Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

A digital alarm clock went off at 6:45 a.m. in the upstairs bedroom of a country farmhouse. A teenage boy named Vesper Sparks turned it off. Vesper was a slender German American with fair skin, freckles, and light blue eyes. His medium-length dark hair had long bangs that fell to the right without obscuring his face. While his hair was shaggy on a good day, his bedhead made it look even worse.

His blue bedroom featured brown furniture with purple accents. A twin storage bed by the window was covered with a matching bedspread, and a trunk held a pillow for a dog. A nightstand with an alarm clock and a dresser with a lamp flanked either side. Nearby, a tall bookshelf was filled with books beside a desk with a silver desktop, a violet chair, and another bookshelf. A bay window held more books and a telescope. Across the room was another bookshelf and an aquarium with Vesper's trophies displayed above. Near the door, a science area included a desk with a cabinet, a fridge, drawers, a microscope, a monitor, and various plants. The wall was decorated with a periodic table and samples from his experiments. By the closet, a measuring stick hung over a shelf of books and an additional wall-integrated bookshelf. A golden full-body mirror from his sister’s boyfriend and a violet bean bag chair stuffed with books were also present. A floor lamp stood next to the bean bag, along with a chandelier above. Glow-in-the-dark stars and a mobile solar system adorned the bed area. His walls were decorated with family pictures and posters for “Cosmic Frontier” and other shows he enjoyed.

Slipping on thick black glasses, Vesper got up and began his morning routine. After making his bed, he went to the bathroom, brushed his teeth, and made his hair somewhat neater with a hairdryer and a comb. Vesper then changed for school, putting on a blue-gray and teal, long-sleeve T-shirt, a dark maroon zipper vest, midnight indigo jeans, and black and white sneakers.

After feeding the fish and watering his plants, he gathered all his supplies into a dark violet backpack with indigo pockets. His movements woke his dog, Spike, who yawned before greeting his human with a bark. Spike was a Drentse Patrijshond, a type of hunting spaniel. He appeared to be less than two years old, although they had had him for longer than that. Primarily white with large brown patches, his coat was medium-long yet dense. He wore a dark indigo collar with silver spikes and a gold tag.

“Morning, buddy.” Vesper petted him happily. Spike yipped again before following his human out the door.

Heading downstairs, Vesper greeted an older man in the kitchen. “Hey, Cade!”

“Morning, Vesper,” Cadence replied while eating his bagel.

Cadenza Lovelace, known as Cadence or Cade, was an athletic man in his mid-twenties. He stood at 6’1” and had fair skin, short golden-blond hair, and light purple eyes. He wore a light blue shirt under a turquoise jacket, gray jeans, and black-and-white sneakers with gold accents. Cadence wore a black sports watch and a gold necklace featuring an ice-blue gemstone.

Cadence was the boyfriend of Vesper’s older sister, Alexis, and had previously babysat Vesper when he was younger. Now, he was an art teacher at Graveside High, where Vesper was a student.

“Ready for school?”

“Always,” Vesper said, filling Spike’s food and water dishes. “Did Dad already leave?”

“He was heading out when I got here.”

Vesper’s dad, Noah, ran an apple orchard near the house. It wasn’t uncommon for him to be gone by the time Vesper got up.

“Summer vacation starts in a few days,” Cadence continued as Vesper set down the bowls for the dog. “Have any plans?”

“Yes, yes, I do! Big plans! My equipment detected this strange energy from the old house just outside our property!” Vesper replied, pouring himself some cereal, unaware that Cadence and Spike tensed at the mention of the old house. “If I can collect enough data on these bizarre frequencies, I could analyze their waveforms to determine their origins! That would practically guarantee my admission into the Everton Independent Study Program!”

“I’ve actually been meaning to talk to you about that,” Cadence said, looking at Vesper with concern. “Are you sure that’s what you really want?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?” Vesper asked, still excited about the upcoming break. “A program that allows me to focus all my attention on my own advanced math and science projects? It’s a dream come true!”

“But there won’t be any classrooms with other students. You’ll be doing everything on your own,” Cadence stressed.

“That is why it’s called an independent study program,” Vesper replied, not understanding the fuss.

Cadence sighed, then stood up and placed his hands on the teen’s shoulders. “Vesper, I had to give up some of my high school years, and I missed out on a lot. I don’t want you to have those same regrets.” Vesper didn’t know the entire story, but Cadence had lived with them since he was a baby. Some behaviors, like always locking his bedroom door, indicated to Vesper that he had escaped from a troubled home life and had to drop out of school for a time.

“Is this about what happened two years ago?” Vesper asked. When Cadence didn’t respond immediately, he sighed tiredly and stepped back. “I’m fine, Cade. I may never be completely “okay,” but I’m fine. I’ve thought it over and decided I’m ready to try again.”

“All I’m saying is that being around other people isn’t a bad thing,” Cadence explained, smiling reassuringly at him. “Sometimes, it’s how you learn the most about yourself.”

“I guess…” Vesper replied, still not entirely convinced.

“At least think about it a bit longer, okay? You can still do your research if you want, but please be careful. That house is practically condemned.”

“Okay…” Vesper agreed, managing a smile in return.

Cadence smiled and nodded, accepting his answer for the moment. “Now, we need to leave in fifteen minutes. I made our lunches, so you finish breakfast while I wait for you at the car.” Vesper watched the older male leave, then groaned, unable to hide his frustration.

“What is he so nervous about? I’m ready for Everton. Besides, I’m not going to be at Graveside forever.” He looked down at Spike when the partridge hound nudged him, whimpering softly. Vesper smiled slightly, kneeling to pet him. “You, too?”

Spike gently bit Vesper’s sleeve and tugged on it as if to say he didn’t want him to go. “I’m fine, Spike, really,” Vesper hugged his canine friend before ruffling his fur again. “I’m not alone anymore. I have my best canine friend, my best human friend at school, plus my family. I’ve got everything I need. I’m just ready to take the next steps in my life.”

Spike barked happily, licking his human. “Okay, Spike, okay,” Vesper laughed before gently pushing the dog away. “I need to finish breakfast. We can play after school.”

Spike barked again before returning to his bowls. Vesper smiled and dug into his food. While eating, he pulled out his mauve cellphone and sent a quick message to his best friend.

TheAlchemist: Morning! Ready for school?

Luzura: You bet! I’m gonna wow my teacher with my book report! That A is mine!

She topped it off with a cheering emoji before sending a separate text to Vesper.

Luzura: Ready for summer? (Sunglasses Emoji)

TheAlchemist: Yup! With the project I’ve got planned, that Everton scholarship is mine!

Luzura: Isn’t that the group you tried to get into two years ago?

TheAlchemist: Yeah, but you know what was going on at that time. They’ve reopened applications, and this time, I’ll be ready. I probably won’t be around much this summer since I’ll be focusing on my research.

Luzura sent a sad emoji paired with a puppy-dog eyes emoji, which made Vesper chuckle fondly.

TheAlchemist: Don’t worry, Luz. The group has an option that allows me to study from home. We’ll still be able to see each other.

Luzura: You’ll still go to the conventions with me, right?

TheAlchemist: Duh (smirk emoji)

Luzura: Yea! (excited emoji)

Vesper smiled before placing his phone down to finish his breakfast. “Hopefully, today will be an easy day.”

( Timeskip )

A witch with green hair and a staff backflipped onto a cliff, sliding to a stop. She gritted her teeth as she glared up at a large purple snake.

“Foolish child! I could swallow you whole!” the giant creature hissed at her.

“Do not underestimate me, Gildersnake, for I am the Good Witch Azura,” she gestured to herself. “Warrior of peace!” She posed as the wind blew through her hair before kneeling and holding her staff like a bazooka. “Now eat this, sucka!” She fired the staff, hitting the snake.

“No! My only weakness: dying!” it cried out, collapsing to the ground with a thud.

“And that's the end,” Luz Noceda, a Dominican-American girl with dark brown hair in a pixie cut, finished reenacting the scene with an actual live snake. She smiled at her mother, Camila Noceda, and the principal, Mr. Hal.

“The end of what?” Camila asked, looking confused.

“My book report.” The snake hissed and bit the doll. Vesper, sitting a few inches away from her, flinched slightly. “I think I knocked it out of the park.”

The principal sighed. “Your book report is why you're in here,” he said, gesturing to his office door. Through the window, two students ran by outside, screaming as snakes bit their heads.

“Oh. That's where the backup snakes were,” Luz commented casually.

“Uh, why am I here?” Vesper asked nervously, glancing at his father and trying not to flinch under his stern gaze.

Nicolaus Sparks, a farmer and the former Chief of Police for the Gravesfield P.D., was built like a brick house. He was a muscular middle-aged man with brown eyes and short, receding dark brown hair. He wore a red flannel shirt with rolled-up sleeves, blue work jeans, and brown work boots.

“You’re here because Luz credited you for helping her with this.”

“What?!” Vesper gasped, looking at his friend in betrayal.

“What? Remember last week when I asked you what kind of snakes weren’t poisonous?”

“I thought you were asking about your biology homework!”

“And what were you going to do with this?” Camila asked her daughter, concerned, as she held up several firecrackers tied together.

“That was for the Act Three closer,” the girl admitted, her shoulders sagging while Vesper went pale at the sight of it.

“Which I was told Vesper also helped with,” Principal Hal added.

“You told me those were for the Fourth of July!” Vesper glared at her accusingly.

“Would you have helped me with it if you knew what it was for?” Luz replied bluntly.

Vesper pinched the bridge of his nose beneath his glasses. Luz may have been his best friend, but her inability to think things through drove him up the wall. “Luz, I love you, and I know you wanted to do something different, but the first rule of firework safety is don’t set them off indoors!” he emphasized, trying to make Luz understand.

Luz was about to respond but paused when she considered Vesper's words. She blushed with embarrassment when she realized he was right. “Ohhh, heh, heh,” she chuckled sheepishly. “I didn’t think of that…” Vesper slapped his forehead, wondering what he was going to do with her.

Nicolaus sighed heavily, causing Vesper to suppress a flinch. “Vesper–”

“Kids,” Camila interrupted him, bending down to the kids. “We love your creativity and ingenuity, but it’s gotten out of hand. Do you remember why you were sent to the principal’s office the last three times?”

( First Time )

Luz was auditioning for a role in Romeo and Juliet. Dressed in a bright green princess dress and hat, she recited Juliet’s lines from the death scene.

“O happy dagger, give me death!”

She pretended to stab herself with a spork, dropping to her knees. Luz then ripped open the top of her dress, causing several sausage links to tumble out. Everyone else on stage screamed and ran away as Luz fell to the ground, pretending to be dead.

That same day, Vesper was helping with prop making and stage construction. When the other kids struggled to move one of the backdrops, he used a small droid he had built to help position it. However, the stage piece was too heavy for the robot to handle. It broke under the weight, causing the set piece to topple over and become damaged.

“Must have miscalculated the weight tolerance….” Vesper muttered to himself, smiling sheepishly as everyone else glared at him.

( Second Time )

Luz used taxidermied animal parts in art class to create a baby griffin. She was sewing a pigeon's head onto a squirrel's body mounted on a platform. "Now for the final anatomically correct touch," Luz declared as she opened the model's beak. Spider breath." Numerous spiders began crawling out, scuttling over her and the table. Luz remained utterly unfazed, but her classmates reacted poorly. People screamed in terror, hurling objects in fright.

Meanwhile, in his chemistry class, Vesper worked on a powder that could change the color of fire. Wearing safety goggles and a lab coat, Vesper carefully sprinkled the dust over the open flame of his Bunsen burner, watching with delight as it shifted from orange to purple. “Success!” he cheered quietly. However, the powder produced some smoke, triggering the fire alarms. Vesper jumped in shock as his classmates screamed, and he was suddenly drenched with water from the sprinklers, extinguishing the flames.

( Third Time )

For reasons Vesper would never comprehend, Luz tried out for the cheer squad. Dressed in an orange and white uniform paired with a gray T-shirt, she observed a blonde girl with a pink hair stripe successfully execute a backflip, drawing applause from all the other students.

“You think that’s an impressive trick?” Luz scoffed, tossing her pom-poms aside before turning away. “Take a look at this.” She turned around to showcase that she had flipped her eyelids inside out. “Bleep, bloop, bleep!”

Unfortunately, she did not receive the reaction she had hoped for. Everyone else screamed and ran, and at least one person gagged.

Meanwhile, Cadence and Alexis encouraged Vesper to try out for a sports team. He randomly picked basketball. Just as Vesper was about to take a shot, one of the cheerleaders bumped into him, causing him to miss. The ball ricocheted off the back of the hoop and struck the coach's head hard enough to knock him out. Vesper stared wide-eyed as some other players rushed to check on the man.

“Oops...”

( Present Day )

“Why does that one even count? It was an accident!” Vesper argued.

“We all love that you two express yourselves,” Camila continued, though the principal’s glare indicated otherwise. “But if you can’t learn to separate fantasy from reality, you may need to spend the summer here.” She pulled a pamphlet from her purse, holding it out. It read, “Reality Check Summer Camp.” On the front, a red-headed kid was crammed inside a box under the words, “Think INSIDE The Box.”

Vesper turned to his father with a wide-eyed, ‘You can’t be serious!’ expression. However, the older man hardened his stern demeanor, signaling that this wasn’t up for discussion. The teen bit his lip and turned away from his father, catching Luz’s attention as she reluctantly took the brochure.

“Don’t worry, Mom, Mr. Sparks. We won’t let you down,” Luz said, standing up triumphantly. “No more weirdness!”

But just as those words left her mouth, the snake in Luz's hand suddenly jumped out and bit the principal. He fell to the ground with a yell while the snake hissed. Everyone stared for a moment before Luz nervously glanced at her mom. “That doesn’t count, right?”

( Sometime Later )

Unfortunately, it did count.

It was now the day Vesper would leave with Luz for summer camp. The teen was doing some last-minute packing, stuffing items into a brown messenger bag decorated with star pins, a few different anime buttons, and a Cosmic Frontier keychain. His movements were stiff as he worked, barely holding back his frustration.

Of all the ways he envisioned his summer, this was not one of them! He didn’t even know who he was angriest with.

Luz for getting him into this mess?

Mrs. Noceda for suggesting the camp in the first place?

His father for making him go?!

At that last thought, Vesper growled, slamming his hands on the mattress next to his bag. Spike, who had been lounging on his pillow, flinched with a whimper at the sound. He had never seen his human this upset before.

Hearing the noise, Vesper snapped out of his anger. Sighing wearily, he sat on the bed, his head in his hands. “I’m sorry, Spike….” He murmured an apology, still bowed. “Why can’t they accept me for who I am…?” Spike whined again before hopping off the pillow. He padded over to Vesper, resting his head on the human’s knee to offer comfort.

“How’s the packing going?” a female voice asked from the doorway. Vesper turned to see Alexis leaning against the door frame, with Cadence poking his head in from the other side.

Vesper and Alexis shared a ten-year age gap. Alexis stood at 5’7”, athletic-looking, and fair-skinned. She had long brown hair and darker blue eyes than Vesper. In her Gravesfeild police uniform, Alexis was the youngest person to be made sergeant in the department’s history.

Vesper sighed, leaning back on his bed. “It’s done. I’m just… venting.”

“Guess it’s safe to say there won’t be a father-son trip anytime soon,” Cadence joked, trying to lighten the mood. However, everyone else didn’t appreciate his comment, glaring at him in response. Even the dog was giving him a look. “Yeah, sorry, not the best time for jokes…” Cadence apologized sheepishly.

Vesper groaned as he flopped back onto his bed. “I really don’t wanna do this.”

“Not excited to learn how to balance a checkbook or appreciate public radio?” Alexis quipped, trying her luck.

“I already know how to balance a checkbook,” Vesper grumbled before heading to his science corner to check his things. “I had to help Cade learn how. Also, radio? In the era of streaming and podcasts?”

The young adults looked at each other, unsure of what to say. Although both were worried about Vesper’s asocial behavior, they didn’t think this camp was a good idea. Cadence had privately expressed that he was offended by the camp’s premise.

“Look, I know this isn’t how you imagined spending your summer,” Alexis said gently, walking over to him. “But maybe this could be a good thing….”

“Not you, too….” Vesper muttered, realizing where this conversation was heading.

“Hear me out,” she insisted before continuing. “Just… give the camp a chance. Maybe you’ll meet some kids who hate the place as much as you do, and you can bond over that.”

“Why are you both so insistent that I make more friends? I have you guys, I have Spike, and I have Luz. Isn’t that enough?” Vesper questioned, sighing as he finished covering his microscope. “Besides, no one wants to be friends with the boy genius…” Vesper was startled when Cadence placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, prompting him to look at the older man’s sympathetic smile.

“Well, maybe you just haven’t found people who appreciate your genius, and you may find those people at camp.”

“But only if you try,” Alexis added. “Can you at least give it a chance? Even if you don’t like it?”

Vesper looked at them before glancing down, considering their words. Sighing again, he nodded. “Okay… I’ll try, but I make no promises.”

“That’s all we’re asking for.” Alexis smiled, pulling Vesper into a hug.

Cadence ruffled Vesper’s hair and kissed him on the temple. “You ready to go? You were gonna meet Luz at the bus stop and go together.”

“Can I have a few more minutes?” Vesper requested as they released him. “I want to make sure all my equipment is turned off downstairs.”

“Okay,” Alexis nodded. “But don’t take too long.”

“Alright,” Vesper agreed before grabbing his bag and heading for the door. “Come on, Spike!” Spike barked, tail wagging as he followed his human, sensing that he had perked up again.

Vesper walked to the basement and flipped on the lights, revealing a small homemade science lab. Two desks and an extra table held the equipment. One desk featured a desktop computer, a microscope, and a few beakers, while the other had a laptop, a mouse, a desk lamp, and a stack of books. The additional table supported various monitors measuring wavelengths. A corkboard on the wall displayed more data, pictures, and red strings connecting related pieces.

Vesper moved around the room, double-checking saved data and shutting down the equipment. As he approached the work table with the laptop, he was startled by a beeping noise from a device he had assembled to track the strange energy from the abandoned house in the woods. The device was a handheld invention with a wavelength screen and several knobs to adjust the frequency it detected. Near the top were two antennas reacting to the energies the device was registering.

Picking it up, Vesper turned some dials to get a more precise reading. “I’ve never seen numbers like these before….” The counter spat out a paper strip with the readings recorded on it. He tore it off, tacked it on his board, and connected another string.

“No doubt about it, Spike,” Vesper declared, adjusting his glasses. “There’s something strange going on with that house.”

“Vesper.”

The teen genius was startled nearly into dropping his invention when his father opened the basement door. “Dad!” he gasped, setting the device down and quickly shutting off his laptop.

“What are you doing down here?” Nicolaus asked as he came down the stairs.

“Just… shutting things off.” Vesper sighed, disappointment washing over him again. Just when he had gotten an interesting reading for his research…

“I’m going to get my bag…” he muttered, walking past his father without a glance. Spike followed his human, discreetly shooting Nicolaus a dog-like glare for upsetting his friend yet again.

Nicolaus sighed as his son left the basement. He knew Vesper was unhappy about this, but it was for his own good. “Vesper…” he called, following the teenager. “Wait!” Vesper stopped in the hallway but didn’t turn around. “I know you don’t want to go to camp, but please try to understand. I’m glad you take your studies seriously, but throwing yourself into them isn’t good for you.”

Vesper didn’t respond, crossing his arms to signal his disagreement with his father. Noah sighed, realizing his youngest was going to be stubborn. “Look, Vesper. Camp is an opportunity to… branch out and discover… new interests. And meet new people….”

Instead of soothing Vesper, however, his dad’s words unleashed a wave of long-buried anger and frustration. Before he could suppress it, a bitter chuckle escaped his lips. “Stop sugarcoating it…” he muttered.

“What?” His dad replied, surprised by his son’s outburst.

Vesper spun around, glaring at his father as he spat, “Just say it! Just say you don’t like me hanging out with Luz and want me to be someone else!”

“I never said that–!”

“You didn’t have to! It was written all over your face!”

“Vesper–”

“Everyone always says to be yourself, but everyone gets mad at me when I do!”

“Vesper!” Nicolaus snapped, cutting his son off as he calmed down before continuing sternly. “Vesper, your obsession with science is getting out of control! Last week, your experiment blew out the power in the neighborhood! You’re lucky you weren’t arrested! And how many times have Luz’s antics gotten you in trouble?! This last one could’ve gotten you both expelled!”

Vesper didn’t respond, but his clenched fists betrayed his anger. “What I’m saying is maybe it’s time to find some new interests.”

Vesper bit his lip as hot tears gathered in his eyes. Unable to hold it in any longer, he finally shouted what he had held back for a while. “Well, sorry, I’m nothing but an embarrassment to you!” he cried, taking Nicolaus by surprise. “Sorry, I’m not the son you want me to be! Sorry, I’m too much like Mom!”

The teen panted after his outburst, tears streaming down his face as he glared at his father. Nicolaus stared back at him in stunned silence, unsure how to react. Vesper had never raised his voice or snapped at anyone before, as far as the older man could remember. Shock and guilt were warring inside him as he tried to figure out how to diffuse the situation. However, Vesper didn’t give him a chance. Unable to take it any longer, he spun around and ran for the door, Spike on his heels.

“Vesper!” Nicolaus called, but Vesper didn’t stop. He burst out of the front entrance, tearing around the side of the house and through their apple orchard. Even with his vision blurred by tears, Vesper knew the path by heart. After sprinting down the forest path, he halted to catch his breath when he spotted Luz’s house. Wiping away his tears, he walked around the house and saw Luz standing there, disappointed, in front of the bus stop.

Vesper walked over and stood beside her, Spike right next to him. “Hey…” he said hoarsely, catching her attention.

“Hey…” Luz replied, then noticed how upset he looked. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

Before he could answer, her mother walked out of the house. “Oh! Oh, my baby!” She enveloped Luz in a hug, but it was not returned. Vesper didn’t even look at her when Camila turned toward him. “Hola, Vesper!”

“Hi…” Vesper muttered, stepping pointedly to the other side of Luz. It wasn’t hard for Camila to guess what was wrong.

“I know this isn’t how either of you imagined your vacation going, but don't worry. Summer camp is only going to be for three months. You'll be so busy balancing checkbooks and learning to… appreciate public radio, the time will fly by!”

“I’m sure even normal teens find that stuff boring,” Vesper muttered, causing Camila to frown.

“And I don't like any of that stuff,” Luz pointed out. “I like editing anime clips to music and—and reading fantasy books with convoluted backstories.” She pulled out a book from her favorite series, The Good Witch Azura.

“Mija, your fantasy world is holding you back,” Camila told her. “Do you have any friends besides Vesper? Real ones, not imagined or drawn or reptilian?” Luz dropped her book, disappointed but aware her mother was right. “Summer camp is a chance to make friends, but you have to try.” She slowly walked past her mother to the trash bin. “Can you do that?”

“Yes, Mom.” Luz sadly placed the book in the trash. Vesper watched her sympathetically over his shoulder.

Alexis’s cruiser pulled up, and the young sergeant stepped out. “Good, I beat the bus,” she said, walking over to her brother with his bag. “Hey… you ran out of the house without this…”

Vesper silently took it and slung it over his shoulder. “Thanks, sis…” Alexis patted her brother’s shoulder before looking at Camila and silently asking if she still thought this was a good idea. The veterinarian glanced away, feeling guilty, starting to realize something was wrong.

“Vesper–” Before she could say anything, the radio in her car went off, signaling it was time to report for duty. “I gotta go,” she said, hugging her brother. “Have fun.” Alexis got in her squad car and drove away.

Seconds later, Camila’s phone vibrated in her purse. “Oh, I gotta go to work.” She kissed Luz’s forehead. “Your bus is coming soon. Text me when you get there. Cuídate mucho, mi hija. ¡Qué te vaya bien!” She walked away from the teens.

“Bye, Mom.” When her mom was gone, Luz turned to Vesper. “I’m sorry,” she said. “This is all my fault.”

“It’s not all your fault,” Vesper replied. “I did my fair share of stunts, too.”

“I still don’t get why that mess at the basketball tryouts was part of it.”

“I’m pretty sure the coach just doesn’t like me,” Vesper said, chuckling softly.

Luz giggled slightly but then sighed sadly. “Well, this is going to be a lousy summer.”

“Yeah,” Vesper agreed, already feeling miserable. “So much for getting into Everton…”

The two friends fell silent, mourning their lost summer. After a moment, Luz said, giving her friend a small, optimistic smile, “At least we have each other.”

Vesper looked at her before returning her smile. “Yeah. Misery enjoys company.”

They laughed, causing Spike to perk up again. “Let me just grab my–!” Luz started to say before gasping suddenly. Before Vesper could ask what was wrong, she began rummaging through the trash can, realizing her book was missing. “Where is it? Where is it?”

They heard an owl hoot and saw a little brown owl holding a sack in its beak with Luz’s Azura bag sticking out.

“What the…?” Vesper blinked, confused by what they were seeing. The owl then turned and started flying away.

“Tiny trash thief!” Luz yelled before chasing after him, alarming Vesper.

“Luz, wait!” He chased after the girl, his dog right behind him. They followed the owl into the woods, taking an old forest path that had been there for years. The teens and dog stopped when they spotted the owl hopping toward a decrepit, abandoned house—the same one Vesper had planned to observe that summer. An ominous wind swept past as they stared at the structure, making the summer day feel colder. Spike growled lowly beside the teens, clearly uneasy about the place.

Luz and Vesper appeared just as nervous about the site as Spike was. Before they could reconsider their plan, Luz growled, steeling her nerves before continuing after the owl again. “Luz!” Vesper called out, running after the girl.

Both teens dashed inside the house, unaware of the front door slamming shut behind them or the bright light filling the entire interior, visible through the windows and holes in the roof. Spike yelped at the sights and sounds, whimpering when he didn’t see his human or friend return.

( A few seconds later )

A mysterious, ornate door with an eye decoration unfolded in three parts before opening. The owl hopped through with a hoot, still clutching the sack. Luz followed a few seconds later, and Vesper was right behind her.

“Stop adorably hopping away, you–Huh?” Luz began to say before she realized her surroundings had changed, causing her to pause. Vesper stopped and bent over to catch his breath behind her as they looked around, noticing they weren’t in the house anymore. Emerging from the other side of the door, the teens found themselves in a tent filled with old odds and ends.

“Whoa. I thought I had a lot of weird stuff,” Luz remarked before picking up a creepy-looking doll on a rack. “But this? This is impressive.”

“Forget that. How did we end up here?” Vesper questioned, bewildered by their sudden transition from a house to a tent.

“Finally, you’re back!” a woman exclaimed suddenly. Luz and Vesper gasped and dropped to the ground. They peeked back up, exchanging glances before moving forward. “Now, let’s see what we’ve got here,” the woman said as Luz pulled aside the tent flap. Outside stood a pale woman with long gray hair facing away from them. She wore a red dress and a green polka-dot bandana, carrying a long brown pole almost her height.

The little owl hooted before landing on top of the pole. It twisted around, becoming a wooden fixture atop the staff. The friends gasped once more, astonished by what they had just witnessed. They continued to watch as the woman began rummaging through the bag her owl had brought back. After a moment, the strange woman pulled a smartphone from the sack. "Garbage..." She tossed it aside before searching again, finding a diamond ring. "Garbage..." She discarded it and continued sifting through the items. This time, she discovered a golden, shining chalice, but for some reason, that also failed to impress her as she tossed it aside. “Garbage…”

Suddenly, the woman gasped in delight when something in the bag caught her eye. “Now this…” She pulled out a pair of joke glasses with eyes on springs and put them on. “This will make me rich.” Vesper wore a confused look as they watched her. How did she think gag glasses were going to make her rich?

“And this…” She pulled Luz’s book from the bag, prompting the teens to gape silently. “Oh, this will make good kindling.” She held the book over a candle to burn it, making Luz gasp in horror. Before Vesper could intervene, she dashed out of the tent.  

“Luz!”

“Excuse me! Sorry! That’s mine! Thank you!” she said, snatching her book from the woman, who was taken by surprise.

She rushed into the tent with Vesper and headed toward the door. However, the door folded up, transformed into a case and vanished just before they could pass through. The woman stood behind them, holding a key adorned with the same eye design as the door. “You two aren’t going anywhere,” she said menacingly as she removed her glasses.

“Wha–ah!” Luz yelped in fear, shoving her Azura book into her messenger bag as Vesper quickly pulled her under the back of the tent.

“Come on!”

They started to run but suddenly skidded to a halt just inches from a cliff. Gazing in terrified awe, they realized they were no longer in Connecticut—or even on Earth. Before them lay a bizarre, old-fashioned town adorned with Gothic architecture; some buildings resembled teeth and clawed arms, with one even grasping a flying dragon-like creature out of the air. Below, the city bustled with inhabitants engaged in their daily routines, but there was an unsettling twist: none appeared human. A cloaked figure clutched an ice cream cone that seemed to attempt to munch on a nearby passerby while the legs of what looked like a giant chicken strolled by. Meanwhile, a centipede-like creature opened its jaws, allowing a winged being to emerge; they shared a quick kiss before parting ways.

“Oh, no, no, no, no!” Luz exclaimed in a panic while Vesper stared in horrified shock as they backed away from the cliff. “What's going on?” Suddenly, a fairy-like creature approached Luz, causing her to leap back with a shriek and startling Vesper. “Oh, hello, little fairy,” she said with a nervous smile. “Are you going to tell me this is all a fantastical dream?”

“Give me your skin!” it suddenly yelled, revealing rows of sharp teeth in its mouth. The friends screamed in terror as Luz slapped the fairy to the ground.

“Where are we? Did we die?” Luz went on a frantic rant. “Are we in a bad place?”

“Boy, I hope you’re wrong!” Vesper clutched his head in fear. Suddenly, they felt a hand on their shoulders, making them freeze.

“You wish,” replied the woman from before.

She dragged them back to her tent and plopped them onto the stools out front. “I’m so sorry! I just wanted my book! If you’re gonna eat my skin, just make it quick! Just do it now!” Luz yelled frantically as she closed her eyes, offering her elbow. Vesper hugged her protectively, eyes closed for the pain.

“Eat you? Why would I eat…” Eda asked before shifting to a cheerful tone. “A potential customer?” Perplexed by her sudden change in demeanor, the friends opened their eyes and realized that this woman was operating some sort of stand. Her offerings included “human collectibles,” whatever that meant, and various items were for sale. “Can I offer you a human foot filled with holes?” She began displaying her merchandise, first holding up a green Croc, then setting it aside to grab a stick of men's deodorant. “A bar of green human candy? Oh, oh! How about this black shadow box that reflects only sadness?” She pulled out an old portable TV and raised it toward the teens. They glanced at the middle-aged woman before bursting into laughter, Vesper releasing Luz.

“That’s not all it can do,” Luz said as she and Vesper stood up.

“May I?” the teen asked, taking the TV. Vesper glanced at the table and grabbed two batteries from a dish labeled "Human candy! (????).” He placed them in the battery tray and pressed the power button. Immediately, a jazzercise video started playing, filling the air with loud music. “There we go. Good as new.”

The music from the video caught the attention of various customers and vendors in the surrounding marketplace. They had never heard sounds like that before, so they were all very curious. “Huh?”

“What’s that?”

“The sound—it’s so alluring.” Several monsters were now gathered around the TV for a better look.

“I’ll pay forty snails for the screaming box,” one monster offered, waving some green bills.

“I’ll give you a hundred!” another exclaimed, doing the same.

“Can I eat the tiny person inside?” a different creature inquired.

Soon enough, a small auction was underway, and the crowd began bidding. The teenagers watched the group in confusion while the lady looked on in disbelief. “What did you say your names were?” She regarded Luz and Vesper with an impressed smirk, and the teens smiled back.

“I’m Luz,” Luz introduced herself. “Luz Noceda.”

“And I’m Vesper,” Vesper added, adjusting his glasses. “Vesper Sparks.”

“Well, Luz, Vesper, that was pretty clever,” she complimented as she collected money from the monsters. “For a couple of humans.”

The teens each raised an eyebrow at the comment. “That’s kind of a weird thing for another human to say,” Luz remarked on behalf of both of them.

“Oh, dear child,” the woman responded before removing her bandana to reveal pointed ears. “I’m not like you two.” The teens stared in shock as the woman climbed onto the table. “I’m Eda the Owl Lady, the most powerful witch on the Boiling Isles!”

“A witch?” Luz asked softly.

“Boiling Isles?” Vesper murmured, confused.

“I am respected, feared–”

“Busted!” a male voice interrupted, slamming his fist into the TV.

“Run! It's a guard!” a monster yelled.

After that, all the demons ran away, screaming. Vesper and Luz fell to the ground as a large, hulking man loomed over the table, staring at Eda. “Eda the Owl Lady,” he said as she hopped off the table, brandishing a wanted poster of her and a small dog-like creature with a skull, horns, and a red collar. “You are wanted for misuse of magic and demonic misdemeanors!”

“Whoa! Witch criminal!” Luz exclaimed as they leaned over the edge of the table.

“Just our luck!” Vesper groaned softly.

“You are hereby ordered to come with me to the Conformatorium," the man continued, grabbing Eda’s arm.

“Would you guys quit following me around?” Eda complained as she pulled herself free. “I haven't done squat.”

“And you're coming too..."

“Aah!” the teens yelped as they were seized by their vest and hood, respectively.

“… for fraternizing with a criminal!”

“Wh–What?! That’s not cool!” Luz complained, hugging her legs again.

“Oh, come on!” Vesper added, trying to break free from his grip.

“Oh, all right, all right, you win,” Eda surrendered before reaching under the table. “Just let me get my stuff.” She grabbed her staff and swung it at the guard, hitting him in the face. He dropped the teens as he fell to the ground with a grunt. Eda then spun her staff and tapped the bottom on the table, creating a spark of light.

Luz and Vesper picked themselves up off the ground, and Luz retrieved her book. Looking back at Eda, they stared in awe as her belongings floated in midair, surrounded by a yellow aura. “How…?” Vesper’s eyes widened, unable to believe what he saw.

“Whoops. Can't forget this,” Eda said, pulling the key out of her hair. She pressed the eye to summon the portal door to her. Then she closed her hand into a fist, wrapping the tablecloth around all her things. Finally, she stuck her staff through the bundle and started running. “Follow me, humans!”

Not seeing any other options, the teens scrambled after Eda. “This is crazy. If I die here, my mom’s gonna kill me!” Luz stressed.

“Normally, I’d point out your lapse in logic, but now is not the time!” Vesper said, just as freaked out as she was.

“Ha! I won't let 'em hurt you,” Eda reassured her. “Humans like you two are much more valuable to me alive than dead.”

“Wait. What's that supposed to–” Luz questioned before Eda looped her arms around hers, with Vesper quickly grabbing his friend’s arm.

“Whoo-hoo!” she whooped, jumping as she pulled the teens onto her staff before taking off into the sky just as the guard came around the corner.

“You won't get away with this, Owl Lady!” He shook his fist at her before glancing down at his hands. “Yeah, all right. You did. You got away with it. She got away with it, everybody!” After his outburst, the guard walked away in defeat. “Typical.”

( Somewhere in the sky )

The teens had their eyes shut tight in fear as they flew over the Isles, with Luz clutching her book close while Vesper clung to her, tears streaming from both of their eyes. “You can open your eyes now, humans,” Eda said after a few minutes. Luz and Vesper opened their eyes, trying to regain their bearings. The girl looked down and saw the ground whizzing by several feet below them. Startled by the height, Luz yelled in fright, causing Vesper to jolt and let go of her as she nearly fell off the staff.

“Luz!” Vesper cried as she hung upside down like a koala.

"Flying staffs, crazy monsters, you're a witch! What is this place?" she questioned as Eda picked her up and set her right again.

“This is the Boiling Isles,” Eda explained as they soared, various winged creatures flying behind them as she spoke. “Every myth you humans have is caused by a little of our world leaking into yours.”

“Every myth?” Vesper glanced over his shoulder. “Like centaurs, the kraken–”

“When I say every myth, I mean every myth,” Eda replied. A griffin resembling the one Luz created at school flew up next to them and screeched.

“A griffin!” Luz gasped, smiling despite herself. The griffin then regurgitated a bunch of spiders. “I knew it!” she exclaimed, pointing at it.

“That still makes no sense!” Vesper stated, staring at the griffin, dumbfounded.

“Yep. Griffins, vampires, giraffes…” Eda counted off on her fingers.

“Giraffes?” Luz questioned.

“Oh, yeah. We banished those guys,” Eda explained as she dove down to land the staff among the trees. “Bunch of freaks.”

When she hopped off the staff, she didn’t notice that one of her hands had stayed behind. The friends did, however, just in time to witness it move on its own. “Aaah!” they screamed, jumping off the staff.

“Oops,” Eda said, taking her hand and screwing it back on. “That happens sometimes.”

“Okay, Vesper, time to wake up,” the brunette boy said as he got up, slapping his hands to his face. “Ow!”

“Well, I've had enough adventure for today,” Luz said, standing up. “This is clearly not the PG fantasy world I always dreamed about. So, can you help us get back home?”

Eda leveled her staff in front of Luz, startling her before lifting it again. “Only if you help me first.”

“With what?” Vesper asked.

The witch simply chuckled before walking away, her bag trailing behind her. “Ah, now, come along, humans.”

“Whoa!” Luz whispered in awe.

An owl with an uncanny human face cackled from atop a tower before swooping down in front of a peculiar cottage with a large window that resembled an eye. Eda led Luz and Vesper out of the forest and to the front door.

“Aren't you worried about those guards finding us?” Luz asked, glancing over her shoulder.

“Yeah, this place isn’t exactly inconspicuous,” Vesper added skeptically.

“Don’t worry. My house has a state-of-the-art defense system,” Eda replied proudly. Suddenly, the owl carving on the door started to speak.

“Hoot-hoot! Password, please!” it said before Eda poked it in the eyes. “Aah!”

“We got no time for this, Hooty. Let us in,” Eda said, unamused, while the teens exchanged glances.

“All right, all right! Geez! You never want to have any fun! Ow! Hoot!” Hooty grumbled. He opened his mouth wide enough to cover the door entirely. Eda, Vesper, and Luz stepped through (Vesper looked slightly disgusted) while Eda's bag remained outside. Hooty then closed his mouth with a burp.

“Welcome to,” Eda snapped her fingers, “the Owl House…” Suddenly, magic filled the room as candles flared to life. A fire erupted in the fireplace, a cauldron started stirring on its own, and a broom began to sweep the floor. Above them, a glowing image of some kind of owl beast let out a deafening screech. Luz and Vesper watched everything in stunned silence. “… where I hide away from the pressures of modern life. Also, the cops. Mm, also ex-boyfriends,” Eda added, chuckling lightly as the teens gazed around.

“This place is beautiful,” Luz commented, setting her book on the coffee table before turning to Eda. “Do you live here all alone?”

Suddenly, thudding footsteps began shaking the house, causing debris to fall from the ceiling. “Actually, I have a roommate,” Eda replied, crossing her arms.

Luz and Vesper braced themselves as the thudding continued, and a shadow loomed near the doorway. “Who dares intrude upon I,” a deep voice bellowed before softening to a normal tone. “The king of demons?” Then, the dog-like creature from Eda’s wanted poster entered the room, still damp from his bath. He wore a duck and heart towel around his waist and head, squeaking a rubber ducky in his paw. Luz gasped in delight, her eyes shining at how adorable he looked.

“¡Ay, qué lindo!” she exclaimed, rushing forward to scoop him up in a hug, knocking away his towels and ducky.

“Saw that coming,” Vesper muttered, though he was smiling in agreement.

“Eda, he’s so cute!” Luz gushed as she cuddled him like a plush toy. “Who’s a widdle guy? Who’s a widdle guy? Is it you? Is it you?”

“No! I don’t know who your little guy is!” the creature protested, trying to escape Luz’s embrace. “Eda, who is this monster?”

“Oh, this is Luz, the human. And her friend, Vesper,” Eda explained, dragging Luz away from King and setting her down. “They’re here to help us with our little… situation.”

“Oh! Hooray!” he cheered.

“Wait, wait, wait. I don’t like the sound of this ‘situation,’” Luz interjected.

“What exactly do you mean by that?” Vesper asked suspiciously.

“Just… let me explain.” She twirled her hands, forming a circle in the air. As the inside of the ring darkened, images began to appear like a storybook while Eda started narrating. “King was once a mighty king of demons until his Crown of Power was stolen, and he became… this.”

“You mean this little bundle of joy?” Luz asked, hugging King once more.

“When did you pick him up again?” Vesper inquired. 

“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,” Eda narrated as the images faded. “A human like you two. If you help us retrieve his crown, we'll send you back to your realm. So, whaddya say? Plus…” She lifted King by his face and shook him gently. “Who could say no to this cute face?”

“No! Please don’t encourage her!” King cried, squirming until Eda let him go. “Nyeh!”

“I mean, we're kinda your only way home,” Eda added casually.

“Touche,” Vesper deadpanned.

“So, we don’t really have a choice in this, do we?” Luz asked, looking visibly nervous.

“Nope,” Eda confirmed before picking up the teens and tossing them over her shoulder as she headed for the door. “Now, we've got no time to lose.”

“Soon, Mr. Ducky, we shall drink the fear of those who mocked us.” King grabbed his bath toy before following Eda.

“Where are we going?” Luz inquired.

“Somewhere super fun,” Eda replied, staff in hand.

( A few minutes later )

Thunder and lightning crashed as they stood outside a creepy prison with spikes on the walls. “The Conformatorium, a place for those considered unsuitable for society,” Eda explained while the teens cringed, with King riding on Luz’s head for some reason. Stepping back, Luz saw another copy of Eda's wanted poster on the wall they hid behind.

“Whoa,” she murmured, taking it down to look closer. “These guys really have a thing for you.”

“That’s a lot of zeros," Vesper remarked, eyeing the reward.

“Yep,” Eda winked at them. “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 declared before tumbling off Luz’s head. “Aah!”

“Okay,” Vesper sighed. “As much as I don’t like this, what’s the plan?”

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

“And I’m gonna make sure the warden’s distracted,” Eda added, stepping back a few feet.

Luz gasped with excitement. “Will we need disguises?!”

“Uh…” Eda glanced away awkwardly, unsure how to respond to her.

“I’ve been waiting to use this!” The girl pulled up the hood of her shirt, flicking two cat ears upright. “Meow, meow!”

“It’s hideous,” King commented bluntly.

“Oh, you’ll fit right in,” Eda chirped. Vesper smacked his forehead for what felt like the tenth time that week. “Don’t worry, Glasses, I’ve got something for you, too.”

Getting to work, Eda tapped the butt of her staff against the ground, creating a round glowing platform beneath everyone, startling them. Some of the light surrounded Vesper, draping a black hooded cloak over his clothes. “Hang on tight," she said, stepping away from the circle.

“Whoa!” the human gasped as the platform rose. They floated over the prison walls and up to a window in the tower. The moment it stopped, it vanished suddenly. Yelping, Vesper quickly grabbed the edge of the window sill. Luz hugged him around his shoulders while King clung to her feet.

Meanwhile, down below, Eda activated her staff. She tossed it aside and casually sat on it as it took off. “Meet you guys at the top of the tower.” The teens watched her departure as King heaved himself up with a grunt and crawled through the window. With similar grunts, the friends summoned all their strength to pull themselves up and in, landing flat on their faces.

“Ha-ha! Cats don't do that,” King mocked them.

Vesper glanced at him, tapping his fingers against the floor while resting one hand on his cheek. “Let’s just get this over with.”

Luz sat up and gasped as she looked up. Vesper, following her gaze, opened his mouth in astonishment. The three stared in awe at the many prison cells ahead, edging closer to the brink. Each cell housed shadowy creatures of different forms, their eyes flickering with a ghostly glow in the dim light.

“Hey, cat lady, brooding guy.” They turned around to see a female prisoner behind them. “How’d you get out of your cells?”

“Oh, no, no, no. I’m not a cat,” Luz corrected, pulling down her hood. “But now that I think about it, you do look brooding and mysterious…” She glanced at Vesper, who rolled his eyes as he removed his hood. “Also, we’re not criminals.”

“Not yet, you’re not,” King said with a smile.

“Neither are we,” the female prisoner retorted, irritated. “The stupid warden likes to lock people up who don’t fit in.”

“Really?” Vesper’s eyes widened at this revelation.

“Yeah, like I write fanfics of food falling in love.” She pulled out a fanfiction book and opened it to show them a couple of pages illustrating an onion and a carrot behaving like lovers. “I like food, I like love… Just let me write about it.”

“I’m here because I like eating my own eyes.” A blue male prisoner with multiple eyes and empty eye-sockets joined in. As he said this, he plucked an eye out of his head, swallowing it. The eye then floated back into place.

Vesper brought a hand to his mouth to suppress his urge to vomit. “Please don’t do that in front of me again.”

“Vesper’s got a weak stomach,” Luz explained, cupping her hand to her mouth as if she were whispering.

“Oh, sorry.” The prisoner apologized as the male human regained control of his nausea.

“We are agents of fwee expwession! They will never siwence us!” A tiny female prisoner, resembling a head with a large nose, arms, and legs, yelled in a squeaky voice with a lisp.

“Yeah, she’s really big into conspiracy theories,” the first prisoner said, jerking her thumb at her and rolling her eyes.

“The world is a simulation! We are but playthings for a higher being!”

Vesper stared at her before glancing at the witch. “You have my sympathy.”

“Vesper!” Luz shot him a look, aware of where this conversation was heading.

“I’m sorry, but it’s not a glitch in the matrix!" her friend continued to argue. “The bird looks frozen in the air because you’re passing under it! It’s called an optical illusion!”

“Well, you must be a lot of fun at parties,” the witch prisoner quipped with a smirk.

“But back to the point,” Vesper interjected, steering the discussion back. “Even if I disagree, these aren’t crimes. They’re not valid reasons to lock someone up.”

“Vesper’s right. None of you actually did anything wrong,” Luz said as she paced the floor. Her eyes widened slightly before she pulled out Eda’s wanted poster. “You're all just a bunch of weirdos.”

“Like us,” Vesper concluded, feeling sympathy for these people.

Suddenly, thudding footsteps grabbed their attention as the room shook.

“What is that?” Vesper asked slowly, fear creeping into her voice.

“It’s Warden Wrath! Hide!” the first prisoner warned them. Luz yelped in fright, dropping the poster as her friends looked around for an escape. Spotting an open cell, they rushed inside, with Luz pulling the door shut as they entered.

The footsteps continued until the outside door was pushed open. Standing in the doorway was a tall man wearing a medieval doctor’s mask. “I can hear you,” Warden Wrath growled. Luz whimpered, cuddling King between herself and Vesper as the man stomped closer. “Just what are you fools whispering about?” He looked down and saw Eda’s wanted poster that Luz had dropped. “Ah, the Owl Lady.” He picked up the poster, crumpled it, then turned his fist into a hammer and slammed it against the door of the trio’s cell. “I'll get my hands on her soon enough.”

Warden Wrath looked into the cell, where Luz, Vesper, and King were huddled in the corner. “Fight against the oppwessor! We will wesist! We will conquer!” the conspiracy theorist cried out, catching the warden’s attention as he approached her cell. “We will never be afwaid of you, you old cweep!”

Wrath said nothing as he pulled the lever and opened her cell door, the little demon staring in surprise as the bars went up. “Hooway! I'm fwee!” she cheered before she was suddenly grabbed by the warden, his fist fitting around her entire body as she squeaked in fear.

He held her up and pointed at the other two prisoners beside her. “Let this be a lesson to all of you. There's no place in society for you if you can't fit in.” He tightened his grip, causing the prisoner to squeak again. The trio watched fearfully as Warden Wrath stomped away, crushing the crumpled-up wanted poster on his way out. Once the door slammed shut after he was gone, Luz opened the cell, and she, Vesper, and King ran to the fanfiction writer.

“Don’t worry. We can get you out,” Luz assured her, but she couldn't lift it when she tried to pull the lever. “No! My weak nerd arms! Come on, Vesper, I need your help!”

“I know, I know!” Vesper said, glancing at the lever. “Let me just find the right angle for leverage…”

“Just get out of here while you still can, kids. Enjoy freedom for us,” the fanfiction writer said solemnly, her head lowered as she walked deeper into her cell.

The teens stared at her for a moment before reluctantly walking away. It hurt that there was nothing they could do to help.

They headed down a corridor, with King trailing behind when Eda flew in beside them. "Hey, I just checked," she said, hopping off her staff, causing them to pause. "The warden is distracted, tormenting some tiny creature. He won't be coming around here anytime soon."

The teens remained silent as they continued walking, Eda watching them go in confusion. They soon reached a towering door labeled "CONTRABAND." "My crown! It's close! I can sense its power!" King exclaimed excitedly as he ran toward the door. He jumped at the doorknob, which was as big as he was, fiddling with it to get inside.

“Aw, he gets so cute when he's thirsty for power,” Eda smiled.

“This system stinks,” Vesper grumbled, frustration seeping into his sad expression.

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

Eda didn’t have time to consider an answer when they heard King grunt. They turned just in time to see the doorknob clatter to the ground at their feet. King then pushed open the door, cackling as he rushed through. “Come on,” Eda sighed softly before they followed King inside. “Before he hurts himself.”

They heard a zap from within the room before King yelled, “Ow!”

“Too late,” Vesper muttered.

The interior was empty except for a giant glowing pillar in the center. That was most likely the force field Eda had mentioned earlier. King rubbed his head before charging at the pillar headfirst. However, brute force did nothing, and he only launched himself backward, much to his annoyance. Eda knelt beside him with a smile. “We have humans, remember?”

“Oh, yeah.”

Luz and Vesper took deep breaths before nodding to each other. Approaching the pillar, they each reached out a hand as they prepared to pass through. But just as Vesper’s fingertips made contact with the light, a sudden zap surged through his body. With a pained yelp, he stumbled back so quickly that he fell to the ground, almost as if he had been thrown.

“Vesper!” Luz cried as she and the others rushed to his side.

“Easy, kid, easy.” Eda helped him to his knees as he clutched his hurt hand, hissing through his teeth. She turned to Luz and said, “You go ahead, Luz. I’ll keep an eye on him.”

“But–”

“Look, we’ve already been here too long. If we hang around much longer, we’re going to get caught. We might need to bounce as soon as you find the crown,” Eda explained, smiling reassuringly. “Don’t worry. He’s in good hands.”

Luz took one last look at Vesper before nodding to the Owl Lady. Turning back to the barrier, she stepped forward and passed through effortlessly. Inside were piles of what could only be described as junk: everything from books to skulls to a dead fish in a tank. Atop the central pile was a glowing crown.

Luz leaned in for a closer look. “Wait a second. Is that a…”

Back outside, Eda helped Vesper to his feet, but his legs were unsteady from the experience, so she kept a grip on him. Vesper released his hand to check for injuries, relieved to see no blood. However, he noticed his fingertips were slightly red, resembling a minor burn.

“What… What happened?” he asked, looking at the witch in confusion.

Eda wasn’t quite sure what had happened herself. She thought Vesper was human, so why did the barrier zap him? Besides, the shock's intensity increased depending on the strength of the person’s magic. This kind of injury would typically be seen in an upperclassman school witch.

Before she could think of anything to say, they saw Luz step out of the force field. “Did you find it?” Eda asked, pulling away from Vesper.

“I found something…,” Luz replied, looking extremely frustrated. In her hands was a paper crown with “Burger Queen” written on it. The kind of crown a kid would get with a fast food kids’ meal.

“My crown!” King jumped for joy before taking the crown from Luz and placing it on his head. “Yes! Yes! I can feel my powers returning! You there, nightmare critter.” He pointed to a stuffed rabbit with one button eye falling out of a box before picking it up. “I shall call you Francois, and you shall be a minion in my army of darkness. Ha-ha!”

“That crown doesn’t give him any powers, does it?” Luz asked, gesturing to King.

“Uh, no,” Eda replied, receiving glares from the teens. “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 and Vesper exchanged glances before blushing with shy grins. “Yeah, we know,” Vesper said softly.

“Well, we owe you one. Now, let's get out of here before the warden finds us and loses his head,” Eda said, unaware of the figure approaching from behind her.

“Too late.” Warden Wrath loomed over her. He held up his hand as it turned into a blade. With an easy swing, he decapitated Eda. Luz caught her head, causing the teens to scream in horror, thinking Eda was dead. Her tongue was sticking out like a bad fake corpse when suddenly, she blinked and started talking like she was okay.

“Ow! Oh, I hate it when that happens.”

The teens screamed again, this time louder and for longer. “Eda! Are you okay?” Luz asked, her eyes wide with panic.

“Yeah. This just happens when you get older,” Eda replied.

“Does it?” Luz asked, staring at her with wide eyes.

“Please tell me you’re joking!” Vesper squeaked, equally horrified.

“Finally,” the warden said, his hand returning to a normal one with two guards behind him. “I have you cornered, Eda the Owl Lady.” He stepped forward, taking King’s crown.

“Weh?” King gasped.

“My guards could never get you,” Warden Wrath said as he advanced closer to Luz, Vesper, and Eda, with King following. The little demon raised his arms, jumping up and down as he desperately tried to grab his crown. “But I knew if I took your pet's toy, you'd come running.” He then cruelly crumpled the crown in his fist.

“No! My power!” King cried, dropping to his knees.

“What do you want with me?” Eda demanded, glaring at him along with the teens. “I’ve never actually broken any of your stupid laws… in front of you.”

“Not helping your case!” Vesper whispered.

“I want you…” He began, suddenly pulling out a bouquet and dropping to one knee. “to go out with me.”

“Wha…?” Eda responded, taken by surprise.

“What?” Luz questioned, disgusted.

“To what now?” Vesper asked, equally unsettled.

“Go, boss!” one of the guards shouted, while the other gave him two thumbs up.

The warden returned the thumbs-up before focusing back on Eda. “You've always eluded our capture. You've always been the one who got away. I found that alluring.”

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

“Same here,” Vesper added.

“You stay out of this!” Warden Wrath snapped, tossing the bouquet over his shoulder. He then transformed his now free hand into tentacles and grabbed the teens, forcing Luz to drop Eda’s head as the warden lifted them off the ground. “So how about it, Owl Lady?” Wrath asked, gripping her head by the hair. “The most powerful witch of the Boiling Isles and the feared Warden Wrath. We’d be the strongest power couple ever. I mean, it’s– it’s not like you can say no right now.”

Eda looked up at the two friends, struggling to free themselves from the warden's grasp. Then, she glanced at King, who one of the guards had picked up and was fighting for freedom. “All right, Warden,” Eda sighed in defeat. “You win. I'd just like to say something first. Come closer.” He did as she asked, bringing his head closer to her face. “No. Just come a little bit closer. Just…” He pulled her in until she was at eye level with him. “Yeah, that’s good.” Once she was close enough, she blew a raspberry right in his face. Warden Wrath yelled in surprise, dropping the teens, who cried out in shock. He wiped Eda’s spit off his mask as the witch laughed.

“Impudent wench! Don't you know how many germs are in your mouth? Blegh!”

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

“If you don't accept, then I have no choice but to des–Oh!” His threat was interrupted when Luz snuck up behind him and struck him in the head with Eda’s staff, causing him to tumble to the ground with a loud crash.

“Nice!” Eda chuckled, slightly impressed. The other two guards moved closer, prompting her to glare at them. Suddenly, her body, which had been moving on its own the entire time, walked behind them and pulled their hoods over their eyes.

“Okay, we’re going now!” Luz said, grabbing Eda’s head with Vesper right behind her. Eda’s body freed King from the guard’s grip, and Vesper seized her by the waist to lead her away. The owl stretched its wings with a hoot as they mounted the staff. “Expecto… flying? Magicus… escapicus!” Luz said nervously as she tried to make the stick fly.

“Okay, how do we fly this thing?!” Vesper asked in a panic. Warden Wrath grunted as he got up, and Eda narrowed her eyes at him before turning her gaze to the staff.

“Gun it, magic stick!”

The staff took off, and the friends yelped as they raced out the door moments before the warden scrambled to his feet. “Owl Lady,” he growled. “I won’t let you get away again!” His arms transformed into bundles of tentacles, which he used to chase after the staff.

The duo screamed as they made a sharp turn around the corner, flying toward the prison cell area with Warden Wrath in hot pursuit. Luz focused on the levers for the cell doors and got an idea.

“Eda, Vesper, lend me a hand!” she called, raising her hand. Eda and Vesper placed their hands against the back of Luz's hand. As they flew past, they flipped the switches, opening the cells of the three prisoners the friends and King had talked to earlier. All of them looked thrilled as their cell doors opened.

The teens yelled as the heist group burst through an outer door of the Conformatorium, smashing two guards against the wall. The warden followed, front-flipping off a pillar. As they hit open air, the staff plummeted with the team. Wrath extended a tentacle, striking the back of the staff and sending Eda, Luz, Vesper, and King flying off. They tumbled upon hitting the ground while Warden Wrath landed in front, his hand transforming once more into a blade.

“Ow, my bones!” King cried as Eda reattached her head.

“Luz, Vesper…” The witch reached into her hair and pulled out the key to the portal door. “Go back to the human world.” She handed the key to Luz before charging at Warden Wrath.

“What about you guys?” Luz asked as she put the key in her bag.

“Yeah, we can’t just leave you here!” Vesper exclaimed, concerned for them.

“If you think this guy is bad, you shoulda seen her last boyfriend!” King said as he stood up and rushed to join Eda.

“Not my boyfriend,” Eda grumbled, dodging Wrath’s bladed hands. She seized King and leaped out of the way of another strike. “Go! Go!” She urged the teens as she hurried back to them, placing them on her staff.

“But—but we–!”

Before Luz could voice any protests, Eda slapped the bottom of the staff, sending it into the air. The teens screamed as they flew uncontrollably into the sky. Warden Wrath removed his mask, revealing a face that was mostly a mouth. He opened his jaws and breathed a stream of fire at the Owl Lady. Eda skillfully drew two spell circles, one to catch the fire and another to launch it right back at the warden. Wrath slammed back into the wall of the Conformatorium, kicking up a cloud of dust from the impact.

“Seriously, how do you fly this thing?!” Vesper cried.

“I don’t know!” Luz whimpered as the two tried not to fall off the staff. Clinging tightly to the staff, they somehow managed to prevent it from flying away. They looked back down while hovering to see what was happening in the fight. Wrath stood up, brandishing his blade hands and charging toward Eda again. Once he was gone, Luz and Vesper saw the three prisoners peek out of the hole he left in the wall, looking hesitant. Confused, the friends exchanged glances before Luz flew them down to talk to the prisoners.

“Why are you guys just standing there?” Luz asked when they landed. “This is your chance to escape!”

“The warden will catch us. He always does.” The multiple-eyed prisoner looked down sadly.

“We belong here,” the fanfiction writer added.

“Self-doubt is a pwison you can never escape fwom,” the conspiracy theorist remarked, now sporting a black eye.

“So, you have a different way of doing things, a different way of seeing things. That might make you “weird,” but it also makes you awesome. Don't you see?” Luz told them.

“Why are you helping us?” the witch couldn’t help but ask.

“We know what it’s like to be ridiculed for being different,” Vesper answered with determined fire in his eyes. “Just because people don’t understand you or disagree with you doesn’t give them the right to lock you up and make you feel bad about yourself!”

“Plus, us weirdos have to stick together,” Luz added, pulling up her hood as she and Vesper mounted the staff, hovering in the air. “And nobody should be punished for who they are.”

“Yeah!” The three prisoners cheered, feeling emboldened by their encouraging words.

“Now, let’s get ‘em!” Luz yelled, turning the staff around and flying back toward the fight, the prisoners running behind them.

Eda was thrown against the ground a few feet away, and a second later, King was flung into her arms. "No more running away, Owl Lady," Warden Wrath loomed over them, his blade hands raised. "Today, I capture you once and for all!" King whimpered, hiding his face in Eda's chest as the witch glared defiantly.

“Go, go, go, go!” Luz shouted. The prisoners screamed, catching the warden off guard. They charged at him, knocking him away from King and Eda as Luz and Vesper flew past them.

“Luz? Vesper?” Eda asked, staring after them.

“I eat my own eyes!” the multi-eyed creature proclaimed, pushing Wrath back.

“I think the world is a twiangle!” The conspiracy theorist used her small stature to trip Wrath. As he fell, the fanfiction writer sat on his chest to pin him down.

“And I practice the ancient art of fanfiction!”

The smallest prisoner joined in to help hold Warden Wrath down while the eye-eating prisoner grabbed his arms and bound them together. Then, he flipped Wrath onto his stomach. “You two!” he growled as he spotted Luz and Vesper descending towards Eda's staff. “Who do you think you are?”

“Do not underestimate us, Warden Wrath,” Luz pointed at him. “For we are Luz, the human….”

“And Vesper, the alchemist,” Vesper added, standing tall as he tipped his glasses in a glare.

“Warriors of peace.” They finished together, pausing to let the wind blow their hair dramatically.

“Now eat this, sucka!” Luz grabbed her firecracker from her book report and tossed it into the air. She jumped up and swatted it with Eda's staff like a baseball bat. The firecracker dropped into Wrath's flaming mouth, exploding and showering the sky with spectacular fireworks. Humiliated, he ran away as the fireworks continued to burst inside his mouth, and the prisoners erupted in cheers.

“Woo hoo! We won!”

“We are victorious!” the tiny prisoner jumped up and down. Luz stood proudly next to her friend and smirked slightly.

“I hate to be a stickler, but I think we just violated some serious fireworks safety rules.”

“Eh, whatever. That guy was a jerk,” Vesper shrugged nonchalantly, returning her smirk. The duo laughed at their banter as Eda approached, placing a hand on their shoulders.

“That was actually one of her better breakups,” King remarked from his spot on Eda’s shoulder.

“Not a breakup,” Eda shot back at him before looking at the two friends. “Anyway, let's bounce before any more monsters fall in love with me.”

The four soared off on the staff, fireworks still exploding behind them.

( Back at the Owl House )

“Well,” Eda leaned her staff against the living room couch, turning to face the teens. “A deal’s a deal. Let’s get you two home.” With a snap of her fingers, the key zipped out of Luz's bag and into Eda's hand. She pressed the eye, and the portal door opened in front of the fireplace.

Luz and Vesper approached it, hesitating as the former hugged herself. They turned back to look at Eda and King when the latter cast his gaze to the ground, visibly sad. Having an idea, Luz reached into her bag. “Before we go…” She kneeled in front of him, holding out the head of her Azura doll. “I know it’s not the same, but…” she said, removing Azura’s crown and offering it as a parting gift. “A king shouldn’t be without a crown.”

King glanced at it momentarily before accepting the crown and placing it on his head. “This shall suffice,” he said, nodding before pointing to a plant and performing his kingly act: “You there, plant! You are now under my command.” Vesper chuckled as the little fellow walked away.

As that happened, Eda picked up the Azura book from the table and handed it to Luz with the Reality Check Summer Camp pamphlet on top. “Oh, and don’t forget this.” Luz took it back as she stood up, walking toward the portal.  

“Luz?” Vesper asked, noticing the sad look on her face.

Luz ignored Vesper while she examined the pamphlet, eventually placing it beneath the Azura book. She lingered at the door, gazing at it for a moment before looking back down at her book, then up at the mirror above the fireplace. Suddenly, Luz gasped, lifting her book. The cover prominently featured Azura, with an older witch watching a creature resembling a dog or cat in the background. Lowering the book, she revealed the mirror's reflection, which displayed a similar scene: King and Eda mirrored the positions of the creature and the older witch while Luz stood in the foreground between them. The only difference was that Vesper stood behind her, looking confused as she contemplated her thoughts. A spark of realization lit up Luz's expression as a new idea struck her…

“Okay,” She said, turning around to look at her best friend and the Owl House residents. “I know you got your head cut off, and we started some kind of prison riot, but this was the most fun I’ve ever had.”

“Luz?” Vesper asked again as Eda blinked in surprise, her eyes wide like an owl. 

“We don’t fit in at home. You don’t fit in here. If we stay, we could not fit in together,” Luz suggested hopefully.

“Luz, you can’t be serious,” Vesper disagreed. “We know nothing about this world. We almost got killed here, and what about our families?”

“Vesper, it’s always been my dream to be a witch and do weird witchy things! Besides, aren’t you at least a little curious about this world? Or about what happened back at the prison?” Luz smiled slightly, knowing Vesper well.

Vesper glanced at his now-healed hand and then turned to the door. “... Well, this would be a fantastic opportunity to study the physical laws of another dimension. If I can’t get into Everton, I might as well do something productive with my summer...” He thought aloud, smiling before nodding his consent to stay.

“Thank you, Vesper!” Luz cheered, hugging her friend.

“We just have to be home by the time summer camp ends.”

Eda reminded them she was still there by chuckling awkwardly. “What’s summer camp? What are we talking about here?”

“We wanna stay and become witches. Like you,” Luz explained, holding up her book to Eda. “And Azura.”

“Mostly her,” Vesper pointed at Luz.

“What?” The Owl Lady laughed incredulously before pushing Luz’s book down. “All right, that’s crazy. Humans can’t become witches.”

“Maybe that’s because they haven’t tried. If you teach us to become witches, we’ll do anything you want.”

“Within reason,” Vesper added.

“Let ‘em stay!” King tugged Eda’s skirt and whispered, “They can make us snacks.”

The witch looked down at him for a moment before smiling and picking up King. “Well, I could use a hand keeping this goofball out of the cupboards. All right. I’ll teach you two how to be witches. But you have to work for me before you learn any spells. Deal?” Eda held out her hand for them to shake. Luz glanced at it, then grinned and hugged the two. “Gah! What’s going on?” Eda asked, feeling uncomfortable.

“Too tight! Too tight!” King complained.

Vesper just shook his head with a slight smile—typical Luz.

( Later )

Luz opened the creaking door to a storage room mostly filled with junk and smiled. She unrolled her sleeping bag and threw herself onto it, now dressed in pajamas. Then, she turned over and pulled a picture of herself and her mom from her messenger bag. She rubbed her thumb over the glass before placing the frame beside her pillow. Her phone vibrated, and she picked it up, turning it on to find a text from her mother.

How's summer camp?

Luz's expression fell as she moved her phone away from her face. She had no idea what to say and was certainly not going to tell her the truth.

King cleared his throat, stepping into the doorway while holding Francois. “Your sleep cocoon looks fluffy.” Luz sat up and patted the sleeping bag. King curled up at the bottom, below her feet, and fell asleep holding his stuffed animal.

Luz smiled at him before replying to her mom.

I think I'm gonna like it here.

Smiling, she set her phone down, turned to the side, and fell asleep.

At the same time, Vesper entered another storage room down the hall from Luz’s room. It was a bit messy and definitely not up to Vesper’s organizational standards. He sighed tiredly. “This is going to take some work…”

Pushing various boxes and trunks against the wall to create space, Vesper laid out his midnight-blue sleeping bag with a white star pattern along the bottom and a matching pillow. After that, he changed into his pajamas, a light blue sleep shirt with white trim, dark blue pants with white drawstrings and small star patterns, and white socks. Getting comfortable, Vesper took out a framed photo of himself with his dad, Alexis, Cadence, and Spike. Smiling at them, he placed it next to his sleeping bag.

As Vesper gazed at it, his mauve purple cellphone vibrated. He turned it on and saw it was a text message from Alexis.

I know the answer, but how’s camp?

Vesper looked at his message thoughtfully. He sat up and gazed out the single window in the room, staring at the Demon Realm’s night sky. He hoped the camp would simply assume they had opted not to come. If they reached out to their parents, it would be difficult to explain where they were.

Still, when would they get another chance like this? A whole new world, teeming with wonders Luz had only seen in her dreams. While Vesper wasn’t as passionate about fantasy as she was, the scientist in him yearned to dissect this world and uncover its secrets. If magic existed, it would open a new avenue of study for him.

Glancing back at his phone, he smiled slightly before texting Alexis a response.

I think I can adapt.

He placed his phone next to the picture before taking off his glasses. Snuggling into his sleeping bag, he closed his eyes, wondering what the upcoming summer would bring as the window of the Owl House blinked like an eye.

Chapter Text

It was early in the morning at the Owl House. The pre-dawn winds howled as they moved Luz’s open, creaking window. Luz rolled over in her sleeping bag, breathing heavily as she dreamed about the previous day.

Owlbert hopped through the portal door in Eda's tent with a sack in his beak, Luz and Vesper running behind him. “Stop adorably hopping away, you… Huh?” Luz started saying before she realized her surroundings had changed, slowing to a stop. Vesper stopped and bent over to catch his breath behind her as they looked around, noticing they weren’t in the house anymore.

“Welcome to…” Eda snapped her fingers, the house coming alive as the owl beast symbol appeared on the ceiling. “… the Owl House.” The two gasped at her home.

The teens closed their eyes tightly in fear as they flew over the Isles. Luz clutched her book close while Vesper clung to her, tears flying from both their eyes. Once they finally opened their eyes, they saw the Boiling Isles for themselves as whimsical music played over the scene.

Luz woke up with a gasp, sitting up in bed. She looked around her makeshift room as King snored at her feet. “It wasn't a dream!” She exclaimed happily, opening up the window and looking out. “Good morning, terrifying fantasy world.”

“Good morning.” A monster with seven eyes greeted her with a wave before sinking into the ocean.

“Ughhh.” She looked unnerved but quickly let it go and approached the still-snoring King. She picked him up, waking the creature.

“Good morning, you little cutie-pie.” She started kissing his head repeatedly.

“I am not your cutie-pie!” He shouted at her, trying to push her away.

“Yes, you are.” She hugged him tightly before putting him back down. He slumped onto her sleeping bag with a sigh.

“I know…”

Once she finished getting dressed, she slid to the door of her best friend’s room. She opened it up to find him still asleep, tangled in his sleeping bag as he snored away. “Good morning, amigo!”

Vesper gasped at the loud booming voice, startling upright only to fall over again with a thud. “Sorry!” Luz called out as Vesper groaned, shaking his head slowly as he disentangled himself.

“So it wasn’t a dream…” He murmured groggily before his eyes widened. “It wasn’t a dream!” He gasped, growing excited as he looked out the window at the sunrise. “New discoveries, here I come!”

Luz opened the bathroom door, her friend standing behind her with messy hair and clothes in hand. “Allow me, partner!” She grinned at him. Several owls flew out of the bathroom with a hoot, surprising them. Vesper ducked as one flew over his head. They watched them fly away before Vesper stepped in first, followed by Luz, neither noticing Hooty stretched out to be in the room since they were walking backward.

“Hi, Luz! Hi, Vesper!”

Both of them screamed in unison, Luz karate chopping Hooty’s face. “Ow!” He moved backward out of the window. “I'm just wishing you a good morning.” He then retreated to the front door. “Jeez! Hoot! Ow!”

“Sorry, Hooty!” Luz called out as Vesper sighed before combing his hair back. Luz looked at the bathroom counter and picked up her Azura book. She then started giving herself a pep talk.
“This is it, old girl.” She flipped the book open to a headshot of Azura and held it up to the mirror in front of her face. “Your first day on the Boiling Isles as a Witch Apprentice! Hyah!” She punched the air excitedly.

“Glad you’re having fun already, Luz,” Vesper said while getting his hair into his usual style. “But can I have the bathroom now?”

“Oh, sorry, Vesper!” Luz apologized with a smile before leaving the bathroom. Vesper didn’t say anything as he continued his morning routine.

Luz then opened a closet door with her eyes covered. “Please have witchy clothes. Please have witchy clothes. Please have witchy clothes,” She pleaded before taking her hand over her eyes to see a closet full of stereotypical witchy stuff: potions, hats, robes, and brooms. “Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!” She screamed in delight.

She then wrote name tags with "Witch Apprentice Luz" and stars on one, and "Witch Apprentice Vesper" with colorful potion bottles on the other. Sticking hers to her chest, she was wearing a black robe with a red sash and what looked like a witch's hat as she stood at the bottom of a staircase. Luz squealed in delight as a toilet flushed and Eda’s shadow appeared on the wall.

Vesper joined his friend at that moment in his day clothes and glasses. “Hey, Luz, where’s Eda?” He faltered as Eda stepped into view in her pajamas and bunny slippers before loudly yawning.

“Hmm?” She noticed the two.

“Good morning, Eda the Owl Lady,” Luz greeted happily. “We are ready for our first day of Witch Apprenticeship.”

“Ugh!” Eda shook spiders from her hair and picked another out of her ear. “Who are you two, again?”

“Huh?” Luz stared in horror as her nametag fell off, Vesper flinching at the spiders this woman had on her.

“I don’t even know where to start…”

( Downstairs )

She and Vesper followed Eda into the kitchen, her friend breaking away. “Remember us? Luz and Vesper?” Eda summoned a coffee cup for herself, which hit Luz in the back of the head with a grunt. The older woman went over to the fridge, while King sat in a high chair with a yellow blob with eyes on a plate. Vesper went over the cabinets, looking for food. “We freed the oppressed and defeated the evil warden together? Yesterday?”

“Kid, lay off the details,” Eda grumbled with her drink. “I haven't even had my cup of apple blood yet.”

“You mean apple juice?” Luz asked in confusion.

“No.”

Eda sat on the kitchen table and drank from her mug. Vesper sat behind her, striking out in the food department while King stabbed his mush with a fork.

“Teach me some spells. When do I get a magic staff? Was I supposed to bring my own runes?” Luz then gasped sharply as she grabbed Eda’s arm excitedly. “Do you have a dangerous magical quest for me?”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa,” Eda pushed her away. “Slow down, kid. Being a witch doesn't happen overnight. Also, you're wrapped in a bathrobe and wearing the dirtiest traffic cone I've ever seen.”

Luz pulled her ‘hat’ off and blew on it, revealing that it was, in fact, a traffic cone with a severe layer of dust on it. King laughed at her while Vesper waved the dust out of his face.

“But a magic staff, huh?” Eda asked curiously, apple blood on her lip. “You really want one?”

“More than anything,” Luz’s eyes shone.

Eda wiped the stain from her lip and held out her hand. “Magic staff, come to me!” For a moment, nothing happened until several distant crashes were heard. King, Luz, Vesper, and Eda slowly turned towards the sound until Eda’s staff appeared in the hallway and flew right into her face. Eda grunted as her staff clattered to the floor. She then picked it up and spun it before tapping it on the ground. “It's early,” She excused before starting. “Now, witches are awarded their staffs from school. With me as your teacher, you'll be taking a different approach.”

She dropped a bag of potions onto the floor, startling Vesper. “You'll have to work for it.” She led the teens through the living room. “I run a few businesses. On weekends, I offer rare human treasures that Owlbert drags over from your side of the realm.” She patted Olwbert on the top of her staff.

She grabbed a toy sword from the mantel and hit a button near the pommel. “I shall smite my enemies! Ages six to eleven.”

She then tossed the sword over the teens’ heads. “But most days, I sell only the finest homemade elixirs and potions.”

Luz pulled a bottle from the bag and read the label. “Snake oil.”

“No one wants an un-oiled snake.”

“I’m not sure if that has a different meaning here, but in the Human Realm, snake oil means a fake sale product, usually medicine,” Vesper mentioned.

“Huh, maybe that’s why it’s not selling…” Eda muttered before refocusing. “Anyway, follow me.” She led Luz and Vesper onto the balcony. “Today, you'll deliver packages and sell potions to that town over there,” She pointed to the town they passed by yesterday. “Bonesborough. You'll have to be careful. I have rivals everywhere who'd love to take my business down, and you along with it. You wanted a dangerous magical quest? Sister, you've got one.”

“We won't let you down, Miss Eda.” Luz turned to salute Eda… and then dropped the sack over the balcony. The three of them watched it fall, Luz wincing when it crashed loudly on the ground.

“I'm sure,” Eda replied sarcastically, earning a broad smile from the girl while Vesper facepalmed.

She was soon pushing Luz and Vesper out the door with a new bag of potions. “Remember, never befriend a man in sandals and always measure twice, cut once.”

“Uh…” The teens glanced at each other, unsure what she meant by that.

“Good luck!” Eda slammed the door in their faces with her magic. She dusted off her hands before looking over at King. “I hate to interrupt your power nap, but you have to go with them,” She nudged him awake, to his annoyance.

“What?” King demanded as he got up. “But I just found the perfect spot. Why do I have to go?”

“You and I know they’re either going to get lost or eaten, probably both.”

“No, we won't!” Luz squished her face against the window, startling them. Eda closed the blinds with a spell.

“And because you work for me, too, unless you want to start paying rent.”

King threw a short tantrum before stomping out the door. Eda smirked and then faced the three. “Be back by nightfall or risk mortal peril.” She then slammed the door again.

“Have a nice trip,” Hooty told them.

“Huh! Let's get this over with,” King groaned as they walked off.

( Bonesborough )

The trio entered the city, pausing under an archway covered in wanted posters. “Woah!” the teens murmured as they saw all the different kinds of creatures. They stepped through as various demons passed, all of which the friends stared at in amazement. An odd butterfly-like creature flew by them, causing Luz to gasp.

“Hey, it's rude to stare,” King pointed out, his arms crossed.

“I've only seen places like this in my dreams,” Luz confessed. “It's incredible. And we’re the only humans here?”

“Haven't seen any others,” King shrugged.

“Wow! There must be a reason for that, right?” She bent down to the creature. “Why am I here? What if I, Luz Noceda, average teen, actually had…” She gasped sharply in realization. “…a predetermined path of greatness? Just like Azura!”

“Sorry, Luz, but I don’t think that’s the kind of world this is,” Vesper commented, still looking around.

“Yeah. Did Azura's path to greatness involve her delivering boil cream?” King took a potion labeled "Boil B Gone" from the sack and held it up.

“Today, I'm delivering packages, but tomorrow, I'll be earning the respect of everyone on the Boiling Isles with my magical prowess,” Luz daydreamed with a grin.

“Ha! Good luck. The Boiling Isles is nothing but a cesspool of despair,” King laughed.

“More like a cesspool of delight,” Luz put the boil cream back in the sack before hefting it over her shoulder. “Hey, Vesper… Vesper?”

“The first address is up the road.” He was standing a few feet away from them, reading a book he had with him.

“Vesper, you can read that back at the Owl House,” Luz said, swiping it from his hands. Her friend gave her an annoyed look for that. “I thought you wanted to learn more about the Boiling Isles?”

“I do, and I am,” Vesper said, taking the book back, showing it to her. “This book has a map of the town in it. I grabbed it before we left the Owl House.”

“Good call, V!” Luz nudged him slightly. “Now, let’s go sell some potions and see some demons!” She looked around before she started toward the market.

She gasped in awe when she saw a centaur buying fruit. The human girl approached him as he held a pumpkin in front of his chest and gave him a nudge. “What has four hooves and wants to buy a potion? This guy.”

He sighed and lowered the pumpkin to reveal that his face was on his chest. “My eyes are down here.”

Luz yelped in surprise.

“Nothing in this world makes sense, does it?” Vesper said.

“Not to your human logic,” King replied.

Later, while stopping to make a delivery, Luz rang the house’s doorbell. She left her hand on the button, and the doorbell bit her and slowly started to eat her arm. Luz screamed in fright as King walked away in annoyance. Vesper smacked the doorbell with his book, getting it to let go so Luz could jump back in fear.

Taking a break, the trio sat on the curb, King scarfing down a Not Dog from the cart behind them before sighing. “I know I've had enough delight for one day.”

“I thought being the only human in a magical world would make me special,” Luz said, taking her Azura book from the bag. “But apparently, it just makes everyone want to scream at me or…” She held up her arm to reveal the butterfly creature gnawing on her elbow. “Eat me.” She managed to fling the beast off and sighed

“Humans are rare in this world. The beings here probably don’t know what to make of us yet,” Vesper explained to Luz gently.

“At this point, Azura had already been sent on an enchanted quest,” Luz opened her book, showing the exact moment in the story. “Where's my quest-granting wizard?”

“Sorry to break it to you, Luz, but no one here is that well-dressed,” King went straight to the point.

“This has been a rough day,” She stood up and hefted the potion sack over her shoulder with a grunt. She then took out the directions and started down the alley, Vesper and King following her. “Let's just deliver this last package and go home.” She moved aside a curtain as they arrived at their last destination. “Maybe this world isn't what I thought it was–” She gasped sharply, causing Vesper to look ahead. His eyes widened at the sight of a large castle with golden banners illuminated by sunlight. “Pretty!”

Vesper let out a small whistle. He rang a doorbell made of gold, and the towering wooden doors opened slowly.

“Big houses always belong to big whackjobs,” King dismissed, rolling his eyes. “Let's kick the package inside and get outta here.”

“Uh…” Vesper pointed ahead, showing Luz had ignored him, and walked inside anyway.

“Hello?”

“Hey, wait,” King protested, running after her.

“Luz!” Vesper called out, following after him. The door slammed closed behind them, making King yelp in fright.

“Weh!” He trailed after them.

“Luz, don’t wander off without us! We have no idea who owns this house!” Vesper whispered to his friend, but was ignored as they entered a dark room.

“We-We’re delivering a package from Miss Eda, the Owl Lady,” Luz hollered, and the lanterns in the room suddenly flared on. “Huh?” The room they were standing in was a massive library. The lamps illuminated a grand staircase, and Vesper squinted to see a painting of a wizard at the top. Moments later, the wizard from the picture entered the room in the same pose as his painting. Luz gasped in awe. “Today just got good~!”

The wizard smiled at them from the top of the stairs. “Magical wizard!” Luz danced around excitedly.

“Weird old man in jim-jams,” King deadpanned, Vesper snorting in amusement.

“I was in my oscillarium, reading the stars.” The wizard descended the stairs. “And who might you be, with eyes full of curiosity?”

“Uh, I-I'm–”

He suddenly ran up to them. “Young lady, dareth I say, I sense something unique about you,” he informed her, King looking annoyed. Vesper glanced at his friend, who blushed at his words. The wizard then summoned three chairs and a table of snacks. “Please, won't you join me for tea?” He sat down on a white throne.

Luz gasped happily. “Okay!” She stepped forward only to be stopped by both King and her friend.

“Luz, I really think we should leave now.” The boy said earnestly.

“Yeah, let's scram!” King agreed, letting go of Luz’s leg to climb up to her shoulder. “Wizards are just old people with glitter in their pockets.” To prove his point, the wizard took a handful of glitter out of his pocket and dropped it on the floor. “I don't trust him.”

“Plus, didn’t Eda say something about never befriending a man in sandals?”

“But the stars on his robe are sparkling,” Luz whispered excitedly to the two. “And look, there's a baby fox in his beard.” The baby fox giggled at them.

“Villains have animal sidekicks, too.” Vesper pointed out.

“Good point… but I also see scones on the table.” She whispered smugly.

“Where?!” King panted as he rushed over to the table.

“Two to one, V,” Luz smirked, earning a groan from Vesper.

“Fine!”

The teens walked over, and Luz dropped the bag of potions in front of the chairs as they sat down. “We'd love to join you for tea,” Luz said as they took some tea cups while King munched on the food. She glanced behind her and noticed a cart of potions. “Do you sell potions, Sir Wizard?”

“Please, call me Adegast,” he gestured to himself with a smile. And yes, I run a small business.” Vesper picked up a potion and read the label.

King paused in his feast, holding up an empty plate. “You should run a small business of more scones into my mouth. Ha ha, yes!” He pumped his fist at the jeer.

“I'm surprised to see you here,” Adegast confessed to the two. “It was my understanding that Eda delivered the packages herself.”

“Well, we’re kinda, sorta, her apprentices,” Luz told him, Vesper and King crossing their arms suspiciously.

“Oh! And how are you finding the experience so far?”

Luz held a fake grin before letting out a deep sigh. “Can I be honest, Mr. Adegast? When I decided to stay in this magical world, I thought I was meant for something special. But Eda thinks I'm meant for chores, and I'm afraid I came to the wrong place.” She looked at her tea forlornly.

“Luz…” Vesper murmured in sympathy.

Adegast approached the human girl. “Well, I have a quest–”

“A quest?!” Luz dropped her teacup at the question, grinning widely and earning a chuckle from the wizard.

“You didn't let me finish. I have a question.”

“Oh,” Luz frowned, hands behind her back.

“Would you like to go on a quest?”

“Yes!”

Adegast reached into his beard and pulled out a scroll. “I might have just the thing.” He unrolled it to reveal a map. “The prophecy speaks of a young human girl who will claim the Celestial Staff and free this world from an ancient evil. Perhaps thou hath cometh here for a reason.”

“Perhaps I hath,” Luz murmured, excitement in her eyes as she took the map.

“Should you believe yourself worthy to attempt this quest…” Adegast continued as he began to walk through his house.

“So worthy,” She stated confidently, following him.

“You need to know the road is dark and perilous…”

“Love peril. Big fan of peril!” Luz smiled upon hearing this.

“And only the Chosen One can pull the staff from its post,” Adegast finished. Luz stopped walking and glanced down at the map.

“Chosen one…”

“Neat story, awesome,” King walked over to them, dragging the potion bag. “Anyway, your food is gone, and we are, too.”

“I’m with King,” Vesper joined them. “Come on, Luz, remember Eda’s warning? Be back by nightfall or risk mortal peril.”

“Yes, we have to go…” Luz agreed, putting the map away. “And pack for this enchanted quest! I'm in.” She grinned widely as King’s eyes widened.

“What?!” Vesper gasped.

“Wonderful!” Adegast smiled.

( Luz’s bedroom )

Sitting on the floor, Luz sheathed the toy sword from earlier. Various potions, food, the quest scroll, and, of course, her Azura book were around her.

“So, King, what kind of Chosen One should I be?”

King kneaded Luz's sleeping bag, yawning as he lay down. “Huh? What?”

“You seriously don’t think this is weird?” Vesper glanced at her skeptically, sitting against the wall with several books on the Boiling Isles around him and his phone in his hands. He was trying to find more information about that staff when he got a text from Cadence.

“What do you mean?”

“Luz, since when has anything we’ve seen on the Isles so far looked that cute or magical?”

“Oh, Vesper, you worry too much. Besides, what’s the worst that could happen?”

“Mortal peril,” Vesper said bluntly before looking back at the message.

Are you okay?

He sighed, rubbing his temple. He hoped he was talking about the fight with his dad and not that he wasn’t at camp.

“Back to the question,” Luz picked up her book. “Should I be full of optimism and goodness, like the Good Witch Azura? Or should I be like a bad girl Chosen One with black nail polish and a mysteriously withdrawn attitude?” She made facial impressions before making the book talk like a mouth. “‘I act like I don't care, but I secretly do.’”

Eda then peeked into the room. “Oh, you guys talking about bad girls? Wait, what's going on?” She stepped in, throwing a giant severed blue hand over her shoulder while holding the bone.

“Eda, help Vesper tell Luz how dumb wizards are,” King prompted her.

“You do it. I need to make sure my family hasn’t filed a missing person’s report,” Vesper waved off.

“Ugh!” Eda placed a hand on her hip, gesturing with the monster's hand. “Wizards are the worst. Never trust a man in casual drapery.” She waved it around, nearly hitting King several times before lacing her fingers with the severed arm’s fingers. “Why?”

“Your wizard client told Luz…” King started to laugh. “She was a—” He held his stomach as he rolled around laughing. “was a Chosen One!”

“Wait, wait,” Eda shook her head in disbelief. “Luz?” She snickered and then laughed with King so hard she fell to the floor.

“He even gave her a map!”

They laughed as Luz hid behind her book, a blush of embarrassment on her face. Vesper looked at the other two, unimpressed, before receiving another text from his sister.

Vesper, are you okay?

He sighed, hiding his face in his phone as he tried to figure out what to say. If the camp called and said he wasn’t there, they had a problem. He needed to think up something to say before they decided to call the FBI.

They stopped laughing after a few seconds, and Eda stood up. “Let me see this map.”

Luz handed her the map, looking away and saying nothing. Eda inspected it briefly before raising a brow down at Luz. “You didn't think this was real, did you?”

“What?” Luz stood up, a bit hurt by the question.

“This map is bunk. There's no lake with a Celestial Staff on the Boiling Isles. I would have stolen it ages ago. Hey, kid,” Eda called out to Vesper. “Haven’t you been reading up on the Isles?”

“I haven’t read much so far, but there’s no mention of a Celestial Staff,” Vesper responded, still looking at his phone. He typed and erased several responses, unsure what to tell his sister and her boyfriend. “Besides, all the images I’ve seen of staffs are topped with an animal, not jewels.”

“Thank you,” Eda nodded to him with a smile. She noted Luz’s down face and handed her the map back. “Ah, don't worry. Couple more months here, and you won't look like such a mark,” Eda patted her on the head, and then Luz pushed it off.

“Can I have some time alone?”

Eda shrugged and left the room. King hopped off the rolled-up sleeping bag and followed her. Vesper stood up and walked past his friend, who reached out and grabbed his arm.

“Is hoping for something like this really that bad?”

Vesper’s eyes softened, and he turned to Luz. “No, it’s not, and I’m sorry it’s not real, Luz. I know how much you wanted it, but with what we’ve seen of the Isles, my logic alarm tells me this is too good to be true.” Luz looked down, knowing her friend was probably right. “Hey… Eda might be unconventional, but she wasn’t wrong having you as an apprentice.”

Luz smiled at him a bit. “I’ll be in my room if you need me.”

“Thanks, Vesper.”

Her friend left, closing the door behind him, casting the room in shadow. Once he was gone, Luz’s smile fell again. “Maybe they were right.” She leaned against the wall before sliding down it to the floor. She then looked at the corner of the map. “Huh?” Sunlight illuminated the spot it hit, revealing the word ‘one’ in shining blue lettering. Luz held up the entire map to the light, revealing a hidden message.

‘The Chosen One. The path will only appear to the worthy.’

“‘The path will only appear to the worthy,’” Luz read before gasping sharply. “That's why Eda couldn't see it. But am… I really worthy?”

The wind howled, opening the window behind her. The map flew out of her grasp, landing next to her book. Luz watched as the wind flipped the pages until it stopped on an image of Azura standing loved and triumphant on a small hill, the people around her applauding as she held her staff to the sun. Luz smiled in determination, wanting the same thing. “I'll never know unless I try!”

“Hold it!”

Luz blinked as Vesper walked back in, this time carrying a bow and a quiver of arrows. “If you insist on going, I’m coming with you.” As much as he didn’t trust this, Vesper didn’t want Luz to go by herself and be alone when something went wrong.

Luz gasped at him. “My first companion on my quest…! Where did you get that?”

“Eda’s got a whole room dedicated to weapons. Weird but helpful. Besides, I could use the fresh air. I’m still trying to figure out what to tell my sister and her boyfriend.”

“Oh, I know! Say you’re in a magical realm on an enchanted quest with me!”

The two stared at each other with expressions that said neither adult was ready to know about this. “Yeah, no,” They agreed, shaking their heads in unison.

( The living room )

“Finally!” King lay down on the couch, fluffing a pillow. “All that mean‐spirited laughter made me sleepy.”

Eda walked up to him as soon as he closed his eyes. “Crony, wake up. You said that wizard was one of my clients?”

“Yes. Now go away,” He opened an eye to look at her.

“I don't know him that well,” She rubbed her chin in thought, sitting on the couch with enough force to send King flying into the air before he fell back down. “And I don't trust this itch he's scratching in the human.”

“Less talky, more nappy,” King disregarded, hugging the pillow.

Eda looked towards the second floor and sighed. Looking back on it, she could’ve been nicer about breaking the news to Luz. Deciding to check on her, Eda returned upstairs, pushing open her door. “Hey, Luz?”

She found her room was empty, the howling wind pushing on the open window. “Aw, nuts.” Eda ran to the window, looking around. There was no sign of Luz or Vesper. “Hooty, where'd they go?”

“Hoot, hoot,” The house demon stretched himself out and stopped in front of the window. “If you want the answer that you seek, solve my riddle within a week—” Eda hit the wall next to her hard enough to shake the whole house and leave cracks in the wall, knocking debris loose from the roof. “Ow! Okay, okay. They went into the forest towards Bonesborough. Sheesh!” He grumbled as he went back to the door.

“Ugh!” Eda groaned in realization.

( Meanwhile )

Luz and Vesper stood beside a sign, ‘Leaving Bonesborough City Limits.’ Luz had the toy sword from earlier on her back, while Vesper had his bow across his shoulder and the quiver on his back. Both looked out ahead of them, Luz taking a deep breath.

“My first mythical quest. Ha!”

“Are you sure you still want to do this?” Vesper asked him skeptically.

“Yep!” She jumped and slid down the incline.

“Someday, I need to take a firm stand on these stunts…” He then followed after the other. Reaching the bottom, they stepped over a fallen log, Vesper stumbling slightly. They walked further into the forest, a thick fog rolling in to meet them.

“Okay,” Luz said, holding up the map. “Got my scroll, got my youthful optimism, got my trusty weapon.” She pulled out the sword and held it up, hitting the button as she grinned widely.

“By the power of Skullgar, I am out of battery…” The lights on the sword dimmed as it shut down, Luz lowering it.

“And I got my awesome quest party member to boot!”

“Who still can’t figure out what to tell his sister,” Vesper pointed out, a bit annoyed at his phone. “I can’t tell if they know I’m not at camp. What if I say something that tips them off?”

“Don’t worry, V. If the camp had told our parents we weren’t there, Mama would be blowing up my phone by now, and I haven’t heard from her since last night.”

“Hm, good point,” Vesper conceded before they pressed onward.

“You know, I wonder if I made the right choice by coming here?” Luz wondered to her friend as they ducked a branch, and the girl cut away a vine. She then gasped, and Vesper stepped behind her, freezing in place. Ahead lay a village of cat people wearing clothes and walking on two legs. “Wow!”

“Okay, this was unexpected,” Vesper commented as they walked through the village, Luz beaming as she looked around. They approached the fountain in the middle of the square, from which a teenage witch in a green tunic, gray pants, black boots, and a black eyepatch over his right eye emerged. He also had a sword strapped to his waist, gloves, and a belt with a gold pauldron on his left shoulder. He flipped back his wet, long, dark hair from his face before looking at them.

“I see. So you're the Chosen One,” He said gruffly, scoffing as he jumped out of the fountain. “The Celestial Staff should've picked me, Nevareth Bladestrife, Teen Prince of Angstmore.”

They both stared at him, Luz focusing on his biceps before smiling excitedly. “Yes. Yes, I did make the right choice.”

“Oh, boy,” Vesper rolled his eyes fondly.

( Back with Eda and King )

King sniffed around the alley as Eda was following him. “This is where we met the scones. I mean, the wizard,” He pointed up ahead. When Eda pushed aside the now-patched curtain, they were met with a surprise. “Whoa!” The castle was now in complete ruin, with crumbling walls, no spire, and faded banners. One of the front doors lay on the ground. “It wasn't like this before.” As they looked on, a chunk of wall fell from a pillar.

“I don't like this,” Eda frowned. The doors inside creaked open, revealing that the library was a mess. Tattered scrolls now littered the floor, shelves were broken, paintings were ripped, and chunks of debris were blocking the stairs. Eda stepped forward, kicking a bundle of scrolls. She picked them all up and saw that each was illuminated with the same ‘secret’ glowing message: ‘The chosen one.’ Only this time, it didn’t need sunlight to reveal the message. “I really don't like this,” She narrowed her eyes.

( The middle of the woods )

“Nevareth,” Luz spoke up as she walked by his side, admiring him. Vesper was a few feet behind, looking at the prince with suspicion. “Your vengeful backstory is so compelling. And I'm lovin' your animal sidekick.” A little leek with bat wings flew around them, smiling at the girl.

“After my village was consumed, my heart has known nothing but vengeance.”

“Nevareth!” Luz stated in sympathy as they stopped walking.

“Lady Luz,” He whipped around towards them. “Do you think love can bloom on the battlefield?”

“Whoo hoo hoo,” Luz turned away with a gleeful giggle. “This quest is questing in all the right ways.”

“Hey, lovebirds,” Vesper interrupted, now in front of them with the map. “The bridge is up ahead.”

The four of them walked onto the bridge, yelping when a creature jumped in front of them. “Ew,” Nevareth commented at the scraggly cat with a lazy eye.

“Hum-di-diddle, to pass the bridge, you must first solve my riddle,” He recited with a dance.

“Hit me, little furry man,” Luz pointed down at him.

“Your quest shall stop if you fail this game. So tell me, my dear, what is my name?”

“Hmm,” She bent down, raising a brow as she inspected a nametag on him. “Uh… Chris?”

“That's it!” the cat replied, causing Vesper to blink at how easy it was. “You may cross the bridge. And please take this, Chosen One.” He held out a blue ring to Luz. “It shall help you on your journey.”

“Wow,” She took the ring and smiled, standing up. “This is amazing. Thank you.”

“Do you need a cape?” Nevareth asked as she put the ring on.

“Nah, I think I'm good–”

“You can use my shirt.” He ripped his shirt off, revealing his muscular physique.

“Yes, I need a cape,” Luz said eagerly. He wrapped it around her shoulders, and she giggled with a wide grin.

“Three cheers for the Chosen One. Hip, hip…”

“Hurray!” Everyone but Vesper responded.

“Hip, hip…”

“Hurray!”

Luz blushed from the praise while Vesper rubbed his chin with a suspicious brow.

“Hip, hip…”

( With Eda and King )

“Oh, no,” Eda gritted her teeth. She and King stood in the cat village the teens had passed through, now in ruins like the wizard’s castle. The place was empty, as dark clouds hung in the sky, and fog shrouded the houses. “Are you sure they came here?” Eda asked King, who was tracking their scents.

“Can't mistake her smell. Like lemons, books, young, naïve confidence, and a suggestion of suspicion. I think that last one is Vesper…”

“Hmm,” The Owl Lady rubbed her chin, walking over to the fountain, now broken and covered in dying vines. In the vines, a cat lay in the lower basin, its eyes wide and unfocused, like those of a puppet. Eda kneeled for a closer look. “Hey! Wake up, you,” She flicked the cat’s forehead, grabbing its shoulders. “What have you done with Luz and Vesper? What's your endgame?” She questioned as she shook it, revealing it was just a puppet.

“To find your pupils and still your wrath,” The puppet suddenly came to life, turning its head to look at her. “Look ahead and follow the path.” It cackled evilly as it disintegrated in her hands.

King gasped sharply, a bit scared. “The cat man melted!”

Eda sighed and stood up, dusting herself off. “It's a trap. They want me to follow the kids.”

“So, what do we do?” King looked up at her.

“Hmm,” She looked up at the sky, trying to figure out a plan.

( Back in the woods )

“Thank you for inviting me to your feast, Princess.” Luz walked with a fairy much less hostile than the one from yesterday. The boys were behind her, and Vesper still looked slightly skeptical. “All your food was so tiny and cute.”

The fairy princess twirled her hands and made two bracelets from fairy dust. “For you, Chosen One,” she said. She placed the bracelets in Luz’s hand, and she put them on.

“Thank you,” she said, turning to the group, and Vesper moved to stand beside her. “You have all been so kind and thoughtful. I hope this quest never ends!” She jumped and struck a pose.

“Your quest will soon come to an end, for the staff you seek is around the bend,” Chris announced to her.

“Thanks for ruining the mood, Chris,” Luz slumped her shoulders.

“Go on, Chosen One,” Nevareth gestured up ahead. “The Celestial Staff is yours. You've earned it.”

Luz perked back up and continued down the path with her friend as the others waved to the two. “Farewell, Lady Luz, Lord Vesper.”

“Farewell. We love you, Chosen One.” The princess said.

Birds twittered as they flew overhead, casting long shadows below them as the two friends continued down the path. “So, what’s the plan when you get the staff?” Vesper asked, getting Luz’s attention from the birds. “How are you supposed to vanquish an ancient darkness with it?”

Before she could answer, the teens stopped as Luz gasped in shock. Vesper looked in her direction, and his mouth dropped open. The Celestial Staff stood on a platform in the middle of a lake, illuminated by a ray of light. It was white and topped with a blue gem, similar to Azura’s staff. As they approached the lake's edge, a glow and a noise came from the water. They looked down to see the water bubbling, followed a few seconds later by a stone walkway rumbling into place, connecting the edge of the lake and the central platform. “I knew this world wasn't all gloom and doom like Eda and King said,” Luz said as she walked forward.

Vesper followed more hesitantly, watching her skip and twirl along the walkway. “There is wonder here. And I… I think I came here for a reason.” She paused as she reached the platform, staring at the staff in awe. She glanced back at her friend, who managed to muster an encouraging look. “Okay, this is it,” She braved herself. “Moment of truth.” She slowly reached out and grabbed the staff. Blue swirls of magic came out of it, creating waves in the lake as the top of the staff glowed brightly. Vesper looked away briefly, covering his eyes with his arm. “Yes!” She pulled it from the ground and triumphantly held it above her head. “I am the Chosen One! I knew it! I always suspected there was a reason nobody understood my wacky antics back at home,” She jumped and twirled in a circle before holding the staff with both hands. “Now I have concrete proof. Ha ha!”

Suddenly, the staff disintegrated in her hands, the dust blowing away in the wind as Vesper’s eyes widened. “No!” Luz gasped, trying to grab the dust.

Around them, everything began to change: flowers near Luz’s feet wilted, water drained from the lake and retreated up the riverbanks, and even the leaves disappeared in a swirl.

“What?” Luz murmured in horror.

“Not good…” Vesper looked around, arming his bow.

( Meanwhile )

Eda and King clutched onto her staff as they flew through the woods. “I know this guy,” She said to him. “He's no wizard. He's what you'd call a puppeteer, a demon who specializes in scamming and manipulating people. He's trying to use Luz and Vesper to get to me.”

“Yeah, and we're flying directly into his trap,” King pointed out. “Hurray.”

“Well, if you can think of a better plan, I'd love to hear it.” She glanced over her shoulder in annoyance. “Hey, faster, you.” She slapped her staff, Owlbert hooting as he accelerated.

( Celestial Lake )

Luz whimpered as she backed up, holding her sword in front of her. Fog now surrounded the teens, cutting them off from each other and leaving Vesper unable to see anything because his glasses fogged up.

“Luz!” He coughed a bit, removing his glasses to wipe the fog away. “Luz, where are you?”

“Vesper!” Luz looked around but couldn’t see him with the thick fog.

“Luz, the human.”

She shivered, turning to see Adegast appear out of the fog. “Magical wizard?” She asked in confusion.

“Your hubris has failed you, Witch Apprentice.” Turning out to be a puppet, the wizard was lifted to reveal an octopus-like demon as it cackled maniacally. She stepped back in fear, the ground behind her beginning to crack.

“Huh?” She looked back to find her previous traveling companions and the cats from the village emerging from the stone, tentacles in each of their backs. They were lifted into the air, surrounding Luz as she slowly spun around.

“Okay, Luz. Don't panic. This is classic Chosen One biz. You just have to rescue everybody and defeat the final boss.”

“I am everybody!” Adegast spoke through the wizard, getting in her face. “You fool, don't you see? I'm no wizard. And you're no Chosen One. I've tricked you.” He laughed evilly as Vesper moved out of sight, readying his weapon.

“What?” As she was distracted by the reveal, her cape seemed to come alive, floating around her. It turned into chains, forcing her to her knees. The bracelets became handcuffs, and the ring became chains that locked her hands together, secured with a padlock. “No! Betrayed by my own cool accessories. Why are you doing this?” She demanded of Adegast.

“Your mentor has been stealing customers from my potions business for years. She must be destroyed.”

“Does everybody have a beef with Eda here?” Luz asked in disbelief.

“Well, yeah.”

“Absolutely.”

“Pretty much.”

“Yeah.”

Luz sighed at the answers given. “And you lured her right into my trap, all because you wanted to think you were special.”

“She is special!”

Suddenly, an arrow flew out of nowhere and struck the cat puppets. The fake cat burst into flames, followed by Adegast’s scream of pain. Luz looked around, knowing only Vesper could have made that shot.

“Nice trick with the illusion fog, by the way! It’s the same kind that was on your potion bench at the castle! Next time you don’t want to be suspected, don’t leave your props in view for people to see!” Vesper yelled from the mist, a shadow moving around. “Luz is special, and she doesn’t need a cosmic sign from the universe to prove it!” He then took out another cat puppet, causing more agonized screams from Adegast.

Vesper quickly found another spot and aimed at another puppet. He was about to fire again when a tentacle burst from the ground behind him. Startled, Vesper tripped and fell down the hillside. He got up just in time to be grabbed by a different tentacle and pulled through the fog into the circle. “I knew you would be a problem!” Adegast growled as the teen boy struggled in his grip. “The smart ones always are!”

“No!” Luz cried before narrowing her eyes at the demon. “Joke's on you, 'cause Eda isn't stupid enough to fall for your trap.”

“Adegast!”

Their eyes widened when they heard her voice. “Oh, heck!” Luz closed her eyes in disbelief. Vesper facepalmed at the woman.

Eda and King flew in from the smoke and landed at the end of the walkway. “Eda, I have you now!” Adegast declared.

Two cat puppets erupted from the ground to grab them, and he held them up next to Vesper, facing him. “That's right. You have me. Now release Luz and Vesper,” She demanded, pointing at him.

“I didn't have to be a part of this!” King called out in protest, the other two deadpanning at him.

“Oh, they can leave… If they want to. But I sense the girl wants a real fantasy.” Adegast glanced at her, and the Chris puppet breathed a cloud of fog at Luz.

“Luz!” Vesper cried out.

Luz squeezed her eyes shut, and when she opened them, she found herself kneeling in a dark void free of her restraints. Then, all of Adegast’s puppets approached her from the dark.

“Stay with us, Luz.” Neverath placed a hand on her shoulder. “Stay with Adegast. We need you here. You could be our Chosen One.”

“Yeah,” The fairy princess agreed. “You can eat our tiny foods forever.”

“Luz,” She looked back up at Neverath. “Why would you want to live in a world where people laugh at you?”

“It is beautiful here,” She agreed with him.

“Luz!” Eda called out, but she went unheard.

“And you guys think I'm special,” Luz smiled slightly, seemingly lost in the fantasy.

“No!” Eda grunted as the tentacle nearly enveloped her. The puppets all closed in on Luz…

“But it's not real!” She grunted and waved the fog away, pushing past the puppets as she ran forward to pick up her sword. “I am a Witch's Apprentice. And I'm gonna earn my magic staff the hard way. I believed you, Magic Man. Now feel my wrath!” She yelled as she charged forward, stabbing the wizard puppet through the stomach. It went poof, and Adegast screamed in pain, losing his grip on Eda, King, and Vesper. Freeing themselves, they landed next to Luz with grunts. The fairy princess puppet flew at her, and Luz swung her sword at it like a bat, making it poof away like the wizard.

Three cat puppets approached Eda. She drew a spell circle and sent a plume of orange flames at them. The puppets burned to ashes with distorted screams, causing Adegast to continue screaming. Vesper turned his attention to the Chris puppet. He took aim and fired, striking the puppet in the head and causing it to disappear in a puff of smoke.

The Nevareth puppet tried to blindside Luz, but his yell alerted her. She ducked and caught his sword with her own as she dueled him. “I thought we had a connection, Nevareth!” She then plunged her sword through his chest, and the puppet grunted in pain.

“Ah, my flawless pecs!”

Luz smirked as the puppet poofed away like the others. Vesper walked up beside her. “I’m surprised you weren’t fawning over him, too,” Luz smirked playfully at him.

“Eh, I outgrew hotties with muscles in the seventh grade,” Vesper shrugged. Eda landed next to them, the three sharing smiles.

“Back off!” Adegast said, getting their attention. “Or the dog gets it.” He held up King with one of his tentacles.

“I am not a–” A tentacle moved over his mouth, silencing him with a muffled grunt.

“King, I'm sorry,” Luz stated as they dropped their weapons, raising their hands in surrender. “I should have listened to you and Vesper and never trusted that wizard. You were right. He isn't mystical or magical. He's just a big, slimy jerk.”

She kicked her sword with a grunt, sending it flying point-first into Adegast's head. He screamed and dropped King, whom Luz had caught. The scream changed pitch as Adegast shrank to less than an eighth of his previous size. They walked up to him, looking down as Eda picked him up.

“Well, that's the last time I take an outside referral.”

“So, what do we do with–”

Eda opened her mouth and ate him, to Vesper’s shock. He recoiled a bit in disgust. “Mmm. Oh, did you want some of that?”

“Hard pass,” Vesper answered.

“No. I'm just confused,” Luz confessed sadly.

“Thinking of calling it quits, huh?” Eda raised a knowing brow, crossing her arms.

“This place is nothing like I imagined.”

“Luz…” Vesper’s eyes saddened at her.

“Hmm,” The Owl Lady looked around the area briefly. “Maybe not here. But come with me,” Eda walked past them. “I got something to show you.”

( Later )

All four were on Eda’s staff, flying through the sky. Both teens wore blindfolds; Luz clung to Eda, while Vesper held tightly to the staff. They soon came to a stop, hovering in the air. “Okay, you can look.”

They both removed their blindfolds as Vesper put his glasses back on, taken aback by the sight before them. “Whoa!” They looked at the whole Boiling Isles, set on the decomposing body of a giant creature called a Titan. The Titan lay with its arms splayed in the sea, its skull illuminated by the setting sun.

“The bones of the Isles,” Eda explained to them. “Up close, the Isles can be slimy–”

“And very stinky,” King added in.

“And gross,” Eda looked away, slightly disgusted. “But if you look at it from a different perspective…” The four looked up at the sky above the Titan's skull, where stars began to appear. As they watched, a shooting star crossed the sky for only a moment.

“It's beautiful,” Luz smiled softly.

“Yeah,” King closed his eyes and leaned against Luz, having seemingly fallen asleep. Vesper laughed at him and then looked up at the stars.

“Eda, how did you know that wizard was lying?” Luz couldn’t help but ask.

“… Look, kid, everyone wants to believe they're ‘chosen.’ But if we all waited around for a prophecy to make us special, we'd die waiting,” She chuckled. “And that's why you need to choose yourself,” She told the girl with a smile.

“Does that mean you'll give me a magic staff of my own?” The girl asked eagerly.

“Not yet. But… someday.”

Vesper smiled a bit before taking out his phone. He began typing as the two women looked over at him. He stopped once he was finished.

Hey, S.I.S.T.E.R. Sorry for the late reply. The counselors don’t want us to use our phones during activities, and I’m still adjusting to camp life. Luz had a rough first day, so we talked and ignored our phones.

“That should keep your sister busy,” Luz smiled encouragingly at her friend.

“Not a bad cover-up,” Eda rubbed her chin. “I’m making a smart witch out of you already!” She slapped Vesper on the back, nearly causing him to drop his phone.

“Thanks… I think.”

“Oh, and Vesper… Thank you.” Luz smiled at her friend. “For what you said back there.”

“I meant it, you know,” Vesper smiled back. “Luz, you can edit music videos like a pro and write fanfictions so well they could be novels. Those are the things people don’t see on the SATs…”

Luz giggled as they looked back at the view. She leaned against Eda, and Vesper held King close as they watched the sun continue to set.

Chapter Text

It was a sunny day as Luz, Vesper, Eda, and King stood on the beach. “Well, kids!” Eda began to the duo. “Did you ever in your life think you'd see something as breathtaking as this?” She nudged them both while gesturing to... the corpse of a giant slug towering over them. The corpse was surrounded by trash and muck, and flies buzzed around it audibly.

“I don't like this...” Luz shook her head. Vesper gagged, covering his mouth with his hand.

“That makes two of us,” he murmured wearily.

“Yes, it doesn't get much more inspiring than the trash slug,” Eda said as she walked over to the slug, the teens plugging their noses as she bent down. “It makes a home, a life from what others have thrown by the wayside.” She pulled a rubber chicken from the slug’s mouth and tossed it aside. “Until, blam, it gets blasted by a wave one day and croaks from all the salt. Then we get to sell the stuff it ate.” She pulled out pickaxes for the teens, with Luz looking horrified and Vesper looking like he might actually throw up.

“Please don't make me...”

“I will literally do anything else,” Vesper backed up a little.

“Aw, come on, guys,” King said as he walked away and unfurled a towel. “It's not every day you get to go to the dump and pick apart a garbage carcass.”

“Ah, nuts to you both.” Eda swung the pick at the trash slug, causing the two to flinch.

“So, Eda...” Luz started, wincing as glass shattered from another swing. “What if we tried some new lessons for our apprenticeship? Like...” There was another crash, and Vesper covered his ears. “Read ancient scrolls or mix together potions, or—”

“Ugh,” Eda groaned, tossing aside a receiver from an old telephone. “That sounds like a bunch of magic school stuff.”

“Wait,” Luz blinked as two specific words registered. “Is there a magic school here? Like winding towers, cute uniforms, 'dark plots that threaten your life' kind of magic school?” She clasped her hands together eagerly. Vesper looked interested, too.

“Mm-hmm. What's worse, they force you to learn magic the ‘proper’ way.”

“What does that mean?” Vesper asked, arms crossed and eyebrow raised.

“Magic isn't proper!” Eda ranted. “It's wild and unpredictable. And that's why it's so beautiful. I didn't finish school, and look at me! Who wouldn't envy where I am right now?” She was standing waist-deep in trash with flies buzzing around her, certainly not setting a good example. Luz’s expression fell as she turned away, and Vesper shot Eda a deadpan look. “Uh… Hey, here’s a lesson.” She dropped her pick and grabbed Luz’s hand. “A great witch is resourceful, like this.” She forced Luz’s hand into a puddle of trash slug bile, causing Vesper to visibly gag, covering his eyes. Eda dragged Luz's hand back and forth before releasing it. Luz kept digging until she pulled something out.

“Oh, hey. Greasy slimeball,” Luz said with disappointment.

“Use your slimeball wisely, young witch.” Eda wrapped her hands around the slimeball. Then she stood up and headed back to the trash slug. “Back at it! We'll hit the stink nodes first.”

“Actually, if it's okay,” Luz said, stepping back, “I think I'll head home and look at pictures of animals that are still... alive.”

“And I’m going with her,” Vesper said, following her.

“Love you, King,” Luz bent down and rubbed his tummy, making him giggle. “You little beach peach.” Vesper petted him before following Luz into the woods, with King lying on his stomach, letting out a sigh.

Eda just shrugged at them. “More for me, then.” She climbed back into the mouth, sending several things clattering. “There we go. Okay.” She tossed out a cheese grater, an electric fan, and a tuba, the last of which landed on King’s head.

“Ow!” He squirmed around, struggling to free himself.

“This is awesome!”

( With Luz and Vesper )

The two friends walked down the forest path, Luz glaring at the slime ball. Vesper looked through a list of the books he wanted to read at the Owl House. After their first adventure, Vesper wanted to be prepared, so he began reading through Eda’s books about the Boiling Isles. He was through about half of them now.

“Ugh! If magic's all about digging for slime balls, maybe I don't have the stomach for it.” She pocketed the slime ball.

“Please, don’t say stomach. Mine’s still squirming,” Vesper cringed.

“You can do it! You can!”

They paused and looked around after hearing a girl’s voice nearby. “Mysterious voice of encouragement?” Luz murmured as Vesper looked to their left.

“It came from over there,” he pointed, and they approached a bush. Luz moved away the leaves to reveal a girl with pale skin, glasses, and a black uniform with magenta sleeves and legs.

“No! Little witch girl!” she gasped.

“I haven’t seen anyone else wearing that outfit before,” Vesper said, raising a brow in confusion.

“You can do it!” She stood determinedly, then paced around. “Even if you get a bad grade, it's not a reflection of you as a witch. And my parents are right. There are better opportunities on this track. Now, get to school!” She stepped forward and pointed confidently, but looked down when she realized she had stepped on a flower. “Oh no! Oh, little friend! I'm sorry!” She knelt in horror. Then she traced her fingers repeatedly, and a green circle formed. Little green orbs floated down over the flower, reviving it and causing it to bloom fully.

The two friends gasped in awe. The girl’s ear twitched as something rumbled nearby. She turned to see a magically propelled wagon rolling to a stop in front of her, carrying a pot and a girl engrossed in a book. The girl wore the same pink uniform as the other, but her green hair was pulled into a ponytail, revealing a brown patch that indicated it had been dyed. She then turned to the first girl.

“Willow!” She closed the book, and her smug confidence immediately irked Vesper. “Wow, you’re so unnoticeable I almost rolled into ya.” She hopped off the pot with a chuckle. The flower that Willow had just healed wilted again as she stood up.

“Hi, Amity,” Willow greeted, her tone laced with annoyance.

“Uh, shouldn't you get to class early to prep your…”

A rattling noise interrupted her as they turned to Willow's pot. It tipped over, spilling a purple substance and an eyeball that blinked and groaned. “Oh, Willow…” Amity shook her head. “You don't have anything to show, do you?”

“Witch drama!” Luz whispered beside her friend.

“Ugh, she reminds me of the entitled brats at my old school,” Vesper said, exasperated.

Willow pulled up her hood, blushing in embarrassment. Amity sighed slightly, stepping closer. “This is why people call you ‘Half-a-Witch Willow,’” she said in a tone that was anything but sympathetic. Her cauldron rattled, catching her attention. “Oh, looks like someone wants to say something to you.” She removed the cover from the pot, her arms crossed in a gesture of pride. “Abomination, rise.” She snapped her fingers, and a purple, humanoid creature made of sludge emerged, bending down to Willow.

“You’re a…” It poked her forehead, leaving behind matter in a star shape. “Star…”

“Aw. It's like mine,” Amity pointed to her star-shaped badge that read ‘Top Student.’ She adjusted it as it twinkled. “But much smaller and meaningless. As top student, it's my duty to tell you to keep at it.” She put her arm around Willow. “Even you could get a passing grade someday. Abomination, cower.” She turned to her abomination, which groaned as it melted into the pot. Amity replaced the pot lid and took hold of the cart. “See you in class, superstar.”

Amity walked away as Willow removed her hood with a frown. Luz stuck her tongue out at her as the mean girl left, while Vesper just glared.

“Oh, see you in class, superstar!” Willow mocked, wiping the star from her forehead. “I hate when she does that.” The two flinched as they watched sympathetically, the wind picking up as she vented her frustration. “I hate making abominations. I hate getting bad grades! Ugh! I can't stand this anymore!” She shouted in frustration, her eyes shifting to glowing green.

The two gasped as the flower from earlier vanished among giant thorny roots that burst out around it. They surrounded Willow, glowing and writhing angrily. Two roots snaked out and grabbed the friends by their ankles. They screamed as the roots dragged them up into the sky and dropped them on the ground behind Willow. They looked up as she turned and glared at them, her eyes still glowing…

( Back at the beach )

Eda tied a sack of slug eggs to her staff while King sat on a pile of trash behind her, watching. “Not a bad haul. That oviduct was loaded.”

“Ah. Lose apprentices, gain garbage eggs,” King pointed out mockingly. “Fair trade.”

She scoffed and turned to him. “I didn't lose anything.”

“If you don't teach Luz and Vesper right, you will. And that's when I come in, make them my apprentices,” he bragged as he stood up, jerking a thumb at himself.

“Ha! And what would you teach?” Eda taunted. “How to get stuck in the arm of a sweater?”

“Hey, that only happened once!” he yelled in protest. “I'd teach her about demons. How to identify them, talk to 'em, raise an army with them, and tear apart the world!”

“After they tear you out of the sweater arm, right?” She casually leaned against her staff.

“You think you're so smart! Well,” he said, hopping off the trash he had been sitting on and moving toward Eda. “Why don't we make a little bet where I can prove that I'd make a better teacher?"

“Okay,” Eda smirked and reached into her hair. “I'm obligated to remind you that I only use our bets to utterly humiliate you.” She pulled out a book titled ‘Eda + King One-Sided Wagers.’ “And…” She opened the book and showed it to her. “That you've never won.” Both pages featured drawings of them at the top as columns, with checkmark boxes underneath each. All of them showed Eda with stars and King with fails.

“I like those odds,” he challenged her.

She looked down and noticed one of the eggs she had gathered. “So, how's this?” She picked it up, holding it out to King. “Teach this trash slug to be your loyal soldier in one day. Prove that you can be a better teacher than me, and the kids are all yours. But if you don't, I change your name from King to… Mr. Wiggles.”

“Well, when you lose, you'll have to… wear a shame hat and sleep in a shack and never come into the Owl House again! Ha!” 

“Deal,” she held up the book, which had two lines, one already signed with her name. King squeaked as he stamped his name on the page. Eda tossed the egg at King’s head, breaking it and leaving a baby trash slug nestled between his horns. It slid down his skull, but King caught it before it cooed at him.  

“Ha ha!” Eda laughed as she walked away, convinced she had won this.

( Back in the forest )

Vesper and Luz stared in awe at Willow as the roots continued to writhe around her. She finally seemed to snap out of it, leaning forward with worry and allowing the roots to fall away.

“Oh, no, no, no, no, no! I'm so sorry!” she said, bending down to them and making the roots still wrapped around their legs retreat.

“It's okay,” Luz said, rubbing her leg. “The thorns only went through a few layers of skin.”  

“Yeah, we’ll be fine,” Vesper smiled slightly. Not even his jeans had been damaged.

Willow moved close to the friends, forcing them to lean back as she noticed their ears. “So… circly.” They both yelped and covered their ears. Willow gasped in realization, her eyes shining. “You're humans! This is astounding!” She gasped and grabbed Luz’s face, then helped her and Vesper to stand, walking around them. “Humans on the Boiling Isles! How did you get here? What are you doing here?”

A bell pealed in the distance, and she flinched. “Uh, I’m sorry. I can’t stay,” she said, putting down Luz’s arm. “I have to go disappoint my teacher. It was nice to meet you, humans,” she added, half-waving as she walked away.

They half-waved back and then rushed after her. “Wait!” Luz called out, stopping her. “I'm Luz, and this is my friend, Vesper.”

“Hello,” Vesper said, waving.

“And you're Willow, right? What you did with that flower and those plants, it was… wow.”

“Thanks, but…” Willow’s smile faded. “I'm not even supposed to be doing plant magic. My parents put me in the abomination track at school.”

Luz squealed happily, grabbing Willow’s arms. “Like, magic school?” Willow nodded, and Luz’s smile grew. “That's so cool!” She finally let go of Willow. “I'm so jealous. We have a teacher, but her lessons are a bit… untraditional.”

“And unsanitary,” Vesper shuddered as he remembered the slug. 

“Yeah, that, too…” Luz agreed, sagging her shoulders. “I bet she wouldn't even let us enroll. But I wish I could spend one day there.”

“Me, too. I learn better in a more… traditional environment.”

“I wish I could get a passing grade for once,” Willow confessed. “Then people would stop calling me ‘Half-a-Witch Willow,’” she said, kicking at the abomination puddle, which groaned as the eye rolled away.

“Hey, wait,” Luz suddenly had an idea. “I know how we can both get what we want,” she said, bending down and grinning widely as she picked up abomination goo in both hands before splashing it on her hoodie. “Make me your abomination. I'll get you a good grade, and you can get me into magic school. It's fiendishly clever.” She crossed her arms and raised a sly brow.

“What?!” Willow exclaimed.

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

“Yeah, but it’s a good kind of weird,” Vesper said with a slight smile.

“That's true…” Willow agreed, giggling.

“I’m surprised you’re not saying this is a bad idea,” Luz exclaimed, looking at her friend in surprise.

“Normally, yes, but I’m all for standing up to bullies, and I want to see magic school, too,” Vesper explained. “Besides, I’ve learned there’s a method to your madness over the years.”

“Aw, thanks, V,” Luz smiled.

“Okay. It’s a deal,” Willow declared, extending her hand. “Luz.” The two then shook hands.

“This is a great plan.” However, when they attempted to pull their hands apart, the abomination goo on Luz’s hands stuck them together.

“Oops. Abomination goo.”

They struggled to free themselves, with Vesper tugging Luz around the waist. Luz used her foot to dislodge them, but the force sent her and Vesper splashing into the goo on the ground, their new friend looking on with concern. “Great plan.” Willow perked up.

“Awesome,” the human boy said flatly as he stood up, surveying the mess on his clothes. “But how are we gonna disguise me? It might be a stretch to have two abominations…” He paused as an idea struck him. “Hey, Willow, does Hexside issue visitor’s passes?”

“Yes. Why?”

“Well, if you knew a spell that could make me look more witch-like, I could just walk right through the front door.”

“Genius!” Luz chimed in excitedly.

“Hm. That could work… and I know a spell to help with that!” Willow offered.

“Really?” Vesper asked, surprised.

“Well… hypothetically. I’ve never done it before, especially not on a human,” she admitted, looking away anxiously.

“Hypothetically is better than nothing, right?” Luz said optimistically, though Vesper suddenly appeared nervous.

“Uhh…”

“Oh, no, no, you’ll be fine,” Willow insisted, pointing her finger at him. “If I’m doing this right.”

“Not helping!”

Willow cast a spell circle, and a giant flower sprouted in front of Vesper. It released a mist of sparkly green pollen onto him, making him sneeze into the crook of his elbow before a puff of smoke enveloped him. When it cleared, Luz gasped in awe.

“Vesper, you look amazing!”

“I do…?” He wheezed slightly before looking down, eyes widening in disbelief. His outfit had transformed to align more with the fashion of the Demon Realm. He wore a red vest over a white tunic, a brown belt hanging loosely around his waist, black pants, and black boots. The sleeves were short enough to reveal woven bracelets on his wrists, adorned with turquoise and obsidian. His hair now appeared slightly longer, reaching past his shoulders, and was dark sapphire with purple and brilliant raspberry beads intricately woven into a small braid on the side. The biggest surprise came when he noticed the mid-sized angel wings on his back, and, of course, his ears were pointed like a witch’s. He also sported a new leather messenger bag slung across his shoulder.

“Whoa! It worked!”

“I gotta admit, the wings were unplanned,” Willow said, though she didn’t sound disappointed.

“People won’t stare at these too much, will they?” Vesper asked, trying to see if he could use them, and to his astonishment, they moved on command.

“You’ll get a few looks, but not for long. Still, you look incredible!”

“Thanks…” The disguised boy blushed slightly.

“Now that we’re ready, to the school!” Luz pointed dramatically.

“To the school!” the other two echoed, bursting into laughter at their theatrics.

( At school )

“Welcome to Hexside School of Magic and Demonics,” Willow introduced as they approached a building that resembled a cathedral, though still grand. “Remember to stay hidden, okay?”

Luz, nestled inside Willow’s abomination pot, squealed and giggled. Vesper walked beside Willow, gazing at the building in awe. “Let’s head to the office first and get you a visitor’s pass,” Willow suggested to the boy.

“Okay!” Vesper nodded.

Principal Bump, a man in black robes and an imp mask, was handling the morning paperwork at his desk. When the door opened, he looked up to see Willow step in with her friend.

“Principal Bump? Could I talk to you for a minute?”

“Of course, Willow,” he nodded as they moved closer. “And who is this young man?”

“This is my friend, Vesper,” she said, gesturing to him. “He’s homeschooled right now, but his parents agreed to let him attend public school, and I offered to show him around Hexside.”

“Ah, getting to know your surroundings—smart thinking,” he said as he pulled out a red slip of paper, signed it, and handed it to Vesper. “Here’s your visitor’s pass. Keep it on you, or the guards will think you’re trespassing.”

“Yes, sir,” Vesper replied, nodding.

“Have a good day, Principal Bump,” Willow said as they left the office.

“You too, Miss Willow. And good luck on your test today.”

They passed by students in various colored uniforms before stopping at Willow’s locker. She tickled it to open its mouth and retrieve her books while Vesper watched in fascination. A shorter boy in a light blue uniform, reading a Tween Boss magazine, bumped into her. “Hmm?” She glanced down at him.

“Willow, you would not believe humans.”

“Humans?” she asked nervously. “Psh,” she looked at the cauldron, exchanging a wide-eyed glance with Vesper. “I haven't seen any. What?”

“Did you know… that humans nail barbed wire to their kids' teeth?” He showed her the magazine picture of a girl with braces. “But why? Maybe to make them magnetic.”

“Actually, it's for storing treats,” Luz said from the cauldron.

“Shh!” Vesper hissed.

The boy raised an eyebrow at Willow in confusion.

“Okay, Augustus,” she said, bracing herself as she placed her book in her wheelbarrow. “I'm gonna tell you something, but you have to be cool.”

“I can be spool. I-I mean, cool," he stammered.

“Okay. Abomination, rise,” Willow commanded as Luz popped out of the pot.

“Ta-da! I'm an abomination,” she introduced herself.

“Luz, that's not how abominations act,” the girl scolded. Augustus merely dropped his magazine upon seeing her.

“No. No, it–” He slapped his cheeks, touching his ears while staring at Luz.“It couldn't be.”

“He's the president of the Human Appreciation Society,” Willow explained to the two. “Most witches wouldn't be able to recognize a human right away. But Augustus is an expert.”

“Where are your gills?” Augustus asked Luz, sizing her up and down.

“I knew an Augustus back in the human world,” Luz stated with her arms crossed. “We called him Gus.”

“Gus? Nickname? Human nickname?” He held his cheeks in glee. “Gus? Call me it. Wow. Gus! This is the best day of my life!”

Vesper couldn’t help but smile at his excitement. It reminded him of himself…

“Oh, yeah. This is Vesper, Luz’s friend. He’s human too, but I used a spell to make him look more like someone from the Demon Realm so he could sneak in,” Willow introduced him.

“You managed to make a human look like a denizen of the Demon Realm?!” Gus exclaimed, looking him over. “He looks so cool! Love the beads in your hair.” He pointed them out, and Vesper blushed, flattered.

“Aww, thank you. If you have any questions about the Human Realm, come talk to me, and I’ll tell you anything you want to know,” he said with a smile.

“Do my ears deceive me?!” Gus gasped in disbelief. “A teacher of humans, by a human? I have been rewarded this day! Now, it’s official. This is the most incredible day of my life!”

Vesper chuckled at Gus. If he could envision a little brother for himself, he’d want him to be just like Gus.

A bell screamed, signaling the start of classes. “I've gotta get to spelling class!” Gus exclaimed as he grabbed his magazine and pulled out a wand before running off. “See you guys at lunch!” Willow and Vesper waved at him before the witch turned to Luz.

“All right. Into the darkness you go,” Luz hissed as she sank into the cauldron, eliciting fond smiles from the other two.

“So, is it time to head to your class?” Vesper asked Willow.

“Not yet. I have a study period before that, so I’ll use that time to help Luz get ready. If you want, Vesper, the library is just down the hallway,” Willow pointed to a corridor on the first floor. “You can check it out if you don’t feel like waiting. I’ll come find you when it’s time for class.”

“Hey, you had me at library,” the disguised boy smiled.

“See ya, bookworm!” Luz called from inside the cauldron.

“Later, nerd!” Vesper joked back, making the girls laugh as they walked away. He looked around momentarily, noticing the cloister was mostly empty, before glancing at his wings. Maybe… 

“Let’s try.” Hoping the knowledge of how to fly was included in the disguise, he flapped and jumped, clearing the railing as he glided to the ground floor. Remembering what he had seen in nature documentaries, Vesper tried to imitate how birds landed. He almost succeeded but slipped on the landing and fell hard on his back. “Oof!” he grunted, sitting up. “Okay… not a good idea.”

“Are you okay?” Someone approached Vesper. He looked up and saw a witch boy wearing a blue uniform. The boy had pale skin, blue eyes, and strawberry-blond hair that was more on the reddish side. His hair was longish and pulled back in a loose bun.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m okay,” Vesper assured him as the other helped him to his feet, grunting in pain. “Okay, maybe not okay…”

“I got you,” he said before casting a blue spell circle. It passed over Vesper, and the aches vanished instantly. “How’s that?”

“Awesome! Thanks,” Vesper looked at him, amazed. “I’m Vesper.”

“Fallon,” he nodded. “You should be a little more careful. Just because that spell gave you wings doesn’t mean you know how to use them.”

“Yeah, I– Hold on, what?!” Vesper looked at him in surprise. Fallon just raised an eyebrow with a smile, causing the human boy to blush. “Oh…” He chuckled nervously. “The spell… You won’t tell anyone, will you?”

“Well, I saw Willow bring you, so I doubt you came here for trouble,” Fallon said reassuringly.

Vesper sighed in relief. “Thanks.”

“I was on my way to the library. You heading the same way?”

“Mhm,” Vesper nodded.

“Let’s go together then,” Fallon suggested as they walked along. “I can introduce you to Tenzin.”

“Sure.”

Down the hallway, they entered the school library, and Vesper instantly fell in love. The room was spacious, with bookshelves lining the walls and circular tables scattered throughout the space. There was a big wooden desk with a bell, which Fallon rang. A short, stocky boy with short black hair, brown eyes, and a brown uniform appeared to greet them.

“Hi, Fallon.”

“Hey, Tenzin,” Fallon said as he rummaged through his bag, pulled out a book, and handed it to him. “Here’s the book I borrowed.”

“Thanks.” He drew a spell circle that turned green before the book floated onto a return cart.

“Wow…” Vesper breathed in awe.

“Who’s your friend?” Tenzin asked, noticing the newcomer.

“This is Vesper,” Fallon introduced. “Willow invited him here. He’s a human,” he whispered.

“Oh, coo–” Tenzin began before realizing what he said. “Wait, what?”

“It’s a long story…” Vesper said sheepishly.

Tenzin looked at him before shrugging. “Well, we’re not busy, so I have time,” he said, coming around the desk.

“In exchange for that story, we can share some things about our world,” Fallon offered to the human boy.

“Deal.” Vesper smiled, already liking these two.

( Outside the Owl House )

King was giving the baby slug a dog treat, attempting to use it as a training method. “Aw. Who's a good Prince, Jr.? Who's a good guy?”

“Hey, Mr. Wiggles,” Eda called out while lounging in a chair, sipping from a coffee mug. “You're not gonna teach it anything doing that.”

“It's called positive reinforcement, Eda,” King corrected her. “And it works wonders.” Prince Jr. munched on the treat King was dangling in front of it, growing twice its size. “Ha ha! See? Now watch this,” he said as he pulled out another treat. “Prince Jr.! Attack Eda! Knock over her drink! Mess up her hair!”

“Oh no. Please stop,” Eda deadpanned without flinching.

“Well, I haven't seen your students in forever. For all we know, they’re not even loyal to you anymore.” The slug took the treat without King noticing.

“Ha-ha-ha, you wish,” Eda brushed off, but she noticed that neither Luz nor Vesper had returned yet. “But yeah. Where are they?”

( Abomination 101 )

Vesper talked with Fallon and Tenzin for a good hour, sharing stories about their worlds. Willow came to find him, and they headed to her class. They promised the other two that they would meet them at lunch. They entered a class called Abomination 101, where other students were dressed in magenta uniforms.

“Hope I pass.”

“I'm confident about this.” They heard a few students mumble. Some looked at Vesper, noticing his lack of a uniform and wings, but soon shifted their focus to the presentations.

A female student with ram horns stood at the front of the room next to an abomination with eight feet protruding from various places. “Hmm. Too many toenails in unexpected places. Fail. Pathetic!” The teacher, Professor Hermonculus, spat. The abomination and the student deflated as she wheeled it off the platform. “The biggest abominations are all of you! If the next abomination is a failure, everyone gets extra homework for a month!”

The students started grumbling at that.

“Oh, man!”

“Extra homework? Not again!”

Amity sat in the front row with a smug expression while Willow and Vesper watched from a spot in the back. The teacher cleared his throat. “And the next one to come up is…”

“Excuse me, sir,” Amity stood up eagerly, raising her hand. “But I am ready to present my abomination. Rise!”

It rose from the pot with a groan and posed, making the teacher laugh. “I've always saved the best for last, Amity. You'll have to wait your turn.”

Vesper blew a soft raspberry at Amity, nearly causing Willow to laugh. “How about..." The temporary witch and his friend quickly schooled their expressions. “Willow.”

The students groaned at the sound of her name, causing her to hide in her hood.

“Not Half-a-Witch.”

“Great. Homework for a month.”

Luz peeked out from the pot. “Don't listen to them, Willow. We can do this,” she encouraged, giving a thumbs-up.

“Yeah. These guys are about to eat their words,” Vesper whispered in agreement. “Now, show these guys you’re not a half-witch!”

Willow offered him a small smile and nodded in response. She rolled her pot to the front of the room and set it down hesitantly. "Uh... Abomination, rise.”

Luz punched the lid off and jumped out, striking a pose. “Ta-da!” Everyone gasped at her appearance, and Amity was especially stunned.

“Abomination, bow,” Willow commanded, her confidence growing.

Luz grunted and complied. “Blah!”

“Very impressive. But does it speak?” Hermonculus asked, causing them to freeze before the human came up with a response.

“Uh, I may be your abomination, but you're my a-mom-ination,” Luz said, holding Willow’s hands as the girl beamed.

“Aw!” the students cooed.

“That’s cute.”

Amity’s mouth was open in disbelief as the teacher started laughing. “‘A-mom-ination!’ Splendid wordplay. A plus!” He wrote the grade on Luz’s forehead, and everyone cheered—except Amity, who huffed in suspicion.

“Yay!”

“Go, Willow!”

The two girls exchanged smiles as Vesper gave them a thumbs-up.

( After class )

The bell screamed again before coughing. Students exited their classrooms as Willow wheeled Luz out, with Vesper walking beside her.

“Congratulations, Willow! You deserve this.”

“Thanks, Vesper,” Willow smiled at him.

“Wonderful work today, Willow.” They turned as the Abomination instructor approached. “Looks like we have a new top student.” Amity, who was leaving the room behind him, gasped and dropped her books as she came to a stop. Professor Hermonculus took her top student badge, prompting her to growl and reach out toward him in vain.

“But…”

Professor Hermonculus cheerfully pinned the badge to Willow's cowl. “Uh–Thank you, sir.” He nodded, and his abomination carried him away. Willow and Vesper turned to leave but found Amity standing in front of them, furious.

“Hey!” they gasped at her appearance, with Willow wondering how she had gotten there so quickly. “Last time I saw you, your abomination was mush. What did you do?”

“I, uh, took your pep talk to heart, Amity,” Willow adjusted her glasses nervously.

“I bet you did. I've got my eyes on you, Half-a-Witch,” Amity said, walking backward with her arms crossed, never breaking eye contact with Willow. “That badge is mine.” She backed into a student but didn’t even flinch.

“Hey!” She kept her gaze on Willow as she turned the corner into another hallway.

“Uh-oh. I think Amity is onto us,” Willow said, touching her cheek.

“Yeah, we should get out of here as quickly as possible when the final bell rings,” Vesper agreed as they hurried to Willow’s next class.

( Back at the Owl House )

Eda slammed the front door open, smashing Hooty’s face into the wall. “Ow!”  

“Have you seen Luz or Vesper?” Eda asked him.  

“I heard their tiny mouse feet walking close by. Or that might've been some mice. Anyway, someone started moving in that direction.” He gestured slightly with his head as Eda stared at him. “Hoo, hoo-hoo, hoo.”  

“Are you trying to point, or–?”  

“Look at the weather vane!” He urged her, and she stepped back, looking up to see where it was pointing.  

“But the only thing that way is the…” She gasped in horror. “No.” She took off running. “No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!” She reached Hexside and peered into various windows, the first of which was a kindergarten classroom.  

“Okay, everyone. Recite your runes,” the teacher instructed the children.  

“Krom, Zix, Elgrim, Zenomide–”  

“No!” Eda looked away. “Blind obedience!” She looked into the next classroom, where several older students were writing at their desks with a snake-like teacher instructing them.  

“Heximal system time! Let's get memorizin'!”

“No!” Eda held her head in agony. “Pointless busywork!” She then peeked into one more classroom to see Luz, still covered in abomination goo, writing along with the rest of the class next to Willow. Vesper was positioned towards the back, alongside Fallon, who was coaching him on the material they were studying. “No!” She cried, gazing up at the sky. “Why! School!”

( In the cafeteria )

It was lunchtime. Willow, Gus, Luz (back in the pot), Vesper, Fallon, and Tenzin were sitting together at the end of the table.

“Hey,” Gus said as he reached into his lunch bag. “Do humans eat PB&Js?” He held up a sandwich.

“Oh my gosh, we haven't eaten real food in so long. Please give me some,” Luz said eagerly, and Gus split it in half.

“Do you have any more?” Vesper asked hopefully.

“Allow me,” Fallon stepped forward. Moving a few napkins in front of him, he drew a spell circle, and they transformed into PB&J sandwiches.

“Nice—wait, this isn’t that crunchy stuff, is it?” Vesper raised a suspicious eyebrow.

Fallon chuckled. “No, it’s smooth.”

“Smooth type all day!” Gus declared.

“Yes!” He pumped his fists. Vesper smiled eagerly as he grabbed one of the sandwiches, and Gus handed one half to Luz. She took the whole thing into her mouth and sank into the pot. Vesper closed his eyes in bliss.

“I love creamy peanut butter…”

“I don't know, Gus,” Willow voiced her concerns before grumbling, “If Amity saw that…”

Suddenly, Amity jumped onto the table, shocking everyone. “I saw that! Abominations don't eat!” She confronted Willow before moving to the cauldron. “I know you're in there! You can't hide from me!” Other students began to glance over at the commotion. “What are you? Who are you?!” Amity seized Luz by her shirt and shook her violently. “I want answers!”

“Amity, calm down!” Tenzin stood up, trying to get the other witch to back off.

“Leave it alone!” Vesper echoed, also standing.

“And you!” Amity glared at the disguised human, grabbing him by the shirt.

“Hey!”

“You’re involved in this, aren’t you?!” She glared at him, pulling him close. “You showed up at the same time Willow brought this thing in, so you must be!”

Vesper glared back and stood up, meeting Amity’s gaze as he snapped his wings open to appear larger. “Let go. Now,” he growled, his face shadowed by his wings. Amity momentarily lost some of her bravado; he really did look intimidating, and a hush fell over the cafeteria.

“Amity Blight!”

“Huh?” She looked over at the abomination teacher in horror.

“I suspected a twinge of jealousy, but this, this is just sad,” he reprimanded her.

“Including the blatant disrespect toward a visitor,” Fallon added, shooting Amity a disapproving glance.

“But I–No! Look at it!” She released Vesper to lift Luz again. The human girl groaned as her head fell back, mimicking an abomination.  

“That was convincing,” Vesper remarked sarcastically, earning a glare from the abomination witch.

“Report to Principal Bump's office,” Hermonculus commanded.  

“But–”  

“Now!” He slammed his fist down.  

Amity dropped Luz and dashed away before Professor Hermonculus left. Luz popped back up, exchanging a concerned glance with Willow and Vesper.  

“Are you okay, teacher?” Gus asked Vesper.  

“Yeah, I’m fine, Gus,” the disguised human rubbed his head.  

“That was close,” Tenzin said. “Amity ran into the library after the presentations to look for books on abominations. I guess that’s what it was for.”  

“You guys might have a problem after this,” Fallon remarked. “I know Amity, and she’s not going to give up, especially if she thinks she’s right.”  

Vesper let out a slight sigh. “Hopefully, we can leave before she tries anything again.”

( Outside the Owl House )

“Roll over!” King tossed a handful of dog treats to Prince Jr. and pumped his fist in excitement. “Yes! Heel!” However, Prince Jr. did not respond to either command, focusing solely on the treats. He now loomed over King. “Yes, yes!”

Prince Jr. roared as Eda returned, causing King to glance toward her. “So, did you find your runaway students?” She stood with her arms crossed, looking defeated as she remembered the two at school. “By your expression, I can tell Luz and Vesper have gone and found themselves someplace else to learn. Which means I have won!” He lifted the box in celebration, accidentally tossing some treats, which the giant slug eagerly caught in mid-air.

“Yes, great, you won,” Eda admitted defeat as King threw another handful of treats to the side for Prince Jr. to chase. “You have a giant soldier thing, and I have nothing. Congrats!”

“Oh, Eda,” he said, walking up to her with his hands behind his back. “Don't say that. At least you have this!” He pulled out a shame cone for her to wear and cackled in delight.

“Ugh!” Eda groaned, snatching it up and stalking off.

King watched her leave, laughing again as Eda entered the shack attached to the Owl House. “I am so funny! Ah, well, Prince Jr. training complete. Go forth! Make the world tremble at your feet—or worm stubs.” He scratched his head. Prince Jr. didn’t move, causing him to feel a bit anxious. “Go forth?” Still no movement, and that’s when he realized he needed the snacks. “Oh,” he chuckled. “Right.”

He picked up the dog treat box and shook it... But it was empty. Prince Jr. growled and inched closer, making King realize he was in trouble. He looked back with a fearful whimper. “Ah!”

( In one of the classrooms )

“Whoo!” Luz popped out of the pot, stretching her arms. “I'm a sweaty little abomination.” She hopped out as Vesper and the others approached, with Fallon carrying a spare uniform. “But now we don't have to worry about Amity. High five!” She extended her hand toward them. The witches stared at it, then exchanged puzzled glances while Gus shrugged. “Slap my hand,” Luz demonstrated. “It's a human thing.”

“It’s a gesture of camaraderie, mostly among teenagers,” Vesper explained.

“Ohh,” the witches replied in understanding.

Gus decided to try it and stepped forward, hesitantly mimicking Luz’s actions. Then he smiled and repeated it a few more times, growing more confident. “Oh. Oh, my. Oh, man, what a rush!”

Vesper and the other boys laughed good-naturedly. “Okay,” Fallon recovered. “Let’s get Luz cleaned up and disguised before–”

He was interrupted when the classroom door swung open, revealing Amity. “Before exactly that happens,” Vesper murmured as Fallon hid the spare uniform behind his back.

The abomination witch smirked and stepped aside, allowing Principal Bump to enter the room. “Good afternoon, students.”

“Principal Bump,” Willow exclaimed in shock.

Luz dropped down, pretending to be an abomination. Vesper and the students stepped back as Principal Bump approached her. He knelt and grasped her cheeks, turning her head so abruptly that it cracked as he examined her. Luz appeared uncomfortable but remained in character. “Hmm. Abomination, rise.”

She did, looking nervous. “Abomination, lie.”

“Uh, viral fame is a worthy pursuit. Your cat would never eat you if it got the chance. Chemtrails are real—"

“Oh, no, abomination,” Bump interrupted her. “How strange for it to get the command wrong. I mean, lie down.” He pointed to a desk.

Luz whimpered with a nervous smile before lying down on it. “So very lifelike.” He grabbed Willow and led her over. “When Miss Blight told me about your abomination, I had to come by, see what she's made of.”

“Oh, I have her list of ingredients right here,” Willow said as she reached into her pocket.

“No,” Bump interrupted her. “We were hoping…” He pulled a dagger from his sleeve. “For a closer look.” Luz's expression turned horrified as its shadow cast over her face. “Willow, I'll allow you the first cut,” he said, handing it to her while Amity looked smug and the others appeared worried.

“Finally lost it, Blight?” Fallon glared at the other witch.

“Back off, Deamonne,” she shot back at him.

Willow took the offered dagger and smiled nervously at him. She stepped closer to Luz, asking quietly. “Uh, you can't just cut open a human, can you?” Luz shook her head no. Bump placed a hand on Willow’s shoulder.

“Willow, go ahead and make the first incision.”

“Wait, Principal Bump!” Gus called out, standing near three cauldrons of abominations. “Uh, high five!” He slapped the cauldrons, knocking them over. The goo spilled together, and the newly formed abominations stood up and stepped forward.

“Now’s a good time to run,” Fallon whispered to Vesper as Bump and Amity handled the abominations. 

“Great idea!” Vesper approached the girls, who were glancing at Gus, hiding behind one of the desks.

“Run!” he pointed at the door. Willow grabbed Luz’s arm and took off, the temporary witch chasing after them.

“Let’s try this again!” he grunted, flapping his wings as he jumped. After a few wobbles, he stabilized in the air. “Yes!” he cheered, then flew after the girls.

Amity noticed their escape. “They're getting away!” She pointed at the door.

“No, the intruder won't get far.” He approached the wall, traced a large spell circle, and slammed the wall in the center of it. Red light spread from the spell circle, forming patterns on the walls and floor.

Seizing the opportunity, Fallon spun a magic circle, causing blue restraints to appear around Amity, making her tumble in surprise. “Hey!”

“Let’s go!” Fallon commanded, and the others followed him out the door before Bump could react.

Willow and Luz dashed through the halls, panting as they paused at a corner. Suddenly, Vesper caught up and hovered above them. “Whoa, V, you’re flying?!” Luz exclaimed in shock.

“Not that hard once you stop overthinking it,” he shrugged.

“Glad you’re having fun,” Willow said with a slight smile before her expression turned worried again.

“We’re so sorry, Willow. We just wanted to see what a real magic school was like.” Luz looked down in disappointment.

“Well, how do you like it?” Willow asked, her smile returning.

“It's lovely, actually.”

“More interesting than human schools,” Vesper added.

The three giggled, and Willow said, “Okay, we should get out of here before—” The red light patterns converged on the walls. When they reached a doorway, a red shield blocked their way. Several more doorways were sealed off, and the patterns overtook the school. “… Bump seals us in.”

( Back with Eda )

Eda was sulking in the shame hat inside the Owl House’s shack when she looked up at King's voice. “Help me, help me, help me!” He ran in, slammed the door, and dove into Eda’s arms, whimpering. The doors shook under Prince Jr.’s attacks.

“Trouble with your student?” Eda smirked knowingly.

“Yes, yes!” He hugged her arm tightly.

The banging on the door persisted. “Are you sure you need my help? Maybe he only wants more of your brilliant lessons.”

The door shattered as Prince Jr. burst through and roared at them, causing Eda to lose her smirk. He slid close and grabbed King by the tail, dragging him from a shocked Eda’s arms while the little demon squealed in fear. “Please help me! You can call me Mr. Wiggles!” he pleaded desperately.

Eda smirked and stood up, removing the shame hat as she grabbed her staff. She struck Prince Jr. in the face with the butt of her staff, forcing him to release King. Prince Jr. retreated while King ran and clung to Eda's leg, whimpering in fear. “Okay, Mr. Wiggles. Here's what we're gonna do,” she smirked at him as he climbed onto her shoulder.

( Hexside )

Willow, Luz, and Vesper reached the central atrium. The winged boy soared into the open space while the girls took a sealed-off doorway.

“Girls, look out!” Vesper shouted as shadows loomed over them. They turned and gasped at the sight of Bump, directing abominations toward them. They dashed to the other side of the atrium, hiding behind a pillar as Vesper landed next to them.

“Oh, this is awful,” Willow said, cupping her cheeks as she sank to the ground. “I don't know what to do. Amity's right. I'm just… Half-a-Witch Willow.”

“No, you’re not!” Vesper exclaimed unexpectedly, causing Willow to look at him in surprise. “So what if you can’t make perfect abominations like Amity? I’ve seen you bring dead flowers back to life and summon thorny vines as thick as trees! I bet you could grow your own forest if you tried!”

Willow smiled gratefully at his encouragement. “I know your parents think this is what’s best for you, but what’s the point if you’re not happy with what you do? If plant magic is what you want, then go for it. Don’t worry about what others want you to be; focus on what you want to be!”

“Vesper’s right. You're Full-Witch Willow. And you're great,” Luz added, placing a hand on her shoulder. “And someone once told me great witches are resourceful.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out the contents, including the slime ball.

“That's it!” Willow smiled, taking it from her.

“You mean that greasy slimeball?” Luz wondered as the two friends looked at her, confused.

“Luz, it's a seed! Thank goodness you had it on you.”

“Seriously?” Vesper asked in surprise.

“Yeah,” Luz smiled as she recalled that morning. “Thank goodness someone told me to hold on to it.” She turned to her friend, and they both smiled.

“Guess there’s a method to Eda’s madness, too.”

Willow placed the seed on her lap and traced a spell circle over it. They watched as green magic surrounded it. “Please grow!” Vines sprouted from the seed, reaching for the ceiling. The friends ducked as the vines stabbed through the abominations closing in behind them. They eventually targeted Principal Bump, shocking him as they lifted him to the ceiling and pinned him there. However, when he opened his eyes, he gasped in awe. Vines covered the entire atrium, curling around pillars and reaching from the bottom floor to the absolute ceiling. Pink petals fluttered around, and several of the vines bore flowers.

“Remarkable.”

Fallon, Tenzin, and Gus ran into the area and looked around in surprise at the plants. “Whoa…” Fallon breathed.

“What happened here?” Tenzin wondered.

Gus whistled, impressed. “Looks like Willow’s been practicing.”

The lights sealing off the hallways faded, and all the runes disappeared. “There's the exit!” Luz saw the opening.

“Time to go!” Vesper said.

Willow placed the seed on the floor and followed the duo to the exit. “Not so fast!” they gasped as Amity blocked their way. “I'm not letting you get away so easily. I want my badge!” She angrily threw a vine off herself. “Abominations, seize!” An abomination reformed and approached them from behind. Luz punched it through the chest, grabbed Willow’s wrist, and ran. Vesper flapped his wings and took to the air to pursue the girls. Amity reformed the abomination and sent it after them once more.

The trio now seemed to have a clear path to freedom, but another abomination formed in front of them. “Whoa!” Luz gasped as the other two screamed, coming to a halt. The abomination staggered forward, and Willow traced a large spell circle. She expanded it and crossed her arms, controlling the vines to ensnare the abomination.

“Get outta here!”

“No! We’re not leaving you,” Luz insisted, placing a hand on her shoulder.

“I may get detention, but you'll get dissected.”

The abominations from before melted through the vines, reforming and staggering toward the teens. In a panic, Vesper pointed his hands at them, and immediately, a powerful force sent the abominations flying backward. Amity’s eyes widened as they approached her, but she didn’t have time to react before they collided with her.

“What the...?”

“So go!” Not knowing what had happened, Willow waved her hand, summoning vines to seize her two friends. They lifted them over the abomination and out the door. When they were dropped to the ground, Vesper turned around as the doors slammed shut after the vines retracted.

“Willow!” Luz called out before sighing. “I can't save you right now. But I know someone who can!” She then sprinted away. “C’mon, V!”

“Let’s fly!” Vesper took off after her with his wings.

( Meanwhile )

Eda was battling Prince Jr, effortlessly dodging as it spat lava at her. She charged forward and struck it in the face with her staff twice. She stepped back as it slithered after her, inching closer to the front door. Meanwhile, King pushed a barrel onto the roof, steadying it as Eda got the slug into position.

“Pour the salt, now!”

“Baby boy!” King looked regretful, and the slug whimpered at him, looking sad... until it roared. “I have no son. Eat salt!” He shoved the entire barrel of salt into Prince Jr.’s mouth. It shivered and made noises of protest before shrinking back to its original size. It then whimpered as it ran off. “Yes, I did it! I'm amazing!” He did a victory dance before slipping off the roof. “Ahh!” Fortunately, Eda caught him, making him chuckle as he rubbed his neck. “You helped, too. You are a good teacher.”

“I wish the kids thought that too,” Eda said, looking away.

“Edaaaa!” Luz shouted as the two arrived.

“Hey, hey, hey, hey! What is this?” Eda grunted as the two hugged her. “Ugh! I never understand when you two do this.” She then noticed Vesper’s appearance. “Whoa. What happened to you?”

“Long story, but we don’t have time to explain,” Vesper waved his hands.

“Your lesson worked! Keeping junk in my pocket saved my life!” Luz told her quickly before gasping and holding her cheeks. “But wait. Our new friends. They're in danger.”

“Luz!” Willow shouted.

“Vesper!” Fallon called out as the two groups ran up and hugged them.

“Ah, too tight!” Vesper gasped, feeling pressure on his wings.

“Whoops, sorry!” Willow waved a finger, and Vesper was restored to normal. He checked himself over and sighed in relief.

“Well, that was fun.”

The teens then shared a group hug happily. “Seriously, what is that? What’s going on right now?” Eda asked.

Willow pulled away, hands on Luz’s shoulders. “You won't believe it, guys. Everything is perfect now!”

“It's true. I don't believe it.”

“Yeah, what happened? Is everything okay?” Vesper asked, confused.

“Depends on who you ask,” Fallon replied.

“Principal Bump was so impressed by my plant work, he's switching me to the plant magic track! Look!” Willow backed away and snapped her fingers. With a glow of green magic and a twirl, her sleeves and leggings changed from magenta to green.

“Yes!” Luz hugged her again, the plant witch giggling as she twirled her around. “Whoo!”

“That’s great, Willow!” Vesper clapped.

“Oh,” Luz suddenly remembered something. “What about Amity?”

“Last we saw, she was picking abomination goo out of her hair and asking Bump if today could count as extra credit,” Tenzin explained, earning a scoff from Vesper.

“Well, I can't wait to see you in action next time we sneak in,” Luz grinned, folding her hands together. Behind her, Willow and Fallon winced, staring at Gus and Tenzin, who wore the same expressions.

“What?” Vesper raised an eyebrow.

“Uh, about that…” Gus said, slipping a hand into his pocket. “You're kinda, sorta…” He pulled out and unfurled a poster reading “BANNED” with a picture of Luz covered in abomination goo beneath it. “Banned.”

“Same with Vesper,” Tenzin revealed another banned scroll with Vesper’s disguised picture.

“That's my kids!” Eda cheered.

“What did I do?!” Vesper asked.

“Yeah, I don’t get it either,” Fallon shrugged.

“If you’d like, I can lend you some books from the school library,” Tenzin offered.

“Really?” Vesper replied, intrigued.

“Sure. Not a lot of people read as enthusiastically as you do.”

“Thanks.”

“And we could come here and teach you what we learned,” Willow offered to Luz.

“Aw, that would be nice. But… we have a pretty great teacher already,” she smiled at Eda, who looked shocked.

“… Yeah, that's right. Luz and Vesper are my students,” Eda swiped the posters. “Back off, academy twerps.” Everyone laughed at her as Gus and Tenzin stepped back, and then she proudly held up the posters. “Ah, baby's first wanted posters. Good job, kids.” She patted the top of Luz’s head. “Looks like I taught you something after all.”

Fallon chuckled. “Are things usually this chaotic?”

“No. This is kind of a steady day,” Vesper said.

“Don’t think I forgot about you,” Eda said, patting his head.

“Ah! No!” The human boy groaned slightly about being banned… 

“Uh, you high-five with your hands, not your head,” Gus interjected, correcting them. Eda’s eyes widened as he smiled, and Vesper shook his head in amusement.  

“I have much to teach you, cadet.”

“What, you a teacher now?” Eda teased him, arms crossed.  

“I might as well do something productive between near-death experiences,” Vesper deadpanned. “Alright, Gus, where do you want to start with humans?”  

He gasped in delight, pulling out a notepad and pen, grinning widely. “Every fiber of my being was ready for this moment.” The other kids chuckled at the younger boy’s enthusiasm.

( Later that night )

Vesper was in his room, reflecting on the day as he sat by his window. Despite being banned, he had a good time and actually made some friends. However, something still troubled him. While they were escaping, he recalled what had happened with the abomination and their unexplained repulsion.

Glancing at his hands, he looked back at the full moon. “What happened back there…?”

Chapter Text

It was a stormy evening on the Boiling Isles. At the Owl House, Luz began recording on her phone, starting with a close-up of King’s eye. “And here we have the most fearsome creature in the world, the King of Demons,” Luz narrated in a British accent as she zoomed out to show King trying to rip a sock off his nose. “Facing his natural enemy, the ducky sock!” King grunted in his struggle, tearing the sock into pieces with his feet. He stood up and shredded the rest, stomping on the remnants.

“Where are you now, ducky sock?” he slammed his fists down.

“Alright, King, the ducky sock has been punished enough,” Vesper stated with an amused smile, sitting next to Luz on the floor with a book in his lap.

“So, why'd you call us here again?” Luz asked curiously.

“Oh, yeah,” King remembered what he was doing before. He stood up, grunting as he climbed onto a table to stand in front of a board covered by a tarp. “Human Luz and Human Vesper, you've been so obsessed with witchcraft and the Boiling Isles that you haven't learned anything about my kind. Prepare yourselves for…” He pulled off a curtain to reveal a corkboard filled with photos of various demons. He donned a teacher’s hat and spun the cord on top of it. “Demons 101. Demons like me are grim tricksters of the twilight, creatures of sulfur and bone." 

Luz zoomed in with her camera. “And cute little paws.”

Vesper chuckled into his hand as King sighed. “And cute little paws. True. We live only to create chaos and misery. Our only weaknesses are purified water and passive-aggressive comments. Sometimes.”

“Oh, you guys are sensitive,” Luz cooed lightly.

“And I thought demons were associated with power and destruction,” Vesper raised an eyebrow.

“Even demons have inner demons…” He tore off one of the pictures to reveal a snarling demon with pink skin and a spiky shell. “The most powerful demon of all is the Snaggleback. He's a—”

“Bad boy!” Luz interrupted, adding a colored filter and several stickers to the screen. King looked back to see only Vesper engaged in his lesson while Luz tapped on her phone screen.

“Luz, pay attention. This information could save your life, and Vesper’s someday,” he gestured to the board.

“No, no. I am so paying attention,” Luz shook her head. “This is my paying attention face,” she pointed to her interested expression before nodding. “Mm-hmm, mm-hmm, mm-hmm.”

“Riiiggghhht,” Vesper drawled sarcastically. Lightning crashed, followed immediately by a rumble of thunder that drew their attention outside.

“Uh-oh. Looks like it's gonna rain,” King commented.

Luz gasped sharply at that. “I love the rain,” she said before heading for the door.

“Hey, wait!” King called, holding out a hand.

“You don’t wanna go out there!” Vesper shouted, but his warning was ignored. “Luz!” He ran after her.

Luz opened the door, exhaling as she stepped outside. “I always love feeling the first few drops in my hair.” She twirled around and spotted a flower, kneeling to talk to it. “I bet you do, too, little buddy.” But when a drop of water hit the flower, it withered and died instantly. “What?” Her eyes widened in horror.

“Boiling rain!” Eda rushed out of the forest toward the house, shielding her forehead with her arm. “Everybody inside, now!”

“Huh?” Luz yelped as the Owl Lady grabbed her arm and pulled her inside. There was the sound of objects crashing and clattering before Eda looked up at the door in relief from her position on the floor.

“Phew! That was close. But the important thing is you didn't get hurt.”

“Yep,” Luz grunted, lying alongside Vesper in a painful heap amid the wreckage of King’s demon lesson. She groaned as a cup fell on her head while King struggled to pick himself out of the debris. “Not hurt.”

“I beg to differ,” Vesper murmured wearily, his glasses askew on his face.

( A short time later )

In Bonesborough, the residents were screaming and running to find shelter from the scalding rain. Buildings clinging to the side of the cliff collapsed. At Willow's house, she hurried to her small balcony to bring the plants inside before they were burned.

“Ow, ow, ow, ow.” She jumped up and pulled the curtain closed with her teeth.

Tinella Nosa, the conspiracy theorist, was darting around in an alleyway, shrieking before she ducked into a crack in the wall. She tossed out a rat that was living there and hissed at it.

Outside the Owl House, King placed a bandage on Luz’s arm after Vesper applied some burn cream. She had her cat hood on as the little demon put another bandage on his snout. “Look, now we're boo-boo buddies.”

Her eyes sparkled at him as she squealed, falling over. “Oh my gosh, I love you so much.” The door opened, and Vesper rejoined them after putting away the medical supplies. She looked up at him with a slight pout. “You knew about this, didn’t you?” she asked knowingly.

“I finished a book on Boiling Isles weather patterns yesterday,” Vesper said, looking down at her and leaning a hand against the doorframe. “I was trying to tell you, but as usual, you don’t wait to listen.”

“Oh, come on, V! You know me; I never wait to listen. You deal with that all the time,” Luz looked away, still pouting, before she sighed. “But I guess I should learn to listen when you’re trying to warn me about something, huh?”

“I’d appreciate that understanding if I didn’t know you’d never do it,” the boy smirked in amusement. They glanced at Eda, who was creating a spell under a yellow protective shield.

“A boiling rainstorm on the Boiling Isles. The weather here is so fun!” Luz exclaimed as she sat up.

“Yeah, we don't have weather,” Eda corrected her. “We have plagues, gorenados, shale hail, painbows.”

“It's like a rainbow, but looking at it turns you inside out,” King explained to them. Luz pulled the drawstrings of her hood closed while Vesper shuddered.

“So, until the boiling rain stops, no one is allowed outside tonight,” Eda warned the trio.

“And if the rain doesn't get you,” King took a book out of his hat, opening it to images of the Snaggleback. “The Snaggleback will. They wander the rain, feeding on boiled tourists.”

“Well, whatever the case, this force field spell should protect the house from boiling rains and made-up demons,” Eda teased him.

“Hoot! Well, hurry it up with that force field,” Hooty called out angrily. “That rain is getting closer to my precious stucco.”

“Yeah, yeah. I got it,” Eda said as she grabbed her staff, using it to hold the light ball she created. She stamped it on the ground, and an orange force field engulfed the house, then shrank closely around it.

“Wow! Someday I'd like to be as cool as Eda the Owl Lady,” Luz said as she pulled down her hood while Eda walked toward the house. “Magical, sassy, surprisingly foxy for her age. Hey, why do they call you the Owl Lady, anyway?”

She placed a hand on her hip. “‘Cause I'm so wise,” Eda replied proudly, earning a scoff from Vesper.

“Yeah, right.”

“It’s ‘cause she coughs up rat bones,” Hooty pointed out from behind Vesper.

“I think it's ‘cause she gets distracted by shiny objects,” King added, his book under his arm.

“No, I don't,” Eda denied. King pulled out the pen he had used before. He clicked it, and the diamond on top glowed.

Eda’s pupils widened as she stared delightfully at the pen. “It sparkles and shimmers. It shines and delights. I must have it for my nest…” She lunged for it, but King put it behind his back, and she crashed onto the ground with a groan.

“You have a nest?” Luz asked excitedly, kneeling beside her. “I want a nest! Nest party!”

“Let’s help her up first, Luz,” Vesper said with a smile. He walked over, and the duo helped Eda to her feet.

“Ugh. That force field really took it out of me,” she groaned tiredly.

“Uh-oh. Moving a little slow,” King teased as he stepped closer. “Age finally catching up to ya?” Eda hooded his head with the beret in response, causing him to scream, “Ahh! Darkness!”

“Life lesson number one for ya, King: never comment on a woman’s age,” Vesper advised.

Luz watched as Eda entered the house, stepping inside wearily. “This is perfect,” she grinned happily.

“What is?” Vesper asked, looking at her.

“Since we'll be stuck in the house all night, Eda won't have any excuse not to teach us a spell.”

“I don’t know, Luz. She seemed pretty tired,” her friend replied hesitantly.

“We’ll just ask her to show us the basics. One spell and that’s it,” she promised. “Knowing you, seeing it once is all you need.”

“Not entirely inaccurate…” Vesper agreed slowly, then sighed. “Okay, if you can get her to do it, one spell and that’s it. She needs her rest.”

“Deal!” Luz replied as they followed Eda inside.

“But don't you wanna finish our lesson?” King asked sadly. “I was gonna let you scratch a demon's tummy. Me!”

“Oh, uh, sorry, King,” Luz turned to him apologetically. “But… magic.”

“And I need to make sure Luz doesn’t push Eda too much. Besides, I wanna see some magic, too,” Vesper said as they walked away. King looked visibly frustrated as his horn pierced through his hat, causing it to deflate.

Inside, Eda walked behind a privacy screen. Dropping her staff, she snapped her fingers, creating a glow of light. When she emerged on the other side, she was wearing her pajamas. She adjusted her skirt, clicking her tongue a few times, before lying on the couch with a satisfied sigh… until a shadow fell over her. “Ahh!” She shrieked upon seeing Luz looming over her.

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

“Whatever it is, no,” Eda replied flatly.

“Uh, and your hair is like… girl.”

“I'm not teaching you magic tonight,” she correctly guessed. “I'm sleepy.” Eda pulled a blanket off the back of the couch, tucking herself in. “I'm a sleepy little owl.”

“Please, Eda, please,” Luz pleaded. “How am I supposed to earn my witch's staff if I don't know any spells?”

“We’ve been here for almost two weeks, and you still haven’t shown us any magic,” Vesper said, joining his friend.

“No. Sleep,” Eda said, covering her entire head with the blanket. Before either human could put a plan into action, a knock on the door caught everyone’s attention.

“Were we expecting anyone?” Luz asked.

“Not in this weather,” Eda said as she sat up.

Vesper crept over to the door and opened it cautiously. Much to his relief, a witch he recognized stood on the other side. “Oh! Hey, Fallon.” He opened the door wider to let the strawberry-blond witch inside.

“Hi, Vesper,” he smiled, removing his cloak’s hood, which appeared made from abomination matter. Instead of his school uniform, Fallon donned a white, long-sleeve collared shirt with purple accents on the sleeve cuffs, a black vest, a magenta neck scarf, light purple pants, and black heeled boots with lavender toes. His hair was styled in a low ponytail, showing that it was long enough to reach his upper back.

“Stylish,” Luz remarked about the outfit.

“Thanks,” Fallon replied, taking off the cloak.

“So, what brings you here, Fallon?” Vesper asked his friend.

“And how did you get here?” Eda added. “It’s boiling rain outside.”

“It’s the cloak,” Fallon explained. “It’s made from abomination matter, and that stuff holds up against almost anything. I grabbed it from my guardian’s closet. As for why I’m here, I was running errands for my guardian when the rain started. Your place was closer, so I figured I’d wait out the storm here… if that’s okay?”

“Well, you’re already here, and I’m not heartless enough to kick a teenager out into the boiling rain.”

“Thank you!”

“I’ll show you where to put your cloak,” Vesper offered, leading Fallon further into the house.

“So, will you teach me magic now?” Luz asked, turning to their mentor. “You don’t seem tired anymore.”

“Ugh… fine,” Eda groaned.

( Shortly after that )

Lightning flashed, followed by a clap of thunder as Eda stood in front of Luz and Vesper with her staff. “If you want a witch's staff like mine, don't make me repeat myself.” She started to nod off before Vesper threw a cup of water in her face, waking her with a gasp. “Thanks, kid. Witch's staffs have power embedded into them.”

“Gimme!” Luz held out her hands. Vesper gave her a wary look, already knowing she wasn’t ready for that.

“But before one is earned, every witch needs to know how to cast spells on their own,” Eda continued, to Vesper’s relief. “Now...” She tossed her staff to the side, holding up a finger. “Tonight, I will show you how to create... light.”

She drew a circle in the air with her finger, which glowed orange. White light sparked in the center, forming a large, glowing ball. The teens watched in amazement as it descended until it was right in front of their faces, where it vanished, causing Luz to gasp in wonder.

“Yawn!” King stood up in annoyance from where he had been drawing in front of the couch. Fallon was sitting on the sofa, reading one of Eda’s books. “Who needs another boring spell lesson when you could be learning all the fun ways a demon could kill you?” He held up his drawing of a demon with giant teeth biting someone in half. “Look how teethy. Bite, bite.”

“Be quiet. I need to focus,” Luz replied, concentrating on Eda while Vesper took notes in a pocket journal. King looked disappointed by their responses while Fallon glanced at him with concern.

“Now, humans think magic is made out of thin air, but that's stupid. Everything comes from something,” Eda continued. “Let me ask you, kids. Where do you think magic comes from?”

“Uh, from the heart?” Luz’s eyes sparkled as she clasped her hands together.

“Yeah, I don’t think so,” Vesper replied with a slight eye roll. Luz turned to him and blew a raspberry.

“Actually, you're right,” Eda said after a pause, causing Luz to gasp with a joyful blush while Vesper looked shocked. “No, really,” Eda dug into her hair, pulling out a diagram of viscera with a GIANT thing attached to it. “It comes from a sac of magic bile attached to a witch's heart.”

“Whoa, ew!” Vesper recoiled.

“Welcome to Witch Biology 101,” Fallon laughed.

“Oh, gross,” Luz agreed with her friend. “Can I keep that?”

“No!” Eda and Vesper answered together, the witch pushing the diagram back into her hair.

“Now, everything depends on the spell circle.” She raised her finger and drew a larger circle in the air. “The bigger the circle, the more powerful the spell.” The circle burst out, creating a much bigger light than before, which faded much faster. However, Luz was starting to realize something.

“But how can I, little ol' Luz, do magic if I don't have a magic bile... sac?”

Eda paused for a moment as she contemplated. “You know, I'm not actually sure.”

“What?” Luz exclaimed, looking up at her.

“I know witches did magic differently in the past, but I never bothered to figure out how,” she laughed with a small snort.

“Eda!” the girl protested.

“Don't worry,” Eda said, bending down to ruffle the girl’s hair. “You'll figure it out. Or Vesper will, and he’ll tell you,” she turned Luz’s head towards her friend, who flinched at the looks they were giving her. “Now–” She stood up and cracked her back. “I need to lie down.” She staggered over to the couch.

“That's it? Wait! I need to see you do the circle thingy again,” Luz said, reaching into her back pocket.

“Luz,” Vesper said, looking at her and silently reminding her of their agreement.

“Last time, I promise,” she replied, pulling out her phone. “I'll record it on my phone this time.” She held it up to Eda, recording. “Smile! You're on camera. One more spell won't kill you.”

Eda groaned at her insistence. “Fine. Now, you see, the…” She started to draw a circle that was even shakier than the others. “The spell circle is really key because–” The circle vanished as she yawned. “Ooh, boy.” She muttered before collapsing face-first onto the floor as everyone watched.

“Welp, looks like one more spell killed Eda,” King remarked nonchalantly, and the humans gasped in horror. They quickly rolled her onto her back, with Fallon bending down to the rug.

“Oh my gosh. My obsession with spells knocked out Eda.” Luz stood, holding her head in guilt. “I'm a monster.”

Fallon raised an eyebrow as King stepped forward and held out a hand. “Bap!” He slapped Eda’s face. “Yep. She's out. Bap!” He hit her face again, laughing. “Just making sure.” The witch boy shook his head, examining Eda more closely as his eyes fell on her gem.

“Hmmm.”

“What is it, Fallon?” Vesper asked.

“Do you two know what that gem is?” He pointed at the amber oval.

“No,” the humans answered in unison.

“I always thought it was just jewelry,” King said.

“Give me a minute,” he stated before drawing a circle over it. Eda’s jewel glowed briefly, responding to the spell before it stopped. “Just as I thought, this is a bile sac monitor.”

“A bile sac monitor?” Vesper asked.

“It measures the fluids in a person’s bile sac. It’s often used by those with bile sickness, usually caused by an underdeveloped or atrophied bile sac.”

“So, Eda’s got some kind of heart condition?”

“To a degree, yes.”

“We should get help, right?” Luz asked the trio. She ran to the door but was stopped by King, who grabbed her leg, and the boys grabbed her arm.

“Boiling rains, remember?” King gasped.

“You’ll get burns all over, and we’re not supposed to be outside!” Vesper warned her.

“No, let her try. It'll be funny,” Hooty commented. Vesper slammed the door before King could.

“But what if Eda's dead?” Luz gestured to her.

“Shiny thing… Big nest,” she sleep-talked before snorting.

“Last I checked, Luz, the dead don’t talk,” Fallon said. “Or snore.”

“Remember when her head got cut off last week?” King reminded her. “That woman can survive anything. She's probably just tired from staying up all night chasing shrews and voles.”

“Wait, what?” Fallon looked at King with wide eyes.

“I’ll explain later,” Vesper said.

“Well, we can't just leave her on the floor,” Luz protested while King looked tiredly at Eda.

( Following that )

A thunderclap echoed as the four dragged Eda into her room. The boys held her arms while Luz and King grabbed her feet. The latter two positioned her feet against a giant nest, which was Eda’s bed. Luz brushed aside a small animal skeleton before lifting the Owl Lady into it, Eda snoring obliviously the whole time.

“Sorry for pushing you, Miss Eda. Please don't hurt me when you wake up,” Luz said anxiously.

“Should I bap her again?” King offered, earning a playful head rub from Luz.

“Just let her rest, you little goober.”

“Eh, I wouldn’t worry, Luz. She hasn’t killed you yet, and you snuck out on a suspicious quest your first day here,” Vesper remarked, glancing at their mentor with concern. “Still, this is the first time we’ve seen her so tired…”

“Well, this is the first time you’ve seen her overextend her bile sac, so…” Fallon shrugged.

“Come on. Let's go downstairs,” Luz dropped the subject and left the room, with the boys following her. King smacked Eda on the face one last time.

“Bap!” he cackled as he ran off.

( Back in the living room )

King was on the couch, redrawing a demon with several mouths from one of his books. When he finished, he held up his notepad. “Yeah, yeah," he said, approving of his picture.

“So, what was that about Eda getting her head cut off?” Fallon asked Vesper as they sat on the floor, each with a different book in hand.

“I don’t know how, but somehow, Eda’s limbs are detachable. She can take off her hands, and they still move,” Vesper explained. “Long story short, after being convinced to break into a prison, Eda’s head was cut off, and she was completely fine. Plus, her body was moving around on its own.”

“Seriously?” Fallon’s eyes widened.

“No joke.”

Suddenly, Luz groaned, interrupting their conversation. They turned to see her attempting to draw a spell circle. “This is all she does. Why you gotta be so cryptic, Owl Lady?”

“Well, for one thing, humans don’t have bile sacs,” Fallon pointed out. “And secondly, if you did have one, you can’t just trace a circle and expect something to happen. You need to have a clear idea of what you want.”

Luz sighed tiredly before hitting play on her recording, hoping to find something to help her. “Now, you see, the spell circle is really…”

“Hey,” King placed his notepad over her phone. “You know what's really cryptish? Let me tell you about the most spine-chilling demon.” He lifted his drawing to reveal a fish-like demon. “Smoochy-pie the Sweetie Baby!”

Vesper sputtered with laughter while Fallon chuckled softly. “What?” the older boy asked.

“He's… well, he's a lot more threatening than his name implies,” the little guy replied sheepishly.

“Not now, King. I want to figure out this spell,” Luz said, causing King to look away sadly as he sat on a pile of books. He watched as Vesper left the room with Fallon. “But if I don't have a magic sac, what's the point? I'll just be twirling my fingers around un-magically forever.”

“Why do you want to learn magic so bad, anyway?” he asked bitterly.

“… I was a nobody back home,” Luz revealed as she took a seat. “But becoming a witch is my chance to be someone. And Vesper… he didn’t believe in any of this stuff before, but he still encouraged me to be myself. I wanna show him that supporting me wasn’t the wrong decision, especially with the trouble I get him into with his dad. Do you know what it's like to have no one take you seriously?”

King sighed as thunder rumbled in the distance. “If I help you learn that spell, could we finish our lesson?”

“Oh, yes, yes,” Luz perked up, putting her phone away. “You can teach me about demons all week if you help me learn this spell.”

“Well, she said witches used to do magic differently,” King tapped his chin before drawing something. “So there has to be a way, right? And I have a theory.” He showed her a picture of an equation. “Every day, I notice Eda sneaking drinks of this special elixir, see? Then she always gets a boost of energy, see? I think that's where she gets her powers. And I know where to get some.”

“Really?” Luz asked hopefully.

“Sí,” he simply replied.

Luz pulled him into a hug, spinning around. “Thank you so much. You're a prince.” 

He stared at her, confused by the phrase. “King. I'm King.”

“Right.”

( Eda’s room )

Lightning flashed outside the window as Eda snored in her nest, thunder crashing even louder. The door creaked open, and King stepped inside quietly, scanning the room. “Now, where could it be…” He spotted a bright orange potion on Eda’s side table, accompanied by a torn tag that read ‘an elixir a day.’ He began sneaking toward it but halted when his foot hit something that clanged. He gasped, looking down to see a bear trap. King quickly moved his foot just as the trap snapped shut.

“Ha! Nice try.”

The bear trap then came to life, opening an eye. “Nah, my heart wasn't in it,” it stated before walking away. King continued, scampering up a curtain to reach the tabletop. Once there, he examined the tag and read it.

“‘An elixir a day.’ Cryptic.” He ripped off the tag and tucked it under his collar. “Nyeh.” Then he took the potion and hopped to the floor. He glanced between Eda and the potion guiltily, making nervous noises.

“Nah,” he snapped out of it and bolted away. Leaving Eda’s room, King didn’t notice that Vesper and Fallon had spotted him around the corner at the other end of the hall.

( In the kitchen )

Luz waited eagerly, wearing a bib, when King arrived, standing on the table. “Got it!” He presented the potion to her, and the human girl took it, popping the cork off.

“Wow! I can't believe I'm about to learn magic. Real magic. This is historic.” She slowly lifted the potion to her mouth when Vesper suddenly appeared and snatched it from her hands. “Hey!”

“Are you out of your mind?!” Vesper asked, holding the flask away from her. “What were you just about to drink?”

“King said that stuff gives a magic boost to whoever drinks it.”

“Luz, that would imply you’d have to have magic to begin with,” Vesper argued as Fallon took the elixir to examine it. “For all we know, this stuff could’ve made you sick! Where did you even get that, anyway?”

“It’s one of Eda’s things,” King said. “I see her drinking it every day, and she always looks more energized after taking it.”

“King, more than likely, this stuff is medicine for her bile sac sickness,” Vesper explained. “You shouldn’t have taken it.”

Suddenly, the lamps flared and went out. “What happened?” Fallon asked.

King groaned. “Hooty controls the house lights. He probably just fell asleep.”

Then there was a loud crash. “Hoot! Hoot!”

“Hooty!” Luz and Vesper exclaimed, with the girl taking off her apron as the group ran toward the house demon, King jumping onto Luz’s shoulder.

“Hoot, oh, hoot!”

They reached the living room and gasped in fear. A shadowy beast had knocked the door off its hinges and made a mess of the front room. Hooty’s eyes had X's in them, though he was still alive, as the beast left deep scratches in the wood. It growled when it noticed the other four before fleeing. The teens and King rushed to the door to check on Hooty.

“What was that?!” Fallon asked.

“And how did it get here?” Vesper added.

“Hooty! Are you in there?” Luz tapped his beak a few times and checked his eyes. “Whatever did this escaped into the rain. What could survive that?”

King touched the claw marks and realized something. “Oh, my gosh! The Snaggleback! It feeds during the rains. It must have stumbled across our house and seen us inside.”

“But if law enforcement can’t find us out here, how could the Snaggleback?” Vesper rubbed his chin. Just then, something howled. They ran outside, looking up just in time to see the shadowy creature jump through an upper-floor window.

“This is terrifying,” Luz commented, glaring slightly at King. “So why do you look so happy?”

King squealed giddily, and Vesper crossed his arms at him. “Because this could be a lesson. This would be a great way for you to see a wild demon up close and personal.”

“You want to go toward those creepy sounds? No way!” Luz immediately denied.

“I’m with her on this one! That’s just asking to get eaten,” the human boy raised a hand.

“What if Eda gets eaten? She's upstairs and defenseless because Luz knocked her out,” King pointed out, earning a groan from the girl mentioned above.

“Man…” Vesper sighed in response.

“Don’t worry, I’ll help you,” Fallon assured them. “Now, let’s make sure Eda is okay before dealing with the demon or whatever it might be.”

( After that )

The quartet prepared for battle. Luz pulled on rubber gloves while King taped a pillow to his chest. Vesper donned a colander on his head, clutching a soup ladle and sporting a couch cushion around his waist. Fallon grabbed a lacrosse stick and put on a football helmet. Luz applied bandages under her eyes like eye-black, grinning. She snatched a hockey stick, which King bypassed to grab Francois instead.

“Weh!”

The group approached the staircase, and Luz used her phone’s flashlight to illuminate the way. Floorboards creaked as they ascended. They reached the hallway and halted as the door to Eda's room creaked open. They exchanged nervous glances before Luz opened the door, revealing an empty room with a shattered window. Lightning struck outside, casting an ominous vibe in the room.

“Oh my gosh. Eda!” Luz called out in a panic, racing to Eda’s nest as she tossed aside the hockey stick.

“She got snaggle-backed!” King chimed in.

“Eda?” Luz peeked into the nest, holding up a damaged pillow. “No! Slash marks! King! You're the demon expert. I need your help.”

“I'll go get my demon book!” He dashed out of the room to retrieve it. Vesper approached the window and noticed something unusual about the broken glass…

“Something’s not right,” he muttered to himself. “The demon should’ve broken through the window to take Eda, so why is there no glass on the floor?”

Fallon was investigating another part of the room, spotting the closet ajar. Taking a closer look, he saw a box inside. He opened it and found more elixirs like the one downstairs, these still tagged. Reading the labels, Fallon’s eyes widened in realization…

As King hurried down the hall, a shadow snarled as it passed over him. He returned to Eda’s room, holding two books. “Wait, wait. First edition or second?” He looked up and gasped at the sight of the empty room, with no sign of the teens. “Guys?” He dropped the books in shock, one of them landing on the page of the Snaggleback. “The Snaggleback got them!”

The shadow snarled again as it zipped behind him. Seeing the shadow pass, he chased after it down the hall. “You craven beast! Give me back my boo-boo and reading buddy!” He rounded a corner and gasped. A closet door creaked closed, and Luz’s shoe and Vesper’s glasses were left behind in front of it. “Luz? Vesper?” He whimpered a bit, picking up the items. Growing determined, he held the shoe like a weapon, opened the door, and entered the closet. He looked around until he noticed a shadow hiding behind some clothes. “There's nowhere for you to run!” He moved the clothes aside to reveal a familiar creature with a spiky shell that looked less intimidating than its picture had led him to believe. “Snaggleback?” The creature looked up at him. “Wow. You are a lot shorter in person.”

“I'm-I’m-I’m sorry, I'm sorry,” he stammered in fear. “I-I just needed a place to hide from the rain.”

“Why did you break down our door and take Luz, Vesper, and their friend?” King accused him. “That's not cool, man. Bad Snaggleback!”

“I-I didn't do any of that stuff. I snuck in through a window just now,” the Snaggleback explained, confusing King.

“Huh? Well, then what–” Crashing sounds interrupted him as a shadowed claw came through the ceiling, grabbing the Snaggleback by the shell.

“Oh, no! A twist!” The talons pulled him up into the darkness.

King looked at the spot where he had gone before, and snarls and stomps were heard, the little demon backing away from the hole. Something banged against the door, making him yell before whimpering in fright as he turned around. The door creaked open, revealing the shadowy beast that wasn’t the Snaggleback. It spat out the shell, snarling before it roared at King, causing him to step back.

“Oh, my.”

The beast advanced closer, forcing King against the wall as he tightly held Luz’s shoe and Vesper’s glasses. “Stay back!” he yelped, only for the creature to move closer. “Hey, hey. I am the King of Demons, okay? And as such, I demand you to barf my friends back up.”

The beast screeched and raised a claw. King yelled and ducked, with the claws scoring the wall where his head had been just a moment before, leaving slash marks. He ran toward the hall, proving far more agile than the beast, which slammed into the wall, stumbling after him slightly. He slid around another corner with a yelp, the creature snarling as it collided with another wall, yet it was starting to catch up. When King slid into another hall, a gloved arm pulled him into a room. The door closed with a squeak as the beast slowly entered the hallway, exhaling loudly. Inside Eda’s room, King was held by his savior as footsteps were heard outside and a shadow passed the door. He looked up to see that it was Luz who had saved him. Vesper and Fallon were beside them, the former rubbing his eyes since he couldn’t see without his glasses.

“Luz? Vesper?”

“King!” Luz held him up happily before putting him down. “Oh, we’re so glad you're safe.”

“Where did you go?” King asked the trio.

“We were checking on Eda, and she was gone, and then you were gone. I also tripped and lost my shoe, and I bumped into Vesper, making him drop his glasses.” She rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly. “Oh, hey, you found them.” She took her shoe back and then the glasses, tossing them to Vesper. “Here, V.”

“Hey, watch it!” He gasped, fumbling as he caught them. “That’s the only pair I have,” Vesper said as he put them on. He smiled in relief when he could see again.

“I–” King started as Luz raised her foot to slip her shoe on, revealing a piece of paper stuck to the bottom of her foot. “Uh, what's that?” He took the tag and read it. “‘Keeps the curse at bay.’” He gasped sharply, pulling the tag from his collar and putting it together. “‘An elixir a day keeps the curse at bay.’”

“Curse?” Luz blinked in confusion. “Wait, what are you trying to say?”

“… Uh oh,” Vesper murmured as the pieces fell into place.

“This is bad,” Fallon agreed.

“Why?” his human friend asked in a panic. “Guys, why is this bad?”

“I was wrong the whole time,” King explained. “That's no Snaggleback. That creature is…”

They all screamed as a clawed hand burst through the door, fully breaking it when a body followed. The creature growled as it turned to them, revealing a familiar face. “Eda?” Luz asked in shock upon seeing her.

Eda snarled and stalked closer, raising a claw with a roar to swipe at them. Luz screamed and braced herself while Vesper scrambled backward as Fallon moved in front of him, magic circles forming around his hands as he prepared to strike back. In the chaos, Luz’s phone fell out of her pocket, cracking the screen and causing the camera to activate when it hit the floor. The flash blinded Eda, making her scream in pain as she covered her eyes. The teens looked at her in shock before noticing the balcony.

“RUN!” Fallon yelled, helping Vesper up. Luz grabbed her phone and then King before everyone fled to hide. Seconds later, Eda snapped out of it, screaming so loudly that it echoed in the surrounding woods.

The rain continued to pour outside as Eda paced the room, sniffing for them. She glanced at the garden, unaware that the four were hiding behind the stone wall. Luz covered her mouth with her hands while King and the boys had theirs over their ears. Eda seemed to catch their scent, growling and creeping closer. Luz quickly grabbed a can and threw it. Eda reacted to the noise, falling for the trick as she chased after it.

Everyone sighed in relief. “Was that seriously Eda?” Vesper asked.

“I’m afraid so,” Fallon replied. “King, did you know about this?”

“I had no idea, and I’ve known her for eight years!”

“Oh man. Did you see her eyes?” Luz asked as they stood up, King looking guilty. “They were like–BLAUGH!” She growled, pulling down her eyelids before looking at Vesper. “How’d you know, V?”

“The evidence. If something had broken in, the glass from the window would’ve been all over Eda’s floor,” Vesper explained. “So, that means the creature came from inside the house, and Eda’s the only one missing. Fallon, what happened to her?”

“That elixir you guys found wasn’t a magic boost potion,” Fallon clarified, pulling out the bottle from earlier. “It’s an elixir that professional healers prescribe to treat curses.”

“So, Eda’s cursed?” Luz asked.

“Yes. The detachable limbs you mentioned are a known side effect of curses. This elixir is meant to stop her from transforming.”

“And we took it from her,” Luz frowned.

“No, Luz,” King said, sitting down again. “This is all my fault. I'm so sorry, guys. I-I just wanted Luz and Vesper to be into demons like they’re into magic and the Boiling Isles. I don't have many friends, and no one even pays that much attention to me.” The human friends exchanged knowing glances while Fallon sympathized with King. “I thought maybe if I taught you, finally, someone would care about creatures like me.”

“Well…” Luz held out the pen. “Let’s finish the lesson.”

“Huh?” He looked up at her, confused.

“Eda's turned into some kind of demon, and we need to save her. So, who knows more about demons than the best teacher in the world?” She then looked at the others. “What do you think, Vesper, Fallon? You ready to learn about some demons?”

Vesper offered a gentle smile. “Sure.”

“Count me in,” Fallon replied.

King brightened as he pointed to himself, and Luz nodded with a smile. He took the pen from her and stood up, leaping into her arms with a giggle as he hugged her gleefully. He then smacked some leaves onto the floor. “Let’s see,” he began drawing Eda on the leaves. “She was bigger, covered in feathers, and had giant black eyes. Demons with black eyes are usually sensitive to light.”

“So all we have to do is flash a bright light to stun Eda long enough to make her drink an elixir,” Vesper said.

“Is that all?” Fallon joked, trying to lighten the mood.

King noticed Luz’s phone poking out of her pocket, recalling the camera. “That's it. Light! Luz, use your human wonder rectangle.”

“I can't,” she said, holding up the cracked screen. “My camera's all blasted.”

“And I left my phone in my room,” Vesper added.

“Then… what about that light spell?” King suggested, earning a sigh from Luz.

“You saw me. I can't draw circles in the air. I'm not like Eda.”

“Fallon, could you do it?” Vesper asked the other witch.

“I could, but just stunning her is still too risky. Our best bet is to create enough light to knock her out, and I can’t summon that much on my own. I’d need another witch's help to perform a double spell.”

“Could we just wait it out? She’ll eventually turn back to normal, right?”

“Eventually, but who knows when that’ll be?”

While they planned, Luz absentmindedly started playing a video on her phone. “… spell circle is really key…” Suddenly, the footage glitched, and something appeared on the screen: a pattern inside Eda’s spell circle. The screen paused, and Luz gasped as she looked at her phone.

“There's a pattern in the spell circle!”

“What?” King gasped as he looked over her shoulder. “Where?”

“Where did that come from?” Vesper asked, knowing it hadn’t been there moments before.

Luz grabbed a leaf before taking the pen. “It looks like this.” With the leaf over the phone, she traced the symbol she had seen. “There.” She tapped the pattern with the tip of her pen, and the drawing began to glow. Luz gasped as the leaf folded into itself, brightening until it became a small floating ball of light. Everyone stared in amazement as Luz gently cupped it in her hands, bringing it to eye level.

“Incredible,” Fallon said. “I’ve never seen a spell cast like that before.”

“It's beautiful,” Luz murmured as thunder rumbled and rain hissed when it hit the shield. “Oh my gosh. I just did magic.” She stood up triumphantly, pumping her fists. King barely held onto her arm, swinging his legs. “I just did magic! I just did magic!”

“Shh!” the trio whispered together.

“I’m happy for you, Luz, but we’re still hiding!” Vesper hissed.

“And we're not going to stop anything with something that small,” King added, jumping to the ground. Eda’s distant screech made them all cower again. “What do we do now?”

“Well, the rule is that the strength of your spell depends on the size of your spell circle. Maybe this follows the same principle,” Fallon said. “If we could find something big enough to draw on…”

“I think I know how to get Eda back,” Luz smiled, offering a fist bump. “Will you help me, boo-boo buddy?”

King hummed. “I'm kind of over that nickname. But okay.” The four fist-bumped each other.

“Just tell us what we need to do,” Vesper nodded in agreement.

( Downstairs )

Beast Eda sniffed around the living room, Hooty still unconscious on the floor. She pounced onto the treasure chest beside the fallen door, sniffing a book. A clicking sound distracted her, causing her to turn and see King leaning against the door with the glowing pen in his paw.

“Oh, what lovely thing do we have here? It's just so dang shiny,” he tossed it in the air as it glowed. “Oh, my. Oh, dear.” Eda stared at the pen’s light, cooing as it reflected in her eyes. She screeched and lunged for it, but King dashed down the hallway. Eda followed him as Fallon dropped one last item on the floor. He and King ducked down another hall as Eda slid on a pile of books and papers. She crashed into a wall, causing both to flinch. Regaining her bearings, she gasped when she looked up just in time to see Luz toss a blanket over her head.

“I'm sorry, Eda. But it's for your own good!” Luz proclaimed as she and Vesper finished drawing a giant light glyph on the wall with crayons. Grunting, they slammed their hands on it to activate it. Blinding light filled the hallway as Eda screamed in pain…

In witch form, Eda opened her eyes, sitting up from where she lay in her nest with a straw chain in her mouth that linked to another elixir bottle. She seemed back to normal… before realizing her face was still partially transformed. “Ahh!” she yelped, slurping the last of her elixir as she and her bile gem returned to normal.

“W-What happened? Oh, I have the worst headache,” she put a hand to her head. “And my mouth tastes like roadkill.” Gagging, she retched as she leaned over her nest to choke out a giant owl pellet. The thing broke open to reveal the Snaggleback she had eaten earlier, now missing its shell.

“I'm just gonna... lie here for a minute," he murmured, disturbed by the night’s events. Eda looked down and noticed her elixir bottle was almost empty as she grabbed the potion.

“Hmm? I was looking for that.”

“Actually,” King said, gesturing behind him. “We found an extra one in your closet. The other one got smashed while you were running around the house.”

“King?” She pieced it together, feeling furious. “King! You stole my elixir? I ought to break every bone in your–”

“Shh!” He quieted her, puzzling her further. He turned around and whispered, “Over there.”

She saw Luz and the boys sitting by the still-broken window, surrounded by the balls of light created by the human girl. She drew another glyph as thunder rumbled in the background, activating it with a grin as the ball of light joined the others.

“Wow,” Eda exclaimed, amazed by the glowing orbs above them. “How is she doing that?”

“I don't know, but she did it all on her own. She even taught Vesper and Fallon how to do it.” A few orbs flew around Fallon’s head to form a crown, and the three laughed. “Hey, I, uh, kind of messed a bunch of things up back there.” King turned around, meeting Eda’s glare. “And I just wanted to say I'm sorry.”

“Well, you better be. I got a long list of disgusting chores with your name on it,” she paused, looking away in thought. “But it's not entirely your fault.” The teens walked over to her. “I haven't been completely honest with you guys.”

“Vesper and Fallon… kinda got the gist of it,” Luz glanced at the others, who looked concerned.

“You have a curse, Eda?” Vesper asked. “Fallon told us what those elixirs are for and that your gemstone is some kind of magic tracker.”

“I’m in the healing track at Hexside,” Fallon explained, kneeling beside Eda to put his lessons into practice as he checked her vitals. “And my guardian used his connections to get me an apprenticeship at the coven.”

Eda sighed, knowing she was caught. “… Yeah, you two got me. When I was younger, I was cursed. I don't know exactly how it happened; all I know is that if I don't take my elixir…” She held the bottle in her hands. “Well, that's why people call me the Owl Lady. No one likes having a curse, but if you take the right steps, it's manageable.”

“Curses don’t just appear,” Fallon said, finishing his check-up. “They have to be given by someone.”

“True, but I have no idea who it was.”

“Haven’t you ever tried to have it removed?” Vesper asked.

“I tried,” Eda said. “My family spent most of my younger years trying to find a way to remove the curse, but this elixir is the closest thing we’ve found.”

“Whoa,” Luz commented. “So, are you okay?”

“There's nothing for you to worry about,” Eda said, sitting up a little, holding her arm. “It's all under control, and as long as no one steals my elixir–King–” She pointed down at him, and he looked away in slight shame. “Then I'm fine. But, hey, look at this,” she gestured to Luz. “A human doing magic. Good on you, kid.”

Luz smiled, hands behind her back. “I had some encouragement from a great teacher,” she smiled at King.

“His lesson was invaluable,” Vesper smiled.

“Oh, you guys,” King replied bashfully.

“Hey, hey!” Hooty shouted as he finally woke up. “Is anyone there? Hello? Hoot? I'm on the floor. It's cold!”

“That voice,” King said with annoyance. “That horrific voice!” He headed for the door while Luz turned to Eda.

“We'll take care of him. You stay in bed.”

“And handle the Snaggleback,” Fallon glanced down at him. “And don’t worry, I grabbed a couple of extra elixirs from the closet,” he gestured to the desk, where at least two more were sitting.

“Come on, you goopy fella,” Luz said as she picked up the Snaggleback. “We'll set you free now.”

“Ow, ow, ow. I think my tail got digested,” he groaned as they walked out.

“I’ll leave you to take your nap,” Vesper said, following after Luz. “You’ve been chasing us around all night, so I guess you’ve earned it.”

“Thanks, kid,” Eda replied.

“Well, it’s my semi-professional opinion that you’re going to be fine,” Fallon said as he stood up. “Just take it easy for a few days.”

“Thanks, doc,” the Owl Lady joked with the teen.

“The rain is letting up enough that I can head home. Thanks for letting me hole up here.”

“Anytime. Like I said, I’m not cruel enough to kick a kid out into the boiling rains.”

Fallon smiled as he took his leave. “See ya around.”

Once the door was closed and she was alone, Eda sighed contentedly and lay back down. Looking up at the orbs, she smiled peacefully, closed her eyes, and drifted off to sleep.

Eda stood before a door set in a vast emptiness. Faint whispers echoed through the darkness around her. “No, not this memory again.”

The door creaked open, revealing a wavering shadow on the other side. Two circles of light glowed near the top, serving as eyes; the figure was illuminated by stark white light. “You! You're the one who cursed me, aren't you?” She received no response as the light intensified. “Who are you? Who are you?!”

Eda woke with a sharp gasp, sitting up in her nest. She surveyed her surroundings and exhaled with relief and fatigue.

( In the living room )

It was a new morning, and Fallon had already left now that the boiling rain had passed. The door and Hooty had been put back in their rightful place while Luz applied bandages to the claw marks on the door. “Welcome to the boo-boo buddy club, Hooty.”

“Finally, I get to be a part of something!” he smiled happily.

Meanwhile, Snaggleback and King sat on the couch, the latter illustrating the other’s harrowing experience. “And then she had teeth in her stomach. Teeth in her stomach! Can you believe that?”

“Oh, yeah,” King nodded before revealing his drawing of Eda as the Owl Beast. “This will make a great addition to my demon book.”

“That book is filled with so many interesting things.” He pulled out King's demon book. “Like this. I'm one of the strongest demons on the Boiling Isles, huh?” He beamed at the recognition.

“Yeah, I'm gonna have to edit that,” King remarked.

“Oh…” The other looked down.

Vesper had been leaning against the doorframe, smiling as everyone busied themselves before heading upstairs. As much as King’s demon lesson was fascinating, he had had enough for one day. Back in his room, Vesper sat at his makeshift desk made from a trunk and a cushion. He pulled out some paper to practice writing the symbol Luz had discovered.

“Let’s see. I remember the circle comes first…” He waved his finger in a circle before blinking in surprise when he noticed what happened. As Vesper began his circle, his finger left a light trail in the air. The trail broke apart when he interrupted the circle.

“What the…?”

Putting the paper aside, Vesper extended his finger to recreate what he saw. Keeping in mind what Eda and Fallon had said about spellcasting, he kept the glyph in mind as he drew a circle in the air. To his astonishment, the light trail appeared again. Once he completed the circle, the glyph Luz had found formed inside it on its own before transforming into a light ball. Vesper jumped back in shock, looking at his hands before observing the light ball.

“Did I just…? But I thought only witches could do that.” Feeling slightly overwhelmed, he fell back onto his sleeping bag and looked at his hands again while recalling what had happened at Hexside. If he had his own magic, then what occurred with the abominations made sense. Even so…

“How?”

Chapter Text

Eda’s Human Collectibles stand was open for business. She was dusting the table, looking bored, while Luz read her Azura Book 1 to King, currently open to the pages showing Azura’s allies on the ground beside her as she faced an enemy called Hecate. Meanwhile, Vesper was reading another book on the Boiling Isles, focusing on the various magic covens.

“Emboldened by the dishonor Hecate had shown, Azura lifted her staff to the cotton-candy skies and shouted, ‘I challenge you to a Witch's Duel!’ And look! I drew a flip book.” She gestured to the right-hand corner of the book, where there were drawings of Azura and Hecate, before flipping between the two pages. “Pew, pew, pew!”

Vesper gave her a slight smile nearby, sitting on a chest, before looking at his book in conflict. He hadn’t told any of them about his recent discovery of using magic, stressing over it a bit. He still couldn’t understand it, so he kept it to himself until he was ready to tell the others.

“Show me the picture,” King stated, peeking over the top of the book.

“What?”

“Show me the picture!” Luz turned it around, and he snorted. “Hah! I can draw better than that. You know, they once called me the King of Artists,” King bragged to her.

“Wait. I thought you were the King of Demons,” Luz said with an amused smile, and he froze. “Are you just making this up now?”

“More than likely,” Vesper remarked.

“Doesn't matter,” he whipped around to Luz. “What's important is that my followers would leave me offerings in fear of me!”

Luz glanced at her friend, who just shrugged in response. “Well, I can offer you more of this tantalizing book, or Vesper can show you one of his.”

Eda groaned nearby at just the thought of it. “Ugh! Please stop reading that. Its flowery language is an insult to witches and driving away all of our serious customers!” She waved her dirty feather duster in front of Luz’s face.

“Um, Eda?” Luz looked at the empty street as they were the only people around. “What customers? There aren't even any other stands around. What's going on?”

“This is a bad omen. There must be something horrible happening today,” Eda said ominously.

“Or you’re just bad at picking locations,” Vesper commented, glancing at the older woman, who glared at him a bit. “Just saying.”

“Luz, Vesper!” Gus called out to them as he, Willow, Fallon, and Tenzin ran up to the stand. “Something amazing is happening today!” Willow held a poster, while Fallon wore a slightly more feminine uniform than before, with their hair in a ponytail.

“Gus, Willow! Hey!” Luz greeted them with a wave.

“Fallon, Tenzin,” Vesper closed his book and stood up to join his friend. “What’s up?”

“It's the annual covention!” Fallon answered as Willow held up the poster in her hand.

“Student witches get to see all the types of covens before they're placed in one,” Tenzin explained.

“There's even a mystery guest this year!” Willow pointed excitedly at the bottom of the page.

“A job fair for witches! Eda, can we go?” Luz asked excitedly.

“Absolutely not,” Eda denied her, earning a groan from Luz as Vesper watched her slide to the ground.

“Why not?” Vesper crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow. “From the books I’ve read, joining a coven is a good thing, like a rite of passage.”

“Who do you think wrote those books? Trust me, Vesper, it’s a bad idea,” Eda argued. “I never joined a coven for a reason. Sure, it's like a fun club for witches, but you're also giving up your magical independence to be part of a crooked system.”

“Mmm,” Willow lowered the flyer with a groan, looking slightly offended.

“Eh, but, you know, no judgment.” She looked away, closing her eyes. “In any case, I haven't been to one since we were girls.”

“‘We’?” Luz asked in confusion, earning a wide-eyed look from Eda.

“I–The–I mean–”

“Who's ‘we’?” The girl popped back up. “You have a mysterious past!” She pointed up at Eda.

“Is this estranged family stuff or more monster owl?” Vesper asked.

“Not telling,” Eda replied.

“Now we gotta go!” Luz cheered.

“No,” the older woman made clear.

“The more you hold back, the more curious you’re gonna make her, and after the Owl Beast incident, you don’t want that,” Vesper warned her, earning a raspberry in response.

“Okay. Then you leave me no choice,” Luz gestured to King, who grabbed the Azura book and started reading from it.

“‘You shall not shan't doeth no more harm,” Azura callethed out…”

“So flowery, so awful,” Eda walked away as he continued reading.

“Hecate could only screech.” She held up the suitcase, opening the Portal Door before stepping through it. “Screech as did she, for the screeching did worseneth.” Luz took King and tossed him through the portal as it closed. It reopened a second later, Eda marching back through with King sitting on her head.

“Stop it! Stop it! I will literally do anything to stop this!”

( Cut to the Covention Center )

Everyone stood before a long building, a sign reading “COVENTION TODAY Alchemists Anonymous tomorrow.” Luz was bouncing on her feet while Willow clapped. Eda groaned into her hand as she pinched her nose, now sporting a red cowl that matched her dress.

“You did say anything,” Tenzin pointed out.

“Don’t remind me.”

“Everyone ready?” Fallon asked.

“Give me a second…” Eda said, grunting as she struggled to pull her hood over her wild hair. King stood on her back, soon hanging off the hood as he tried to help her. “Gotta keep a low profile.” She got it up, but some of her locks still stuck out. Luz grunted as she tried to help by pushing them in.

“Is this cowl really necessary?” Luz asked as the other five watched.

“Do you think all my wanted posters are for petty theft?” Once she got the hood on, numerous small objects fell out of her hair. “Partly,” she acknowledged before scooping the things back into her cowl. “But the big whammy is I disobeyed the law and refused to join a coven.”

“That’s illegal?” Vesper asked, eyes widening slightly.

“To those coven jerks, yes. If I'm seen, I could go to jail. Again.”

“Should I ask?” Tenzin inquired.

“Not unless you want to give up plausible deniability,” Vesper replied.

Willow approached Eda with one of her wanted posters. “Maybe this informative event will inspire you to join a coven.” The Owl Lady traced a spell that pulled Willow’s cowl over her face. She quickly adjusted it but didn’t seem angry about it.

“Let's just get this over with,” Eda guided them inside. Once they entered, Luz and Vesper stared in amazement at the event.

“Whoa,” Luz murmured. Several booths were inside, each with a sign identifying a specific coven. Nine large colorful banners hung from the ceiling as student witches flew by on broomsticks. “Was I even alive before now?”

“Those are the main nine covens,” Gus pointed at the banners. He noticed the book in Vesper’s hands and gestured forward. “But I’m sure my teacher has already read up on this.”

“Actually, yes,” Vesper smiled at him. “The main nine are Potions, Beast Keeping, Abomination, Healing, Plant, Construction, Bard, Oracle, and Illusions. Each color and symbol from the banners represents that coven, which matches the tracks students can study from Hexside for when they join one permanently. Hence the uniforms,” he gestured to their friends.

“Good answer,” Fallon said.

“Thanks. I read about them around the time you visited the Owl House. I have a good memory. If I recall, you can join hundreds of other covens, right?”

“That’s right,” Willow replied as they started walking around, her arm hooked around Luz and Vesper’s arms. “There's Flower Coven, Artist Coven, Big Dog Coven, Small Cat Coven, Tiniest Cat Coven–” Eda groaned, causing them to glance at her as they paused. “Also, the Grumpy Coven,” she whispered to the two.

“What was that?” Eda growled, causing Willow to yip as the kids and King ran off.

“Uh, excuse me, ma'am,” a witch said as he approached her, “but you look rather familiar.” He looked between her and one of Eda’s wanted posters nearby, making her nervous.

“Uh… No, I don't. Distraction spell!” She reached into her cowl and threw a bag on the ground. It was Hex Mix, which did nothing. Eda ran away anyway, but returned when the man bent down to grab it. She dragged his hood over his face, scooping up the Hex Mix before running away again.

The kids were still looking around as Eda rejoined them. Luz then stopped and pointed forward. “Ooh, what's that?” she asked, turning their attention to a bearded witch in a hard hat and Tinella Nosa standing next to a pallet of wood and a pallet of bricks.

“That's the Construction Coven,” Willow said.

“I read just one of them could build a whole house with a single throw,” Vesper said.

“That's right.” They watched as the witch grabbed both pallets from the bottom and tossed them in the air. The materials fell and constructed a small house perfectly. “They’re one of the main nine.”

“They use power glyphs to increase their strength, right?” The witch removed his hard hat to pull off a power glyph from a stack atop his head.

“That’s correct,” Tenzin said.

He peeled the adhesive off the back of one and put it on Tinella Nosa's nose. Her pupils constricted before she screamed, a powerful aura surrounding her. She then picked up the witch, throwing him in the air.

“Ha-a-a! I'm the destroyer of worlds!” she hollered, grabbing the Construction Coven sign and tossing it.

“Hey, that's the opposite of construction!” Two Construction witches ran in to stop Tiny Nose as she grabbed a giant hammer.

“They can also create various tools from the ground up,” Vesper said.

“Yowza-wowza!” Luz exclaimed in awe, and then a light blue double of Luz ducked out from behind her.

“Yowza-wowza!” the double echoed, causing the friends to flinch and look back with surprise before she walked past them with a smile.

“Yowza-wha-a-a?” They watched as Luz’s illusion double walked over to two illusion track witches. It waved at her and disappeared, the witches making hand gestures for dramatics.

Gus ran over to the other witches. “Ah! You've been taken in by the allure of the Illusionist Coven,” he gestured to himself. “We like to magic with a hint…” He disappeared in a cloud of smoke, reappearing a few feet to the right. “…of showmanship.” He bowed as the other two appeared next to him.

Vesper chuckled. “Illusionists can also trick people by changing appearances or showing you things that aren’t there.”

“Wow, you’ve really done your research,” Gus complimented.

“That’s Vesper for ya,” Luz smiled proudly. “We’ve been here the same amount of time, and he already knows this place backwards and forwards.”

“Well, to be fair, I had a lot of time to kill at Hexside,” Vesper replied modestly.

“I had a lot of time to kill at Hexside,” a transparent blue copy of Vesper leaned out from behind him, mischievously.

“Okay, guys, you’ve made your pitch,” Vesper glanced at the illusionists with a deadpan smile. They chuckled before the copy disappeared along with them. “What about you, Tenzin?” The human looked at his friend. “Gus is in Illusion, Willow’s in Plant, and Fallon’s in Healing. What’s your coven in mind?”

“The Book Keeping Coven,” Tenzin answered. “It’s not one of the main nine, but I like surrounding myself with knowledgeable books and maintaining them.”

“Wow! Acceptance? Comradery? A sense of belonging? Covens sound incredible!” Luz stated happily, looking up at Eda. “Eda, why haven't you ever joined one?”

“Watch closely, kids.” She turned Luz and Vesper to another illusion track, now standing with one of the others from before. “When you join a coven, all your other magic is sealed away.” A seal in the shape of a mirror appeared on the witch’s wrist, light blue lines running from it up his arms and face. He paled slightly as the lines faded. “From now on, that kid will only be able to make illusions.”

“Seriously?” Vesper asked. “That sounds kinda counter-productive.”

“That’s one way to see it,” Esa said. “Since I never joined a coven, I can do every kind of magic.” She created a fireball in one hand and a ball of water in the other, and then both disappeared. “That's why I'm the most powerful witch on the Boiling Isles,” she finished as she walked away. Luz, Willow, and Gus hurried in the same direction as Eda, the human girl glancing at her friend.

“You coming, V?”

“No thanks. I’m gonna look around at the other booths. I’ll catch up with you guys in a bit.”

“Okay! See you soon,” Luz waved and ran after their friends.

“I’ll go with them,” Tenzin smiled before following the younger teens.

“What about you?” Vesper turned to Fallon.

“I’m hoping to meet up with someone while I’m here,” they said. “I’m gonna go see if I can find them.”

“Okay. I’ll meet up with you later,” he smiled before walking away, the other going in the opposite direction. King started to head after Luz’s group, but stopped when a hand grabbed his shoulder.

“Weh?” He looked up to see an oracle student.

“The tea leaves foretell that this,” she pulled out a pen, spinning it in her fingers, “will lead you to your destiny.” She then handed the pen to him.

“Destiny?” He raised a skeptical brow, scoffing. “Feh! I'm not paying for–”

“It's free-e-e…” She then retreated into the shadows.

“Are you bestowing gifts upon me? Yes!” He pumped a fist happily. “I accept your offering! The King of Demons is back!” he yelled, drawing the attention of the people nearby.

( Meanwhile )

Vesper looked around at all the covens surrounding him, passing by the booth for the Bard Coven as they began playing instruments. A whimsical aura enveloped the area, causing small items to float, while Vesper’s hair and clothes fluttered slightly. He smiled in awe at the scene around him before his mind wandered to what Eda had said earlier.

“Hmm…” He hummed in thought as he continued exploring. He wondered why knowing all kinds of magic was illegal. Also, why force people to join a coven? He knew Eda was a wild child by nature, but this seemed extreme. Vesper had noticed how the kid who received the brand looked paler afterward, and that didn’t sit well with him.

He opened his book and flipped through the pages until he found the section he was looking for: The Dangers of Wild Magic. He was about to read it when he noticed the Potion Coven booth. Given its close connection to chemistry, Vesper was particularly fascinated with this type of magic.

They had an open workshop for students, and Vesper’s gaze settled on a girl sitting alone at the end of the table. She was a short, witch girl, about Gus’s age, dressed in a potion track uniform covered in dirt stains. Her appearance reminded Vesper of a classmate back home who was Korean American. She had ivory skin, a round face with flushed cheeks and baby fat, round dark red eyes, and messy black hair styled in twin pigtails.

Vesper watched as the young girl poured a green liquid into a yellow potion, resulting in fireworks above their heads. The human boy smiled in awe before looking back at her, halting when he noticed the visible relief on her face. Something told Vesper the stains on her uniform were the results of failed potions—something he understood all too well.

Vesper began to walk away distractedly when someone bumped into him, causing them both to fall to the ground. His book dropped to the ground, landing open to the first page as he hit the floor.

“Hey!” Vesper snapped, looking at the other person as they sat up. He was a witch, a little older than him, possibly Fallon’s age. He had a fair complexion, a slightly hooked nose, dark magenta eyes, thick black eyebrows, a gap between his front teeth, bags under his eyes, and ash-blond hair shaved along the sides, with a long, jagged forelock. He had a notch on his left ear and a scar on his right cheek. His physique was slim, but larger than Vesper's, and he had a more athletic appearance. He wore a dark burgundy shirt, black leggings, dark brown boots, and gloves.

“Watch where you’re–” he said before stopping in surprise, recognizing Vesper as one of the humans rumors had been circling about. The human boy stared up at him, irritation fading as he took in the other’s appearance.

The blonde snapped out of it, shaking his head. “You! You’re one of the humans!”

Vesper cleared his throat as he came out of his daze. “Word travels around here,” he remarked sarcastically as they stood up, the human boy picking up his book. “Aren’t you going to apologize?”

“If we’re being frank, you bumped into me, human.” The blonde argued, his arms crossed authoritatively. “And what are you even doing here? Looking for a coven?” He questioned, noticing the book on the floor was about the covens.

“‘Scuse me! Coming through!”

Before either boy could say anything, someone was walking up behind them carrying so many boxes that they couldn’t see her. “Watch where I’m going ‘cause I’m sure not!” She stumbled sideways before tripping over her own feet with a startled cry.

Reacting quickly, Vesper and the other boy grabbed her boxes before they could fall, accidentally knocking foreheads together. With pained grunts, they opened their eyes and realized how close they were to each other, blushing slightly and not noticing the girl fall to the floor.

“S-Sorry…” Vesper stuttered softly.

“It’s fine…” The other replied, not apologizing, but not as full of himself as he had been a minute ago.

“Hi there!” The girl popped up, turning out to be the one Vesper had seen at the potion booth earlier. The boys jerked away from each other, remembering they weren’t alone. “Thanks for catching my boxes!” She smiled, taking the crates back from the boys and setting them on the floor. “The Potion Coven gives out hard-to-find ingredients as free samples, so I buy in bulk!”

“Oh, it’s okay,” Vesper smiled slightly. “I’m just glad you weren’t hurt.”

The girl’s eyes widened before she leaned close to Vesper, causing him to lean back. “No way…”

“Is this what I have to look forward to every time I go out?” Vesper deadpanned, knowing what was coming.

“Possibly.” The blonde answered.

“You’re a human!” The witch girl’s eyes shone with excitement. “This is amazing! I have to introduce you to my friend, Gus! We love learning about humans!”

“Yeong!”

The three of them turned to see Tenzin approach them. “Hi, Tenzin!” The girl, Yeong, waved to him.

“You guys know each other?” Vesper asked.

“Oh, yeah,” the construction witch nodded. “This is Yeong Mei. She’s in the potion track at Hexside and is part of the Human Appreciation Society with Gus.”

“That explains it.”

“Do you guys have feathers or scales?” Yeong asked innocently.

“Uh, neither,” Vesper answered, the older witch trying to hide a snicker behind him.

“By the way, who’s your new friend?” Tenzin asked, noticing the blonde.

“Oh,” Vesper’s eyes widened along with the others', remembering the situation. “Uh…”

“Hunter!”

The group looked the other way and saw Fallon run over to them. “There you are!” They smiled and wrapped their arms around the blonde, who cringed at the sudden contact. “I was wondering where you were.”

“Uh, hi, Fallon,” Hunter greeted them, eyes darting between them and Vesper.

“Hi, Fallon!” Yeong greeted the healing track witch.

“Hi, Yeong.” Fallon let go of Hunter and smiled at their friends. “Guys, this is my friend, Hunter. Hunter, these are my friends, Tenzin, Yeong, and Vesper.”

“Hello,” Tenzin waved slightly.

“Nice to meet you, Hunter,” Vesper said.

“Uh, yeah,” Hunter shifted awkwardly. “You, too.”

“Hunter’s not the most social guy in the world,” Fallon stage-whispered. “So, don’t get mad if he puts his foot in his mouth.”

“Hey!” The blonde looked at the strawberry-blonde witch, blushing while they laughed.

Vesper watched the two before chuckling a little, catching Hunter’s attention and making his gaze soften slightly before clearing his throat. “Well, as nice as this has been, I have somewhere to be. Uh, farewell.” He nodded to them before walking away. As he left, Vesper caught sight of a sigil on his inner wrist for a coven he didn’t recognize, but Hunter was walking away before he could get a better look.

“See ya later, Hunter,” Fallon waved after him, along with Yeong.

“Well, your friend seemed interesting,” Tenzin commented.

“I’ll say,” Vesper muttered, remembering what happened before the others arrived.

“Hunter doesn’t get out much,” Fallon explained. “He focuses more on his studies and work than on having a life. The only reason I could get him to come here was that I had beaten him in a bet. Anyway, the guest speaker's presentation is about to start. You guys wanna come see it?”

“Yes!” Vesper agreed, interested.

“Can I come, too?” Yeong asked excitedly. “I was hoping to catch that, too!”

“Sure, Yeong,” Tenzin agreed, knowing Fallon wouldn’t have a problem with it.

“Then let’s go,” Fallon waved them forward, and the friends followed.

As they walked, Vesper looked around to see if he could spot Hunter or the others when his light blue eyes locked onto the bright green ones of another teen witch. The young man was tall and lanky with very light skin and freckled cheeks and nose. His round eyes were behind a pair of round glasses with thin brown frames. His angled, arched eyebrows were thick and brown, with an eyebrow slit in his right brow. He had chin-length, platinum-blond hair with a dark-blond undercut, styled in a messy ponytail with messy bangs parted on the right side. His pointed ears had two piercings: a gold orbital one on his helix and a silver one on his earlobe. While his school uniform appeared more brown and dark gray than Hexside's, the magenta sleeves and leggings indicated he was in the abomination track.

“Uh oh,” Yeong said as they all stopped, noticing who Vesper was staring at. “Glandus High at ten o’clock.”

“Glandus High?” Vesper questioned.

“Another magic school on the Boiling Isles,” Tenzin explained. “Hexside’s had a rivalry with them since our founding.”

“Keep your guard up when they’re around,” Fallon warned. “Nine times out of ten, they’re looking for trouble.”

While the others walked away, Vesper turned back to the Glandus student, who was still watching him with interest. After a minute, the staredown was broken as the other boy turned away and disappeared into the crowd. Vesper watched him until he was gone, then jogged to catch up with his friends.

( Back with the others )

The two groups converged at a doorway flanked by guards wearing white cloaks and gray, bird-like masks. Above the door hung a white and gold banner displaying a winged shield and sword symbol, which matched the sigil on the Hunter’s arm, now that Vesper saw a larger version.

“Hi, Gus! Hi, Willow!” Yeong greeted her classmates cheerily.

“Hey, Yeong!” Gus beamed at the sight of his clubmate. “I see you’ve met my human teacher.”

“No way!” Yeong gasped joyfully, looking between him and the human. “He’s the teacher you mentioned?! You’re so lucky!”

“Hey, V!” Luz greeted her friend. “You okay? You came back pretty quickly.”

“Yeah, I’m fine. I just wanted to see the mystery quest presentation,” Vesper said, looking at the panel before them. “It sure looks popular.”

Gus then gasped when he saw who ran the panel. “It's the Emperor's Coven! Do you think they'll sign my forehead?” he asked his friends excitedly as Vesper looked intently at the banner. He hadn’t gotten the chance to read up on this coven yet.

“Only one way to find out!” Willow stated as the two took off in a run.

“Wait for me!” Yeong ran after them. Luz started to follow them but stopped when she realized Eda hadn’t moved.

“Aren't you coming, Eda?”

“No way,” Eda waved off. “Of all the covens, they're the worst.”

“Why?” Fallon asked. “If you were worried about losing your magic, the Emperor’s Coven would’ve let you keep it.”

“Yeah, but then you’d have to answer to the Emperor, and I have some strong opinions about that man.”

“Hm?” Vesper wondered what she was talking about.

“We get it, Eda,” Luz said tiredly. “Covens: bad. Individualism: good. But we’re still figuring this world out, so we’re going to go in there and make up our own minds, okay?” She then walked inside, bringing the conversation to a close.

“Don’t worry, Eda. I’m just watching from an observational perspective,” Vesper assured her. “Besides, someone has to make sure the others don’t get lost.” He walked with Fallon and Tenzin into the Emperor’s Coven panel, Eda watching them go with displeasure.

“I just saw her.”

“Huh?” Eda turned and saw the same man she had encountered earlier talking to a guard and holding one of her wanted posters.

“She's over there. I think that's her!” He pointed at her.

“Uh-oh,” her eyes widened in panic before she ran into the panel. “Kids, wait up!”

Inside was a large stadium filled with a chattering audience waiting for the show to start. Eda found the humans and sat between them. “All right, let's see this mess.”

“I’m gonna look up this coven real quick,” Vesper flipped through his book as the lights dimmed. Down below, Principal Bump rose from a podium in a spiral of green magic, a spotlight illuminating him with an Emperor’s Coven banner behind him. The audience applauded and cheered as he waved his finger, summoning a microphone.

“Hello, Bonesborough! Students ask me all the time, ‘Principal Bump, what's the height of magical achievement?’”

“Is it this?” A student from the construction track at Hexside stood up. He increased the size of his head significantly with a spell. It then fell over and crushed the beast-keeping student next to him.

“…Wow. I failed you as a principal.” He then grabbed the mic, producing some feedback before continuing. “It's being selected to join the best of the best. And there are none better than the jewel of the coven system and the enforcers of his will, the Emperor's Coven.”

Three soldiers, all wearing the same uniforms and masks, phased up through the floor.

Vesper’s eyes widened at the word enforcers. “Wait, what?” He flipped through the pages and found the one he was looking for. He quickly read it, and his brow furrowed in concern. “Hm…”

“Whoa!” Luz stared in awe before looking to the side with a wave.

“Luz! Vesper!” Willow, Gus, and Yeong pointed to the illusionist’s forehead, which had been signed.

Vesper smiled at them before looking at the guards again, thinking over the information he had. Hunter had the Emperor’s Coven sigil, which meant he was a member of the group chasing Eda. Fortunately, he didn’t get much information about him when the others showed up, and Fallon knew enough about their situation not to lead them to their front door. Vesper didn’t want to be the reason they were put in danger…

“You okay, kid?” Eda looked at him. “You look like you’ve got something on your mind.”

“Oh, um… n-no, I’m fine, just absorbing information.” He smiled nervously. There was no way he was telling Eda he’d met a member of the Emperor’s Coven. He’d never hear the end of it.

“Feast your eyes on this elite force, each member handpicked to help usher in a new age of controlled magic.” Each coven guard held up a finger in the air, tracing white spell circles above their heads. One produced a jet of flame, another water, and the third, lightning. The three elements merged into a firework that turned into confetti, with Luz excitedly grabbing at it while Vesper watched with curiosity and concern.

“When does that ‘elite force’ get here?” Eda leaned over to ask Vesper, laughing as she slapped her knee. Vesper didn’t respond as the coven guards held the elements in their hands, forming spheres between them.

“Members of the Emperor's Coven have access to all–yes, all–forms of magic,” Principal Bump continued. “Ooh. Aah.”

“Ooh. Aah,” the crowd responded in unison.

“But… only the best can ascend these ranks. Someday that could be one of you!” He pointed directly at Amity in the crowd, who brightened and squealed with delight.

Eda was still laughing as Vesper blinked, noticing Amity a few rows below them. Luz also spotted her, looking a bit surprised to see her there. “Hmm?”

The three guards grabbed their capes and disappeared in flashes of white light. “And now, I'm pleased to introduce the esteemed leaders of this coven and this year's mystery guests. You know them, you love them! Lilith and Baron Morgenscare!”

The audience gasped while Eda stopped laughing upon hearing the names. “Huh?” She wore a shocked expression, while Fallon looked surprised as well.

A bright flash of light near the ceiling turned into a blue raven sitting on a branch. It flew off the branch to the stage, landing at the podium. Standing inside the spectral bird was a woman with a white cloak and a raven mask. The illusion disappeared with a screech as she lifted her arms, magically removing her mask. The next witch appeared from an illusion of a red lion that paced across the pit. It jumped onto the stage and disappeared, leaving a male witch in its place. He was a tall, handsome, slender yet muscular middle-aged man with pale, ivory skin, pale gray eyes, and short, raven-black hair, complemented by a beard and mustache. He wore the Emperor’s Coven uniform like the others, but instead of white, his was carmine red with gold outlines, and he wore burgundy boots with carmine laces. He also sported a dark green cloak and a lion-shaped mask, which he also removed with his magic.

The audience applauded and cheered at their appearance while Eda looked on, speechless. Vesper and Luz were clapping when they noticed the look on her face. “You know them?” Luz nudged the woman. 

“One of them.” 

Luz gasped sharply. “Mysterious past!” 

“You know them, too, Fallon?” Vesper looked at them. 

“Yeah, they’re the joint Head Witches of the Emperor’s Coven,” Fallon explained. “My guardian is the Head Witch of the Abomination Coven, so they work together sometimes.” 

“What?” Willow gasped. “Darius Deamonne is your dad?” 

“He’s not my dad. He’s my guardian,” they corrected. “How do you think I got private healing tutoring?” 

“Thank you, all,” Lilith said as she and Morgenscare magically threw their capes and masks back onto Principal Bump, who took them away. “It wasn't easy for us to rise to the top.” 

“Like many, we also started from humble beginnings,” Baron Morgenscare added. “In fact, Lilith came from right here, in Bonesborough, and was one of the top graduates of her class from Hexside.”

The big-headed boy’s eyes shone with excitement. "Wow!" 

“Now we have the highest honor of enforcing the Emperor's will. So be more! The Emperor's Coven awaits you!” They both spun, creating the raven and lion illusions again, only bigger. The bird spread its wings while the lion opened its jaws to roar before bursting into balls of light. Lilith posed with her arms out, smirking, while Eda glared at her. Meanwhile, Vesper looked at the scene with mixed emotions, his mind thinking about his encounter with Hunter…

( Outside of the auditorium )

Eda stormed out of the exit as everyone filed out, with Vesper and Luz following her. “Eda! Where are you going?” Luz asked, grabbing her arm.

“I'm gonna head home and wash the con funk off my skin,” Eda gently pushed Luz off.

“Are you okay?” Vesper asked in concern. “You’ve been acting extra strange ever since that woman appeared.”

Eda groaned slightly. “Look, it doesn’t matter. I’m going.”

“But we haven't even taken the quiz to determine our coven type!” Luz pulled a thick magazine out of her pocket, flipped to a quiz named "What Coven Are You In?" and held it above her head. Eda didn't even look as she cast a laser beam through it and walked away. Luz pulled the magazine down to read it, walking without looking. “Ooh, a punky potionist.”

“Let her go, Luz. Being here isn’t exactly ideal for her, especially since it’s covered with her wanted posters and crawling with people out to arrest her,” Vesper spoke up, and she paused.

“…Yeah, I get it,” she gave a weak smile before looking at her friend, noticing he hadn’t said much back there. “By the way, are you okay? You had that look you get when you have a problem you can’t find an answer to.”

“Huh?” Vesper froze a bit. “Oh! Yeah… I’m fine! I actually just came to a conclusion, so there’s nothing to worry about.” He glanced around quickly but didn’t see Hunter, though that didn’t mean he had left…

“Oh, okay. Hey, I know these aren’t your thing, but do you wanna take the quiz?” his friend asked, holding out her magazine.

Vesper hummed in thought. “Maybe later. First, I wanna ask Fallon something.”

“Okay. Catch you later.” She turned to leave again and immediately ran into Amity, both girls grunting as they dropped their stuff.

“Ow!”

“Oh!”

“Watch where you–” Amity turned around and saw them. “Oh, it's you. Willow's… abomination thing and–wait a minute! You were the winged witch!” She recognized Vesper before glaring at him. “I should’ve known Half-a-Witch Willow had something to do with that.”

“Hey,” Vesper narrowed his eyes at her.

“Uh… Hey, Amity,” Luz waved nervously. “So, funny story. Not an abomination, and he doesn’t have wings. Sorry for the confusion last week. I-I'm Luz. The human. And this is my friend, Vesper. Hi!” She offered her hand to Amity.

“Ugh. Put that away,” she smacked Luz’s hand away like it was a disease. “You're the ones that got me in trouble with Principal Bump, and I never get in trouble.” She stormed away, and the two followed her.

“Well, to be fair, you were okay with him trying to dissect me, so–”

“Look, Amity, we’re sorry about what happened, but you brought it on yourself,” Vesper pointed out. “The consequences are your own.”

“You two can’t be here!” Amity stopped and turned around. “This covention is for witches only.”

“Well, we’re learning how to be witches,” Luz gestured to herself, trying to be as nice as possible. “We’re receiving magic lessons from a powerful witch and a ferocious demon.”

Amity looked skeptical as she glanced over Luz’s shoulder. “Is that your ferocious demon there?”

The two turned to see King, decked out in merch from other covens, walking towards them with a cupcake in his paws. Two bakers were trailing behind him. “Cupcakes in my tummy-tum makes the King say yummy-yum!”

“So you'll join the Bakers Coven?”

King glanced over his shoulder and devoured the cupcake in one bite. “Hmm… Nope!” He snatched another cupcake off the other baker’s tray and dashed away.

Vesper smacked his forehead. “Yeah, ‘ferocious’ might be a bit complimentary when describing King.”

“Oh, hey, Luz! Vesper! Look at all those offerings–” He ran over to them but stepped on his scarf, tripping and dropping his cupcake. “Wah!”

“King! You okay?” Vesper asked as the two humans helped him up. Luz reached out for his fallen cupcake, only for Amity to step on it, making King gasp in horror.

“Oops. That was an accident,” Amity mocked them, not even attempting to pretend.

“Too far, Amity. Way too far,” Vesper said crossly.

“Why are you being so mean, Amity?” Luz questioned, glaring a bit.

“Because you, your nerdy friend, and your pet are giving witches in training a bad name,” Amity replied without hesitation.

“I’m not a pet!” King shouted while scratching his face with his hind leg, and Luz hugged him close.

“And none of that gives you the right to hurt others who have done nothing to you!” Vesper responded furiously, standing up with his arms crossed.

“Yeah, King's a very good boy and the King of Demons! I'll tell you what, Amity,” Luz stood up bravely. “It's one thing to say I can't be a witch–”

“'Cause you can't,” Amity pointed out again.

“… but it's another thing to bully my friends. Just like The Good Witch Azura said when facing down her rival Hecate at the Bog of Immediate Regret… I challenge you to a Witch's Duel!”

“What?!” Vesper gasped, forgetting his anger as he looked at Luz in shock.

Everyone around them gasped, and Vesper became worried as Amity took several steps forward into Luz’s face. “I accept,” she smirked.

“Whoa, hold on a minute!” Vesper protested. “Luz, you’re playing with a hornet's nest. Take a minute and think about what you’re doing.”

“She’s already issued the challenge. Duels aren’t something we take lightly here,” Amity said. “Let's set the terms for this duel, shall we?”

“One, if I win, you apologize to King for squashing his cupcake and to Vesper for calling him a nerd.” Luz pointed to the two, and King picked up the ruined cupcake.

“Goodnight, sweet child.”

“And two, you admit that humans can be witches, too,” she added defensively.

“Fine by me. But when I win, not only do you have to tell the whole covention you're not a witch, you have to stop training forever. And your friend won’t be allowed to practice either.”

Luz dropped her stance a bit upon hearing her conditions.

“Do it, Luz! For my honor!” King called out from the ground.

“No, Luz, this is a terrible idea!” Vesper placed a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t do this!”

“Sorry, Vesper, but I have to,” Luz said before focusing back on Amity. “Let's shake on it.” The human girl held out her hand. In turn, Amity drew a spell circle around it before shaking it.

“The Everlasting Oath is sealed,” she said smugly. Luz glanced down at their hands as the witch girl pulled her hand back, the spell circle fading.

“That's probably fine.”

“No, it’s not,” Vesper said bluntly.

“Meet back inside the theater in one hour,” Amity said, walking off and flipping her hair. “Let's see what kind of witch you are.”

Luz flinched a little as she watched Amity leave. “King, V, I-I can win this, right?” She turned to King, who was stuffing his face with the fallen cupcake.

“Mmm?” He looked up at them. “Oh, yeah. No.” He shook his head.

“Then why did you encourage her?” Vesper asked loudly, exasperated. “Luz, do you have any idea what you just did?”

“Uh, is this a problem?” she asked.

“Yes, it’s a problem! The Everlasting Oath is a magical vow I read about! If you lose, you won’t be able to learn magic anymore, no matter how much you want to. You’ll be mystically incapable of learning. And considering you only know one spell and Amity is an ace in her class, the odds are not in your favor.”

“I’m doomed…” Luz whimpered before thinking of something. “Wait! You’ve been reading up on magic, right? There’s gotta be a book dedicated to my spells!” She held her friend’s arms, looking at him hopefully, only to be met with silence. “… Why aren’t you saying yes?”

Vesper sighed tiredly. “Okay, first, you should’ve asked me before making the deal. Second, I’m sorry, Luz, but there isn’t. If one does exist, then we don’t have it.”

“… I’m so doomed,” Luz stated with wide eyes, whimpering in fear as King obliviously scarfed down the remains of his cupcake. Vesper looked between them before placing a hand to his forehead with a long-suffering look.

( Meanwhile )

Eda was sneaking around the covention, trying to find the exit so she could leave. “Sister?” She stopped cold and turned around, seeing Lilith surrounded by several Hexside students as she gave them autographs. “It's been so long since I've seen you last!” She finished signing one and handed it to the kid who made his head bigger before approaching the Owl Lady. “What are you wearing? You look like some sort of trash collector. Oh, right. You are.”

“Oh, Lily. I just had to see the leader of the Emperor's Coven in action,” Eda waved off, bending down to talk to the students. “You know, when we were kids, Lilith was so excited to see the Emperor's Coven, she peed a little.” She winked, earning laughter from the kids while Lilith blushed slightly in embarrassment.

“That—That's all for today.” She quickly changed the subject and ushered them off gently, waving to the kids. She then whipped around the Eda. “You shouldn't even be here. You're a wanted criminal!” She then gave a shocked look. “Unless…” She gasped, and Eda narrowed her eyes. “I don't believe it! You are here to join the Emperor's Coven!” She clasped Eda’s hands.

Eda chortled at the statement, laughing loudly. “In your dreams.” She retorted between laughs.

The woman glared at her sister. “You think being covenless makes you so much smarter than everyone else. But while you run from the law like a degenerate, I'm mentoring the next generation of powerful witch students into the world.”

“Well, I have students,” Eda bragged to her. “And I bet either of them could wipe the floor with any of your prissy little blue bloods.”

Lilith stepped closer, getting in her face. “Is that a challenge?”

“Oh, it's a promise,” Eda growled, pointing at her.

“I thought I recognized that bickering.”

Tension deflating, the two women turned to see a stylishly dressed, muscular male witch with dark brown skin, bright green eyes, and abomination-like hair. “Nice to see some things don’t change, Edalyn.”

“Darius!” Lilith gasped in surprise.

Eda whistled, impressed. “Well, here’s a sight for sore eyes. Haven’t seen you since Hexside, Darius,” she greeted the man. “Look at you, Head Witch of the Abomination Coven! Ah, Alador must’ve been so jealous.”

Darius smiled slightly at the comment. “Thank you, Edalyn. I’ve heard from my ward that despite your… How should I put this…?” He searched for the right words. “Unorthodox lifestyle, you’ve done quite well for yourself.”

“I take it you’re talking about Fallon,” Eda said. “Their friends were surprised when they heard their guardian was the leader of the Abomination Coven.”

“I’m not surprised. Fallon doesn’t advertise it due to not wanting people to acquaint themselves with them just to get to me.”

“If I may ask, Darius, why are you here?” Lilith interrupted the conversation.

“Well, after last year's debacle with the abomination booth, I figured I should oversee it myself this year,” Darius responded before turning to Eda. “I could be asking you the same question, Edalyn.”

“Eh, my students wanted to come see it,” Eda rolled her eyes, remembering how they had conned her into coming. “I just hope they don’t drink the ghoul aid.”

“I believe you’re referring to Luz and Vesper, correct? Fallon has spoken highly of both of them. While the boy strikes me as the smarter of the two, both sound eager to learn, so that’s already half the battle,” Darius commented.

Eda smirked at her sister, who glared back at her. Suddenly, Luz popped up between them, interrupting the adults. “Eda, I need your help! I accidentally challenged Amity to a witch's duel, and I think she's going to kill me all the way dead!” She slumped onto the ground as Vesper appeared.

“Yeah, it’s that bad.” He sighed, struggling to lift her.

“Mmm, it seems one of your students has met my strongest protégé,” Lilith smirked slightly before kneeling, noticing their ears. “And look at those ears!” Luz covered her ears, blushing. Vesper pulled her away from Lilith, glaring at the woman. “Are they human?”

“Well, this is an interesting development,” Darius commented, leaning closer for a better look. “You’re teaching this girl magic? The boy as well?”

“Could you guys back up, please?” Vesper asked. “We may be humans, but we do value personal space.”

“Feisty as well,” the older male added, but respected Vesper’s request.

Lilith chuckled as she stood up. “Where did you even find one of these? Okay, Edalyn.”

“Edalyn?” Vesper muttered, glancing at the woman in confusion. Lilith traced a spell circle, and all around the building, Eda’s wanted posters burned.

“For one day, you won't have to hide from the law, because I want to see how good a teacher you really are.” She placed her hands together as she walked away.

“Did you also make a bet on Luz’s behalf, Eda?” Vesper asked.

“Maybe.” She shrugged.

“Yes, she did,” Darius confirmed shamelessly.

Vesper groaned in irritation. “You two are the perfect duo, ya know that?”

“Come on, kid,” the Owl Lady crouched beside the kids, her hand on Luz’s shoulder. “Time to prepare for bloodshed.”

“But… whose blood?” Luz asked.

“Anyone's guess!” She chuckled slightly, clapping her on the back. She smiled nervously as Vesper groaned at the joke.

“This is not going to end well.”

“Fallon was right, you are the smart one,” Darius said before leaving the situation.

( Cut to a hallway )

Eda put on a sweatband and turned to Luz, who was sitting on a box beside her. Vesper was on her other side, watching for Fallon or Hunter.

“All right, Luz. Let's start your training.” She cracked her knuckles and got started. “Now, I'm coming at you with a blast of fire. What do you do?” Luz pulled her hood up and leaned off the box, landing on the floor in a fetal position. “Oh, that's right. I haven't taught you many spells, huh?”

Luz shook her head no. “You didn’t even teach her the one she knows. She figured that one out on her own,” Vesper muttered to himself, causing Luz to raise a brow at him.

“Who are you looking for?”

“Not important right now,” he replied, turning back to them. “But yeah, the spell she knows doesn’t exactly equal combat material, especially against a giant purple ooze monster. Unless the goal is to make Amity blind, which she won't even give you the chance to do.”

“Dang it,” Eda snapped her fingers. “Boy, I hope you didn't make an everlasting oath to stop learning magic or anything. You'd be toast.”

Luz sat up anxiously. “I-Is there a glowy hand thing that happens, or, uh–”

“You wanna tell her or should I?” Vesper asked, feeling unsympathetic.

“Abomination.” They heard Amity’s voice and turned to see her and Lilith standing nearby. “Rise.” An abomination that came up to Amity's shoulders rose from her spell circle on the ground with a groan. It twisted its head off and threw it, hitting a baker's coven witch in the face and knocking him over. Tinella Nosa grabbed his hand, threw him, and then screamed as she gained more strength, a demon from the Osculus Coven clapping at the spectacle.

“Ooh, boy,” Eda commented knowingly.

Vesper sighed as he considered what few options they had. “And we can’t forfeit because that would count as a loss. The only other way is to get both sides to agree to call it off, and we all know Amity’s too prideful to do that, especially with what went down at Hexside.”

“I can't believe I'm gonna have to stop learning magic!” Luz said in despair. Vesper’s eyes softened as he sat down beside her. She leaned her head on his shoulder, and her friend hugged her. While Vesper knew that this situation was Luz’s own making, he understood how much being a witch meant to her.

“Listen to me, Luz. We are not gonna let those snobs win that easy!” Eda shot a quick glare at Lilith. “We are not gonna let them win at all. I've got an idea.” She smiled mischievously as her sweatband ripped from her hair, being too wild.

Chapter Text

While Eda was scheming something in secret and Luz was sulking over her decision, Vesper decided to take a break from the mess. He walked around the covention, sighing tiredly as he stopped near one of the booths.

“A long day, my young friend?”

Vesper’s head snapped up and turned to the booth beside him, the Metalwork Coven. Behind the counter was a male witch in his fifties, with dark brown skin, wise gray eyes, and a bald head, despite sporting a full white beard. He was a heavy-set individual dressed in a pale, greenish-gray tunic with the sleeves pushed up above his elbows, dark pants, a matching apron, and work boots.

“Oh, sorry,” Vesper apologized, stepping back. “And yeah, you could say that.”

The man chuckled sagely, his warm smile spreading across his face. “We all have such days. Would you like to talk about it?”

“Well…” He hesitated. “If you’re not busy… or mind a stranger pouring his heart out.”

“Not at all,” the witch shook his head, stepping out from behind the booth. “In fact, it’s about time for covens to start taking down their stands. The covention is almost over.”

“Okay, then,” Vesper agreed as they walked toward the refreshment area. “I’m Vesper.”

“A pleasure, Vesper. I’m Xavier.”

They found a spot to sit across from each other as Xavier returned with drinks for them. “I assumed water would be the safest option,” He said, handing Vesper a cup of water.

“Good idea,” the teen agreed. “So, you run the Metalwork Coven?”

“I’m one of its senior members, but being Bonesburough’s blacksmith is my main profession. I’m also an amateur historian. I enjoy learning about the past and its myths and legends.”

“Sounds like you enjoy what you do.”

“That I do,” Xavier nodded. “Now, what brings you to the covention, Vesper? In fact, what brings you to the Boiling Isles itself?”

“That part’s a long story,” Vesper responded. “For being at the covention, my friends told me about it and I wanted to see it for myself.” He frowned at his drink, thinking about the events of the day.

“I suspect something happened to sour your experience,” Xavier guessed.

“Yeah…” He sighed. “My friend, Luz, challenged a girl named Amity Blight to a Witch’s Duel.”

“Aaah, Alador and Odalia Blight’s youngest daughter. She is a talented one, I must admit. Your friend must be confident to go against her.”

“But that’s the problem. Luz can’t beat her. She only knows one spell, and it’s not really a combat spell. And what’s worse, if she loses, she’ll have to stop learning magic, and that would crush her.”

“Hm, that is quite a predicament,” Xavier agreed. “Tell me. If she knew the odds were against her, why did she challenge Amity?”

“She… She thought she was defending me and King,” Vesper confessed. “Amity stepped on King’s cupcake when he dropped to pick on him, and she called me a nerd, which frankly, I wear that term like a badge of honor.”

Xavier chuckled before the teen continued. “But Luz felt like she had to 'defend our honor,' as King put it, so…”

“She thought she could beat her at her own game?” The older man guessed. “While her heart was in the right place, I’m afraid life doesn’t work that way.”

“I know that, and I tried to tell Luz to drop it,” Vesper said. “I didn’t like how Amity looked down on us either, but the situation got out of hand… again.”

Xavier hummed in thought. “Was it because you were humans, or was it over something else?”

“Well…” Vesper thought it over. “Us being human may have been part of it, but…”

“Even if you disagree, it’s always important to understand the reasons behind a person’s actions.”

“She said that we give witches in training a bad name.”

“Is that all? That isn’t a very detailed reason. From where I stand, Amity is very proud about being a witch, especially one who has worked so hard to get where she is now.”

Vesper’s eyes widened slightly as he considered Xavier’s words. “Perhaps the best advice I can give is this: Instead of confronting Amity, talk to her. You may be surprised by what you learn.”

“Talk to her,” Vesper repeated under his breath, looking back in the direction he knew Amity was still practicing. He took a breath and smiled at Xavier. “Thank you, Xavier.”

“My pleasure, Vesper,” Xavier replied as the young man got up. “Hopefully, we will meet again soon.”

“I hope we do, too,” he nodded before leaving.

( Later )

Amity was still practicing with her abomination, but she was trying to make it bigger, which was turning into a struggle.

“I know I can do this,” the witchling told herself.

“I don’t doubt that.”

Amity quickly turned her head to find Vesper Sparks standing behind her. She groaned in disgust. “Ugh, you again. Don’t you have anything better to do? Or are you here to spy on me for your dorky friend?”

“Going to ignore the dorky comment and reply that if I wanted to spy on you, would I have announced my presence?” Vesper countered.

Amity rolled her eyes, knowing he was right. “What do you want?”

“I’m actually here to appeal to your sense of logic, Amity.”

“What does that mean?”

“Look, Amity, you’re a smart girl. You have to see that this is a no-win situation. Yes, you have the advantage and will more than likely beat Luz, assuming Eda doesn’t cook up a cheap shot,” he muttered the last part before getting back to the point. “But where does that leave you if you do? I know what led up to this, but no one in the crowd does. To them, you’ll just end up looking like a brute for beating up a defenseless human for no reason. Does that really solve anything?”

The witch girl paused, thinking over his words. As much as she didn’t want to admit it, he did have a point. “What do you want me to do?”

“I want you to at least call off the Everlasting Oath if you insist on going through with this duel. The better option would be to call the whole thing off entirely, but since our mentors are involved, I doubt that will happen.”

“No way!” Amity rejected. “Why would I do that?”

“Because this isn’t a fair bet, and you know it,” Vesper said. “Luz doesn’t have anything that could beat your abomination, but that doesn’t give you the right to block her from learning magic.”

“She brought this on herself,” Amity argued. “She’s the one who doesn’t take magic seriously.”

“That just shows how little you know about us,” Vesper responded. “Look, Luz isn’t a bad person, despite what you think from the abomination incident. She does take magic seriously, but she thinks it works like in her Good Witch Azura books, which we know isn’t reality. Where do you think she got the idea for the duel? She thought this would work out the same way. And because of that, she gets in over her head a lot. Do you know what it’s like to have to rein in an agent of chaos every day?”

Amity blinked in surprise at his words, glancing to the side. She didn’t say anything for a moment, but Vesper had a feeling he touched on something personal.

“Look. You can go all out on Luz if you want, as long as you don’t send her to the hospital or whatever the equivalent of that is here,” Vesper said. “I trust Luz and believe in her, but I know logically she has no chance of winning. So in the end, you could let her off the hook. Call off the Oath and let her keep learning magic. You can be the bigger person in this.”

Amity thought for a minute before sighing. “Normally, a Blight never goes back on her word… but I suppose I can make an exception in this case.”

“Thank you,” Vesper said, turning to go. “I’ll leave you to get back to your practice.”

“Can I ask one thing?” the witchling spoke up. “If Luz causes so much trouble, why are you guys still friends?”

The human boy was quiet for a minute before answering, “Because I know if I ever lost everything, she’d be there for me. And I would do the same for her.”

“Yo, Vesper!” Eda called from the theater doorway. “Come on! Luz’s duel is gonna start any minute!”

“Coming!” Vesper called, running over to her and leaving Amity to think over his words.

( In the theater )

The arena was full of people, Lilith and Amity standing on the dais, and Eda and Luz standing opposite them. Vesper sat in the front row behind them, not wanting to get in the way. Meanwhile, Hunter stood in the shadows of the top row of the arena. “Huh?” He blinked when he glanced down, his eyes landing on Vesper below him.

“What’s he doing here?” He asked himself before looking at the competitors and noticing the other human in the arena. That was when he realized Luz was competing in the Witch’s Duel, so Vesper was here to support her.

Hunter then shook his head, wondering why he was even thinking about him. He may have been a human, but he was still only that. Still, that book he was carrying was a reference about wild magic…

“No!” He shook his head again, snapping out of it. “Don’t go there! You know what happens! Besides, he’s technically outside the law by being associated with the Owl Lady…”

‘Then, why didn’t I force him into the Emperor Coven’s hands?’ He wondered mentally, questioning why he was so conflicted about this.

“Beloved citizens,” Lilith began to address the crowd. “The Emperor's Coven proudly presents an impromptu demonstration of the sort of witch we seek every year.” She then gestured to Amity, who stepped forward. “Introducing Amity Blight.” The young witch smirked as the crowd cheered and clapped, one of them even holding a foam finger.

“Woo, Amity!”

“Versus…” Lilith gestured to Eda, who stepped out of the way and proudly presented a very nervous Luz. “… some human girl.”

The applause stopped as everyone murmured in confusion.

“A human?” An oracle student questioned.

“Humans can't do magic!” A kindergarten witch commented.

“She's not Amity,” the foam-fingered student said, looking bored. Sitting nearby, Willow, Gus, Yeong, and Tenzin shared a nervous look.

“They shouldn’t even be allowed here,” Another student sitting near Hunter’s position added.

The blonde witch glanced at some people protesting their presence, flinching. They were saying this, yet he didn’t move to make her or Vesper leave. That was strange to him, since he usually wouldn’t have batted an eye…

A yelp broke him from his thoughts as he noticed some witches, who wanted the humans to leave, were now covered in their food and drinks. Fallon walked past them confidently, twirling a finger and cluing Hunter in on what happened.

“I don’t care if they’re humans. They’re my friends, and I won’t put up with anyone saying things like that about them.” They stated simply, their tone leaving no room for argument as they approached Hunter.

“I think you made your point.”

“Thank you.” They leaned against the wall beside him. “I couldn’t help but notice you didn’t move to comply with the crowd’s wishes.”

“I’m off duty,” he said, though deep down they knew that was an excuse. “By the way, I heard your guardian was here.”

“He’s over there.” Fallon pointed to the other side of the arena. Darius stood next to the dais, watching Lilith closely. “He didn’t trust Eda and Lilith to keep this clean, so he’s keeping an eye on the situation.”

“Don’t you want to watch this with him?”

“Well, first, I wanted to hang out with one of my besties.” Fallon nudged him playfully, earning a look from Hunter that indicated he didn’t like that. “Second, I’m keeping an eye on him.” He pointed past them to another part of the upper stands where the Glandus student from earlier watched the duel.

“Who’s that?”

“I don’t know, but I do know that this covention is all Hexside students for this area, and he’s from Glandus. Given our schools’ rivalry, I wouldn’t put it past him to be here to try something.”

“Then, I shall assist in watching him,” Hunter stated.

“Thanks, Hunter.”

Meanwhile, the Glandus student kept his eyes on the upcoming duel, glancing briefly at Vesper with an unreadable expression before looking back at the Owl Lady and the other human. Elsewhere, Morgenscare stood in the shadows, watching the duel for himself.

“Eda?” Luz grabbed the woman’s arms in a panic. “What am I going to do?”

“Calm down,” Eda said, moving her hands away. “You see those mounds?” She gestured at the ground, where there were several bumps in the sand. “Get Amity to land on one of those and she'll set off my magic traps.”

“That's cheating!” Luz told her with a slight frown as the woman eagerly rubbed her hands together.

“Nobody’ll know,” she waved it off. “To all eyes up there, it'll look like you're performing magic. Just trust me.”

“But I will know in my heart!” the girl gestured to herself. “Even if I win now, I lose.”

Eda stared at her for a moment. “That's the spirit!” she smiled encouragingly.

While Vesper didn’t hear what they were saying, he saw the expressions on their faces from where he was sitting. Knowing something was wrong, Vesper got up and headed for the stairs, his exit noticed by Hunter, Fallon, and the Glandus student.

“Now where’s he going?” Fallon wondered aloud.

A bell rang and screamed, signaling that the duel was on. Luz, still nervous, and Amity, confident, approached each other as the audience cheered. Amity cracked her knuckles while Luz waved fearfully. At that moment, Vesper entered the arena and ran over to Eda.

“Oh, hey, kid,” Eda greeted him as he caught his breath. “Wanted a closer look?”

“What were you and Luz just talking about?” he asked directly.

Before Eda could answer, Amity traced a large spell circle on the ground, causing Luz to step back. “Abomination. Rise.” From the spell circle, an abomination that towered over the two girls groaned as it came to life, making Luz whimper.

“Huh?!” Vesper gasped in shock at the sight of it. None of Amity’s abominations had ever been that big before, not even the ones she made to chase them at school.

“What the–?!” Fallon stuttered, equally stunned.

“What’s wrong?” Hunter asked.

“How did she get it that big in an hour?!”

“What do you mean?”

“I saw Amity practicing earlier, and her abomination only came up to her shoulder!” Fallon explained to Hunter, who turned to the arena with narrowed, suspicious eyes. Something wasn’t right…

“Whoa!” Amity gasped quietly, looking surprised, but then she gave a boastful smirk. “Show me what you got, human!”

“I'm not good under pressure!” Luz ran away as the abomination stepped forward. Groaning, it twisted its head off and threw it at Luz.

The girl panted as she fled, looking back to see the head coming her way. “Whoa!” she gasped as it just missed her. Vesper gasped a bit himself in concern. Luz ran to the wall and backed against it, Eda glaring suspiciously at the advancing abomination, its head regrown. She sank to the ground in fear, whimpering nervously before realizing she was right in front of one of Eda’s mounds. Glancing at the approaching abomination, she closed her eyes and braced herself as it stepped on the trap. The abomination looked down seconds before a towering jet of fire erupted from the mound, setting half of it on fire while shocking Vesper and Amity.

Hunter’s eyes widened from his spot. “Well, whatta ya know?” he murmured to himself. However, when he saw the stupefied look on Fallon’s face, he realized that hadn’t been right either.

“How did you do that?” Amity demanded of Luz, who stared at the flames in awed horror.

“I, uh– Magic?” Luz smiled anxiously, doing jazz hands.

“I thought she only knew the light spell,” Vesper said.

“Let’s just say we came prepared,” Eda snickered.

Meanwhile, King scatted a tune as he entered the theater, piled high with free hats, shirts, buttons, and scarves. “Things that are free~! People are giving offerings to me~!” He stopped behind the others. “I love offerings! What did I miss?”

“Luz is in a witch's duel!” Willow answered him.

“Yeah! And she can win it all!” Gus responded.

“Yeah-yeah!” he and Yeong cheered enthusiastically.

“Weh?”

“Yeah, I don’t know how it came to this either,” Tenzin agreed.

The steaming abomination stepped onto another mound, one producing a current of air strong enough to launch both it and Amity into the air, causing her to scream in surprise. The abomination grunted as it landed on its back, while Amity landed beside it, safely sliding to a stop as she kneeled. “I-I saw you that time! You didn't use your hands! What are you getting at?”

“Not dying!” Luz called out. Amity glowered as the abomination sat up with a groan, stomping toward Luz again. She screamed and then ran off, the purple monster following her.

Back in the stands, King was carefully making his way down the rows. “This I gotta see!” He stopped, glaring at the kid waving the foam finger for Amity.

“Go Amity!”

“Hey! You root for Luz or nobody!” He tried to run at the student, but got caught on his scarf again and fell down the seats while he screamed.

Back with Luz, she was still running from the abomination, which set off an explosion as it stepped on another mound. At the same time, King was falling past people in the stands, his “offerings” falling as he went.

“Okay, what the heck’s going on, Eda?” Vesper asked, turning to Eda. “There is no way you could’ve taught Luz something that strong in an hour.”

“Oh, fine,” Eda groaned before whispering, “I booby trapped those mounds to make it look like Luz was using magic on Amity.”

“You did what?!” Vesper replied in shock. “That’s against the rules!

“Since when have I ever followed rules, V?” She crossed her arms in response.

“Not the point! Did Luz actually agree to this?!”

“She said something, but it was too late to do anything about it. But hey, it looks like Amity’s about to step on a big one.”

“What?!” Vesper turned in horror to the battle. He saw Amity advancing on Luz, another mound in between them.

“How are you doing that?” she demanded, wanting answers. That was when Luz saw the mound.

“No, Amity, don't step any closer!” Luz warned her, her foot stopping right above it. She glanced down at it, becoming more suspicious by the second.

“Why, Luz? What happens if I step closer?” She gritted her teeth. King’s screams answered her question as he fell flat on his back, directly onto the mound, confusing the girls. Spikes burst from the ground, forcing Luz and Amity back several steps.

“King!” Vesper gasped, running over to the little demon.

“Mmm?” He opened his eyes, glancing around. “I'm okay!”

“Phew!” Vesper breathed a sigh of relief.

“Spikes?!” Luz exclaimed at Eda. The Owl Lady gave her two thumbs up while Vesper smacked his face.

“I knew it!” Amity pointed angrily at Luz as Lilith stepped forward. “You were cheating!”

“Amity—No!” Luz looked terrible about it while Lilith bent down and touched the top of a short spike, making it crumble.

“Oh, Eda,” she said as she stood up, sounding almost disappointed. “I do believe this means you lose!”

Eda groaned a little as the two groups faced each other now that the truth was out. “Luz, I can’t believe you went along with this!” Vesper scolded his friend.

“It wasn’t my idea to cheat!” Luz defended. “And when I found out, I tried to stop it, but–”

“Who could believe anything you say?” Amity replied in disgust before shifting her angry eyes to Vesper. “And you! I thought you said she wasn’t a bad person. Or was that just a trick to lower my guard?”

“What?” Vesper responded, feeling offended. “You actually think I would go along with something like this?” He then glared at Eda. “Eda, what compelled you to do something like this? Seriously, what if someone had gotten hurt, Luz or Amity?”

“What? Do you and Luz want to keep learning magic or not?” Eda asked in defense.

“She was going to unbind the Oath!” Vesper snapped, gesturing to Amity. “While you were scheming, I did the sensible thing and talked to Amity, and we came to an agreement!”

“You did?” Luz asked.

“Not everything needs to be solved with chaos and tricks!”

“Well, now, you can forget it!” Amity interjected. “The deal is off!”

“Alright, that’s enough.” Suddenly, Darius appeared on the field, positioning himself between the two groups. “From what I can make out of this fighting, it appears that Eda acted without the knowledge of her students. Therefore, I don’t think allowing any Oaths to remain intact would be appropriate in this situation.”

“This is between me and my sister, Darius,” Lilith rebuked, unwilling to let this go.

“Then it should've remained unofficial, Lilith, instead of bringing teenagers into it,” Darius countered. “We’ll discuss this further outside. There’s no need to create a larger scene.”

Amity scowled but didn’t argue with the Coven Head and turned to leave. As she began to walk away, her hair shifted slightly to reveal something on the back of her neck, which Vesper noticed. “Wait a second, what’s that?” Vesper asked as he pursued Amity. Lilith's eyes widened as he stopped the teen witch and lifted her hair… revealing a power glyph used by the Construction Coven.

“Hey! What are you–”

Vesper ripped the glyph off, and the abomination shrank until it was about the height of Amity’s knee, though it crumbled completely when its head crushed it.

“I was wondering how you made that thing bigger in less than an hour,” Vesper commented. He then held the glyph up for the audience to see. “A power glyph from the Construction Coven. Wearing this boosts one's natural magic. I don’t know much about the rules of Witch’s Duels, but I would guess these aren’t allowed either.”

Everyone in the audience gasped in horror at the revelation. “I mean… I knew it,” The oracle student from earlier stated.

“She cheated!” Willow whispered to the others in disbelief.

“I am so glad you brought me here,” Hunter said to Fallon, enjoying the drama as he stuffed popcorn in his mouth.

“Where did you get that popcorn?”

“Ah-ha! That's my boy! Yes, yes, yes-yes-yes!” Eda laughed at her sister. “You cheated. Perfect, prissy Lilith cheated. Hot dang, I love coventions! La-la-la–” She then did a little dance around Lilith to mock her.

“Really, Lilith?” Darius pinched the bridge of his nose in irritation.

“I only did that because I knew she would cheat!” Lilith defended, Vesper looking at her in disbelief.

“And that makes it okay?!” he snapped, disgusted by how this woman didn’t care that she framed Amity in front of a room full of people.

“Still cheated! Welcome down to my level!” Eda gloated. “Nice catch there, Vesper!”

Amity rubbed the back of her neck as she looked around in embarrassment. “But… I didn't know!” When she saw Luz approach her, she ran off.

“Amity, wait!” the girl called after her.

“Luz! Vesper!” The two turned around to King. “Help me!”

The friends grabbed one arm each and grunted as they pulled him free, but ended up ripping his shirt off in the process. “My offerings!”

“You'll get more offerings, King,” Luz patted King’s head. “Hey, V,” she looked at her friend. “Let me go talk to Amity.”

“Are you sure?”

“Like you said, not everything is solved with chaos and tricks. Besides, this is between me and her.”

Vesper placed a hand on her shoulder. “Alright, go on and talk to her.” Luz smiled gratefully before running after Amity.

“Hey, wait for me!” King followed her, and the boy sighed, turning back to Darius and the sisters as Eda continued dancing (kind of).

“Knock it off. You're making a scene!” Lilith growled.

“You cheated. Hey, where's the Rhyming Coven? What rhymes with ‘cheated?’”

“Stop acting like a child!” Lilith snapped at her, getting more annoyed by the second.

“I’m glad my sister and I aren’t this kind of double act,” Vesper said.

“You were defeated, don't get heated, get your stank face treated,” Eda mocked her, earning a glare.

“Rhyme one more thing. I dare you!”

“Alright, let’s not escalate this any further,” Darius held up his hands in a calming manner.

“Oh, it's okay, I'm done,” Eda waved her hand, pausing for a moment. “Because my rhymes are depleted!”

“Oh, that's it!” Lilith screamed, summoning her white raven staff. She struck Eda with a blast of energy, throwing her against her spikes and into the wall behind the dais.

“Eda!” Vesper cried as the audience, including the gang, gasped at Lilith’s actions. The cloud of blue magic cleared, revealing Eda sprawled against the wall. However, she was unfazed by the attack as she smirked.

“There she is!” She summoned her staff and spun it around in a ring of gold energy, only for it to fly out of her hand and clatter to the ground. She picked it back up with a roar and sent a burst of energy at Lilith, the blowback causing Vesper to stumble backwards. Lilith grunted as she blocked by returning fire.

“Witch's duel!” a student called from the audience. Lilith’s blue magic and Eda’s gold magic were evenly matched, resulting in an explosion of white light that forced Vesper and Darius to shield their eyes.

( Meanwhile )

At the theater's entrance, Luz ran out and looked around. She gasped slightly when she spotted Amity sulking in a dark corner next to the bathrooms.

“Amity…” She walked over to the green-haired girl. “I'm sorry.”

Amity just scoffed in return. “Ugh, seriously? Just leave me alone.” She glared at the girl before looking away again.

“I didn't mean to embarrass you.”

“That's all you ever do!” she exclaimed a bit angrily. “First at school, and now this!”

“Yeah, but–”

Amity suddenly stood up to face Luz. “You made me look like a fool in front of the Emperor's Coven. My future! You think it's so easy to be a witch,” her voice cracked a little as Luz stared at her with guilt. “I have been working my whole life to get to the top!” She started advancing on Luz with her following words. “You lost! You cheated! Say it! Say you're not a witch!”

Luz looked at the ground. “… I'm not a witch,” she admitted to Amity, who stared as the girl knelt down. She pulled out a notepad and pencil, and Amity looked at her in confusion as she knelt to her level. Luz slowly drew out the light glyph, then tapped it. She gently cupped the ball of light it produced, smiling at it as she held it up to Amity. “But I'm training hard to be one.”  

Amity stared at the light in awe.

( Back at Eda and Lilith’s duel )

Lilith spun her staff to deflect Eda’s attack. When it stopped, she pushed her hand forward, her spell circle turning into a burst of magic. Eda took a few steps back, spinning and drawing a spell circle on the ground. She lifted her hand, creating a growing pillar of wood that split Lilith’s attack, defending her. The pillar bent toward Lilith, an owl face resembling Hooty hooting lowly as it approached. Lilith stared at it and then spun a spell circle to teleport away from its incoming beak.

Vesper ducked down as stray magic flew over his head, entering the audience. The watchers screamed and fled before a shield formed by Darius appeared, covering their escape.

“This way!” Fallon called, and Hunter helped usher people out and away from the duel.

Two new owl faces extended from the large pillar, catching Lilith by surprise. Eda drew four more spell circles on the opposite side to create even more. Lilith easily teleported away from all of their beaks, destroying one on the ground and three in the air by tossing her staff with a grunt. Eda smirked and spun her staff, creating an orange shield as Lilith struck it with her staff and magic. The shield cracked, but Eda’s expression remained unchanged. Suddenly, Owlbert’s eyes glowed and flew into Lilith’s face, interrupting her attack. He hooted as he pulled her hair, tugging her away from Eda.

“Ow, ow, ow-ow-ow. Ow-ow-ow-ow-ow!” she cried as Eda dropped her shield.

“Say goodnight, sister.” She spun her staff and smacked the butt of it into the wooden pillar. A large owl’s face formed next to Lilith as Owlbert let go, and with a hoot, it captured her in its beak. All fell silent after that as Owlbert landed back on Eda’s staff. She smiled at him, but then looked concerned when she saw the flaming hole in the new owl tube’s side. Without warning, Lilith appeared directly behind her.

“Enough of this.”

Eda turned with a gasp, having no time to react as she was thrown into the wall with a scream, leaving a crater. Vesper gasped when he saw Lilith gain the upper hand. She smirked and spun her staff, but before she could finish the duel, Vesper ran over and got between her and the downed Eda.

“Stop!” Vesper yelled out. “Look, I don’t know your guys’ story, but this has to stop before someone gets hurt!”

“Stay out of this, human boy!” Lilith snapped back before firing a blue blast of fire with Vesper in the line of fire.

“Vesper!” Fallon and Eda gasped simultaneously.

“I said STOP!” Vesper cried out as he closed his eyes, raising his hands instinctively as he braced for pain… but that never came, leaving Vesper confused. He was even more bewildered when he heard a wave of gasps from all around the theater.

All around him, covention attendants, coven members, Fallon, Hunter, Darius, Morgenscare, Lilith, and even Eda were surprised by what they were seeing. When Vesper finally opened his eyes, they widened further in shared surprise. His outstretched hands had magic circles around them, and right in front of the rings, Lilith’s blast was curled into a large orb of energy. Startled, Vesper moved his hands apart, and the blue sphere burned out into nothingness. The remains of the crowd started commenting around him, making Vesper aware of the eyes watching him.

“Did you see that?”

“He just stopped one of Lilith’s blasts with magic.”

“But he’s a human, isn’t he?”

“Can he really use magic?”

Vesper could feel his breath coming in short, ragged gasps as the voices blurred together, his heart pounding in his ears as he felt the stares… the judging… the intentions…

“Whoa, kid,” Eda said, getting up. “Since when can you use magic without writing it down–” She cut off her sentence when she saw the panic written on Vesper’s face. “Whoa, hey, easy, easy, kiddo,” Eda lowered her voice to a softer tone, trying to coax the teen down from an oncoming panic attack. “You okay?”

“I… I…” Vesper tried to answer, but his brain was struggling to form words.

“What’s going on, Edalyn?!” Lilith asked angrily, which did not help the situation. “How is this human–” She made the mistake of taking a step closer, which Vesper’s hypersensitive brain registered. With a frightened scream, Vesper held up his hands, and this time, a blast of purple-colored magic shot out, and Lilith barely dodged it in time.

After that, it was as if a dam had burst open when Vesper’s eyes turned completely white. He clutched his head as a purple aura formed around him, dropping to his knees while bursts of energy shot out in all directions. Eda dodged a strike, glancing at her student with concern. Darius quickly summoned another shield to block a different blast, stepping back in surprise when it nearly penetrated the barrier. Another blast struck the seats just below where Fallon and Hunter were standing, causing them to duck instinctively.

“What is going on?!” Hunter asked the other witch.

“Vesper’s magic is overwhelming him! This usually happens in young witches when their powers appear under stressful circumstances, like a panic attack!” Fallon explained. “Vesper’s older than that, but I could call nearly getting blasted by Lilith as a stressful situation!”

“What do we do?!”

“I have a spell that can help calm Vesper down, and then I need to get him out of the open! You keep leading people out while I do that!” The healing witch got to their feet and went down to the arena. “I’ll meet you outside!”

“On it!” Hunter sprang to his feet and got to work.

Fallon ran down the steps to the front row. “Darius!” they called to their guardian. Seeing his charge and understanding what they were doing, he created an abomination ramp for them to slide down. Once on the ground, Fallon darted toward Vesper.

Not seeing the other witch, Lilith got to her feet and spun her staff. “Alright, human…” She glared, preparing to return fire when Eda noticed her.

“No!” she gasped, using her magic to teleport to her sister, knocking her back with her staff. The sisters glared at each other, their earlier animosity renewed to new levels.

“Eda!” Fallon called to her as they reached the panicked boy. “Keep her busy!”

“Oh, I’ll keep her busy!” Eda promised, her eyes never leaving her sister. Lilith growled, and they charged at each other again, staffs clashing.

Fallon stopped a few feet away from Vesper, concern evident on their face as they saw the human boy’s expression twisted in agony. Knowing they needed to work fast, Fallon ran around Vesper and drew a spell circle, ensuring it was big enough for him to move away if he felt crowded. Once the circle was completed, a dome shield was formed over the two teens to protect them from any wayward attack. After that, Fallon took a deep breath and started gathering magic in their hands for another spell. Once it was ready, they raised their hands, and the magic enveloped the inside of the dome in darkness, blocking out the world outside.

All the while, Vesper was unaware of what was happening, overwhelmed by the sensations assaulting him. The only thing he knew was that everything was too loud, too bright, too hot, too cold, and he just wanted it all to stop…

And then it did. The transition from chaos to nothing was jarring enough to cause the boy to stumble and fall from his crouched position. As he steadied his breathing, he slowly pushed himself up, blinking his eyes as they returned to normal.

“Vesper?”

He jumped slightly and turned to see Fallon kneeling a few feet away from him. “Are you okay?”

“I…” He started, still processing what had just happened. “I don’t know…”

“That’s okay. That’s perfectly okay,” Fallon assured him comfortingly.

“Where are we…?”

“This is a spell you learn in the healing track. It’s for panic attack victims. It creates a sightless, soundproof bubble, cutting off any overstimulation that was feeding the attack. No one can see or hear us in here.”

Vesper nodded silently, averting his gaze as he looked down. Fallon scooted a little closer, ensuring the other still had space if they needed it. “Is there anything you want me to do? Do you need–?” Their question was interrupted when Vesper suddenly latched onto them in a hug, trembling slightly. While surprised, Fallon went along with it and returned the hug, being mindful of how tightly he held him.

“What’s happening to me?” Vesper whispered, taken aback by what had just occurred.

“It’ll be okay, Vesper,” Fallon assured him. “Whatever’s going on, it will be okay. Don’t worry.”

The human boy didn’t say anything but tried to take comfort from their words. He then glanced at the dome with slight fear, knowing they had to leave eventually. “How do we get out of here? They’re all going to be looking at me…”

“I can make you a cloak if that’s not too jarring.”

“… Okay.” Vesper and Fallon pulled apart, and the latter drew a spell circle, summoning a full-body hooded cloak over Vesper. Pulling up his hood, the human boy slowly got to his feet with Fallon’s help.

“It’s a straight shot from where we are to the door,” Fallon said. “Just hold onto my arm and we’ll be out of here in a few minutes.”

Vesper nodded as he took Fallon’s arm, bracing himself as the healing witch dropped the spells. The darkness slowly receded, bringing back the light and sounds, causing Vesper to flinch slightly. With Lilith distracted by fighting Eda, the two teens quickly fled to the exit. Hunter saw them from the top seats, feeling oddly relieved that they got the human boy out of there.

Eda noticed the teens leaving, smirking slightly before deciding it was time to end this duel for good. Lilith also saw them and turned toward the exit tunnel. “Wait–” She was interrupted by a bag of Hex Mix hitting her in the head, making her scream in shock. She stared at it as it hit the ground before growling and turning back to her sister just in time to see her run to the exit.

“It's been fun, but let's call it a draw!” Eda quickly called out.

“Argh!” Lilith shouted angrily.

( Outside )

Fallon and Vesper had found a secluded spot for Vesper to sit and decompress. While Fallon went to get him some water, Vesper sighed as he looked around the hall, pulling his cloak closer for comfort. As much as he didn’t like Amity, he felt bad for her…

He knew what it was like to be used and mistreated by someone he thought he could trust…

“The important thing is we are expected to win because Crematorium Prep has a reputation.”

“I must apologize for the curiosity of my prized student.”

Vesper shook his head, not wanting to go there right now. He didn’t trust himself not to break down in tears.

“Hey.”

He flinched slightly as he looked up to see Hunter standing in front of him, the blond looking unsure of what to do. “Uh, so… uh, are you… You know, okay?”

Vesper shrugged, being more cautious this time around. “I… I’m honestly not good at the comforting thing, but… if you need something…?” Hunter tried again, still looking awkward, but Vesper could feel it was genuine.

“… I appreciate the effort.” He smiled slightly despite himself.

A faint smile flashed across Hunter’s face for a minute before he looked hesitant again. “So, uh… Back there? What was that? I thought humans couldn’t do magic?”

Vesper sighed, looking down at the floor. “I don’t know. I only found out a few days ago and… I didn’t know what to make of it. So, I kept it to myself.”

“Here, Vesper.” Fallon reappeared with a cup of water, giving it to the human.

“Thanks.” Vesper took it and had a quick drink. Everyone was quiet for a minute before Vesper spoke up again. “You’re not gonna arrest me for attacking a Coven Head, are you?”

“Huh?” Hunter blinked in confusion.

Vesper pointed to his forearm where his sigil was. “I saw it when you walked away earlier.”

“Oh,” The blond glanced at his brand. “Yeah, that…” He cleared his throat. “To answer your question, no. I’m off duty.”

“Plus, Lilith’s a big girl; she can take it,” Fallon added, getting a few laughs from the boys. The boys looked at each other again, and the silence grew as they were unsure of what else to say.

“So, you’re a member of the Emperor’s Coven?” Vesper asked after a minute.

Hunter looked at him for a moment before sighing. “… Yes, I am.”

“You seem kinda young. I read that you don’t have to join a coven until you’re at least eighteen.”

“I joined a little early. Growing up in the Emperor’s Coven, it was kind of a given that I would join them one day.”

“You grew up in the coven?” Vesper questioned.

“Yeah…” Hunter sank to the floor, leaning against the wall. “My parents were gone before I was old enough to remember them. The Emperor’s Coven took me in. The Emperor said the Titan had big plans for me, so I trained and studied most of the time.”

“That sounds kinda lonely. Were there any other scouts your age?”

“Not really. I’m the youngest scout. I don’t have time to make friends, let alone have friends. The closest I have is Fallon saying we’re friends, and I never bothered correcting them,” Hunter explained, glancing at the healing witch.

“I love you, too,” Fallon replied cheekily.

“There’s also Moonstone and Skye, but that’s the same circumstances. Besides, no one wants to be friends with a genius prodigy. In the Emperor’s Coven, it’s every witch for themselves.”

“I know the feeling.” Vesper looked down at his drink, surprising the other two a little. “I used to go to this fancy private school back home that was really competitive. Everyone only cared about winning, while I genuinely cared about learning. Getting the highest test scores meant I was the odd one out, who was everyone’s competition. Even after I changed schools to a less competitive one, I still had problems because my new classmates thought I was a weirdo and a menace because of my experiments or inventions going wrong and causing trouble. I always try to use my talents to help people, but my kind of help isn’t always appreciated. I’m just Vesper the Screw Up Genius.”

Hunter stared at Vesper for a few seconds, then he reached out and placed his hand on top of Vesper’s. “It’s their loss,” he said softly.

Vesper stared back at Hunter in surprise before smiling slightly. He was still hesitant about the Emperor’s Coven, but maybe Hunter wasn’t as bad as he feared…

Fallon smiled at them before they heard someone call their name. “Fallon!”

“Oops. Time to go,” Fallon said, looking at the time. “The covention’s over, and Darius will probably need help taking down his stand. You gonna be okay, Vesper?”

“Yeah, I’ll be fine now,” Vesper assured them.

“Then, I’ll take my leave. See you guys later!” They waved to the boys as they went to join their guardian.

“I should probably get going, too,” Vesper said as the boys stood up. “Eda’s gonna wanna make a fast exit after that, and so do I… It was nice meeting you, Hunter. Maybe we’ll run into each other again… not literally, but you know what I mean, right?”

“I do…” Hunter replied shyly. “And maybe we will… Uh, Good-bye.” He waved slightly before heading in the same direction as Fallon.

“Bye…” Vesper waved after him before leaving in the other direction, a slight smile on his face despite the circumstances.

( Meanwhile )

Back with Luz and Amity, the witch girl stared at the light orb before turning away, dismissing it. “That's nothing. A child could do a light spell.” Luz’s expression fell as she extinguished the light, turning away while scooping up her notepad. “But… I've never seen it cast like that.”

“It doesn't come naturally to me like it does for you, so I've had to improvise,” Luz explained, nodding to the notepad.

Amity sighed and then traced out a spell circle before dragging Luz’s hand into it. Their hands glowed briefly before the circle disappeared. “The oath is unbound.” She let Luz go and stood up as she began to leave.

“Did it work?” Luz looked at her with concern. “Can I still learn magic?”

“Humans have no magical ability. But I doubt that'll stop you,” she said, glancing back at her one last time before leaving. Luz got up as she watched her go.

“Luz!” Vesper called as he ran over to her. “There you are!”

“Hey, V. What’s with the cloak?” she asked, noticing the new accessory.

“Uh, long story,” Vesper replied. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah. I just talked with Amity, and… well, she’s letting me learn magic. She undid the oath.”

Vesper sighed in relief. “That’s good to hear.”

“Luz!” King ran up to them. The human girl bent down to him with a smile. “You left me!”

“Yeah, sorry. Your legs are just so tiny. Should we get you more offerings?”

“Nah. That stuff just weighed me down. But I have something for you guys. And it's the best thing, because it's free, comes from my heart, and I always have more than I need.”

Luz gasped happily. “Is it love?”

“Ugh! No!” He reached behind him and pulled out a Covention tote bag. “Tote bags!” He put it on Luz’s arm and hopped in it as she stood up. “And they have so many uses! Away, fair chariot! Away!”

“Okay, King,” Vesper rolled his eyes in amusement while Luz patted his head. He then turned a serious expression to his best friend. “Seriously, though, everything okay?”

“I… don’t know, honestly. I can imagine she’s got a lot to deal with right now,” Luz looked away awkwardly.

“Give her time. And who knows, she’ll be back to being Amity before we know it,” Vesper shrugged as Eda found them.

“We gotta go.”

“How'd you get away from Lilith?” Luz asked the woman curiously.

“That’s a good question. Vesper, is there something you wish to tell Luz? And the rest of us, for that matter?” She turned to the boy, making Luz do the same.

Vesper was hesitant but sighed, knowing he couldn’t hide this forever. “Okay, okay.” He held up his finger and traced a spell circle in the air, creating a ball of light right in front of Luz. She gasped in astonishment.

“You can do magic?! But how?! Humans don’t have any magical ability! Amity just told me that!”

“I’m just as confused as you guys are,” Vesper said. “The other day, after the Owl Beast situation, I went to practice the glyph we found. When I traced it out in the air, that was when I learned I could do magic. I didn’t tell you because I was still trying to process how it was even possible.”

“This is amazing!” Luz cheered. “Before we came here, you didn’t even believe in magic, and now look at you! I have a million questions right now and don’t know where to start!”

“Those are gonna have to be answered later,” Eda said. “Vesper brought a lot of attention to us, so I think we should…”

“Excuse me.”

Everyone panicked as they turned around to see Principal Bump approach them.

“Principal Bump,” Vesper said nervously. “What brings you here?”

“I saw what happened in the auditorium, and I must say, I was truly impressed,” Bump said, smiling. “A human doing magic is incredible enough, but to have that level of raw power? I haven’t seen a witch like that ever in my career as an educator. This is far too rare to overlook. Which is why I’d like to enroll you at Hexside.”

“What?” Vesper questioned.

“What?” Luz parroted.

“What?” Eda copied.

“Didn’t see that coming,” King commented.

“You heard me,” Principal Bump confirmed. “I think a magical human would be great for you and our school. I can get you started next semester.”

“Uh, Principal Bump, I’m very flattered but–”

“He accepts!” Luz interrupted her friend proudly.

“I WHAT?!” Vesper gasped, turning to her.

“Come on, Vesper! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! You’ll get to learn more about magic, magic schools, and become a true witch! You’re living my dream right now! I’m actually getting a little jealous.”

Vesper cringed a bit, bringing his hand to his face. Despite everything, he had to admit this was very tempting… He sighed and then turned back to the principal. “Could I have some time to think this over, please? I just found out about my magic, and I’m still trying to process everything.”

“I understand,” Bump nodded in agreement. “I’ll lift your ban and hold a spot for you if you decide to enroll. I hope to see you soon.” He gave a thumbs-up before walking away.

“I’m so happy for you, V!” Luz cheered again.

“Luz, I appreciate your enthusiasm, I really, really do, but I’m still on the fence about this. Does having magic automatically make me a true witch?”

“A true witch?” Eda questioned. “Who's a true witch? These suckers?” She pointed to some witches behind her to emphasize her point. “According to them, that means being in a coven, but I never joined one, and I'm better than all of them combined. You gotta be your own witch.”

“My own witch,” Luz smiled at the advice.

“Now, I’m not one for all that fancy school stuff, and I wouldn’t recommend it, but if that’s what you want, Vesper…”

Vesper smiled slightly, grateful to know that Eda would support whatever decision he made despite her opinions. “Thanks, Eda. Like I said, I need some time to think about this after that major revelation.”

“I can work with that,” Eda agreed. “Now, let's go before my sister realizes I tied her pointy shoes together.”

Just then, Lilith let out another angry scream, grabbing their attention. “And that's our cue!” They quickly headed for the exit.

“Still, a sister?” Luz commented. “Now, that's a mysterious past payoff!”

“Oh, you think that's all the mystery I got? Wait until you hear about my parents,” Eda stated, shocking the girl.

“What?! You've got parents?”

“Your best friend just conjured magic, and that surprises you more?” King questioned sarcastically.

“I need to know more!”

“You very much don't!”

“Oh, come on, King, everyone loves a good mystery,” Vesper stated, regaining his playfulness.

( Meanwhile )

Baron Morgenscare was waiting in the dressing room when Lilith entered, tripping over her tied laces thanks to Eda. “Well, that was unexpected,” he commented unhelpfully.

She grunted as she stood up. “Edalyn is making it very hard to want to help her.” Suddenly, the compact mirror on the counter opened, displaying the insignia of the Emperor's Coven. Lilith gasped when she saw Kikimora, another member of the Emperor’s Coven and the emperor’s secretary.

“Lilith, I see you let The Owl Lady get the best of your temper. Just remember what Emperor Belos has promised to you.”

Lilith looked away briefly before bowing. “I will capture her, ma'am. You have my word.”

“Very good,” she smiled and faded from the mirror, allowing Lilith’s reflection to appear.

“Are you going to tell her about the human boy?” Morgenscare asked.

“How do you explain that to anyone, much less your superior? I still can’t believe it myself, and I was there,” Lilith sighed and looked at her reflection, eyes narrowing. “Right now, I have to focus on Edalyn. I have to bring her in… it’s for her own good.”

She was unaware of Morgenscare exiting the room, a serious glare on his face. “That boy…” he murmured to himself once he was alone. “Looks like my job isn’t done yet.”

( At the Owl House )

Vesper was sitting in his room, reflecting on the day. He had been reading his coven book, and when he reached the section about the Emperor’s Coven, his thoughts drifted to Hunter and how he should handle that encounter.

“Okay, so, today I encountered a member of the Emperor’s Coven, a group that could arrest Eda and me and Luz by association…” He muttered before closing his book. “But despite that, he turned out to be… nice, once we started talking. I guess I’m still just surprised by how similar we turned out to be.”

Vesper lay down on his sleeping bag, his thoughts in a whirlwind. He knew he shouldn’t trust Hunter right away, and yet he couldn’t stop thinking about him…

“I hope we get the chance to talk again.”

( With Hunter )

Hunter sighed, closing the door to his room behind him. Likewise, the human boy was stuck in his mind as he tried to push his image out and failed. He was interesting for a human, and that was before his magic was revealed–something that Hunter really couldn’t shake.

“How is that possible?” He wondered, walking over to his window. “He doesn’t have the outer biology of a witch… And those glasses–actually, they suit him. Plus, he was interested in magic before discovering his own; maybe he’d be interested in talking about wild mag–No!” He shook his head. “What are you doing? He’s… not just any human…”

He couldn’t deny it; a part of him hoped they would meet again…

( Elsewhere )

Fallon was getting ready for bed, dressed in comfortable, abomination-styled pajamas with their hair loose. Their room was average in size, decorated in regal blues, and furnished with basic items: a bed, nightstand, dresser, a bookshelf filled with books, and a vanity. Hanging from the ceiling were floating lanterns from the human world, decorated with star images. Fallon was sitting at their vanity, brushing their hair, when someone knocked on the door.

“Come in.”

Darius opened the door, wanting to check on them. “Hello, Fallon. I just wanted to apologize for the life-threatening events that transpired today. Strange how that human friend of yours could do magic. Did you know about that?”

“No,” Fallon said. “I mean, I noticed a tiny irregularity when I used a healing spell on him at Hexside, but I thought it was from the disguise spell. What do you think it means?”

“We’ll just have to wait and see,” Darius replied. “I’ll let you get some sleep. Good night, little one.”

“Good night, Darius.”

The head witch left the room and headed downstairs, where a photo on the mantel caught his eye. I showed a younger Darius with a slightly older man who looked remarkably like Hunter but had longer hair and a scar over his left eye.

“You would be proud of them, old friend,” he murmured bittersweetly, taking the picture down to look at it. “Strange how they don’t have your hair, but I see your spirit in them all the same.”

( Meanwhile )

In an area known as Latissa, the Glandus student from the covention was leaning against a tree while talking into a device that was a cross between a phone and a crow. “That’s what happened, I’m tellin’ ya. The human boy stopped the Head Witch’s attack and lit up like a Cryptmas tree. His magic almost punched through Deamonne’s shield, and that’s from raw power alone. Glandus is gonna want to get their hands on him for sure.”

“Hmmm, I see. Good work, Haze.” A woman’s voice responded, making Haze smirk at the praise.

“So, what now?” In an unknown hideout, a shadowy woman with long silver hair tied in a braid was watching the report of the mysterious magic human on a crystal ball.

“For now, we’ll watch the inhabitants of the Owl House from a distance. Edalyn can protect the boy for now, but eventually, her curse will make that impossible. Young Vesper doesn’t realize the danger he’s just been put in…” The crystal ball turned off, revealing dark brown almond-shaped eyes and a scar on her lower right cheek.

Chapter Text

In the Owl House’s living room, Eda shuffled some cards in her hand, and the eyes on the cards looked up at her. She smirked as she stared down at Owlbert, who was wearing a green visor. The owl narrowed his eyes and hooted back at her, holding his own hand of cards in his wings.

“Watch closely, kids,” Eda said to the two teens. Luz sat next to Eda on the couch, King on the sofa arm, and Vesper on his knees on the floor. However, Vesper looked somewhat distracted, leaning his head in his hand as he stared at a book on magic beside him. “Hexes Hold'em is the most tricky game on the Boiling Isles. Any proper witch knows how to play.”

“Oh boy, cards!” Luz said happily. “The paper rectangles that old people and Vesper think are fun!” When she didn’t get a response, she glanced over and saw her friend deep in thought. “Vesper!” she called, getting his attention.

“Huh? What?” Vesper looked up at her in surprise.

“Are you okay?”

“You’ve been spacing out since the covention,” Eda added. “What’s on your mind?”

The teen sighed. “Where do you want me to start?”

“You finding out you can do magic? Principal Bump offering you a spot at Hexside?” Luz suggested various starting points.

He sighed again. “All of the above.”

“Hey, these are pretty heavy topics,” Eda shrugged.

“Personally, I think you should go to Hexside,” Luz said. “You did say to Willow that you preferred a more traditional learning setting. No offense, Eda.” She glanced at their mentor.

“Nontaken.”

“Besides, maybe you can find out why you can use magic there.”

“As much as I think I can do a better job making you a witch than those rule-bound losers, Luz brings up a few good points. Any reasons I’d have against it would be from my feelings about school, and I know you won’t count those,” Eda commented. Vesper smiled at her a little before glancing back at the book. “For now, give that brain of yours a break and come watch me beat Owlbert at Hexes Hold’em.”

“A little confident, aren’t we?” Vesper smirked at her in amusement. Focusing back on the game, Eda placed a card on the table. Lightning shot from the cards, forcing Owlbert to fly for cover behind the side of the table. He then watched as the cards came to life, stood up, and roared at each other, causing Vesper to recoil slightly. “Whoa!” Owlbert's hand then surged forward and attacked Eda's, making the owl smirk.

“Now, when it looks like the deck is stacked against you, that's when you break out the wildcard.” She held up a card with a tower on it. It glowed green, and Owlbert’s cards disappeared in a flash of fire. Fiery letters spelling ‘WINNER: EDA' appeared over the table between the players before vanishing. Owlbert hopped back on and hooted at Eda, his wings extended in a bow. “Woo, I win!” Eda pumped her fists in the air, leaning in to gloat at the owl. “In your adorable owl face.” She then stood up happily. “Ah, I love the feeling of victory; it feels… fluffy?” Eda paused her gloating when she felt something was off…

The teens looked nervous as they stared at Eda, who had feathers growing from her arms.

“Oh no,” Vesper scooted back in alarm.

“Uh, Eda? It's happening again!” Luz pointed at her.

“What's happening again?” she asked cluelessly.

“Your curse is returning!” King answered, and Eda yelped when she looked at herself.

They rushed to Eda’s room, where she opened a chest, with Luz and Vesper on one side and King on the other… They became a bit frightened by what they saw. “Oh, boy,” Eda said as all the bottles in the chest were empty. “This is terrible. I'm out of elixir.” She held up a bottle to examine it.

“Uh, last time this happened, you turned into this thing," Luz held up her cracked phone, showing a picture of the Owl Beast on the screen.

“I know I should be repulsed, but that look is fierce,” she said, patting her hair proudly.

“Eda!” Luz looked at her with concern.

“Focus, please,” Vesper deadpanned at her, agreeing with his friend.

“You're right, you're right,” Eda waved her hands defensively.

“Still,” Vesper looked back at the chest. “I could’ve sworn you still had at least a dozen doses left. I checked two days ago.”

“We’ll have to solve that mystery later. Right now, we need to head to the market," Eda said, hitting her palm with her fist in declaration.

“Market!” Luz pumped her fists in excitement, standing up before she started to leave.

“I'm gonna steal everything that's not nailed down!” King cheered happily as he followed her.

“Hold up!” Eda stopped them. “We’ll have to cloak ourselves before going into town, and Vesper, drink this.” She handed Vesper a bottle that looked like liquid chocolate.

“What? Why?” Luz and Vesper said together.

“After the covention incident, I can’t walk two feet into Bonesborough without someone asking about Vesper. Everyone wants him to join their coven or academy or whatever.”

Vesper flinched, looking guilty. “I’m sorry. This is why I wanted to keep it under wraps…”

“Hey, don’t worry about it, kid,” Eda assured him. “The secret would’ve come out at some point, but let’s focus on getting my elixirs for now. This potion is an appearance-altering potion. It’ll change your physical appearance, though I’m not sure if it’ll make you look like a witch…” She trailed off to ponder that.

“Only one way to find out,” Vesper said before uncorking the bottle. Bracing himself, he chugged the substance down, cringing at the bitterness. He then felt a heat ripple through him like a fever, hugging himself and squeezing his eyes shut against the sensation that, luckily, didn’t last long. “Did it work?” He blinked open an eye.

Luz whistled in appreciation. “It’s you.” King complimented, handing the teenager a mirror.

Vesper looked at his reflection, and his eyes widened at his new look. Luckily, the spell did make him look like a witch, but it turned his hair to a ginger-red, darkened his complexion a shade, and added freckles. The only thing that stayed the same was his eye color.

“Wow…” He grinned slightly, kind of liking the new look.

“Never pictured you as a redhead before, but it’s definitely a look to explore," Luz encouraged.

Vesper chuckled slightly before turning to Eda. “Thanks, Eda…” His smile faltered when he saw Eda just staring at him with a stunned expression, saying nothing. If he didn’t know better, he could’ve sworn he saw a flash of anguish in her eyes…

“Eda? You okay?” He questioned, snapping her out of whatever trance she was in.

“Huh? Oh, yeah, fine!” She responded quickly, shaking her head before putting on her usual smirk. “Just admiring my handiwork. Before we go, would anyone like to play one more hand of Hexes Hold'em?”

“Not the time,” Vesper deadpanned at the woman as she patted her pocket.

“Hey, where are my cards?”

Luz hid them behind her back and handed them to Owlbert as he flew up to her. “Take these and fly ahead,” she whispered to him. “She'll have to follow us.”

He did as asked, flying away with the deck when Eda saw him. “Owlbert, you sore loser, gimme back my cards!” Eda called, running after him.

“Remind me to burn her other decks later,” Vesper commented as he joined Luz and King, holding cloaks for them.

“A bit extreme, don’t ya think?” King remarked.

“It’s for her own good… and everyone else’s,” Vesper winced.

“By the way, Vesper, I thought you were looking into this.” The girl looked at her friend.

“Ugh, don’t remind me! I couldn’t find anything on Eda’s curse in the books she had, and with my new viral fame, I don’t think I’ll be able to go find more for a while,” Vesper groaned as he gave them their cloaks.

“Ah, don’t sweat it, V.” He looked at King. “Right now, let’s go make sure the Owl Beast doesn’t make an appearance.”

King and Luz walked out of the room, with Vesper giving Eda’s empty elixir box one last suspicious look before following them.

( Bonesborough )

A winged demon flew past the Bonesborough skyline as they arrived at the market. Eda knocked on the metal grate of a closed stand called Mr. Elixir, wearing her red cloak to hide all her feathers. “Hey, open up, Morton!”

“Uh, ju— … just a minute!” a young male voice called from inside. King left Eda’s side and walked over to where the two friends sat on a bench. Luz was people-watching while Vesper read a book, though his mind was too preoccupied with other things to focus on the words...

“Is there anything better than people watching in the Demon Realm?” Luz asked as she picked up King, setting him down between them.

Three witches waited at a bus stop when a giant egg rolled over. The egg cracked open, revealing a featherless bird that screeched before flying away. The witches entered the egg, and one of them closed it. Then it rolled away as Tinella Nosa ran up, trying to catch it. “Wait, wait! Aw, dang it.”

The curse of tiny legs,” Luz shook her head knowingly.

“I know the pain,” King agreed with her, and Vesper glanced up at the egg.

“Remind me never to take the bus here…”

“Off topic, but did you get to talk to Fallon back at the covention, V?” She looked over at her friend, who wasn’t paying attention as he glanced away, leaning his cheek on his fist. A deep and thoughtful look was on his face as he thought about his talk with Hunter after his panic attack. He seemed genuinely concerned about Vesper and receptive to his story, but as much as he wanted to see him again, Vesper knew he had to stay away from him because of the Emperor’s Coven. And yet, his words and the sympathetic look he gave him still played in his mind…

“Vesper? Vesper! Vesper Sparks of Gravesfield!”

“Huh?” He snapped out of it, turning to Luz. “What?”

“What secrets are you and Fallon keeping?!” King asked him accusingly, and he shook his head with a slightly amused smile.

“Ah, it’s nothing, just a question about the coven system, that’s all,” he stated, mentally head-slapping himself for lying to his friends. While he didn’t want to, he felt like he should keep meeting with Hunter a secret for now. He didn’t want to be the reason the Emperor’s Coven came after them. Besides, there was no guarantee he would run into Hunter again, so he might as well keep it quiet.

“Okay,” Luz shrugged it off.

“And stop staring at people, it’s rude,” Vesper added.

“You do it, too!” The girl argued with him.

Suddenly, loud footsteps approached, causing Tinella Nose to scream and run when she saw who was coming. A tough-looking witch with a sword on his back stood in the middle of the street. He waved his hand forward, and a cart with a large demon tied to it followed him, pulled by others wearing the same robes.

Luz and Vesper approached Eda, both watching intently. “Whoa, that is one ominous parade,” Luz commented, pointing at the group. Eda turned around and saw them, giving a glare.

“That's no parade. Those are demon hunters,” they watched as the demon growled and bucked. The two demon hunters pushing the cart pulled on its ropes to pin it back down. The demon tried to bite the first hunter but missed when he backed up. “Dangerous nomads who capture and sell the most powerful beasts.” The lead hunter traced a spell circle, creating green lightning in his hand. He grunted as she shocked the demon back into unconsciousness. Then he turned to look at the horrified friends, who both gasped in fear.

“… Which I'm about to become if you don't open up, Morton!” She kept knocking on the grate.

“Sorry, Eda!” Morton opened the window. “I was up all night, poison tasting. For some reason, I don't feel great.” He held his stomach.

“Tasting various unknown poisons might have something to do with that,” Vesper said, raising an eyebrow.

“Touche,” Morton replied, dropping his hands.

“I'm all outta my juice, pal,” Eda held out an empty elixir bottle to Morton.

“Oh, gee,” Morton said, taking the bottle and looking concerned. “Lemme see what I can do.” He ducked down and started digging around, bottles rattling as the teens turned away.

“Looks like the disguise is working,” Luz said.

“Yeah…” Vesper agreed, then looked at the ground gloomily.

“What’s wrong?”

Vesper sighed slightly and took a picture out of his cloak. It showed a beautiful, youthful woman with fair skin, rosy cheeks, freckles, and blue eyes. Her long, red hair was messy and slightly wavy, with a small braid keeping some of it out of her face, but most of it was left loose. In the photo, she wore a dark teal windbreaker over a white mock-neck shirt, light blue bell-bottom jeans with a black belt, and black boots.

Luz looked between her friend and the picture before placing a comforting hand on her friend’s shoulders. “I see…”

“I wish I knew what happened to her,” Vesper muttered, putting the photo away.

Before Luz could say anything else, the demon hunters continued, revealing Willow, Gus, and Fallon behind the demon, the younger two looking dejected. “Willow, Gus, and Fallon!” She ran toward them, followed by Vesper, who perked up when he saw their friends. “Heya, friends!” She then noticed that two of them didn’t look happy. “Wait, what's wrong? Who hurt our babies?”

“Them.” Willow jerked a thumb behind them. Nearby, they saw Amity with her friends at a food stand. Skara and Cat laughed as the former threw chips into the latter’s mouth, while Amity stared at a potion, and Boscha watched the others.

“I should’ve guessed,” Vesper said with disdain upon seeing Amity.

“Who are you?” Gus blinked in confusion.

“Gus, it’s me,” Vesper said plainly. “Your human teacher.”

“Whoa, what?!” Willow’s eyes widened as she realized it was Vesper.

“Yeah, long story short, Vesper has to be in disguise when we go out now,” Luz explained. “Otherwise, we’d be mobbed by now.”

“Oh, yeah…” Gus remembered what happened at the covention. “… So, how’d you do that?”

“Never mind that. What did the evil queen and her posse do?” Vesper refocused the conversation.

“Amity's having a moonlight conjuring and invited everyone but me,” Willow said, looking at the ground.

“And she keeps posting about it on her Penstagram,” Gus added, summoning his scroll.

“It’s actually really insulting,” Fallon said as the younger witch showed them Amity’s Penstagram selfie of her and her friends posing. Below was a tweet from WitchChick128.

“‘It's conjuring night! No dorks or throw-aways allowed?!’” Luz read aloud; a pumpkin, heart, and ghost emoji followed the message.

“‘Throw-aways?’” Vesper repeated that part. “What does that mean?”

Fallon sighed heavily. “That’s referring to me,” he explained. “It’s a jab at me being adopted.”

“Okay, lines are being crossed here,” Vesper said with narrowed eyes in disgust.

“What a jerk!” Luz scowled briefly before turning to the others in confusion. “What's a moonlight conjuring?”

“You spend the night at someone's house, telling stories, playing games…” Willow explained to them.

“Like a slumber party!” Luz exclaimed in realization. “We have those!”

Willow pulled out a book, showing a picture of three people in a circle holding hands. “Then you bring something to life with moon magic!”

Luz paused for a moment. “Like a weird slumber party!”

“Oh, wait, I think I read about this,” Vesper said with a small smile. “You need at least three people for the ritual, right?”

“That’s right,” Fallon nodded. “Willow and Gus have never been to one, so we decided to have one of our own. We just haven’t figured out where to have it. Willow’s place is too small, and Mr. Porter won’t be home tonight, so we can’t go to Gus’s place.”

“What about yours?” Vesper asked.

“I did a Moonlight Conjuring once with some… former friends,” Fallon said, looking sad for a minute. “And Darius won’t let me do another at our place after the… mess we made.” He laughed dryly.

“We could ask Eda if we could do it at the Owl House,” Vesper suggested.

“Totally!” Luz agreed eagerly. “We’re more than three people, and we’re way better than them,” she gestured at Amity’s group before they approached, Boscha laughing.

“Sorry you couldn't get an invite to the conjuring, Willow,” she said before looking at Amity. “Only real witches allowed.”

Amity sighed. “Leave her alone. It's not her fault she was born without talent,” she remarked as they all left. Willow growled after them, her fists clenched furiously. The ground started shaking as several vines began growing around her.

“Yikes!”

“Whoa!” Vesper and Luz gasped as Luz slapped the tallest vine.

“Don't waste your time getting thorny over them,” Luz told Willow, wrapping an arm around her and her friend. Gus placed a hand on her back while Fallon stood on Vesper’s other side. “'Cause we're gonna have our own moonlight conjuring.” She declared, earning big grins from their witch friends.

“Are you serious?” Gus asked happily. “This was on my bucket list.” He pulled out a piece of paper and checked it off. “After owning a real human bucket!” Also on that list were ‘Grow Haunted Beard, Lose My Baby Fangs, Finish Digging Tunnel Under Hexside, Get My Own Scraping Permit, and Be the Surprise in a Giant Hollow Cake.’

“That's a really weird thing to want, but I appreciate your enthusiasm,” Luz pointed at him.

“Maybe I can also teach you guys some human customs from our slumber parties,” Vesper suggested, making Gus gasp in delight.

“Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes! YES!”

“Can we build a blanket fort?” Luz asked her friend eagerly.

“Blanket fort?” Fallon asked in confusion.

“I’ll show you tonight,” Vesper said.

“We'll go tell Eda,” Luz announced, and they ran to find Eda, all three smiling at each other.

Back with Eda, Morton peeked back up at her from his stand. “I've got bad news and good news. Bad news is I'm all out ‘till next week. Good news is feathers are a good look for you.” A feather grew out of her hair after that.

“Morton!” Eda gritted her teeth, glaring down at him angrily. The feather in her hair and several others fluttered to the ground as she stalked forward.

“Well, gee, E. Why'd you wait to re-up 'till now?" he said.

“I didn’t!” Eda argued. “I know I had a bunch the other day, but they were all gone this morning!”

“You probably lost count from playing Hexes Hold'em so much,” King pointed out from the bench. “She's obsessed with it.”

“I am not obsessed!” she argued back.

“You're playing it right now!" he replied.

Several cards were splayed out on the counter, and Eda had one in her hand. “Am I winning?”

Morton then gave her a foreboding look. “You know, I wouldn't suggest this to just anybody, but if you need your elixir, you could try your luck later this evening.”

“In the night market?” she whispered.

“There's a guy with a stand. Goes by Grimm Hammer. If anyone has what you need, it's him.”

“Eda,” she glanced back as Vesper and Luz approached her, the human girl saying, “Gus, Willow, Fallon, Vesper, and I are gonna do a moonlight conjuring and stick it to Amity. So can we—”

“Not tonight,” Eda held up her hand. “I'm going out.”

“Did you get your elixirs?” Vesper asked, noticing she didn’t have what they came for.

“That’s why I’m going out. Morton’s out, so I have to go to the night market to get more.”

“What’s the night market?”

“It’s the black market of Bonesburough,” Eda explained.

“In your condition?” Vesper asked, not liking the sound of this.

“Kid, the one thing that will get you nowhere with me is impersonating my mother. Besides, I can’t wait for Morton to restock unless you kids want to corral the Owl Beast for a few hours.” Eda grabbed her staff and started walking away. “I’ll need you two to watch the house; I have many precious objects in there.”

“Like me!” King jerked a thumb at himself. Eda suddenly grabbed him by the collar. “Whoa!”

“You're coming with me. I need an extra pair of eyes looking out for pickpockets, and an extra pair of hands in case I want to pickpocket.”

“Pickpocket!” the two exclaimed in unison.

“Then, maybe they can come to the house and–” Luz gestured to their friends.

“No!” Eda interrupted her. “Besides, conjurings are dumb; sitting in a circle holding hands. Pft. It's like magic for babies.” She scoffed as the two walked away. “Now, let’s go. Vesper’s potion only lasts an hour.”

“But—”

“Forget it, Luz, we’re not getting anywhere with her,” Vesper sighed in disappointment. “We’ll just have to put this off for another time.”

“Luz! Vesper!” Willow, Gus, and Fallon ran up to them. “What did Eda say?”

“So… guys…” Luz started nervously.

“Oh, look!” Gus pointed up at the sky. “The moon is rising into place. And the celestial powers only align once a year.”

“Witches don’t have enough power to do this on their own, so this is a special time of year,” Fallon explained to the humans, causing Vesper to sweat nervously.

“Oh, I can't believe I finally have enough friends for a moonlight conjuring!” Willow said happily. “Thank you, Luz! Did Eda say it was okay?”

“Uhm, actually, Eda said…” Vesper started to say.

“Yes!” Luz interrupted him, smiling at their friends while Vesper’s eyes widened at her. “She said yes. We can do it at the Owl House. As long as we don't make a mess or touch anything, and never bring up that we did it!” She laughed nervously.

“Yes!” Gus pumped his fists.

“Alright!” Fallon cheered.

“Oh, you're the best!” Willow cheered as well.

“We're gonna do a conjuring~! We're gonna do a conjuring~!” Willow and Gus sang together, and the two friends looked at the moon. “Conjuring! Conjuring!” They both became very nervous, hoping Eda’s errand would take a long time.

Meanwhile, Morton watched the kids from his window as a familiar witch approached him. “Ah, Morton,” Xavier greeted him warmly. “I see you have some lively company today.”

“Hi, Mr. Caldwell,” Morton greeted in return.

“How goes business today?”

“Not so good. Eda was my first customer today, and I didn’t have any of her elixir in stock.”

“Oh?” Xavier blinked in surprise. “That’s surprising. Didn’t your shipments come in?”

“They were supposed to,” Morton said. “I ordered two shipments from different places because the potion is delicate. But the first shipment was lost in transit, and when the second arrived, I saw it had been tampered with, so I couldn’t sell it.”

“Hmm, that is quite a loss for a business,” Xavier hummed sympathetically.

“Here’s the crazy thing: I didn’t lose any money,” Morton said, surprised. “I got two compensation payments from the Emperor’s Coven, claiming that my shipments were ruined due to an investigation they were conducting.”

“That is fortunate,” Xavier nodded, a suspicious glint in his eyes.

“And I’m not the only one with crazy stuff happening. Eda told me her stash vanished this morning.” Morton sighed before heading to the back. “I hope she can get her elixir at the night market. She was starting to grow feathers…” Xavier looked at the teens with concern, watching as the red-haired witch, whom he could tell was Vesper, quickly led Luz after Eda.

“May the Titan be with you tonight,” he murmured solemnly, knowing something was wrong.

( The Owl House )

That night, crickets chirped outside the Owl House. Inside, Luz sat on the couch watching Eda while Vesper, with his appearance back to normal, gathered blankets.

“Vesper, you're in charge while I'm out,” Eda said, putting on her cloak. “Make sure Hooty and Luz don't get into any trouble.”

“Hoot hoot!” Hooty’s muffled voice came before he opened the door. “I don't need a babysitter. I'm a big boy house!”

“You can count on me,” Luz jumped off the couch, giving herself a thumbs-up. “I'd never betray your hard-earned trust.” She gave another nervous laugh as Vesper avoided eye contact, focused on his task.

“You're acting suspicious,” Eda narrowed her eyes at the teens. “You're doing that thing where you hide in your hoodie and where Vesper avoids eye contact.”

Indeed, Luz had her hoodie up and closed, while Vesper looked anywhere but at Eda. “Meow, I'm not. Uh...” She then pushed her hood off. “Oh, where's King?”

“Uh, yeah, weren’t you taking him with you?” Vesper cleared his throat.

“He's right here,” Eda opened her cloak to reveal King, snoring and strapped in a pink baby carrier. “His little body just conks out when he's weightless. Look at this.” She moved side to side, King not waking, as he moved like a rag doll.

“Aww, he's so dangly,” Luz said, playing with his feet.

Vesper chuckled. “Okay. I admit, that’s adorable.”

“Anyway, really going now,” Eda said as she walked out the door, with the two following her outside. “And kids…” The teens grew nervous. “…if you mess up the house, I will never trust you two again.” She said in a menacing voice, then switched to a lighter tone. “No pressure! Byeeeeee!” Owlbert hooted as Eda flew away, while Luz and Vesper waved after them for a few seconds.

“Ay. Should we really be doing this?” Luz asked her friend.

“Technically, no, but it's too late to go back on that now. Besides, this is the only chance this year for Willow to have a conjuring.”

“You’re right, you’re right. Willow is counting on us,” she agreed with Vesper.

“I’ll go get the blanket fort set up,” the other said, heading back inside.

Luz turned toward a few bushes and whispered, “Okay, she's gone.”

“Release!” Willow exclaimed, and the bushes glowed before exploding into leaves, revealing Willow, Gus, and Fallon in casual clothes. “I'm a sneaky sneakster!”

“I've got leaves in my pants… and I like it,” Gus replied, smiling, while Fallon looked at him strangely.

“Company! Hooray!” Hooty cheered as Luz opened the door and led them inside. “Finally, someone to listen to my stories! Okay, one time, a sparrow flew into my mouth, and then I—” Luz then closed the door, and he pouted. “Hey…” He then coughed out a sparrow, which flew away chirping.

“Welcome to the living room,” Luz said, gesturing inside while Vesper was about halfway through building the blanket fort, making it look like a castle. “We call it that because it's technically living! The walls are breathing, look.” She pointed to the wall, which moved with heavy breaths. Willow looked at it closely.

“Enchanting,” she said in awe.

“And look at all these human treasures,” Gus rummaged through Eda’s chest, holding up an 8-ball. He then pulled out a human skull. “And actual humans!”

“I don’t even wanna know about that one,” Vesper muttered while finishing the fort.

“We've got snacks,” Luz held up a bowl of candied eyeballs. “We've got weird music!” She put the needle down on the gramophone, which produced an evil cackle instead of music.

“We've got a bucket!” Gus said, walking up to her with a bucket on his head.

“Gus, my man,” Luz winked at him. “And we’ve got an awesome blanket fort by our resident engineer, Vesper Sparks!” Vesper stepped away as he wiped the sweat from his brow, looking proudly at a small castle made of blankets with a drape for an entrance.

“Wow!” Fallon looked at the structure in awe. “Vesper, this is amazing!”

“Thanks!” Vesper grinned.

“And best of all, we have actual friends to do the conjuring with! This is so exciting!” Willow smiled happily.

“So how does this conjuring stuff work?” Luz wondered curiously.

“Well, first, we find an object to animate. Since it's our first time, we should pick something meaningful,” Willow smiled as she walked towards a flower vase nearby. “Something beautiful.” Gus then burst through the flowers with a tacky-looking action figure.

“Like this strangely buff little man?” He tapped the figure’s stomach.

“I'm half beef, half Bob!”

“Yes!” Luz pointed eagerly. “He's perfect!”

“What even is that?” Fallon asked.

“Something that should have stayed in the nineties,” Vesper remarked.

“That's not exactly what I meant by ‘beautiful,’” Willow stated. Gus lowered the action figure, whimpering with hurt puppy-dog eyes. “Okay, buff boy it is.”

“Yes!” Luz hugged her.

“Alright…” Vesper sighed in defeat.

“Tonight he shall be risen!” Gus declared dramatically.

The moon was rising in the sky outside. Gus placed Beefy Bob between the five of them on the ground as they sat in a hexagonal formation. Several lit candles surrounded them as they sat in the blanket fort on pillows Vesper pulled from the couch (with the promise to put them back later).

“Are we sure all these candles in here are safe?” Vesper asked, belatedly realizing this could be a fire hazard.

“They’re part of the ritual,” Gus responded.

“Don’t worry, we’ll be able to put ‘em out if they catch fire,” Fallon assured the human boy.

“Besides, with how often Eda causes a fire, she’ll never know,” Luz added.

“I guess…” Vesper said, still eyeing the flames nervously.

“So, how do we do this?” his friend asked the others.

“According to the conjuring books I've read, we say the incantation and make a connection with the doll,” Willow explained as they all held hands.

“Figurine,” Gus pointed out, and they closed their eyes.

“Moonlight, we call, we sing.” As the witches began the chant, a blue aura engulfed them. “Moonlight, take this chance. Moonlight, come tie the string. Moonlight, start the dance!”

However, Luz was just babbling along since she didn’t know the actual spell, and Vesper simply looked at the magic in wonder. “Moonlight, tie… string… and I don't know the words!”

The moon continued rising, and Hooty looked up at it. The moon stopped moving, and a burst of blue light flashed. A similar blue light burst out between the friends, washing over the living room and extinguishing the candles. They all opened one eye and looked at Beefy Bob, seeing that it wasn’t moving. “That's your cue, little man,” Gus whispered, but the entire house rumbled instead. They scrambled out of the blanket fort in confusion, and Hooty blinked, his eyes turning the same blue as he made ghostly noises. Birds flew away from the house with startled caws, and the foundation cracked as the Owl House rose. The five kids screamed as they lost their balance before the Owl House stopped moving, now standing on giant bird legs.

Back in the living room, the space was in great disarray as the teens picked themselves up. “Ugh! Is everyone okay?” Fallon groaned as he sat up.

“Define okay,” Vesper replied, pushing himself upright.

“Guys?” A book fell on Luz’s head, and she winced. “Did the entire house just hiccup?”

Gus eyed the figurine. “Little buff guy, what did you do?”

He pressed the figurine. “A real man never takes accountability!”

“No, I think—I think we might've animated the house by accident!” Willow rubbed the back of her head.

“The house?!” Luz and Vesper exclaimed in disbelief.

“And I thought bringing the kitchen to life was bad…” Fallon said offhandedly.

Hooty kept making ghostly noises as the two humans hurried outside; Luz nearly fell off the ledge with a gasp, realizing they were no longer on solid ground. The others joined them outside as the House began to walk, causing everyone to scream in surprise. Hooty slammed the door shut, and the two humans rushed to him.

“Hooty? Hooty! Hooty, you have to stop!” Luz begged.

“By the power of moonlight, I have risen. Hoot hoot,” he said in a monotone voice.

“He's in some kind of trance!” Gus told them.

“Let me try something!” Vesper poked Hooty between the eyes, but that didn't work. “Nope, that didn’t work…” The Owl House stepped through two trees, the jostling making Gus yell as he and the humans lost their balance.

“Gus!” Willow and Luz gasped as the younger witch nearly fell, catching him while Luz grabbed Vesper’s hand for help. He almost tripped, but Fallon grabbed his other hand while holding the door handle for stability.

“Our magic must've spread through the house instead of the doll!” Willow called out.

“Figurine!” Gus corrected her.

“Not important!” Vesper argued.

Luz and Willow grunted as they tried not to drop Gus. “Hold on, guys!” Fallon called out as the girls nearly fell. He slowly let go of the door handle and grabbed Willow’s free hand to steady her, the glow from earlier returning around the five of them.

“Hooty, stop!” Luz shouted, and this time, the House listened, halting moments before it could walk off a cliff. They pulled Gus back to safety and let go of each other, staring at their hands in confusion.

“How'd we do that?” Gus wondered. They all looked up at the moon before Luz thought of something.

“Guys, hold hands again.” They did, and the glow reappeared. The Owl House then took several steps back away from the cliff.

“We're controlling it with the power of friendship,” Willow realized. “Uh, and the moon. Probably the moon.”

“It must be because we were the ones who said the spell!” Vesper added.

“This is amazing! What do we do now?” Gus asked them before the glow faded.

“On the one hand, we should probably stay put,” Luz glanced away.

“Yeah, we should probably do that,” Vesper agreed, Gus leaning over to them excitedly.

“On the other hand, we've got a giant walking house and should totally take it on a joyride!”

The two humans looked at the now-descending moon, knowing they needed to keep track of the time. They shared a glance before Vesper sighed and nodded his consent. “Okay, but we gotta be back before the moon sets or Eda will kill us,” he gestured to himself and Luz.

Together, they directed the house through Bonesborough, cheering. “Yeah! Joyride!”

None of them noticed the demon hunter from the market watching them with a growl.

( Meanwhile )

The Night Market was a darker, edgier version of the daytime market. The sign was hung behind a pair of pikes with skulls, and the stands were bathed in red light. Everything from the customers to the stands to the vendors screamed shady, which is why Morton was hesitant to recommend this place to Eda.

The Owl Lady walked through the center passage of the market, glancing around before stopping with a groan. The feathers on her arm grew, and she quickly covered them up.

“The curse. I need that elixir. Quick.” She saw a cloaked figure standing near a crate and approached them. “Hey, you. You know where I can find a Grimm Hammer?”

The figure nodded with a grunt and pointed to a foreboding stand with skulls and dark curtains. She walked over to it, the other watching her go silently.

( Back with the teens )

The Owl House moved through the forest before stopping as a familiar girl walked by with a crown phone and a duffel bag. “Hey, is that…” Willow started.

“It's Boscha,” Gus finished for her. “That girl who made fun of us.”

Fallon growled slightly at the bully.

“Ugh!” Boscha groaned into her crow phone. “Yes, Mom. I'm going to a moonlight conjuring. No, Mom. You can't come. And yes, Mom, it's sad that you're asking.” She ended the call and let go of the crow, which cawed as it flew away. She then glanced around, turning when she saw the Owl House over the hill behind her.

“She noticed us. What do we do?” Willow turned to Luz, who smirked.

“Hmm.”

“Oh, I know that face,” Vesper grinned mischievously.

“What?” Fallon asked, confused.

“You’ll see.” The human boy winked.

Minutes later, Luz’s voice projected over the area. “Hey. H-Hey you. You should, uh, stop being so mean to people,” Gus had conjured a megaphone for her to speak into. “You're kind of a jerk.”

They five laughed together at their joke.

“Ew. A talking house is giving me a lecture?” Boscha gave a look of disdain. “Whatever. I'll just TP you like I did with the rest of the neighborhood.”

“But don't you see? I am no mere house.” The Owl House then stood up as Luz let out a roar. Boscha screamed and ran away, the other five laughing at her reaction.

“Oh, man,” Fallon wiped away a tear. “That was priceless.”

“I've never pranked anyone before,” Gus stated to them. “And now I have a taste for it.”

“I’m glad you got to learn something new tonight,” Vesper patted his back.

“We should follow her to Amity's house to show off our conjuring,” Willow suggested happily. “That will show her who's got no talent.”

The two friends glanced at the moon again, which was nearly at the treetops and still going down. They had covered some distance with their joyride and needed to get back before the moon set…

“Actually, I'm starting to think we should head back,” Luz told them.

“Yeah, who knows when Eda’s coming back?” Vesper agreed with her.

Amity's updating her Penstagram,” Gus showed them his scroll, where there was a new post.

“‘Shout out to my fellow witches. #Humans can bite it!’” Luz gasped after reading it, while her friend gritted his teeth and clenched his fists in anger.

“Oh, it’s on now,” Vesper glared.

“Let's do it!” Luz agreed.

The Owl House kept walking as they cheered, not noticing several shadowy figures flying after them.

( Back at the night market )

Eda approached the stand, peeking cautiously through its curtain. “Hello? Uh, I seek the one they call Grimm Hammer.”

“I'm the one they call Grimm Hammer,” a voice said ominously as large white eyes peeked out from behind the counter. Suddenly, the curtain lifted, revealing a pig demon a few inches taller than King, who jumped onto the counter. “Welcome, welcome, welcome,” he greeted in a cheerful, friendly voice. “I've got weaponry from the Hinterlands, curses from the Winterlands, and jelly beans!” He tossed the jelly beans into the air like confetti.

“Jelly beans!” King reached out and caught one, while Eda looked puzzled.

“They're lethally delicious.”

King opened his mouth to eat it, but Eda knocked it out of his hand. He looked disappointed. “You are Grimm Hammer?”

“Tibblet-Tibblie Grimm Hammer the Third,” the little pig introduced himself. “Please, call me Tibbles.”

King chuckled. “He wants to be called that.”

“Okay, Tibbles. I need some of this elixir,” Eda said, handing him an empty bottle. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

“Oh, this is one wicked brew. Lucky for you,” he said, grabbing one with his tail. “I just stocked up.”

“Huzzam!” she exclaimed, pumping her fists. “I'll give you ten snails.”

“Add two more zeros, and it's a deal,” he said with a smile at Eda.

“A thousand snails?!” she exclaimed in disbelief. “What kind of game are you playing?”

“Capitalism. Where everyone wins,” he jumped back into his stand, walking away. “Except you.”

“Hey!” she called out in irritation before noticing a deck of Hexes Hold‘em cards and getting an idea. “Say, you play Hexes Hold'em?”

“Really? Now?” King asked in exasperation.

Tibbles stopped, eyes widening. “Oh! Is that what that game is called?” He chuckled and returned to the counter, sitting in front of her. “I was just using these as coasters.”

“How about we make it interesting? I win, you give me the elixir,” Eda pointed at him. “You win, you can take something of mine.”

“Oh, what fun. You're on.”

Eda smirked, confident she had this one in the bag.

( Elsewhere in Bonesborough )

The Owl House stormed through town, causing people on the streets to scream and scramble for cover. It approached an enormous manor with a gate reading “BLIGHT MANOR” in front of it. “Look, Amity's house. Time to show Amity what a real conjuring looks like,” Willow smiled, and the house started moving forward… but it was halted by a giant rope draped over the roof, catching it.

“Wha–” Everyone gasped as they stumbled, releasing their hands.

“What happened?” Willow looked up with concern.

“Is that a… giant crossbow?” Luz pointed at the object in front of them.

“Boy, do I hope you’re wrong,” Vesper said nervously.

“Demon hunter!” Fallon gasped when he saw the figures on the ground. The demon hunter leader gave the signal to fire the crossbow again. A second giant bolt and rope flew over the house, securing it further. The leader then jumped up and landed in front of the kids.

“Knock, knock.”

They all gasped in fear.

( Scene Break )

The Owl House was tied to a large cart being pulled through the woods by demon hunters. One person stood atop a cliff and blew a horn. Hooty kept making strange noises while the teens were tied up inside.

“Hooty!” Luz shouted, kicking at the door. “Hooty! You have to wake up!” Gus was biting at their restraints, but it wasn’t helping.

“If you want this to end as you say, five must hold hands. It's the only way,” He recited to them.

“¡Oye, no me hable así!” Luz responded angrily, kicking the door again.

“These ropes are impossible!” Vesper grunted. He and Fallon were tied up separately from the others. The demon hunters recognized him and Fallon, and the human boy feared their plans for them…

“If I could just get one of my hands free…!” Fallon clenched his teeth as he struggled.

“Willow, will you help me out with Hooty?” Luz asked the plant witch.

“I'm sorry, Luz,” Willow said sadly, closing her eyes. The other four turned to her. “You shouldn't ask me to help with anything.”

“Willow,” she started, but then everyone screamed and groaned as the House stopped moving, causing them to land hard on the floor. “Did the house stop moving?”

Gus groaned loudly. "Uh, my insides didn't.”

The door squeaked open, and the five whimpered as light poured in. The head demon hunter chuckled as he stepped forward, looming over them.

“Ow! Ow! Ow!” Everyone groaned and struggled as he dragged them out of the Owl House, shoving them onto the ground.

“Take the house and rip out the house demon,” the leader ordered, shutting the door as he jumped down from the platform. “We can sell it to restaurants as exotic meat.”

“No!” Luz protested. “Hooty would taste terrible.”

“Yeah, you don’t know what he’s been rolling around in,” Vesper added nervously.

“Hey, I'm a refined taste. Hoot! Hoot!” Hooty argued back.

“What do we do with the worms?” another demon hunter asked, causing Luz to look at her friends nervously.

“Throw them over the cliff. Except those two,” he glanced at Vesper and Fallon. “Deamonne would pay a pretty snail to get his kid back, and the magic human? The Emperor’s Coven will pay top dollar for him.”

The other hunter chuckled as he approached the separate trio, causing Gus to whimper in fear. Vesper and Fallon watched helplessly as their friends were taken away before Fallon struggled with renewed vigor, managing to free a hand…

Meanwhile, the hunter pushed the others over to the cliff. “All righty, kids. Here's the end of your short little lives.” He shoved them to the edge, overlooking the sea below.

“Wait! Wait! Wait!” Gus groaned as he turned the group around so he was facing the demon hunter. “Is this really what you wanna be doing with your life? Tossing kids from cliffs?”

“Actually, yes,” he smiled happily. “It's been my dream since I was a boy.” The three of them looked at him for a long moment. “I was a strange child.”

“So am I.”

Suddenly, a large tree branch struck him in the head, causing him to fall to the ground and revealing a freed Vesper and Fallon, the latter’s hands surrounded by magic circles.

“Vesper!” Luz cried in relief as the duo pulled them away from the cliff and out of the hunters’ sight, where Fallon cut the ropes with a spell. Luz and the others sighed in relief. “That was too close.”

“We’re not out of the woods yet,” Vesper said. “If these guys don’t kill us, Eda will when she finds out about the house.”

“Luz, Vesper, I'm so sorry,” Willow spoke up sadly as she sank to the ground, wrapping her arms around her knees. “You wanted to turn back, but I just had to show off to Amity. The truth is, she and I used to be friends.”

“Whaaat?” Luz asked in surprise.

“I’m having a hard time picturing that…” Vesper shook his head slightly. They all ducked a little when the hunter from before hurried back to the others.

“We played together as kids, but when she got her magical powers and I didn't, she stopped hanging out with me.”

“Guys, is now the best time?” Gus asked, knowing they still faced a problem.

“No, but I have a feeling that’s why it’s happening now,” Fallon commented, looking out from their hiding spot.

Willow sighed. “I just wanted to prove to her that I was a powerful witch, too.”

“That's ridiculous,” Luz argued, causing the other girl to look at her. “You helped bring a house to life.”

“And you turned the school atrium into a greenhouse that convinced the principal not to give you detention. Amity doesn't know what she's talking about,” Vesper winked at the girl. Willow smiled at them.

“Next to Eda and Vesper, you're the most powerful witch I know,” Luz said before looking at the others. “No offense, guys.”

“No, not at all,” Gus grinned. “I know what I'm about.”

“It’s cool. Healing track is more defensive anyway,” Fallon shrugged. They jumped when they heard raised voices from the direction of the Owl House, making them all duck again.

“They’re gonna come looking for us soon,” Gus whispered.

“So, how do we beat these guys?” Vesper asked.

Willow looked around at the plants surrounding them and grinned. “Time to make another greenhouse.” She placed her hand on an exposed root, a green glow appearing as she activated her magic.

( The Night Market )

King looked down at a flaming pile of Hexes Hold’em cards on the counter. “Oof. That was painful to watch.”

Eda gritted her teeth angrily at Tibbles. “You card shark! You hustled me.”

Tibbles chuckled. “Looks like you forgot about my… wild card.” His wild card hopped out of his hand onto the counter, coming to life with a growl. It turned around and ripped the shirt off the person on it.

“Yeah!” It flexed, showing off buff muscles.

“In any case, I'd like my prize now.” He stood up with a smug look. “And I choose... the little bone boy.” He chuckled again as he took King from Eda, to her shock. “I've always wanted a tiny servant to model my line of baby clothes.”

“No! I don't look good in clothes,” King protested. “I'm all-natural. Eda, do something!”

Eda twirled her finger to cast a spell circle, but no magic came out of it as her arm erupted in more feathers. She grunted irritably, “I can't perform magic.” Tibbles snapped his fingers, conjuring chains that burst out of the ground to wrap around Eda. She fell to the ground on her side, completely tied up. “You think this can stop me? I can still bite your ankles.” She threatened him.

“You don't think I know who you are?” he asked smugly. “Eda, the Owl Lady.” Eda gasped, knowing she was in real trouble now. “That's right,” he pulled out one of her wanted posters, holding it up. “I've seen your wanted posters around here. I wonder how much the Emperor's Coven would pay me to hand you over?”

Eda glared at him, gritting her teeth.

( Back at the cliff with the Owl House )

“And one of them jumped me from behind!” the demon hunter who had tried to kill the kids reported to his leader. “I’m lucky to be alive!”

“They were children, Tom!” the leader said in exasperation.

Just then, a shadow fell over them, and they looked up to see the five teens standing atop a leaf grown from a giant plant Willow had cultivated from its roots. “We may be children, but we're also witches,” Willow spoke up bravely. “Powerful ones.” Waving her hands, she commanded the plant to attack, flinging Tom into the distance. The leader responded by drawing his sword and slicing off the tip of one of the vines. A three-eyed witch tried to hit a vine with an axe but missed, and the vine grabbed their ankle and flung them into a pile of rubble. During the chaos, the leaf lowered the teens to the ground, and they ran to the House while the plant was busy with the other demon hunters. Climbing up the platform, Luz held the door open for them, then closed it behind her.

“Everyone, quick!” she said, holding out her hand as they joined to regain control of the house.

The demon hunter leader struggled with a vine, waving a spell circle and cutting through it with his shock spell. He heard a noise behind him, looking up to see the Owl House standing on two feet again. “Uh...” he said, lifting his eyepatch awkwardly before the Owl House stepped forward and crushed him.

“Oh, no,” Luz looked out the window to see the moon now on the water as it set. “I don't mean to step on this victory, but we gotta get home before Eda does.”

The Owl House walked back into the forest, leaving the ruins of the battle behind. The leader groaned as he sat up, rubbing his head.

“‘They're just children, Tom.’” Tom mocked him, receiving a side-glare in return.

( At the night market )

Eda was still chained up on the ground, and King was sulking in a sailor’s outfit, secured by a chain to the post. “King, I'm sorry.”

“King? Who's King?” He looked away while crossing his arms. “I go by Little Bone Boy now.”

“I know I have a problem. I get obsessed with Hexes Hold'em,” she looked away guiltily. “But I'm done with that stupid game. Look.” She took a card in her mouth and ate it.

“You promise?” King glanced down at her.

“I promise,” she muffled out, earning a laugh.

“Okay, okay,” he kicked out the ankle chain, standing up. “I'll grab you the elixir and then we can bust out of here.” He turned around to get it.

“Bone boy!” Tibbles called out.

“Heh?” King stopped short when he saw the pig demon blocking his path.

“You will do no such thing. The Emperor's Coven is already on its way to send this witch here to the Conformatorium,” he said, holding up a little knight outfit. “And I just rustled up some more clothes for you to try on,” the demon added, chuckling evilly as he approached the other.

King threw his hat on the counter. “Just because I have a model's body doesn't mean you can use me like this.” Loud footsteps approached them, making the candle flame waver.

“I can and I am, bone boy,” Tibbles climbed onto the counter, feeling smug. “I've got the cards stacked against you.” Eda’s eyes widened as she felt the shaking from the footsteps. “And nothing can stop me,” he got in King’s face, making him flinch. “Nothing!”

Just then, one of the Owl House’s feet stepped directly through Tibbles’ stand, causing the males to duck. A bottle of Eda’s elixir fell on the ground, intact. The teens looked out the window as Luz waved to them. “Sorry, mister!”

The Owl House continued down the street as Eda sat up and suddenly burst into laughter. King took the opportunity to step back from Tibbles, who looked horrified. “Wait, what—Was that my house?” Eda stopped when she realized something.

“Eda, quick!” King threw her the elixir, and she caught it in her mouth, swallowing it while Tibbles watched in shock. She then spat out the bottle and traced a spell circle that caused the chains to explode, freeing her, then looked at her arm as the feathers poofed off her.

“Ha!”

“No, no, no! My scam stand!” Tibbles yelled.

“Sorry, Tibbles, old boy. It looks like you forgot about the wild card.” She grabbed her staff and threw some cards at Tibbles.

“Curse you, witch,” he shouted, shaking his angry fist as they left. “Curse you, bone boy. I'll have my revenge. Tibblet-Tibblie Grimm Hammer the Third will have his revenge.” Then his stand fell apart completely.

( Back with the teens )

The Owl House arrived at its usual spot before settling in the crater it left behind. From their position in the living room, Luz opened one eye. “Did we do it?”

The door swung open to reveal Hooty, who was back to normal, though a little groggy from the moonlight magic. “Is the room spinning, or is it just me?” He chuckled weakly. “Ah. Just a little house humor. Ooh.”

“Sorry about all that, Hooty,” Luz said, rubbing the back of her head, with the others looking equally guilty.

“It's okay. I'm just glad I was included.”

“By the way, where’s Eda?” Vesper asked, checking his phone. “We’ve been out all night, and she’s still not back.

Suddenly, the door slammed shut, revealing Eda and King on the other side. “Oh, boy,” Luz whispered nervously.

“Me and my big mouth,” Vesper muttered.

“You are so busted,” Eda stormed up to them angrily.

“Oh, man,” Luz winced.

“Here we go,” Vesper closed his eyes in terror.

“You held a moonlight conjuring.”

“We did,” Luz winced a bit.

“And you animated my house. My house!”

“Yes.”

“No,” Willow stepped in front of the two. “Don't punish them. We're the ones who pushed them to do the conjuring.”

Fallon joined their side. “And in fairness, animating the Owl House was an accident.”

Gus stepped in front of Willow. “If you're gonna eat me, just do it now. Do it now!” Eda looked disgusted at the idea.

“Hey, you didn't have to do that,” Luz whispered to Willow.

“Yes, Luz. I did,” Willow stated, earning a smile.

“Well, you're all guilty, so you'll all be punished by cleaning my house top to bottom,” she waved a finger and summoned various cleaning supplies above the kids’ heads. They caught them when they fell as she walked away before turning back to the teens. “And another thing…” They gulped, expecting another punishment, but instead she smiled. “That was totally amazing. And I'm so joining you for next year's conjuring.” They all smiled up at her. “Now get to work.”

They ran off in a single line to go clean as Eda flopped onto the couch.

“I can't believe they animated a whole house,” King said in shock.

“Yeah. You're right,” she said, staring at the kids. “That takes some powerful magic.” She then looked down and saw Vesper’s photo on the floor. Scooping it up, Eda’s eyes widened, just like they had after Vesper took the potion earlier. “Is that…?”

“Eda?”

She jumped slightly and looked at Vesper standing next to the couch. “You okay?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah, fine, long night,” Eda waved off before offering him the photo. “Is this yours?”

“Oh, yeah…” A sad look crossed Vesper’s face as he took back the picture, staring at it. “My mother. She disappeared when I was a baby…”

“Oh, kid…” she murmured, staring at him.

“Don’t worry. I’m okay,” he smiled despite his grief. “I’ll go put this back upstairs and be right back.” He was about to leave when he stopped and turned back to Eda. “Hey, Eda, about going to Hexside…?”

“You’ve made up your mind  that?”

“Well, I’m strongly considering it now,” Vesper replied. “We ran into trouble while we were out, and I felt like I could’ve stopped it from getting worse if I knew how to use my powers properly.”

“Not your fault, kid,” Eda assured him. “If you wanna give Hexside a try, I won’t stop you. You’re what, 14? That’s old enough to make your own choices. Besides, nothing says you have to wait for me to teach you stuff. I’ve got tons of books on different types of magic lying around, so you can always experiment on your own if you want.”

“I know, but I… tend to go overboard with my experiments,” the magic human admitted, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

“Hey, you and me both,” the Owl Lady grinned. “I’ve blown up the Owl House myself a few times, so no worries.”

They both laughed, and Vesper smiled gratefully at her. “Thanks, Eda. Really,” he said before heading for the stairs, his mentor watching him go with a curious look.

“What is it, Eda?” King asked, noticing her expression.

“… Maybe…”

Luz looked up from her mop, scanning the room. “My mystery sense is tingling.”

“What?” Fallon looked at her in confusion.

“Nothing,” she shook her head before turning to Willow. “Anyway, I still kinda wish we got to show up Amity.”

“Yeah,” Willow sprayed the cabinet. “Too bad no one will know of our daring adventures.”

“I wouldn’t be too sure about that,” Fallon smirked, confusing the girls.

( Meanwhile, in Amity’s bedroom )

A stuffed rabbit sat on the floor in the middle of the group. Boscha, Cat, Skara, and Amelia were all glaring at it in disappointment because they hadn’t been able to animate it. “Ugh. So what if we couldn't move a doll,” Boscha scoffed. “Now we have time for what really matters… Penstagram!” She summoned her scroll, brightening everyone’s moods. The others summoned their scrolls a few seconds later and started checking their social media.

Meanwhile, Amity was brooding as she looked out her window when Boscha’s gasp caught her attention. The green-haired girl walked over and looked at Boscha’s scroll to see her feed filled with several posts showing off Willow, Luz, Gus, Vesper, Fallon, and the animated Owl House. And people were liking it. Amity and Boscha exchanged a surprised look.

“What?!” they cried in unison, as crows cawed and flew away.

( Elsewhere )

Hunter had just gotten up for his shift at the Emperor’s Coven when there was a knock on his door. “Come in.”

A young witch shorter than Hunter entered, dressed in an indigo hooded cloak with a purple gemstone clasp that shadowed their face. Under the cloak was a dark purple, long-sleeved tunic, topped with a short-sleeved amethyst-purple shirt, a dark gray belt, black leggings, dark gray gloves, and boots. Only part of their face was visible, showing a skin tone lighter than Hunter’s and flashes of clouded, ice blue eyes when his hood shifted.

“Oh, good morning, Moonstone,” Hunter greeted.

“I thought you might like to see this,” Moonstone said, showing the blond his scroll. “Skye shared them with me. It looks like Fallon and his new friend are all over social media right now.”

Hunter looked at the account and saw the same pictures, chuckling a bit. “Wow… and Darius lost it over last year’s mishap. Think he’s seen this yet?”

“Let’s just say I don’t envy what Fallon’s walking into when he gets home,” Moonstone said, making Hunter laugh again. “I’ll wait for you outside.”

“I’ll be there in a minute,” Hunter nodded as Moonstone left, chuckling again with a shake of his head. “Animating a house, huh? You’re strangely intriguing, human…” Realizing what he said, Hunter snapped out of it, shaking his head harder. “What am I saying?” For some reason, Hunter hadn’t been able to get Vesper out of his mind since meeting him. He was proving to be more reckless than he initially thought, not understanding what he would face here on the Boiling Isles.

He walked over to the window, gazing at the new day. Despite that…

He was excited to see him again.

( Back at the Owl House )

After everyone went to sleep following their adventures, Eda retreated to her room. Still, her mind kept returning to the picture Vesper had.

“It wouldn’t be hard to disguise her features, so it could be… Still, I need solid proof. No sense getting his hopes up only to be wrong.”

As she passed by her elixir chest, Eda did a double-take. Since they made a quick escape, she hadn’t added any new elixir, but now she found her chest refilled with fresh bottles. She stepped closer and picked one up to examine it.

“What the…?”

“You’re welcome.”

“Ah!” Eda gasped, nearly dropping the bottle as she spun toward the window, where the same hooded figure from the night market was by her window. She removed her hood… and Eda exhaled in relief. “Oh, Danna, it’s you.”

Danna was a tall, female witch with beige skin and sharp features. She had long, silver hair tied up in a single braid, thin, dark brown, almond-shaped eyes with gray eyeshadow, black eyebrows, and a scar on her lower right cheek. Under her cloak, her attire consisted of a high-necked, long-sleeved gray undershirt, a black sleeveless tunic with silver accents, baggy gray pants held in place by a black belt with a silver buckle, and tall black boots. “I’ve noticed you have a gambling addiction on top of everything else.”

“Yeah, I know,” Eda sighed. “I promise I’m getting rid of my decks.”

“Good.” Danna nodded.

“Anyway, thanks for the elixirs, Dan. I owe you one.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Still strange though,” Eda said, eyeing the chest curiously. “I could’ve sworn I had more elixir the day before yesterday.”

“You did,” Danna replied. “They had been stolen.”

“What?!” The Owl Lady’s eyes widened in shock as she looked at her. “How?! I mean, I know I was distracted with Hexes Hold’em, but I’d like to think I’d notice if someone had broken in!”

“I’m afraid that’s not all. Morton didn’t just run out of elixirs; his shipments were tampered with. I don’t have all the details, but from the intel I gathered, this has the Emperor’s Coven’s fingerprints on it.”

Eda growled softly. “I should’ve guessed. Still, this doesn’t seem like Lily’s style.”

“No, this is more in line with Morgenscare’s methods,” Danna agreed. “Which also doesn’t make sense since Lilith’s the one the Emperor assigned to catch you.”

“Any idea what he’s up to?”

“I don’t know. Of the two, Baron Morgenscare has always been the hardest to track down.”

Eda exhaled tiredly. “I get it. Thanks for the info, Dan. I’ll have Hooty keep an extra eye out from now on.”

“I’ll let you know if I hear anything new,” Danna said as she turned to walk away.

“Thank you…” The Owl Lady hesitated before speaking again. “Thalia…” Danna paused when she heard that name. “Her family? What happened to them after that day?”

“… They made it through the portal, that much I know. Her husband made it clear I was no longer welcome when I tried to check on them.” Without another word, Danna slipped out the window and headed into the morning light.

Eda stared at the window before looking at a photo on her shelf. It showed a younger Eda with bright red hair, wearing a potion-track Hexside uniform, standing next to a witch girl with similar hair and the same uniform, much like the woman in Vesper’s photo.

“Thalia…”

Outside, Danna pulled up her hood and then took out her scroll, checking the posts about the kids’ moonlight conjuring.

“He certainly has her knack for trouble…,” she said.

( Meanwhile )

It took most of the morning, but Tibbles managed to pick up all the pieces of his destroyed stand. Once he gathered them in his wagon, he grumbled to himself and headed home. However, as he passed a dark alley, he was startled when a familiar figure stepped out of the shadows, cutting him off.

“Mr. Grimm Hammer,” Baron Morgenscare greeted with a stern tone.

“Baron Morgenscare! I can explain!” Tibbles pleaded.

“I gave you one simple assignment: Bring me the Owl Lady,” the Coven Leader continued. “And you failed! Do you understand what I had to do to make this happen? Narrowly avoiding the Owl House’s house demon to steal the Owl Lady’s elixirs, sabotaging her supplier’s shipments of the potion, and covering it up. Helping you master Hexes Hold’em to prey on the Owl Lady’s weakness. I know I did my part perfectly, so if anyone dropped the ball on this operation…”

“But it wasn’t my fault!” Tibbles said desperately. “Some kids drove a big house through the Night Market and destroyed my stand! It’s their fault the Owl Lady got away!”

“Enough!” Morgenscare snapped. “Fortunately for you, I saw the Penstagram posts and know what happened last night, so I’ll let you off the hook. This time.” He pulled out a small sack of snails and tossed it to the pig demon. “This is for your silence. I’ll be calling on you later, so you’ll get another chance to redeem yourself. In the meantime, not a word of this to anyone.”

“Yes, Your Lordship,” Tibbles bowed fearfully as the Coven Leader began to walk away. “If I may ask, why is the Owl Lady so important to you? I was under the impression that your partner was the one being tasked to catch her.”

The baron paused, not facing the pig demon as he answered, “The Owl Lady isn’t the target. She’s the bait for the real target.”

With that, Baron Morgenscare left the scene, leaving a confused and nervous Tibbles behind.