The Binder
by
James S. Love
author's note: hey everyone I wish to start this fanfic with the weekly thank you to all my readers, reviewers, and critics. You people make this all worth both lifting my spirits and improving my craft… so no nicer way to say it then straightforward… thank you. I am also going to work on an owl house fanfic focusing on boscha's redemption with her wanting to start a relationship with luz. I am outlining right now and won't be able to upload chapters until july just so I can maintain the weekly upload scheduling but trust me it will be worth the wait.
Chapter 5: The Intruder
Lukas and Luz sat down on the Owl Lady's couch about to start a conversation long overdue.
Lukas knew this was coming ever since the crisis was averted at Hexside three days ago. Though Lukas wasn't happy about the fact that Luz would try and angle him into making the Owl Lady allow her to join the school. He knew that she wouldn't rest until he at least heard her out.
"Alright Luz, I know what you're gonna say… but I don't know if Eda will Allow it." Lukas started trying to bring their mentor and current home provider into this. Luckily she was out to bones borough running errands.
"She will if you tell her that you're going." Luz replied smiling.
"Luz, I don't know if that is wise. Amity was this close to telling principal Bump about you… if he found out you were intruding on the school… I don't even want to think about it."
"Come off it Lukas… you would have gotten into trouble as well… if it wasn't for those strange men. Who were they by the way?"
"I wish I knew. They seemed familiar though… like I knew them from somewhere." Lukas had been pondering that since he returned from Hexside. Who were those guys and why did they want Lukas to go to Hexside… it was suspicious.
"Anyway, come on don't you want me to learn magic beside you at Hexside? Don't you want your big sister to fulfill her dream?" Luz eyes shot out as big and she puffed out her lip with a whimper.
"Luz, it's not that I want to stomp on your dreams. I don't want to see you get hurt."
"When are you planning to tell Eda about Hexside?" Luz smirked at this comment. She knew where to hit and when to do it.
"I don't plan on telling her… ever."
"Why? Because you know she'd make you take me along?"
"No. Because she would be mad that I made a decision behind her back. You know how she is with me. She's so restrictive. She always treats me like I'm a ticking time bomb."
"I know, but think about it. Maybe she thinks you are a strong mage but just need training. I mean the first time you used your powers you literally died and if it wasn't for her you'd stay dead. If she truly hated you why would she save you?"
Lukas had pondered that for the longest time. He didn't know why Eda did what she did. But, he knew she didn't do it out of benevolent kindness. She knew something he didn't and lukas didn't like the way she watched him.
"Luz, look I'll tell her when the time is ri–"
"Shush…" Luz replied and her eyes looking toward the tiny creature known as king. "Look, he is fighting with a sock on his nose."
It was true King had gotten it on his nose and he was flailing about to trying to kick it off.
"Lukas, give me my phone." Luz demanded holding out her hand.
Lukas did what his sister commanded and she began to record the video.
"And here we have the world's most dangerous game… the deadly king of demons. Fighting with his mortal enemy… the ducky sock."
King scratched at the sock and made headway and kicked off the ducky sock. It was shreds in a matter of seconds.
"Where are you now ducky sock!" he exclaimed triumphant with his fists over his head.
Luz let out a soft moan of joy as king stamped on his enemy… the sock.
He then looked at the two humans "While I have your attention. Let me teach you something valuable… demonkind!"
Luz and Lukas tilted their heads at what the little demon said.
"You've both been so busy with witchcraft that you forgot to learn about my kind." the creature then pulled down a board filled with demon pictures and news articles.
"Demons are cruel creatures of the twilight. Tricksters and shadow casters of the deep."
"And cute little paws." Luz cooed.
"And cute little paws yes." King responded annoyed. "anyway we are only afraid of three things. Purified water, hurtful comments sometimes, and…" king said the last part under his breath.
"What was that last one?" Luz asked.
"Uh, what last one?"
"The one you said under your breath… is it something bad?"
"Yes! It is something that would kill a human to hear it."
"Okay," Luz replied confused.
Lukas noticed king let out a sigh of relief and watched look Lukas's way warily.
"So King, where do demons come from?"
"Uh, I don't know?"
"You're the king of demons and you don't know?" Luz asked.
"Let's not talk about that! Let's talk about the demons inner demon… the Snaggleback." King then showed a picture he drew of a quadrupedal creature with a crab shell that was spiked.
"The Snaggleback is a mighty hunter, huge tree rending claws, big snapping jaws, he is a…"
"Bad boy!" Luz replied making stickers on the creature.
"Luz pay attention! I was gonna teach you how to disable an attacking demon."
Just then the sound of a thunder crack struck the ground and the wind outside began to wail.
"Oooh, Lukas the rain, I love the rain. Let's go out and play in it like we used too when we were little."
"Uh I don't know Luz… it may not be like the rain on earth." Lukas looked at drops and swore when they hit the ground steam came off them.
"Nonsense, typical paranoid Lukas." Luz ran outside and twirled in the ran until it hit her in the arm and she let out a scream. It was then that Eda ran out of the woods carrying her staff and bag.
"Boiling rain! Everyone inside!" she grabbed Luz's hand and rushed her inside the house.
Lukas looked Luz over and grabbed his first aid kick. He placed a band aid on her arm after rubbing some alcohol on it. She winced.
King meanwhile placed a band aid on his nose and looked at luz. "Now we're boo-boo buddy's"
Luz let out a soft moan of joy. "Oh my gosh I love you so much."
Lukas watched as the Owl Lady did an intricate dance weaving multiple spell circles into one. Her body covered in gold energy. With a wave of her hands the golden light encircled the house and the owl lady walked weakly into the house.
Lukas and Luz followed her shortly after.
"Eda is so cool! All that magic, and she still looks good for her age." Luz said watching as Eda walked toward her coach.
"I wonder why they call her the Owl Lady." Lukas had thought about the nature of the nick name.
"Because I'm so wise."
"Because she coughs up rat bones." Hooty the house demon replied.
"I think it's because she likes shiny objects." King said holding a pen with a gem on the end.
"what? No I don't." Eda replied.
King clicked the device and Eda's eyes went wide.
"It sparkles and shimmers, it shines and delights. I must have it for my nest." she then made a grab for the pen but fell face first.
"You have a nest? I want a nest! Nest party!" luz exclaimed.
Eda groaned and walked toward the coach. The owl lady's spirit was drained and she plopped down on the coach and wrapped herself in a blanket.
"Eda?" Luz asked.
"I'm not teaching you magic tonight. I'm tired. I'm a sleepy little owl." Eda said turning from Luz.
"C'mon Eda, you haven't taught me any magic since I got here." Luz complained.
"I'll teach you something later." Eda bundled up and covered her face. She would've stayed like that had it not been for the clicking of a pen. "Sparkle thing." Eda shot up, her body still covered by the blanket.
Luz looked smugly at Eda clicking the pen on and off. "Oh this."
Eda jumped and perched on the armrest of the coach.
Luz teased Eda by waving the pen up and down. Eda's eyes following the movement of the pen. The owl lady reached for it but Luz pulled it away last second. "Nope."
Eda fell face first and landed on the ground.
"Teach me one spell and I'll give you your sparkle thing." Luz said.
"I respect your cunning, but I also hate you for it." Eda said. "Alright I'll teach you one spell."
Luz pumped her fist and followed her teacher to the kitchen.
"Wait luz, what about our lesson? I was gonna let you scratch a demons tummy… mine." King asked holding Luz's hand.
"I'm sorry king, but, magic." she pulled her hand from king and walked to meet her teacher.
Lukas sat down next to Luz as Eda began her lesson.
"The spell circle is essential to making a spell happen. The bigger the circle the more powerful the spell."
"Cool… now how do I do magic?" Luz asked.
Eda eyed her quizzically. "Luz where do you think magic comes from?"
"The heart?" Luz replied.
"Yes actually." eda said surprised.
"Really!" Luz exclaimed.
"Yes, the heart of a witch has an attachment known as a bile sac." Eda then pulled down a diagram of a witch's heart and it indeed had a bile sac.
"Can I have that?" Luz asked reaching for it.
Eda smacked her hand away "No and don't be weird."
Lukas watched Eda as she traced a spell circle and summoned a small globe of light. "This is the light spell. The simplest of witch spells."
"But if I don't have a bile sac. How will I be able to do magic?" Luz asked.
Eda hummed to herself "I… do not know. I know that witches used to do it different in the old days but I don't know how… well we'll figure it out together."
Luz was pumped as she tried the spell circle.
"Try thinking about what you want the spell to do." Eda instructed.
Once again Luz tried to do it.
Lukas also tried to do it but he also failed. Then the boy got an idea. He tried to focus on the fear and dread which allowed him to look into the heart of a witch and draw power from it. All he got was a headache as he began to cough up blood.
"Woah, kid, what's wrong with you? What were you trying to do?" Eda asked.
"I-i was following your instruction… I guess I took it too far." he chuckled.
"Okay, lesson over, I'm going to bed." Eda walked off.
Luz grabbed Eda's hand and looked at her teacher "Wait can you do that spell one more time. I'll record it with my phone."
"Ugh, fine." she growled raising her finger to do the spell circle again.
Luz readied her phone and raised it to Eda. "Smile, you're on camera. One more spell won't kill you."
Eda did a spell circle but before it was completed she collapsed in the ground.
"Whelp one more spell killed Eda." king snided.
Luz screamed, and looked at the unconscious witch.
"Luz, calm down… she's just sleeping." Lukas could hear her heart beat which shocked him. But when Eda fell down he felt his adrenaline soar. What is happening to my body? He thought. Whenever he was close to having a panic attack, his body went into fight or flight mode. He had initially thought it would kill him without his medicine but at times… he never felt more alive.
"Let's check on that." King slapped his hand on her face making a cute noise.
"Alright, she's alive… let's get her to bed." Lukas grabbed Eda's feet and nodded for Luz to grab her arms.
The two humans walked up to Eda's room and placed her on her nest. Lukas couldn't help but notice two things on her nightstand. The first was a round potion vial with gold liquid in it. The second was a black book with red letters and the strange symbol of nine rings interconnected with each other… it read that it was the book of the pit.
Something pulled Lukas to that book. He reached for it but king slapped Lukas's hand.
"Hey that is not yours… it's Eda's property. So, hands off."
"Ow, okay." Lukas walked out of the room followed by Luz who had just put a blanket onto eda.
Luz, Lukas, and King sat in the kitchen as the former tried to get the Latters attention.
Luz was watching her phone and trying to mimic Eda's movement of the spell.
"Luz? Luz!" King exclaimed trying to get Luz's attention.
"Yeah king?" Luz asked.
"I'm trying to get you to listen to me… because I have a special demon to tell you about… smoochie-pie the cutie baby… he's more ferocious then his name leads you to believe." King admitted.
"Look King, I need to get this spell. Go play with Lukas."
Lukas meanwhile was thinking about that book. The name ringing in his ears… the pit. Where did he hear that name before… the beggar. That's where. The beggar would always talk about the evil of the pit and he mentioned Eda's name come to think of it.
"Who was he?" Lukas mumbled.
"What's that Lukas?" Luz asked watching her brother warily.
"Nothing, just thinking… I don't like what's happening to my body. And I really don't like how nobody is willing to tell me anything."
"Well at least you have cool magic powers… What do I have?"
"Luz, I get it… you want magic powers like Azura. But you have no idea how terrifying this is for me. I can literally hear your heart beat right now. I'm clear across the room from you! This isn't normal."
"Don't rub it in… I mean if I could do all those cool fighting moves that you can I'd be a little more grateful."
"Grateful? Grateful! Luz I am afraid of what I could do to myself if I let it get out of hand. Do you know what has happened every time I've tapped into this power?"
"Yeah, you do cool stuff and save the day."
"No, I lose control. I accidently hurt myself or others, I almost get killed."
"Ah c'mon the prison was a one time thing and you held your own against Amity… what could possibly go wrong."
"Luz, that day you found me in the healers tent… do you know how I got there?"
"Yeah, you got hit by that big monkey scorpion thing and passed out."
"No, I beat that thing damn near to a pulp… I demoralized it and made sure it hurt. The thing is though I enjoyed it. I was going to do the same to Amity too… she made me so angry… but I stopped myself and my heart damn near stopped… don't you understand. I'm changing… this power is turning me into something I don't wanna recognize… don't you understand… I'm scared."
Luz placed her hand lovingly on her brothers shoulder. "I know you are Lukas. But that's why you need to learn to control it. I know it's hard but I believe in you."
"Hey look what I got." King held in his paws the potion vial that was on Eda's nightstand.
"What happened to respecting Eda's property?" Lukas asked.
"Oh, she won't miss this." King said.
"King you gotta give it back." Luz said reaching for it.
"Even if it can help you do magic?" King added smirking.
"Really! It can do that!"
"Yep and I'll give it to you if you promise to do demon lessons with me for a week."
"Deal!" Luz reached for the potion.
"Luz I don't know if you should drink that." Lukas said.
"Don't worry Lukas, I see Eda drink it all the time." King said waving at Lukas.
"see Lukas it's fine." as luz pressed the potion to her lips a loud crash resounded In the other room. Hooty's scream reached the ears of everyone.
Luz shocked dropped the potion as it crashed on the floor.
"What was that!?" King said.
"Let's check it out." Lukas ran ahead and when he entered the area he saw the front door cut in half and hooty laying groaning. In the rain filled fog Lukas saw the shadowy image of a four legged creature glaring at Lukas. It's eyes glowing a bright red.
The creature's cold eyes pierced Lukas soul. He could hear his heart beat quicker then it ever has. Run. It was the only thing he could think. But if he ran then Luz and King would be left for the creature's appetite.
"Luz! King! Run!" Lukas charged The monster and hoped that he could awaken the power that allowed him to fight. But regrettably it did not come. The creature swatted Lukas into the wall.
The boy rose groggily and looked on as Luz and King ran upstairs. The creature's head turned toward them and it rushed at them.
"No! Stay away from them." Lukas commanded grabbing creature's leg. It swung back at Lukas with a talon strike cutting into his chest. The boy screamed in fear… he noticed he was indeed bleeding.
The creature then kicked Lukas into the wall knocking the wind out of him. Lukas's eyes were bleary. He was fading in and out of consciousness.
Lukas lifted his head pushed on by the fear of what would happen if he just let the creature have it's way.
Lukas limped toward the staircase holding his sides. He hopped up one stair at a time. through labored breaths he finally reached the top of the stairs. Lukas slipped and had to balance himself on the wall to remain standing.
"Luz, K-King? W-where a-are you?" Lukas voice was barely above a whisper. Each word followed by a greedy gasp of breath.
The worse scenarios played in Lukas minds. Each step he took fueled by the fear of losing his sister to a horrible beast.
Lukas heard a crash come from Eda's room. He grabbed from the floor a beating stick that Eda would use whenever king would step out of line.
Lukas used it as his walking stick. He knocked on the door. "Eda? Are you okay in there."
The door swung open and King looked up. "Lukas!" He hugged the leg of the human teen.
"Where's Luz?" Lukas asked… he felt his eyes grow heavy. But they shot wider when he looked at Eda's nest… it was empty and the window in her room was shattered… Eda was gone.
"I don't know… I can't find Eda either. I think the Snaggleback got her." King answered, he was hysterical.
"Let's go it's not safe waiting in one place… we need to find Luz and get out of here."
"But what about the rain?"
"It's safer then staying a house with a monster… now let's go!" Lukas commanding hobbling toward the long hallway.
"What if Luz is gone? Forever!" he asked,
Lukas gritted his teeth and he glared at King. His eyes once again became pentagrams "Don't ever say that again!" but as soon as the rush of power came it immediately left and Lukas had a huge headache.
King let out a small squeak "I-I'm sorry Lukas. No need to get upset."
"Let's just find Luz." Lukas hobbled toward the a door at the end of the hall. The beating stick in one hand balancing him and his throbbing head In the other.
Lukas could swear that he heard the sound of panting. He dared not look back to see if the monster was following.
Lukas heard a broom fall in the next room. He opened the door and saw a shaking Luz holding her hands up quivering.
"P-please don't eat me!" She screamed.
"Luz, it's me… Lukas!"
"L-Lukas?" the young girl opened her eyes and wrapped her brother in a hug. "i-i thought you were dead when I saw you pinned down… I was scared I'd lost you."
"It's okay luz, we need to get out of here… are you hurt?"
"No, you don't look so good though." Luz helped her brother by supporting his right side while he held the stick in the left.
"We need to get out here… need help to take this monster down."
"what about Eda?" Luz asked.
"She's…"
The scream of the monster in front of the trio stopped them dead in their tracks.
"Lukas… what do we do?"
"Wait a minute that monster looks familiar." Lukas saw a familiar shape on the creatures head… it was same as the top of Eda's head.
"That monster… it's Eda!"
The creature charged toward the trio teeth bared and jaw open.
"Run!" King grabbed both Luz and Lukas's hand running away into Eda's study. The young demon barricaded the door.
"How did Eda get turned into a monster."
it's a curse… the potion is the key… the locust voiced man said in Lukas's mind… "She's been cursed! We need one of her potions."
"And how are we gonna get that with Eda just outside blocking the door." king asked holding the door.
"We'll have to destabilize her and grab one… Luz, you need to do the light spell." Lukas had noticed that Eda's eyes were black voids and a light spell should blind it for a moment.
"I-I can't… I tried."
"Luz, I know you can do it… if you don't we die… so please… try." Lukas watched his sisters eyes fill with determination.
"Okay." she looked at her phone and played the video of the spell circle while Eda banged on the door.
"Hurry!" King ordered, the creatures weight making headway into the room.
"there's a pattern in the spell circle." Luz then took a leaf and traced it… the leaf then popped open and became a ball of light.
"How is that going to stop her?"
"We just need to get on top of her… Luz, give me your phone I'll try the glyph." Lukas looked at the phone and traced glyph but instead of the light coming his hands were burned slightly and he let out a shrill cry as he fell back in pain.
"Lukas!" Luz went to her brother… he began coughing up blood.
"What, what happened." Lukas closed his eyes, and his breathing stopped.
"Lukas!" Luz placed an ear to his heart. "It's still beating but it's faint."
"Luz, we need that light spell!" King yelled, Eda's monster head popped through the snarled.
Luz had an idea she ready a glyph and looked to king. "Let her in."
"What!? Are you crazy!?"
"Just do it!" Light raised her hand and glared at eda.
"Okay, I trust you." King opened the door and barreled into the room. She crashed into bookshelves and desks. Materials crashing on the ground.
"Eda this is for your own good!" Luz exclaimed as the monster charged at her. She slammed the glyph into Eda's face.
The creature screeched as it's body fell flat on the ground.
Luz breathed heavily as she fell back on the floor. Sitting on the floor… she had did it. Not only did she save herself, her brother and king but she had learned a spell. Not just that it was a spell that Lukas couldn't even do.
"Lukas!" Luz Ran to her brother and he began to wake slowly.
"L-Luz… is it over?"
Luz hugged her brother's head and wept openly "Yes, Eda is knocked out and we're safe."
"well, let's get her to bed and find that bottle." Lukas rose and then helped luz and king lift the monstrous Eda to the bed.
Lukas had tried to summon an abomination but it only came out as a small ball of goop. How does this power stuff work and why did that glyph burn me. He thought it was strange. But then he heard the voice of the beautiful man.
Glyphs are split into two families… those of the titan and those of the Thanatos… the power of the titan is out of your reach… but the power of Thanatos is yours to grasp just waiting to be grabbed… but for now you must rest… you have been through a lot. Lukas went back to his room and fell asleep.
––––––––––––––––
Lukas's dreams were plagued with memories, flashes of light, chanting, screaming, then silence.
"Do you honestly believe he is the one?" A female voice asks in the black void.
"He is our best hope." the voice of the beautiful man replied.
"But he is just a child?" The locust swarm man replied.
"yeah, we can't just force a kid to solve our problems. Can we?" the seductive man asked.
"What choice do we have? Moloch and the other lords are already moving against us. We all know they can't take our positions while we still life." the scratchy voice said.
"Yes and we know that Moloch and the rest have already gotten candidates in mind for their blessings… we must prepare. War will come t the Boiling Isles once again and the binders will return… whether we like it or not."
"you are right as always Lord Morningstar… but what about the boy? We can't take him with us." the lady said.
"we won't have too… you hear the sirens outside? The human authorities will be here in but a few moments." the beautiful man replied.
"how do we know that he'll be safe from the agents of Moloch?" the locust man asked.
"We can put a guardian for him… do we have any minions left to watch over him?" the beautiful man asked.
"I have a imp who can do the job." the lady replied.
"You mean the drunkard… yes he'll be perfectly safe." the locust man replied.
"Either way, we've dallied for too long… we must fly."
The sound of two people screaming In flames awoke the young teen. He was in His room and he rose weakly. His wounds had healed almost overnight… it was strange.
Lukas walked toward Eda's room and opened the door. He expected to see the huge creature's gnarled fangs.
Instead Lukas saw hundreds of balls of lights as Eda began to stir.
Eda berated King for taking her elixir and revealed that she was cursed to Luz. Lukas looked at the book on her nightstand and thought about what he heard last night.
"Eda, I have something to tell you." In order for Eda to be honest to Lukas he had to show her he was trustworthy.
"What is it kid? What did you do?"
"When me and Luz went to Hexside… I signed up for classes." He said expecting her to be mad and was surprised when her eyes grew heavy.
"Okay kid, I'll sign luz up for classes as well." She said before going back to sleep.
"Well that was easy." Lukas said as a one of the lights touched him and once again burned his arm.
"Ouch, I guess no touching the light glyphs." he chuckled. Lukas looked out the window and all he could think was… what am I and who are these voices in my head… and why do I feel so good when I think of my power.
mezentsevmicheal.
Thank you and it is honor to recevie such high praise from a loyal reader like yourself. But as for your other question no this isn't lumity but don't worry I have a certain cinnamon bun selected for her and it is a girl who I think should get more screen time next season. I am actually shipping amity and lukas in this story come to think of it… so in a way it is lumity just not the canon lumity… I've been talking for way too long…
chance green g king.
I will tell you those two guys are very important to the story and they are a big part of Lukas's plot and development as a character. Also you are kinda right about the magic thing… but that is all I'm saying
Djinn:
Thank you
Son of the dragon
All will be revealed in good time