The Owl and The Athlete
Chapter 2: Witches Before Wizards
By
Neztro
author's note:
hello everyone, I want to personally thank you for your support in this and all my fanfics… I will be returning to the idea that I will b responding to every comment on my fanfics starting with this one. So if you have questions, put them in the comments. Also I am writing this around the same time as the show and I plan to make season 3 9 chapters since we only get about 2 hours worth of episodes instead of a full season… disney but I will not guess the way te show goes in this one and will write the chapters after I've outlined them and only outline them when they have been shown… doesn't mean I won't change them if I think of a better idea for this story.
The sunlight crested into the room awaking the two teens sleeping within. It was a tight fit being in the same room as his best friend who happened to be a girl but Tristan made it work.
He made sure not to look at Luz who was only wearing sleep shorts and a white t-shirt. He knew It was indecent to look at Luz when she was barely dressed.
Tristan meanwhile sleep in the clothes he was wearing yesterday which made Luz call him gross.
"I-it wasn't a dream! Yeeaaah!" Luz exclaimed hoping outside the door to the hallway.
"well at least one of us is happy with our new reality." Tristan commented, he began to rub his pointed ears. I guess I am a witch. He thought, it was a difficult thing to find out you weren't the race you thought you were.
Tristan realized that magic could be a useful thing he could do. Tristan decided to practice using magic while he assumed Luz was in the bathroom. He traced a spell circle like Eda thinking of summoning a cold soft drink like one he'd get with Luz after a long day of practice but circle of light Came at his finger tips but when the circle was complete it fizzled.
"well looks like I have a lot to learn this summer. I just hope the owl lady isn't just using us for free labor." Tristan figured out that Eda was the signature archetype of a con woman and using a couple naive kids for your own ends would be something he could see her doing.
"Tristan! She has witchy clothes!" Luz exclaimed from down the hall.
The boy shook his head with smile and walked out of the room. "coming Luz." he took a step toward her voice and smiled when he saw Luz in a black witch dress and triangle hat.
"How do I look?" Luz asked, striking a pose which she thought looked cool.
"Like a dork, but it works for you." Tristan said, clicking his fingers at Luz.
The human girl did the same and laughed with her friend.
both of them made their way down the stairs and then entered the kitchen.
Tristan instantly raided the fridge and then found a big egg, a packet of grayish bacon, and a carton of a bright red apple which Tristan assumed was juice.
The boy placed the bacon on the skillet and it let out a savory smell as it sizzled. After it was done he did the eggs he made them scrambled just the way him and Luz liked it. He poured each of them a cup of the extremely reddish liquid.
Weird, isn't applejuice supposed to be clear? Tristan thought, taking a whiff of the cup and he could swear it smelt like blood. Do witches drink blood… like a vampire!? Better not drink it, just to be safe.
Tristan walked up with two plates for Luz and himself handing her the plate. "here's what I think is juice I wouldn't drink it unless your brave."
The two sat down to eat when king came barreling down the stairs. His fur was matted and he had a wild look in his eyes.
"Food!" he exclaimed dashing toward the kitchen climbing Luz's lap. "where's mine?" he asked.
Luz scratched under his chin and gave him a bit of bacon from her plate. "here you go cutie pie."
"I'm not your cutie pie!" he exclaimed chewing on the bacon.
Luz smiled and wrapped him in her arms then squeezed tight. "yes you are," she said in the same voice you'd used to talk to a dog.
"Ugh, I know."
Tristan chuckled at Luz's displaty of affection.
They heard a door slam upstairs.
"Looks like our teacher is awake." Tristan shook his head when he saw Eda come down.
The witch was dressed in a sweater with mom jeans on her legs and bunny slippers. She took a few steps down the stairs with her back hunched.
"Eda!" Luz exclaimed leaving her plate to king while she ran to her teacher. "It's nice to see you awake. What's our first lesson."
Eda yawned in Luz's face and smacked her lips. "who are you again and what smells so good?" Eda's nose lifted up and she took in huge whiffs of the food.
"Luz nocenda one of your new students after saving you from the evil warden." Luz explained and looked at her plate which was already cleared by King. "and Tristan is the source of that great smell… he is an excellent cook."
"Why miss nocenda, flattery will get you everywhere." Tristan said speaking like a southern bell.
Luz chuckled at his joke.
"Kid lay off the details and bad comedy until I had my first cup of appleblood." Eda made her way to the fridge and opened it as she rooted through for something.
"you mean applejuice right?"
Eda pulled out the same carton that Tristan used "Nope,"
Tristan spit instantly upon hearing it was indeed blood. "Agh, I knew I shouldn't have drunk that."
"So Eda, what's the first lesson; conjure a magical familiar, close a portal to the dark realm, go to a hidden grove and get a staff that will help me in my journey?"
"so you want a witches staff huh?" Eda asked, smirking at stuck out her hand and called out "to me magic staff!"
The sound of crashing from down a hallway echoed as they see the staff bump into the wall and come to Eda but instead of catching it she smacks herself in the face and fumbles to pick it up as it falls to the ground with a clatter. "It's early," Eda says, obviously embarassed.
"wow," Luz makes a grab for the staff but Eda pulls it away.
"If you want one of these, you'll have to earn it." Eda riffles through her hair and pulls out a list handing it to Luz. She then reaches with her magic to bring a bag full of clinking vials to her arm. "One of my many businesses when not selling human treasures on the weekend is the selling of potions to those discerning customers who can't afford the potions coven."
Luz looks through the potions and pulls out a vial, "snake oil?"
"No one wants an unoiled snake." Eda replied sending the girl out with the list "see you and Tristan when you get back."
Tristan took that as his que to leave with Luz. He exited the Owl House and stood outside with Luz while he started thinking about things to come.
Both Tristan and Luz heard Eda argue with king before finally he exited the door to escort the two teens.
"Now remember to always measure twice and cut once. Come back by nightfall or risk mortal peril." Eda called as the three walked down the road.
They went from house to house giving the clients their potions.
Tristan noted for a magical world this place seemed to have kinda mundane atmosphere. He felt like this was normal now and he didn't know where this familiarity came from. I just arrived yesterday. But I feel like I've spent my whole life here.
The two decided to take a break by sitting on a bench.
"so king?" Luz started, "am I the only human on the boiling isles?"
"haven't seen any others walking around," the creature replied in a snarky tone.
"what If I Luz nocenda, normal girl, have a predetermined magical destiny."
"Normal? You? You're as weird as a tiger who doesn't like to hunt." Tristan laughed at his own joke and slapped his knee.
"Besides, you're delivering boil crème for cripessake." King added, lifting a vial of boil crème from the bag.
"today I'm delivering boiling crème, but tommorrow I'll be winning the hearts of all on the isles with my mastery of magic."
"Yeah right, let's go deliver the last potions and go home." King hopped up from the bench and a took a couple steps toward the otherside of the street.
Luz tried to follow him but Tristan grabbed her shoulder. "Listen Luz, I know being here is your dream come true… but you shouldn't knock being a human girl from Connecticut."
"that's easy for you to say, you're a witch who was secretly raised on earth… your bound to be somekinda master of ancient and unknownable magics."
"But I never wanted to be a witch, I wanted to be a football player. Pass high school, maybe play for the blue devils and go pro, then I'd like to play for the giants… but now, I can't."
"Why?"
"Because, I'm a witch! It'd be cheating. I've obviously gained my talent from magic that passed the suppression ring that my parents gave me… now I can't even play football which was the only thing keeping bullies off my back."
"do you only play football because you don't wanna get bullied?"
"why else would I play it?"
"for fun and comradery."
"I don't have any comrades besides you who would want to be friends with me… because I'm a witch and I look like freak."
Luz grabs on to Tristan, he wraps him into a hug holding him tight. "you are my friend and I love you."
Tristan holds Luz close and hugs her just as tight. "same light bright." he says softly.
"Let's go! I want to go back to my nap." King yelled from across the streets.
Luz chuckled and Tristan shook his head.
"you know you let him walk all over you?"
"Yeah, but he's so cute though."
"I will never understand girls and their fancination with cute things."
The two arrived at their destination to see an abandoned house… a mansion really. They saw the gate was a wreck and the gate was slightly off it's henges. the house itself seemed to be in worse condition with the roof cracked and the windows missing.
"yeah, nobody's been murdered, right?" Tristan Joked, he felt a tingle on the bac of his neck and his gut reaction was to run.
"Let's kick in the package and leave." King said, turning his back from the house.
Luz meanwhile looked at the house and began to shake. She steeled herself and walked through the gate.
Tristan shook his head. "this doesn't bode well." he said following his friend into the house.
King turned around and joined the teens groaning.
They the door to the house to find that the inside did not match the outside. The house was clean with a fireplace, staircase, and three chairs organized around a small circular table.
"Let's go Luz, big house belong to big whack jobs." King said climbing on Luz's shoulder's and clinging to her.
Tristan looked around and didn't see any pictures. That's weird. He knew that rich folk loved their portraits and there wasn't a single one here.
"Oh hello there." a voice called from the top of the stairs. Man in blue robes with white stars came from the shadows, he had a long white beard and pointed hat.
"Magical wizard!" Luz exclaimed bouncing up and down with joy.
King facepalmed and shook his head. "Old man in jam-jams."
"I don't like this." Tristan said, something about this man made him feel off. He felt his head begin to hurt. He rubbed his temples, and went to take a sit.
"Ah, young visitors have a seat… I see your friend is ahead of me." The old man said walking down from the stairs and taking a big chair across from the boy.
"King look, he has scones on the table." Luz added pointing to the table where a plate of scones lie on the plate.
"where!" The creature jumped off her neck and attacked the plate gorging on the small cookies.
Tristan still rubbed his head. The ache worsened the more he was in this old man's presence he tried to think clearly but he kept hearing a ringing in his head.
"I was under the impression that Eda did the deliveries herself." the old man asked stroking his beard.
"well, we are her apprentices. So the job has fallen to us." Luz explained a goofy grin on her face.
The man smiled at that. "and how is the apprenticeship so far?"
"Well I expected to be learning magic as soon as possible but I don't know how I can do magic if I'm not a witch like my friend here." a frown came to the girls face and she lowered her head.
Wizard began mumbling himself. "so you are… human then?"
"Yes, why?"
"Because I have heard of a prophecy… one that invovles a human girl finding the celestial staff and freeing this land from a great evil." the wizard explained. "could you be her?"
"I think I might be." a big smile returning to Luz's face.
"Then allow me to give you this." The wizard reached into his beard and pulled out a rolled up piece of parchment. "it is a map to the celestial staff which can only be lifted by the chosen one."
Tristan turned his head to see in the corner a bag that looked just like the one Eda gave them to hold their potions and luca noticed that a potion bottle stuck out. "you sell potions?"
The wizard cleared his throat and tugged at his beard. "yes I run a… small potions business."
"you should a run a small business of… more scones." King said lifting the saucer and throwing it down.
"Quite, anyway here is the map young heroine… may it bring you much aid in your great quest."
"Yeah your foods gone and we're done here." King responded walking away. "Come on Luz, Tristan, we are leaving." King wandered off to the door.
"your right king, it is time to leave… and pack for our epic quest." Luz exclaimed hopping up with an excited skip.
Tristan meanwhile felt the pounding in his skill subside when the old man walked back up the stairs and left the room.
The three returned to the Owl House and split up.
Both Luz and Tristan walked up to their room where the former started packing for an epic quest and the later was trying to take some medicine he had packed in case he suffered from headaches… a common mishap in the life of a football quarterback.
The two were minding their own business when Tristan suddenly got a flash of Luz trying to dodge a tentacle and getting smashed. The boy jumped in reponse.
"Are you okay Tristan?" Luz asked checking with her friend.
"Yeah, what happened?"
"you jumped higher then a startled cat… are you experiencing witch awakenings!?" Luz exclaimed, letting out a squeel of glee.
"I don't know, but my head still hurts… I don't know why but that wizard guy was creepy."
"Oh, he isn't too bad, now help pick what type of chosen one should I be." Luz said grabbing her book and striking poses.
"Should I be a positive chosen one with an optimistic outlook… or should I be a bad girl chosen with a mysteriously withdrawn attitude." Luz used the book to cover her face and then when it left she had a dull frown on her face. "I act like I don't care but I secretly do."
Tristan began chuckling. "Luz, you are incorrigible."
"we talking about bad girls in here." Eda replied entering the room with a smile. She noticed that Luz was packing gave each a inqusitive look. "you guys planning on running away?"
"No, we're going on an epic quest." Luz said smiling.
"she's going on an epic quest… I'm just trying to kill this headache." Tristan added taking another pill.
"Epic quest huh? Does this have to do with the chosen one stuff that king told me about?" Eda asked, standing over Luz.
"Yes! Why? Do you want me to my mentor who follows me along and teaches me tricks that help us with our trials?"
"No, I want to talk you out this."
"Why?"
"You're being taken for a ride kid. Someone is trying to either capture me, capture you, or try to sell you something." Eda pointed out.
"Sounds about right, I never liked that wizard guy." Tristan added rubbing his temple.
Luz, looked down saddened and was about to be on the verge of tears.
"Look kid after a couple weeks here you'll not look like such a mark." Eda walked off and left the room.
Luz then smiled. "I thought she'd never leave." Luz said, grabbing her gear.
"So you plan on going to the staff site anyway?"
"Yep, are you going to try and talk me out of it?"
Tristan was indeed about to do that but then thought about the tentacle crushing Luz. He shook his head and decided, "No, but I am going with you… just in case of danger."
Luz let out a huge grin "great!"
The two leave the Owl House sneaking out through the window and then down the roof.
"you think Eda will come after us Tristan?" Luz asked as the two ran through the woods to the town that was the first point on their quest.
Tristan didn't answer trying to make sure Luz could keep pace with him. The boy slowed himself to crawl while he was next to her. I'm counting on it. Tristan didn't trust this wizard as far as he could throw him. But he knew two things for sure: that he couldn't take Luz out of doing something she set her mind too and that he was cursed with visions of what would happen if he didn't intervene.
The two ran until the sun reached it's zenith and they crested over a hill and saw the town filled with strange animal like muppets dancing and singing.
Both Luz and Tristan ran to the town to see the people cheering their names.
"the chosen ones!" the small cherubs exclaimed crowding the kids. They gathered around the kids pulling at their clothing.
"wow, they really know how to treat people here." Tristan remarked.
"for you chosen ones." the cherubs said placing jewelry their neck.
Tristan looked them over and smiled they matched the color of his jersey and made him stand out.
Luz smirked at that and they walked toward a fountain where a man who looked like he belonged on either a teen's sketch book cover page or a romance novel for old ladies posed with one foot on the fountain.
"who are you?" Luz asked, stars in her eyes.
Tristan glared at the man, he seemed to know that this guy was no good. He looks like chad willoughby, damn rich kid, thinks he deserves my spot on the team. Probably laughing about me going off the grid right now.
"I am prince neverath, of the kingdom of angstmore and I should have been selected by the celestial staff… but I guess I'll help you." he said reaching out his bicep for Luz to grab.
The girl immediately took it wearing a smile.
Tristan shook his head but followed the two into the forest.
The journey was miserable. Tristan had to watch Luz make googoo eyes at the prince while dealing with a wacky riddle cat.
Once they got past the feline they stopped on the bridge and Tristan watched as the prince tore off his shirt and gave it to Luz as a cape.
"My chosen one friend," He said walking to Tristan. "you require a cape as well." he said reaching down on the cat and pulling off his vest.
The prince bowed before the boy and the vest held out to him.
Tristan rolled his eyes and took it placing it around his neck and it was only big enough to be a bib. They eventually came to a small fairy queen who gave them food and then handed them more jewelry rings this time.
They come upon a cave mouth.
"wow I don't want this quest to ever end." Luz said.
"your quest is close to it's end." The cat said jumping from behind a rock shirtless.
"Aah,"
"Thank god," Tristan said, "all this fantasty stuff was giving me a headache." he meant it too as he began to rub his temples… something about today makes him hurt like hell.
They come upon the temple and say goodbye to their companions. They enter and see a glimmering waterfall with a pedestal in the center where the staff is stuck in the middle.
"Wow, it's really here!" Luz beamed, looking back at Tristan.
"Well, what are you waiting for… go get it." Tristan smiled and indicated toward the staff. He meanwhile began checking the surroundings. Was the vision wrong? I don't see any Luz-crushing tentacles around here.
The human meanwhile walked toward the pedestal and grabbed hold of the staff. She pulled it from it's resting place and basked in the radiant light pouring from the crystal. "Yes! I knew it was real."
In an instant the mood turned as the waterfalls dried up, the entire temple become a ruined version of itself, and the staff… blew away becoming dust in the wind.
"No," the Luz whispered.
"Luz! It's a tra–" Tristan tried to scream but his cape wrapped around his body, his necklaces formed a gag, his bracelet and rings formed cuffs chaining themselves to the floor.
"Tristan!" Luz also befell to her jewelry save for the gag she shared the same bindings. she was held down and looked in the darkness to hear a finger slithering toward her.
The wizard appeared out of the shadows, his eyes bulging out and his movements twisted as his body jerked like a puppet. "aren't you enjoying your adventure?" he asked as he spouted out to reveal he was indeed a puppet being held by a tenatacled hand.
The body of an octupus with bulged out red veined eyes. It was huge and towered over the two teens.
"what do you want?" Luz yelled trying to break her bindings.
"Eda has been stealing my customers for ages now… so I planted a ruse in order to draw her out. Initially I was going to trap her when she came to deliver her potions. But then you two came here… the witchling I couldn't manipulate it took all my power to supress his oracle foresight which I understand can induce headaches."
Tristan jerked when he heard that. Of course that's why whenever I was near this guys illusions my head felt like it was being ripped apart.
"but you… little human. Are exactly what I needed to draw Eda out. I just had to use your selfish desire to special against you… now edalyn will wander into my trap and I will destroy her."
Tristan began thrashing against his restraints his mouth though muzzled let out loud muffled words.
"What's that little witchling? I can't seem to hear you?" The creature responded hovering over to Tristan. The creature removed his gag and laughed when the witch began gasping for breath. "I forgot that I didn't leave you any air holes in your gag. now what was so important you had to interrupt my gloating."
Tristan took in many greedy breath as he glared at the man and spat in his face. "she's going to eat you alive." he said not even knowing why he said this but it just felt like the right thing to say.
"and who, pray tell, are you talking about?" The creature gloated.
"Adegast! You creep! Let these children go!" Eda yelled flying toward the creature.
The creature shot out a tentacle and grabbed Eda and king.
"gotcha owl lady."
"Good for you, now let these kids go." Eda responded rolling her eyes
"I didn't have to be a part of this." King said, whimpering in the arm.
"I think your student wants a real fantasty." Adegast rammed his tentacle in Luz's mind causing her eyes to white out.
The puppets of the companions of her quest surrounded her began whispering in her ears.
Tristan watched as Luz stood there limp. He had a vision of Luz as a mindless puppet for Adegast serving him for her fantasty fix.
"Luz! Listen to me! Remember when we first met. I was getting picked on and the school yard bullies were kicking me and calling me a freak."
Luz mumbled upon hearing his words.
"I couldn't fight back as there were more of them and no one was there to call the principal. You ran to save me and tell on them… if it wasn't for you I would never have escaped… and we would never have become friends."
"Shut it! She feels unwatned, unloved, she'd be better off serving me and having everything she wants."
"Luz, I know life was tough at school, I know your mom doesn't understand you. But I do! You took a boy with no friends and saved him. You may not be a fantasy hero like azura but your still a hero… my hero!"
Luz's eyes shot open and she grabbed from her backpack a sword she had taken from Eda's house.
Luz broke free from her bonds instantly and cut the first puppet making it disappear. Luz began striking at each puppet taking her rage out on them. Each one poofed away as the creature charged her releasing Eda.
The owl lady landed on her feet from the and fall then made a big spell circle summoning a gout of flamme striking Adegast making him shrink.
He tried to crawl away but Eda grabbed him by the tentacles and swallowed him whole.
"Told ya so." Tristan gloated freeing himself from his bonds and running to Luz. "you were amazing Luz." He picked the girl up in a hug making her flush.
"You mean it!"
"Of course I do! You're awesome light bright."
"what you told me… about being your hero, did you mean that too?"
"Yes Luz, I will always be grateful to you… I always felt like I was never wanted until I met you and now I get to see the girl who saved me from my despair come into her own."
"Kid, what were you thinking running off like that?" Eda asked, standing over them.
"I'm sorry Eda, I just wanted to feel special but I guess I'm not."
Eda lowered her head and frowned. "come with me."
Eda took the kids and king to fly on her staff and watch the sunset.
The three sat on the staff watching the beauty of the isles.
"It's So colorful." Luz said, mesmerized.
"the isles may be grimy and gross up close… but there is genuine beauty in it. Now Luz everyone wants to be a born special but that is not how life works… if we just keep waiting for our destiny to find us we'll die waiting… that's why you have to make your own destiny. Do you understand?"
Both Luz and Tristan looked out into the distance and smiled "Yeah," they replied.
"Eda, the reason I went with Luz was because I saw a vision of Adegast crushing her… is this my magic or is it an ability I can't control."
Eda looked puzzled by that, "Kid, future sight is a very high tier oracle ability, I don't even have it due to me being a dabbler. But I have to say for a witchling whose never been able to cast spells in his life you have a natural affinity for oracle magic… maybe your family is related to a covenhead or something."
"why do you say that?"
"Because the only witches with your level of natural talent come from 'pure blood' families. Ugh, I hate those snobs so much… they do have good loot for a thief like me."
Tristan looked down to the city of bonesborough who were my parents here… and what is my place here.
Luckyluke11032002
well here's more and thank you.
Mezentsevmicheal
Thank, I wanted to make a character who was outside my comfort zone and there is a reason I want him to have future sight 'whispers: he is going to be an oracle track prodigy' and there is a reason for that… and yes Eda gave him back his ring but he isn't wearing it right now… though there will be future events that will make him wear it more.