Luz limped through the woods. She doesn't have her staff, she's losing blood, and it turns out that she sprained her ankle when she pushed Boscha out of the way. Her adrenaline is quickly running out and she felt her energy running out as well. She soon collapsed to her knees and breathed heavily.
"I'm sorry, Eda. I failed. I lost this war."
Luz heard noise and saw Boscha lead a group of Coven guards to her. Luz pulled out a fire glyph. Boscha was easily able to take it from her. Boscha looked at it for a second.
"What is this?" Boscha asked.
"I-I-I... it's a... a fire glyph. The same one on my gloves." Luz said, "I save you and this is how you repay me?"
"I'm sorry, but I have to. I have a job to do." She activated the glyph and slammed it against a guard's face, killing them, "My job is to make the Isles a safer place... and I think they will be safer after the Emperor isn't in power."
Boscha used her staff and pushed the guards away.
"Hey, I think I have a few of your things." Boscha said.
She handed Luz her knife and summoned Luz's staff. Luz gladly took it and the two of them looked at the guards.
"So, are you going to give up?" Luz asked.
"Or do you want to fight two of the most powerful witches on the Isles?" Boscha asked.
The guards pointed their crossbows at them and Boscha and Luz shared a look. They both used their staffs and made a large rock spell that sent spires into them.
"That won't be the last of them, get out of here. I'll deal with them." Luz nodded and was about to leave when Boscha grabbed her by the arm, "And I just wanted to say... thank you... Luz."
Luz smiled.
"You're welcome, Boscha."
"I-I-I was an idiot. I can never take back everything I've done, but I can change. If... you'll give me a chance."
"I think you already have changed." Luz said, giving her a smile, "Still want me to kiss your ass, or was that a one time offer?"
Boscha laughed and smiled at her.
"Get going, I'll hold them off." Boscha said.
Luz nodded and started limping off. She made it a few miles away, before she fell and started to drag herself. She was too tired to keep going and she was bleeding out. As her vision started fading, she saw someone walk up to her. Probably a Coven guard. She held her hand up and was about to tap the fire glyph, but her energy was out. She passed out and the person was free to do whatever they wanted with her. At the Emperor's castle, Boscha was forced to her knees by the guards, in front of the Emperor and the captured Rebels.
"So, tell me Boscha." He grabbed her by the neck, "WHY DID YOU LET HER GO?!"
"Because... it's my job... to make the Isles a better place... letting her go so she can... kick your ass is the only way I know... how to save the Isles."
He tightened her grip on Boscha's neck. He dropped her and she started breathing heavy. Belos stood above her and put a foot on her chest.
"I took you under my wing, I trained you, I made you my Coven Leader... and this is how you repay me?! What do you have to say for yourself?!"
Boscha just spit at him. He growled and stomped on her chest. She gasped for air as she felt her ribs get broken under his foot as well as cough up large amounts of blood. He walked away from her as she picked herself up. She held her ribs and started walking towards him.
"You want to know why I did it? You want to know what I have to say for myself? Fine. You trained me since I was fifteen. You taught me that there needed to be order. I can't believe that I fell for that bullshit!"
He backhanded Boscha and sent her flying into the wall, getting hurt even more.
"Don't speak back to your Emperor that way!" Belos said.
Boscha stood up and limped towards him.
"You aren't an Emperor; you are a fucking Dictator! You are willing to crush, kill, and/or do both, in order to get what you want!"
Belos summoned his staff and pointed it at Boscha.
"If you want to live then you will stop speaking! Right! Now!"
"I can't believe I fell for your propaganda! You treat everyone as if they're expendable! Your time as Emperor has come to an end, Luz will take you place and bring peace... she's twice the witch you are!"
Belos used his staff and sent a red beam of magic at Boscha, sending her flying into the steel cage that hold the Rebels.
"I've had enough of you! You are going to be Petrified tomorrow!" Belos yelled.
Boscha glared at him. Not even acknowledging the threat. Boscha wiped the blood from her mouth and stood up.
"You really want to know why I let her go?" Boscha asked, "It's because I learned something about myself that I got from you. I learned that I only save things that I find important!"
Belos held his staff against Boscha's throat, choking her.
"Guards, feel free to punish her in front of these traitors." He said, "Show them what happens when you go against the Titan's Will."
Luz opened her eyes and saw that she was on a bed. She looked around and saw someone with dark orangish-red hair. Luz looked closer and realized it was-
"Lilith?"
Lilith turned around and Luz saw big round glasses on her face. Lilith smiled and adjusted her glasses.
"Hi, Luz. It's been a while."
Luz got out of bed and hugged Lilith. Lilith returned the hug and she felt her chest get wet from Luz's tears.
"Lily, I missed you."
Lilith ran a hand through Luz's hair.
"I missed you, too." Lilith said, before cupping Luz's face, "I see you grew your hair out. Oh, I'm sorry I failed to keep my promise."
Lilith ran her thumb over the scar Luz has from Boscha during the Battle of BonesBorough.
"I should've been there. I should've helped you."
"There was nothing you could've done." Luz looked around, "Where's King?"
"When I brought you in, he refused to leave your side. I sent him out so I could stitch up the back of your head and wrap your ankle a little. You almost bled out, if I didn't find you, you would've died. What were you doing?"
"I... I led a storm of the Castle." Luz said, suddenly she remembered, "I need to get back there. The entire Rebellion was captured."
Luz got up, put her boot on over the wrapping, and grabbed her staff. Lilith was quick to stop her.
"Luz, that's suicide."
"That didn't stop Eda from saving me! It's not going to stop me from taking that madman down!"
"Luz, I know you want to take him down, but my father is too powerful for you right now. You're injured and, from what I've seen, this wasn't the first injury you have."
"Lilith, you don't understand! I have to do this!"
"Why!? Luz, why do you have to do this?!"
"Because, I already failed Eda once! I can't fail her again!"
Lilith looked at her as Luz's eyes filled with tears.
"So, that's what it's about. You're still carrying the guilt of Eda dying. Luz, it wasn't your fault."
"Yes, it was! I failed her and now I failed my army!" Luz started crying, "I-I-I can't let anyone else die because of me."
Lilith sighed and held out something towards Luz.
"Then maybe... you could use this." Luz looked at it and then back at Lilith, "I think you know what this is."
"It... it's Eda's ring."
"It was something special, something our mother gave her. It was from the Savage Ages. It's said to hold a special power. Maybe, if you really need some help, it'll help you."
"Lilith... I-I-I can't-"
"Eda always said she planned on giving it to her kid one day, you're the closest she ever had to one. She would've wanted you to have it."
Luz took the ring and hugged Lilith. Lilith returned the hug with a smile. Luz used her staff and performed a teleportation spell. At the castle, the guards shoved Boscha into the cage with the other Rebels and slammed the door shut. Belos smiled under his mask until a large blast of magic erupted in the room. Everyone looked at the source and saw Luz with her staff still smoking from magic blast. Belos looked at her and, even though she couldn't see it, Luz could tell he was glaring at her.
"I see you've come to face me. Unfortunately, it will end far worse for you, than last time." Belos said.
Luz held her hand up and looked at the ring.
"I know you're watching over me, Eda." Luz spun her staff like Eda would and held it towards Belos, "You want to go? Let's fucking go!"
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