The Owl and The Athlete
Chapter 6: Covention
By
Neztro
author's note:
hello everyone I want to thank alexc1209 for his interest in the game to find out who is tristan's boiling isles relative… now when you have it figured it out… dm me or if you have a comment about it put it in the comments… I'll let my readers know when someone gets it and I'll write that someone the moment the reveal is shown in the chapter and let them pick. Now enjoy this chapter as you meet what the fans of this story have dubbed 'aunt lilith'
"raising her staff to the cotton candy skies, emboldened by the dihonor her rival hecate had shown, azura challenged the vile hecate to a witches duel." Luz read to king sitting on the table.
"can you stop reading that garbage, it gives being a witch a bad name, and bad enough it'll scare away all our serious customers."
"eda, I don't know how to tell you this… but nobodies here!" Tristan said presenting the empty streets of bonesborough.
"you're right as always Kid, I don't like this it seems like something bad is gonna happen."
Two familiar figures came running to the stand. It was the witches willow and gus.
"hey flower child, No Fuss Gus, how's it hanging?" Tristan asked extending his hand.
"how's what hanging?" Willow asked, confused.
"I think it's a human term for how our heads are attached to our necks… mine is fine."
Tristan chuckled at that. "I swear these two are too pure for this world."
"anyway, something wonderful is happening…"
"Yeah it's the annual coven convention… where prospective witches can see what coven they may fit in."
Luz's smile was infectious as she let out a soft squeal. "it's like a job fair for witches… eda we have to go."
"Absolutely not! Covens are dumb… they are a bunch of fan clubs that wring any uniqueness out of simpleton witches." Eda then turned her head to the witch children. "no offense."
"c'mon eda it'd be so cool."
"My answer is final… besides I haven't gone since we were girls."
"we?"
"Uh, tristan help me out here." Eda asked.
Tristan chuckled. "you're on your own eda… I want to see where this goes."
"traitor… no means no luz." Eda said crossing her arms as she turned her back to the teen.
"Okay then… king." Luz instructed handing the dog demon a book.
"and hecate screeched to the sky, screech she did…"
"So flowery… so awful." Eda said as king continued reading the book. She then took out her key and when the door open she went through it.
Luz picked up king and threw the dog into door.
"5… 4… 3… 2…" Tristan counted off and when the door returned he smiled.
"stop this! Stop this! I will literally do anything to put an end to this." eda screamed at the top of her lungs.
The whole group went ot the covention. It was a big dome like building and luz was mesmerized by the grandeur.
Eda began trying to get her hood up and was having trouble with her big hair. Tristan helped her and she finally got it on him. Eda gave the boy a kiss on the cheek. "thanks kid, I can always count on you."
"Of course eda, you're like a sister to me…"
"yeah, sister…" eda said her eyes darting around the corridor,
Tristan noticed this and decided not to press the witch.
"wow, have I ever been alive before now?"
"you love it that much?" tristan asked, he looked around "dumb question… it's a covention with real magic… of course you love it."
"well let's look around."
The four teens walked ahead with eda trailing behind. "let's there are many covens there are the bakers coven, the big cat coven, the small dog coven…"
eda began grumbling to herself.
"… and the grumpy coven."
"what was that?" Eda exclaimed as she raised her fist.
Both willow and luz giggled as they walked away.
Luz watched as a buff guy with the big nosed prisoner were near a bunch of construction equipment.
"that's the construction coven they use power glyphs to perform massive feats of strength and to increase their magic." Willow pointed out as the coven man placed a glyph on the big nosed creatures face.
The creature then struck a mighty pose as she screamed and powered up.
"I am the deswoya of wolds." she lifted the supplies and broke them as the other members came to detain her.
"wowza yowza?" luz said unaware that a blue version of herself appeared behind her.
"I see you've been taken in by the appeal of the illusion track… we do magic with a little razzle dazzle." Gus said using jazz hands.
"wow, comradery, a sense of belonging, magic! Eda why did you never join a coven?"
"Look very closely kid." Eda pointed to someone standing before the illusion coven recruiter who was doing a spell circle. A minute later the illusion coven symbol appeared on his arm and he smiled.
"now that kid can only do illusion magic. Joining a coven seals you away from all other forms of magic… where as I can do all the forms." eda explained shaking her head at the poor kid.
"Luz, look the emperor's coven is having an assembly… let's go… they have a mysterious guest." Gus called running toward the assembly hall. "I'm gonna ask one of them to sign my forehead."
"Let's go!" Luz yells grabbing tristan's hand but he froze as she tried to pull him. "tristan? Aren't you coming?"
"I think I'll stay with eda… you know make sure she doesn't get grabbed by these bounty hunter jerks."
"Okay, see you later."
"Bet on it…" Tristan said slapping luz's back making her skip forward a bit to keep her balance. "Sorry don't know my own strength sometimes."
"How's about all the time… love you."
"I love you too light bright… now go have fun."
eda smiled at tristan "I'm proud of you for not buying into that one coven nonsense… I wish luz felt the same way."
"well I'm not the fantasty fan in our little family… luz will do anything to be able to learn real magic."
Eda smirked as he said the f word invovling her. Eda was unfamiliar with where she stood with tristan even though he said he liked her… she didn't quite believe it. Not because she thought the boy was deceiving her but because she couldn't believe that someone as independent as tristan who reminded her of herself when she was his age… liking her as his family.
"hey is that the emperor's guard talking with a guy… he's pointing this way." Tristan asked.
"Let's go watch the emperor's clutz do a presentation." Eda said pushing tristan into the room.
The room was crowded as they all sat down in their seats. Both tristan and eda sat next to luz… eda had her arms crossed while luz smiled.
"what brings you here jock…"
"the police…" He joked.
"Sounds about right." the two chuckled until the lights came down and the principal from hexside showed up.
"Witches and demons of all ages… I am here to present to you the pinnacle of magic and we all know what that is."
"Is it this?' A student in the front row asks using magic to make his head bigger.
"woah, I failed you as a principal." He said. "No, it's the emperor's coven… they are the elites, the best of the best, and they have access to all, yes all forms of magic." the principal annouced trying to use sound effects to get the kids attention.
"now I present to you the leader of the emperor's coven… lilith!"
the form of raven avatar came flying down from the top of the rafters and the raven turned into a woman with pale skin, black dress, and black hair.
"It pleases me to see you all here. I started from humble beginnings and became the head of the emperor's coven. Someday even you may be head of the coven…" she pointed to the crowd.
Tristan looked down and saw she was pointing to amity the girl from hexside he glared at her as she bubbled at the attention.
"don't look now but the wicked witch of the thin mints is here." He whispered to luz pointing to amity.
"who are you talking about?" Luz looked down to see amity and just sighed. "Oh, her…" she shook her head.
"So I tell you this… become more, master your magic for the emperor's coven awaits you!" lilith exclaimed using her magic to return to her raven form as she flew up into the rafters and disappeared.
Both tristan and Luz walked out of the room with luz holding a magazine that she got from one of the stands.
"i'm gonna take a quiz to see what coven I'd fit in… ooh, punky potion maker… I like that." she cooed unaware that her teacher was visibly upset.
Tristan followed his teacher as she walked away dejected. "Hey eda!" he called.
Eda stopped dead in her tracks and turned to Tristan. "Yeah kid?"
"you okay? I can't help but notice that the emperor's coven display made you kinda upset."
"Yeah, I just got a blast from a past is all…" Eda said staring at the entrance hall to where the assembly hall… burning a hole in the emperor's coven sigh with her hateful glare.
"are you talking about that raven lady… she an old flame or something?"
"ew, no! I would never…" Eda held the bridge of her nose. "Let's just say… we go way back okay?"
"sure thing eda… wanna go home?" Tristan suggested.
"Yeah I'd like that." The witch said.
The two walked away from the convention and were only stopped by a small crowd of people who gathered around the raven haired figure.
"Oh great it's her… just walk around this crowd, hopefully she doesn't notice us." She growled taking Tristan's hand.
The two maneuvered their way around the crowd and kept their heads down. They were almost out of the woods when the raven haired woman called out to eda.
"sister?" She asked in a voice that was sweet as honey.
"Sister?" Tristan asked, "eda what is she talking about?"
Eda silently groaned as she grabbed the bridge of her nose. "yes, she is my older sister."
"Man luz would love this…" tristan knew about luz's love of surprising twists and backstories.
"sister, what are you doing here?" The woman asked walking up to the two as the crowd parted. "and who is this young man holding your arm."
"Hey lily, this is Tristan, One of my apprentices." Eda said, she seemed to be uncomfortable around this figure.
"nice to meet you tristan… I am lilith clawthorne head of the emperor's coven… tell me is my sisters training up to your expectations?" Lilith asked studying Tristan with her eyes. "I must say that is a strange attire you are wearing. Where do you hail from?"
"the human realm? And eda's training is great… I've made great strides in my oracle magic."
"so edalyn did you come here so your apprentices can learn about the coven system… or are you finally here to join the emperor's coven?" Lilith said, her voice hopeful.
"Fat chance! I will never join your loser club… I'd rather practice magic my own way." Eda said raising her hand to lilith's face.
"you think being covenless makes you so special… well while you live in squalor I am teaching the next generation of elite witches." Lilith said, beaming with pride.
"eda! Tristan!" Luz called running toward the two from down the convention hall.
Both the witches looked at Luz with worry.
"she got herself into trouble again didn't she?"
"it's luz, what do you think?"
"eda! Eda! I challenged amity to a duel and she is going to kill me all the way dead." Luz exclaimed trying to run to eda but falling flat on her face.
"Amity? Why would you challenge amity?" Tristan asked, helping pick luz up.
"A human? That's your other apprentice… where did you even find one of these things?"
"thing? I'll have you know that Luz is a she and she is a thinking being not some kinda pet… you old hag…" Tristan replied standing between luz and Lilith.
"what did you call me you brat!"
"A hag! An old arrogant hag! What are you gonna do about it!?" tristan took a couple menacing steps toward her.
Lilith was taken aback… no witch with any sense would willing go to war with her as the head of the emperor's coven and thus one of the most powerful witches on the isle. "you're asking to be put in your place little earth witch…"
"why don't you try it… old witch…"
"Tristan stand down… and lilith if you threaten My student then you'll Have to deal with me… and we both know you don't stand a chance against me in a duel."
"Very well, then let's see who is the better witch by allowing our students to fight…" She used a spell circle and lit all the wanted posters on fire causing them to burn up. "for today you may walk among your fellow witches… to watch your student crumble before mine."
Lilith walked away her hands clenched at her side as she began mumbling about the disrespect she received from Tristan.
"I now see why you didn't want to meet her Eda… she's a bitch."
"You got that right… now we need to prepare for bloodshed."
"whose blood?'" Luz asked, her voice trembling.
"anyone's guess." Both tristan and eda said in unison.
The two witches led the human girl by the arms to a bench. They set her down and eda began thinking of a potential stragety.
Tristan noticed that his friend was stiff as a board. He could've summed it up to her being scared for her life… but his instinct was telling him there was something more. The boy sat down beside luz and wrapped his arm around me.
"What's wrong Light bright? Are you scared for your life or is it something more?" Tristan asked in a comforting voice.
"I challenged amity to a witches duel. The stakes are if I win she has to apologize to king."
"Apologize for what?"
"Bullying him…"
"Right, that does sound like something she'd do. So what does she get if she wins?"
"I have to admit I'm not a witch and stop learning magic." Luz replied, her tone disappointed.
Tristan's eyes shot open and he shook his head. "I see, that would really hurt you wouldn't it?"
Luz nodded her head and her eyes began to water.
"hey, hey, Light bright, don't cry… it's going to be okay… I promise." Tristan didn't believe what he was saying but he was a damn good liar… maybe that would be enough to keep luz from accepting defeat.
"I got it! Alright luz, say I was going to hit you with a fireball… what do you do." Eda asked having come up with a strategy.
Luz in response slid down from the bench and placed herself on the floor in the fetal position pulling the cord on her hoodie to hide her face.
"oh right I haven't taught you any spells… well onto plan b!"
"Cheating?" Tristan asked, knowing his teacher well enough to know where this would be going.
"Cheating!" Eda exclaimed.
––––––––––––––––
the crowd had gathered for the duel as they roared for the violence to come. They stamped their feet causing the stands to shake.
Tristan stood beside the nervous luz placing his hand on her shoulder, reassuring her resolve. Behind him was eda clawthorne glaring at the pair across from them.
Lilith clawthorne stood behind amity with her hand possesively placed on her shoulder.]
"Ladies and gentlemen!" An unseen announcer's voice said "we have for you a witches duel between two prospective teens."
the crowds cheering was like a storm in it's volume. Their clapping hands like a wild herd of stallions.
Tristan shook his head… "you got this light bright?"
"yeah, thanks Tristan." Luz nodded her head and then stared at amity determined.
"Now remember kid, I've laid land mounds filled with magic. All you got to do is get her to step on them." Eda instructed, she slitted her eyes as she watched her sister whispering something to the green haired witch.
"in this corner, the abomination prodigy, daugther of the prestigious blight family… amity blight!"
The crowds reponse to the witch was deafening as they cheered her name in a undiscernable mass of crying voices.
"and in the opposing corner is a strange sight even for the isle… a human who thinks they can do magic… let me introduce you to Luz the human!"
The appluase for luz was tepid at best with a few distant woos.
Tristan grumbled as he recognized when someone had the home field advantag. It was just like when he played an away game.
Luz stepped forward, placing herself on the other side of the arena, she planted her feet in front of her and glared across the field to Amity.
The witch girl did the same thing as she prepared mentally for battle.
"Ready. Set. Fight!" the annoucer cried and in a split second the crowd cried for blood.
Amity began using her spell circle summoning a seven foot tall abomination… which lumbered toward luz… barreling forward like a massive tank.
Tristan noticed that amity had a surprised look on her face when she summoned it but immediately smiled when it happened. I don't like that look on her face. He thought watching as luz took a couple steps back and ran away jumping over a mound.
The abomination stepped on the mound and was caught in a burst of flame as it took a couple steps back almost fell on the crowd. The hulking creation tried to regain it's footing stepping on another mound this one shooting spikes up and stabbing the abomination making it dissolve.
"Spikes eda, really?" Tristan asked crossing his arms.
"what? I thought it'd be funny… doesn't she know the barrier spell?"
"I don't think so Eda, ot everyone is a magic prodigy like you… I hope this doesn't come back to bite us." Luca looked back at amity whose eyes went wide that her creation was destroyed. Something about her seemed off and the thing is his instinct he found was never wrong… he just couldn't place his finger on it.
Amity twirled her thumbs to make a larger circle this time creating an abomonation whose head was just short of the ceiling it looked down on luz with an intimidating stare. "Abomination… attack!"
The creature slammed it's fist down to hit luz but the girl managed to jump out of the way. Jogging to the other edge of the arena.
Amity grits her teeth as her abomination steps on another spell mound which shots fire making the creature back up.
"How are you doing that!? I know you're not casting spells… you're hands didn't move." Amity screamed, pointing at Luz.
"I think she's onto us." Eda whispered to tristan.
"On geez eda, you really think so?" Tristan replied sarcastically. Tristan bit his nails as he saw the witch grow increasing angry.
Amity stamped her foot and marched forward about to step on a mound.
"Amity stop! Don't come one step closer!" Luz exclaimed running toward her.
"Why not!?" Amity exclaimed about to step on the mound but as her foot made contact with the mound luz tackled her slamming the witch against the floor as a bed of spikes shot up.
Amity noticed this and her eyes went wide "you cheated!"
"and there it is…" Tristan said slapping his palm to hs forehead. "Goddamn it Luz."
"Oh edalyn, I'm afraid this means you've lost." Lilith glouted walking up to her sister.
Tristan was about to say something when something caught his eye. He looked over at amity's neck and saw a patch on the back of it. The boy dashed forward toward amity and grabbed the patch from her neck.
"Eda isn't the only one who cheated! I found this on amity's neck!" Tristan lifted the power glyph for all to see.
Eda began laughing as she saw that. "Looks like you've stooped to my level Lilly!" she howled.
Tristan went to pick Luz up as amity began to tear up and ran away.
"We have to go after her." Luz said, running after amity's hand while holding tristan's hand.
The boy followed her and they found amity crying in a shadowy corner.
"Amity, we're sorry." Luz said, walking up to her.
"you think this is easy! I have had to work my whole life to get where I am and you embarrassed me in front of everyone. Now I will never join the emperor's coven… say your not a witch! Say it!"
"I'm not a witch." A light ball appearing in luz's hand "But I'm trying really hard to be one."
Amity stayed silent upon seeing this. Then turned her head and shook her head. "that's baby magic… any witch can do it. But it's still impressive for a human."
Amity then grabs luz's hand and used a spell circle over them both. "the spell is undone."
"does that mean I can still learn magic?"
"Humans can't do magic… but I doubt that won't stop you from trying." Amity said walking away from Luz and Tristan. "Maybe I haven't been the most friendly witch either."
"Understatement of the year." Tristan mumbled under his breath.
Luz elbowed him in stomach.
"Sorry." He said, shaking his head, "you do It again… another enemy charmed by the nocenda perseverance."
"works everytime" luz said, smirking.
The two watched as their teacher beat a hasty retreat from the arena dashing toward the teens. "alright kids we've got about ten minutes before lilith realizes I tied her pointy shoes together… so let's book it."
"She really wants to one up you." Luz commented.
"She's been that way since we were girls… our parents made it worse."
Luz gasped as she looked at her and smiled "tell me about your parents." she said, mesmerized
"I've revealed enough backstory for today, thank you very much… now let's go home."
The three left the convention hall hand in hand all enjoying the day they had together.
Alexc1209:
you are correct that it is a canon character and they will indeed want tristan to be on their side… and if they have to coerce him by threatening luz… who am I to judge.
Son of the dragon:
yes eda is part of tristans choice whether he wants to stay in the isles and be with his people or go back to the human realm where he had lived all his life… also spoiler alert both of tristans parents are witches who live in the human realm with him… and there is a reason they lied to him about his heritage.
Marbled gold:
thank you for your compliments and I hope you enjoy the rest of the fanfic.
Marbled gold:
once again a fun chapter to write
marbled gold:
yeah the owl beast eda cuddles was fun for me to write
marble gold:
Been busy haven't we... but yes eda is going to be as much a mother figure to Tristan as she is to luz in the show canon