers? He might as well be back in Aldera! If there was any comfort, he could recite the tourist guide spiel almost word for word, Kikkimora hardly deviated from her script if only to sing more praises for Emperor Belos. So long as he did that, he might keep all his bones where they should be.

Right now, the demon woman was giving a short history of the relics and their importance.

For enlightening the witches of the Boiling Isles with 'nine bright hues', the newly appointed coven heads gifted the Emperor an artifact of immense power. A gauntlet capable of growing anything the wielder can imagine. The first and strongest abomination, said to be created from the coagulated blood of the Titan. A bell whose sound could tame even the most ferocious beast. An elixir of immorta-

"Ahem." Kikkimora suddenly nudged his shin. "Do you have anything to add, scout?"

"Huh?" Izuku paused, realizing he had been mimicking her movements with some creative liberties, much to the visiting students' amusement, given their barely concealed smiles, giggles, and one girl was even holding up something resembling a phone. "O-oh-! Um, n-no, ma'am." He stood ramrod straight.

Kikkimora narrowed her eyes at him. "Come along now, children." And she began walking off.

Izuku stood still, letting everyone pass by. Partly out of nerves, partly to avoid getting in the way-

"Hey!"

"Ah-!" Izuku felt his heart almost jump out of his chest. One of the girls was talking to him! "U-uh, I-I mean-uh-hi?"

The girl giggled. "You're the human from the covention, aren't you?"

"Er, no?"

"Oh well," she smirked, rolling her eyes. "If you were, I was gonna tell you that you went viral on Penstagram." She held up a purple scroll, showing a video with-oh that was a lot of views and interaction.

"Whoa." Izuku blinked.

"And I was also gonna suggest studying magic at St. Epiderm." She gestured to her uniform. "If you ask me, it's way better than Hexside where my cousin Viney goes. I think you'd look cute in Abomination pink." She poked his nose.

"U-uh-" Izuku stammered. "I-I'm actually more interested i-in p-potions."

"Heyhey, same as me!" She giggled. "Guess if you can afford the tuition, we'll be in the same class!" She walked away, joining her fellow students. "See you there!"

Izuku stood frozen.

Did...did someone just...flirt with him!?

Wait, no, that was impossible. He was just plain useless Izuku! No way someone would flirt with him! Especially a cute girl! And why did he say he wanted to study potions!? He was supposed to be looking for a way home! What was wrong with him!?

"Ugh! Un-be-lievable." Another voice snapped Izuku out of his thoughts. He saw it was a familiar Headwitch in purple. "Can't Mason go anywhere without tracking around so much filth?"

"Darius!" Izuku ran up to the man.

"Oh no-" Darius sighed. "Yes, hello, human. What trouble are you brewing up today? Unleashing all of Eberwolf's menagerie upon Bonesborough? Or perhaps a plague of nightmares if the Illusion coven figures out how to actually use their little party trick magic effectively."

"I'm supposed to be with Kikkimora," Izuku looked around. "But I think my brain is going numb from hearing the same speeches over and over."

Darius rolled his eyes. "You're telling me." He noticed Izuku was following him. "Don't you have a library to terrorize?"

"Lilith banned me from going anywhere unsupervised." Izuku sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. "So she stuck me with Kikkimora until I learn the 'true greatness of Emperor Belos'."

"And I think you need to get out more." Darius was actually walking out of the castle towards an airship. "Can't live a life with your nose in a book."

"But books never hurt me," Izuku argued, hopping onto the airship with him.

"Never got a papercut?" Darius cocked an eyebrow and a smirk.

Izuku pouted. "Maybe once or twice."

"Thought so." And it was only when they were well into the air did Darius realize Izuku was with him. On the airship. To wherever he was going. "Oh Titan help me." He sighed and rubbed his temple.

...

...

"What is he doing here?"

Amity Blight would have been crossing her arms if she was not holding some books while glaring at Izuku. A scruffy man in a dirty gray lab coat was next to her, similarly, glaring daggers at Darius.

"Just keep him away from potions for now." Darius pushed Izuku towards Amity, which only made her glare more and Izuku could only flinch away. "But if this consultation is anything like the others, your dad's projects won't be much to look at and we'll be leaving without taking too much of your time, Miss Blight."

The scruffy man grumbled.

"Don't know what you're mad about. I'm the one who has to take time out of my busy day to be here." Darius made his opinion clear, and it was not nice. "Just show me what hot garbage you're working on now."

"Come now, what's the rush?" A woman with green hair cheerfully sprang into the room, holding a small orb much like Izuku's. From it, some sort of spirit took the Headwitch's cape and hang it up. "We have plenty of time to catch up and hang out, like we used to!"

"But mom-!"

"Good children don't squabble, Amity." Mrs. Blight's spirit then pushed Amity back to the hallway with Izuku. "Be a dear and entertain our-" she looked at the human, unsure of what to make of him but keeping the smile, "guest. Us grown ups have business to attend to." She also nudged her husband rather roughly with her elbow.

"Oh. Right." Amity's dad casted a spell, from which an abomination rose to life with a groan. "Abomination, entertain Amity." He, Mrs. Blight, and Darius began to walk away.

"Dad! I'm not five anymore! I can take care of myself!"

"Huh? Thanks for reminding me." Mr. Blight stopped for a moment and cleared his throat. "Abomination, keep Amity and her friend safe."

"Not my frie-!"

"Ewewew-" he shivered at the abomination's touch. It was cool like mud, and had the same texture, which meant Izuku's instincts were going haywire as the sludge held him firmly in place-

rattle

And was suddenly set down on a...swing?

Yep. On a swing set. With Amity. And the abomination was alternating gentle pushes.

If awkward was a picture, this would be it.

"Sooo," Izuku rubbed the back of his neck, trying to find anything to start a conversation with. "Why does your dad hate Darius so much?" Why would he say that!?

"Titan knows," Amity shrugged. "Mom says my dad is a genius when it comes to abomination magic, so it could be a competitive thing?"

"I guess." Izuku looked around. Same forest landscape, although there was a factory nearby. Hopefully he did not breathe in too much magic fumes. "Um, nice house."

"Thanks?"

"I don't know how to talk to people."

"And yet you're friends with the other hu-," Amity sounded unsure before looking at Izuku and she blushed. "I mean, you're friends with Luz. Right?"

"Oh yeah!" Izuku beamed. "She's my best friend! You'd think with about a billion people also being Quirkless it'd be easier to find someone who knows what's it like but the one person who does lives on the other side of the world!" He tried to laugh it off, remembering the relief, some embarrassment, and ultimately an overwhelming happiness. "We could talk for hours, and she'd never call me weird in a mean way. I learned a whole other language for her! A very very very flowery version, but it was-" he looked up, smelling the crips wild air-wait no, there was something industrial mixed in. "It was nice. To finally have a friend."

Amity was silent for a moment, the only sound being the swing set and the breeze. "I guess you two are really close."

"Yeah," Izuku nodded. "She's like the sister I never had."

Amity snorted. "Trust me, siblings aren't that great." Then gasped and jerked towards him. "Does that means you two aren't-" and promptly fell, only to be caught by the abomination.

"Amity!" Izuku hopped off the swing. "Are you okay?"

She suddenly sat up. "I'm fine!" Her cheeks were red, but when she looked at the abomination, it spread to her whole face with anger. "Like I said, I can take care of myself!" She kicked it. "You know, ever since the Covention, I've been training super hard. I bet I can make a stronger abomination now!" She glared at her dad's creation but it only looked back with a gloomy expression and equally sad sounding groan.

Izuku looked at Amity, then to the abomination, then to the ample amount of dirt and sticks around them.

"Wanna test that theory?"

Amity practically whipped her head around to him. "What?"

"I mean-!" Izuku quickly picked up a stick. "If you want to-! Of course! I, er, think a little rematch would be the best way to see if you've gotten stronger!" He drew the fire glyph as big as his arm can reach, feeling Amity hover over his shoulder as he activated it.

The glyph glowed for a second and a half, embers coming to life under him. The abomination quickly grabbed them out of the way just as it blew upward, its arms burned away by the flames but regrew another pair.

"Whoa!" Amity picked herself and dusted herself off. "Where did you learn that?"

"From Lilith!" Izuku knelt down to make another glyph. "Well, sort of? I'm technically supposed to be learning magic from her, but she's been focused on trying to arrest her villain of a sister. I've just been figuring things out by myself. I know humans don't have a bile sac, but I can do this." He showed the finished glyph to Amity. "It's how I fought back you back at the Covention."

She blinked. "Move over a bit?"

"Oh-okay-" Izuku did as told, moving away and watching as Amity partially laid on the ground.

"Oh no." Amity said flatly. "I've fallen and I can't get up. Abomination, help."

The abomination obediently came over to scoop up its charge before Amity slammed her hand down on the glyph while doing a cartwheel to her feet. The glyph blew the abomination's head clean off. With a sad groan, it replaced its missing head...backwards.

"Huh, that's kinda fun." Amity smiled a bit before it became a frown. "Sooo, as the-" she started casting small spells, creating bubbles of abomination goop, "expert on being friends with Luz, do you know how to be on her good side?"

"There's not much to it, I guess. She likes drawing, writing, cute animals," Izuku began to add glyphs in a sort of pattern next to the bubbles. "Although her definition of cute isn't exactly conventional, but eye of the beholder. Oh! She likes this one book series." He held up the stick like a staff. "The Good With-"

"Azura!" Amity said with him. Realizing her smile, she blushed. "Y-yeah. She let me borrow the fifth book."

Izuku gasped, sitting up. "No spoilers! I barely got to finish book three!"

Amity began to laugh before suddenly being serious. "Who's your favorite character?"

"The Dread Queen!" Izuku answered immediately.

"Why?" Amity raised her eyebrow.

"She's actually really sweet and reminds me of my mom, especially the scene where she helps Azura at the Meadow of Virtues!" Izuku tried not to bite his tongue with how fast he was answering.

"If you could say one thing to Azura in that scene, what would it be?"

Izuku recalled the moment. Azura had just lost her faithful canine companion Fang to Hekate's manipulations at the Hidden Hedge, using the secret Azura learned in Book 2 to further drive a wedge between them because without Fang, Azura could not make her way back to the Gates. He did not have to think too long about it.

"Thou art not the hero the realm deserveth, but thou art the savior we need."

Amity looked confused. "But that's exactly what the Dread Queen says."

"Because it's what Azura needs to hear." Izuku explained. "Sure, there's plenty of other powerful magic users, but Azura is the one who sees the good in the world and fights to protect it. Why else would she keep trying to save Hekate?"

Amity smiled before her eyes suddenly went wide. "Look out-!" She pointed behind Izuku.

The abomination had been wandering blindly and was about to step onto the trail of glyphs they were both standing in the middle of.

FWOOOM!-splat!

Izuku shielded his eyes, but still got abomination sludge caked onto him. "Ah! Ewewew! I can't see!"

"Midori! Careful!" Amity called out from...somewhere. There was shuffling, maybe, hard to tell over a roaring fire, and a thud. "Ugh! I can't get up! Just-uh-follow the sound of my voice!"

"Okay-!" Izuku tried to step towards her-

"Waitwaitwait-not literally-!"

schlorp-sching!

Something scratched him.

"What was that!?"

"I thought it'd be fun to run the abomination through an obstacle course but then I felt bad!" Amity grunted as if exerting herself. "It exploded and now there's a whole mess!"

"Th-that's fine!" Izuku was trying to rub the caked on abomination sludge from his face. "Tell me where to go!"

"But what if I mess up? Luz would never forgive me!"

"It's okay! She'll understand! Besides, I'm used to explosi-" Izuku hesitantly tried to feel his way around, but most everywhere was too hot. "Ow! Hothothot!"

"Okayokay-!" Another pause. "Uhhh, take two steps to your left, then half a step forward."

Izuku carefully listened and followed Amity's instructions. One here, half there, another in this direction. A part of him nagged in the back of his mind, not wanting to trust her, thinking of her as Kacchan. Ambitious to a cruel degree, not caring who had to be stepped on to get to the top, and reveling in causing fear. But the more she steered him away from danger, he believed it less and less. One step at a time, literally. He tried to rub off the dried muck from his face, feeling his eyes able to open just a bit. He could see a pile of abomination muck just in front of his feet.

"Almost there-"

"What is going on here?"

"Dad?"

"Darius?" Izuku was mid-step, slightly off balanced, going backwards-

More sludge gently picked up Izuku as more flames erupted behind him.

"What happened to the abomination I made?"

"It's still here." Darius replied. "And there. There. And a little bit over there."

"Here too." Izuku pointed to his face. A wave of sludge washed over his face, providing a bit of cool relief before he was able to see again. "Thank you."

"I admit it was bit of a rush job, but it should have been able to handle even the most ferocious demon!" Mr. Blight was scratching his head in confusion.

"Clearly not." Darius scoffed. "Take note, Amity, this is what happens when you prioritize pure function over form. You lose a bit of the ever so vital structural integrity."

"Don't lecture my daughter." Mr. Blight scowled.

"Wouldn't have to if her father wasn't such a-"

"It's my fault!" Amity interrupted. "I was-" she looked at Izuku. "Trying to show off. I must have messed with your spell, dad. I'm sorry." She was bunching up the hem of her tunic in her hands, looking down.

"Huh. If you can do that, then you're well on your way to the Emperor's Coven, just like you want." Mr. Blight patted her head. "Be sure to take his spot." He added in a not-so-hushed whisper.

"And I think I've seen enough of this-" Darius looked over to a nearby factory just down the hill, gesturing to it with a dismissive wave, "whole mess. Time to go. Say bye to your friend."

"Not her friend." Mr. Blight rolled his eyes.

"On Penstagram-!" Amity suddenly added, getting a scroll from her pocket. "Yet. What's your username?"

"Oh, uh, I don't-"

Darius cleared his throat, casted a small spell, and with it a purple scroll no bigger than a smartphone appeared in Izuku's hand, already opened to a sign-up page asking for details.

Quickly, Izuku began to make an account, realized he went with the default All Might fanboy name, deleted it, and went with something else before showing it to Amity.

"Come along now, Amity." Mr. Blight was pushing Amity away, her boots leaving a trail in the dirt. "Remember what your mother says, don't waste time on meaningless things."

As he said that, the man was unaware of Amity giving a wave with her scroll before they got too far away.

Izuku saw he now had a simple 'hi' from an account named 'WITCHCHICK128', which had a stylized 'A' and 'B' with a pentacle for a profile picture.

He smiled.

...

...

Another day, another tour.

Thankfully, Izuku now had something to do with the scroll in his hand. In the two days he had it, the 'DreadPrince715' account was filled up with pictures, mostly of Lilith's palisman. He noticed Amity's page had group selfies while at school and study updates when at home, her siblings did beauty and animal pictures, and he found Eda's page which was just as chaotic as he figured, like how Darius kept his page meticulously aesthetic.

"Ah, there you are!" A familiar voice spoke up.

"Well, this seems to be your lucky day, kids." Kikkimora's voice dripped with sarcasm. "It seems we have been blessed with the appearance of the Emperor's right hand man, the Golden Guard."

"Oh, wow!"/"He's so dreamy!"/"I hear he's the Emperor's kid!"

The Golden Guard paid no mind to these comments, instead striding up to Izuku and putting a hand on his back.

"Long time no see, pal!"

"It hasn't been that long, has it?" Izuku thought about it. A couple weeks? Three? Wait, has it been almost a month-!?

"Let's get going!" The Golden Guard began to usher him away.

"And may I ask why you're here," Kikkimora narrowed her eye.

"Emperor Belos wants to see him." The Golden Guard's voice sounded a bit more...cold. "And why wouldn't he?" And back to energetic. "Remember kids, if you study hard and work harder, you too can be noticed by the Emperor's Coven!"

"Wow!/"So cool!"/"He's amazing!"

Izuku noticed Kikkimora's glare, but it disappeared behind a corner and a polite face for the students.

"Soooo," come on Izuku, remember how to talk to people! "How have you been?"

"Busy." The Golden Guard was curt. "Training the best of the best gets exhausting, you know how it is. Except not really, because you're human and humans can't use magic." He said with a chuckle before putting his hand on Izuku's shoulder. "Right?"

Izuku squeaked, eyes averting away to anything but the Golden Guard. "Uh, right. No magic here." His eyes went to the walls and ceiling, and its perfect gold and white walls, the ever-lit torches, metal pipes-

Wait...metal pipes?

cre-eeeaaak!

ba-dump. ba-daump. ba-dump.

Izuku froze. In the darkness, lit only by two fires, was a giant beating heart. More metal pipes were laid around, connecting to each other at seemingly random points. Ornate banners framed not only the pulsating organ but a golden throne as well, upon which a figure in a golden horned mask sat patiently.

"Ah, the human."

The masked figure spoke gently, barely above a whisper. This was the Emperor. Izuku's brain finally put two and two together to make the most terrifying four. The slight echo and the pulsing heart made a chill ripple through Izuku nonetheless. The boy could not help but instinctively go on all fours and bow.

"Now now, none of that. You did well to bring him to me, Hunter. Please, give us a moment."

"Of course, uncle." The Golden Guard, his name apparently being Hunter, helped Izuku up, not letting go and instead leaning closer. "I'll be right outside. Don't-"

"Now."

The Golden Guard stiffened, and wordlessly left Izuku with Emperor Belos.

"Please excuse my nephew's behavior," the Emperor continued. "He doesn't get out much. Might as well have been born yesterday." He chuckled again. "So, young man, what is your name? It's been a while since I've met another human."

"I-Izuku Midoriya, Y-Your Majesty." Izuku bowed a little less this time.

Emperor Belos nodded. "Midoriya, you say? Would that happen to be the same 'Midori' I heard about from the Covention?"

Yep, Izuku was a dead man. "Y-yes...?" The Emperor was silent. "I'm sorry!" He bowed again. "I didn't mean to cause so much trouble! I-!"

"Shhh." The Emperor's voice was low and soft, but there was still an echo somehow. He gestured, taking a more casual posture. "I am simply in awe of your adaptability. The Demon Realm is a dangerous place after all. Tell me, have you learned any magic at all from your dear teacher?"

"O-oh." Izuku looked around. "I need something to write with-" he squeaked again, seeing the Emperor tower over him.

"Here." The Emperor knelt down and took something out from under his cape, revealing a green wooden rabbit with yellow antlers. He snapped its head off, and within the rabbit was a glowing green liquid inside. "Try this."

Not wanting to be rude, Izuku was about to accept the gesture.

BA-DUMP

The beating of a heart, be it his own or the giant one hanging just overhead, was suddenly much much louder. His hand was hovering just above the glowing substance. An inch more, and he could touch it. But the pulse in his ears kept him from moving even a centimeter closer. As if something was telling him not to. Begging him to not dirty his hands.

knock-knock

And just as suddenly as the pulse became loud and deafening, it was gone.

"Emperor Belos," the Golden Guard's voice spoke through the door. "The Construction Coven is here about the 'special' project again."

Emperor Belos suddenly stood up. "It seems I am needed elsewhere." He held up the broken rabbit over his head, dripping the entire reservoir of the green substance into the eye hole of his mask. He let out a shuddering breath, the empty figurine falling to the floor. "Run along now, little one. I'm sure we'll have more time to talk soon."

"Coming through!" A short bulky man practically shoved Izuku out of the way, followed by a number of scouts carrying equipment. Metal pipes to be exact.

Izuku looked at the broken wooden figure on the floor, the pulse in his ears getting a bit louder. The color in the rabbit had dulled. What once was a soft but vibrant color not unlike fresh spring grass now looked rotten and dea-

"-!" He gasped when someone pulled him away.

"Sh-!" The same voice shushed him. "What did you two talk about?"

"Huh-wha-?" Izuku shook his head as he realized who he was talking to now. "H-Hunter, right?"

The masked boy tightened his grip on his staff. "It's Golden Guard, to you."

Oh.

"Look, uncle said you're important." the Guard looked over his shoulder towards the Emperor as he oversaw the process. "And if the emperor says the Titan has plans for you, you need to act like it. If you don't..." he looked down. "Just, do what he says. Please."

Before Izuku could respond, the door to the throne room was shut in his face, yet he swore he could still hear the pulse in his ears.

ding

Another message on his Penstagram from Eda, inviting him to the Owl House for 'real' magic lessons.

Izuku blinked, looking at the doors to the throne room, then began typing a message to someone.