A/N: Here is the 5th chapter. :) Also, since I noticed that there were no previous indications about Boscha and Willow starting to develop feelings for Luke and Lucia respectively, I had to update some chapters of Coven of Owls. Matter of fact, I'm still doing that on some days. Once they're all updated, I'll let you all know and you can re-read the chapters starting at Chapter 7 of Coven of Owls. Or you can do that now, if you like. I only got it and chapter 12 updated for now. But more will be updated to show these indications soon. Oh, also, there's going to be a bit of a, shall we say, "horrifying" change-up to what events take place in this story, hence the name of this episode. :)
The Owl House: Coven of Rings and Darkness
Chapter 5: The Ruins of Sleepy Hollow
Act I
It all started as Luz and Amity woke up and found themselves in the In-Between Realm again.
"Huh? Amity? You're here, too?", Luz asked.
"Yeah. But... why are we back here?", Amity asked before the two heard the Collector's laugh, puzzling the two.
"Oh, I can see it now! I'm gonna be free! And when I'm free, I'll find a host body and then get my revenge for being imprisoned before I could destroy everything!", the voice said.
"What...?", Amity said in shock.
"No...!", Luz added before the source of the voice suddenly spoke up with a slight shout.
"Who said that?', the voice said before Luz woke up in shock with a gasp and panted.
"Why is this happening to us...?", Luz said, starting to cry.
Act II
Later, Gus was sitting in the hallways of Hexside, his head buried in his arms before Luz, Luke, and Lucia walked up to him.
"Hey, Gus. You okay?", Lucia asked.
"I-I messed up bad, Luz. Willow just needed help with this pixie problem, right? So I thought, oh, that I'll lure them away with an illusion. But then...", Gus began.
"That angered the pixies, and they attacked Willow. I heard.", Luz added.
"I moved up two grades. What's the point of being good at this if I can't do anything good with it?", Gus asked downheartedly.
"It was an honest mistake. Besides, Willow's tough as nails. I'm sure you'll both be feeling better tomorrow.", Luke assured.
However, it wasn't the case as Gus was laying on the floor of his bedroom, presumably the next day, before groaning as the crystal ball cawed and beeped before it showed a prerecorded message of King.
"I'm not reading this.", King said.
"Come on, King. Please?", Gus asked.
"Ugh, fine.", King groaned before clearing his throat.
"Is that a six-footed pig or a floating appendage? Why, no! It's Gus the Illusion Master. Please leave a message.", King said begrudgingly as Gus, wearing a cape, hopped on screen before the video turned to Willow, her arm in a cast.
"Hey, Gus. Thanks for sending me all those 'Get well soon' illusions but, uh...", Willow began before 3 tiny illusions of Gus jumped onto her shoulders and head.
"Willow! How are you feeling? Do you have a fever?", the 1st illusion asked.
"Willow, you want me to sing for you? Mi-mi-mi-mi-mi-mi-mi-mi...", the 2nd began.
"Willow, is this helping?", the 3rd asked.
"Can you please take them back?", Willow asked before the Crystal Ball shut off.
Gus groaned as he rolled onto his stomach and traced a spell circle, summoning his 3 illusions to stand in front of him.
"Where's Willow?", the 1st Illusion Gus asked.
"Why are we here?", the 2nd added.
"Did we do bad?", the 3rd asked before Gus sadly blew his 3 illusions away.
But right then, someone knocked on the door. And who should he find upon opening it but Luz.
"Gustopher! Gusteban! Augustabeth! Any of those working for you?", Luz asked as she raised her fists, points her fingers, and leans on the doorway.
"You need my library card to visit Amity, don't you?", Gus guessed before Amity peeped from the window.
"I'm right here. And you don't need me to do that to visit me, silly.", Amity said to Luz.
"Okay. Scratch that.", Gus said, slightly surprised.
"Well, I was also hoping to do a little bit of... research! Come on!", Luz said before dragging Gus away with a scream.
Later, Luz, Amity, and Gus were walking through the streets of Bonesborough.
"So, Eda's mom told me and my brother and sister that we're not the first humans to have lived in Bonesborough. And get this: our dad IS human after all! Or at least, he was. Anyway, if that's true, there might be some info on how they got here in the library!", Luz grinned.
"Yeah, okay. Looking through old newspapers is about all I'm good for anyway.", Gus sighed before the two of them stopped walking.
"Gus, are you sure you're all right?", Amity asked.
"Yeah. Spill it, Gustonimo. Are you okay?", Luz asked.
"I-I've just been thinking. What if it's time for me to explore different kinds of magic?", Gus asked.
"I'm all for trying new things, but what's wrong with illusions?", Luz asked.
"Illusions are just so...you know-", Gus began.
"Well, maybe Tibren could give you some pointers on other types of magic.", Amity assured before the slitherbeast suddenly growled as it shook off the hunter's attempt at capturing it and charged passed said hunter.
"Yay! Huh?", Braxas puzzled before noticing the Slitherbeast charging toward him.
No sooner did Braxas see this that a couple more witches named Angmar and Gavin arrived to slow it down by making it slip on Gavin's abomination goo from below while Angmar sent the creature flying away with a net made of branches. After that, another witch named Bria arrived, flipping and using spell circles before landing on the ground and trapping the Slitherbeast around a wall of rock.
"Good work guys!", Bria grinned, giving a thumbs up.
"Yeah!", Gavin grinned as he and Angmar returned the gesture.
"All right!", Angmar added before Gus gasped in amazement while Amity turned to see Warden Wrath.
"Oh, boy...", Amity said.
"What's up, Amity?", Luz asked.
"Well..., remember when Selena, Boscha, Willow, and I had to storm the conformatorium to save you, Luke, and Lucia?", Amity asked.
"Yeah. Why are you asking that?", Gus asked.
"Let's just say I got too personal with him...", Amity responded.
"Exactly how personal?", Gus asked before flashing back to when she interrogated Warden Wrath for Luz's whereabouts.
"Where is she? Where is Luz?!", Amity demanded.
"You will never get to see that beast of a human again.", Warden Wrath only responded before Amity only growled angrily, her sclerae turning ghastly black before she turned into an Owl Harpy and combined multiple spells from every magic with her hand before pressing it against Warden Wrath, making him scream and writhe in pain as Selena, Boscha, Willow, and Tibren became worried for Amity as she tortured him.
"Please..., stop! I...I have a kid back home!", Warden Wrath begged.
"I don't care! Just like Lilith didn't even care when she took Luz and the others away from us! When she took LUZ away from ME!", Amity only growled, tightening her grip, worsening the pain and his torture before it went back to the present.
"DUDE! You went that far?!", Gus exclaimed in disbelief as Luz gasped.
"What was I supposed to do? Let him get away with how he was talking about Luz like that? Besides, the anger I had back then is spent now. And for good reason.", Amity responded, gesturing to Braxas and his son.
"Son, are you okay?", Warden Wrath asked as he picked up his son.
"Yes, Daddy. Thank you, mysterious heroes!", Braxas thanked.
"Stay safe out there!", Bria responded with a wave as she, Gavin, and Angmar left.
"Wow! Just wow! Plants. Abomination. Construction. You guys took down that Slitherbeast like it was nothing.", Gus grinned as Luz and Amity quickly noticed how quickly Gus left, much to their surprise before then catching up to him.
"Nah, it wasn't that easy.", Bria blushed.
"Yeah, looked like you had a real hard time out there.", Gavin teased.
"You're Glandus students, right? I go to Hexside. Name's Gus.", Gus greeted.
"Nice to meet ya. This is Angmar. Gavin.", Bria introduced.
"Hey!", Gavin greeted.
"And I'm-", Bria began before a familiar voice interrupted with a shout.
"BRIA!", the voice shouted before the source panted, running to catch up, revealed to be Mattholomule.
"I would've helped, but like, there was this other baby in danger. You probably couldn't see.", Mattholomile fibbed before Luz gasped.
"You!", Luz and Amity said in disgust.
"Mattholomule?", Gus asked.
"Augustus? Back off, twerp! This operation is Glandus kids only.", Mattholomule stated.
"YOU back off!", Luz argued angrily.
"Hey, guys, it's all cool. Did you get the map?", Bria asked.
"Yes! And I only had to endue 35 noogies from my older brother.", Matthololmule responded.
"I didn't know he had an older brother.", Luz said in surprise.
"Yep. He joined the Emperor's Coven, last I heard. His name was Steve.", Amity stated.
"Huh.", Luz responded.
"Nice work!", Bria grinned.
"Well, uh, I can see you guys are busy, so-", Gus began, trying to leave before Bria interrupted.
"Wait. Have you ever heard of the Galdorstones?", Bria asked.
"They're powerful relics. Many witches and demons have sought them.", Gavin added.
"But they've all returned empty-handed, haunted by its guardian: the Headless Horseman.", Angmar stated.
"Headless Horseman?", Luz puzzled.
"Legend has it that the forest is supposedly haunted by the restless spirit of a fallen soldier from the Deadwardian Era, cursed to wander the forest and behead any intruders who come into the forest in search of a new head!", Angmar added, making Gus and Luz squeal, but not in fright for the latter's case, so much as excitability.
"Just like the story of Sleepy Hollow!", Luz exclaimed.
"'Sleepy Hollow'? Oh! Like the ruins?", Bria puzzled.
"Yeah! Kinda... My world has a story like this back home.", Luz responded.
"Huh. What are the odds? Anyway, we heard some coven scouts talking about them, but it'll be rough going with that horseman around. You said you are a Hexside student, right? We could use the extra strength.", Bria responded.
"That sounds awesome, but I can't. I promised a friend I'd help her with something today.", Gus responded before, on cue, Luz pressed her hand on his shoulder.
"I think you should go.", Luz assured.
"Well, he can't. Gus is just an illusionist. He'll only hold us back.", Mattholomule smirked.
"Hah! Shows what you know. Gus here is a regular super witch. Just like me and Amity.", Luz responded.
"Luz! I see what you're doing and it's really sweet, but I don't actually know any spells besides illusions like you do.", Gus whispered, dragging her to the side.
"That won't be a problem.", Amity assured, handing him some spell glyphs.
"Tibren suggested that I had those glyphs ready beforehand in case of emergencies.", Amity explained.
"Come on, man. You know I'm all about proving jerks wrong.", Luz said.
"Alright. I'm in.", Gus said.
"Make that 3 of us.", Luz added.
"So, where do we find these Galdorstones, or even the forest that has them for that matter?", Amity asked.
"We're journeying to... the Ruins of Sleepy Hollow in the Forearm Forest famously known as the Hollow Forest!", Bria said as she and the others finally arrive at said entrance.
"What's wrong, guys? Scared?", Mattholomule asked.
"Oh, I don't know. Are you?", Luz glared angrily.
"We all are. Who knows what awaits us out there? But we all got each other's back, right?", Bria asked.
"Yeah, um-Yeah. Yeah, alright, let's go!", Gus responded as he and the others went onward.
"Woo!", everyone cheered; well, almost everyone.
"Woo.", Mattholomule said sarcastically, not knowing that Mew was watching from above and from behind.
"Mrew?", Mew puzzled as she then turned to the library in Bonesborough.
"Mew!", Mew spoke before flying over to the library.
Act III
At the Bonesborough Library, just as Mew arrived inside, Luke and Lucia were at a desk with crystal balls.
"Did you check out the other volume?", a Hexside student laughed as he passed by, talking to a friend, before Luke and Lucia each typed "human" into the crystal balls' search bars; what they found, however, was an article about Eda using paddleballs that were mistaken for weapons.
"'Mystery vendor floods market with dangerous human goods.' Oh, dang it, Eda.", Luke groaned.
"'Human resident donates personal diary to library.' Yes! This must be it!", Lucia grinned.
"Hey, guys. What'chu doing?", Willow greeted.
"Willow? What are you doing here?", Luke asked in surprise.
"And what happened to your arm?", Lucia added in more worry than surprise for her friend.
"Oh. Well, there was a mishap with the fairy attack. Gus meant well, though.", Willow assured.
"Oh. He must be feeling pretty bad about it.", Lucia guessed.
"Yeah... I guess. What about you two?", Willow asked.
"Well, we were just looking for some info about the diary Philip Wittebane wrote.", Luke responded.
"And get this: Philip is our Dad!", Lucia exclaimed.
"He is? That IS a surprise.", Willow said before, after that, the trio noticed Selena and Boscha at the Kid's Corner with Luke and Lucia peeking in and seeing Boscha, her hair down, talk to one of the baby class kids, who is holding her hairband captive.
"Come on. Give it back.", Boscha said.
"No!", a baby class kid refused, earning Boscha's sigh.
"If you give her back her hairband, we'll read you whatever book you want tomorrow.", Selena assured, making the kid gasp in surprise before he handed the hairband back.
"Finally! I can learn how to summon the dark lord!", the kid grinned before Boscha stood up and tied her hair up while Luke stared at Boscha in complete adoration.
"Wow. It's hard to believe that they were once jerks at school.", Willow grinned before a voice spoke up.
"Hey, guys.", Edric and Emira grinned as they went behind Luke, Lucia, and Willow, surprising them.
"You two?!", Luke exclaimed.
"Edric, Emira. You two picking up Selena and Boscha?", Lucia asked.
"Nah, looks like you two got that covered.", Emira responded as she got off him.
"What are you two doing here?", Willow asked.
"I'm looking for skincare tips. I have a date tonight.", Edric responded.
"Yeah, he needs all the help he can get, after he accidentally texted a poem to their mom.", Emira explained.
"Please don't tell people that.", Edric pleaded as Willow giggled, making Lucia blush toward her.
"Yeah, good luck with that.", Luke said to Edric before Selena and Boscha arrived.
"Are they bothering you again?", Boscha asked, making Luke blush steadily.
"Oh! N-No, we just came here to see you and Selena, and, uh, here you two are.", Luke chuckled a bit nervously.
Boscha was also blushing as well, and neither of them can look at the other with Lucia and Willow in the same boat.
Then, Selena, Edric, and Emira gasped, put two and two together, and shared a smile before Selena nodded to Emira.
"Edric, your face, it's exploding with horrific pustules!", Emira fibbed.
"Oh, no. Wait. Is it really?", Edric puzzled, genuinely worried.
"We have to fix it before your date or you'll get dumped!", Emira said.
"What? I will?", Edric said in worry.
"Come on, Ed.", Emira said, annoyed, as she dragged him away before Luke looked at Boscha as Lucia and Willow turned to one another with a blush.
"So..., we were actually wondering if you could help us find this book?", Willow asked.
"Hundreds of years ago, there was a human named Philip Wittebane living in Bonesborough and it turned out, he's our dad. And he donated his diary to this library.", Luke explained.
"And this might tell you how to travel between realms, right?", Selena asked.
"Yes! Do you have any idea where Dad's journal would be?", Lucia asked.
"Well, something this old would be kept in... the Forbidden Stacks.", Selena said before she, Boscha, Luke, and Lucia stood in front of the towering doors reading "The Forbidden Stacks." just as an echo mouse ran past the girls and under the door with a squeak, surprising Lucia.
"So, what makes the place forbidden?", Lucia asked.
"From what I heard, only Malphas, the master librarian, is allowed in here.", Willow responded, making Lucia wince.
"No te preocupes. Todo va a salir bien. Like my mom always said.", Luke said to Boscha with a chuckle before looking away.
"I'm sure we can find another way.", Luke assured.
"Hey, wait. We never said we weren't gonna help.", Boscha said.
"Really?", Willow asked.
"Yeah. One of our staff cards should be able to open those doors. But once we're inside, you have to listen to everything I say. If we're caught, we could lose our jobs.", Boscha responded before Luke grabbed Boscha's hand in both of his.
"You're not gonna lose your job. I promise.", Luke assured with both looking at their hands and blushing
"And if you do, we won't rest until you get those jobs back.", Lucia added, making Willow blush toward her herself before Luke immediately retracted his hands as Boscha turned around.
"Well, let's not waste any time.", Boscha said before she used her card to open the door and, sharing looks of determination, they all headed in as the doors started closing behind them.
However, they didn't notice Mew arriving.
"Mrew? Mew-e.", Mew spoke as she floated to the doors.
"Mew-e. Mew!", Mew spoke as she then floated her way in before the doors closed.
Back at the forest, Luz, Amity, Gus, and the Glandus kids were walking.
"This will be a breeze once we get the Galdorstones.", Bria said.
"So, what do the Galdorstones actually do?", Luz asked.
"Good question.", Gus agreed.
"If you're holding one, every spell you cast gets a big power boost!", Mattholomule explained.
"I can grow an entire forest, and make my own butterfly sanctuary!", Angmar grinned.
"Aw...", Luz smiled.
"I can create the biggest Abomination ever! I bet Dad will pay attention to that.", Gavin said bitterly.
"Yeah, I sorta have a mom like that.", Amity responded.
"Whoa.", Gus and Luz said in unison.
"Sorry. Doesn't do squat for illusions. Can't enhance what's not actually there.", Mattholomule mocked.
"Pfft. I know that.", Gus said before he shoved Mattholomule, who shoved him back before both tried attacking each other with hands.
"Hold up, guys. We've come to our first challenge.", Bria said, pointing out that their path is blocked by thick brambles.
"Show us what you got, Augustus. What did the human call you? 'A super witch'?", Mattholomule mocked with a chuckle.
"You're darn right, he is!", Luz glared.
"Ignore him, Luz.", Amity warned before Luz growled and Bria gasped.
"That's a great idea! Go on, Gus. I know you can do it.", Bria encouraged before Gus searched through the glyphs he was given from under his collar.
"Which one is this?", Gus asked before he drew a spell circle.
"Fireball!", Gus exclaimed before he then tossed a fire glyph through it, making a massive fireball clear their path.
"Wow, Gus! I knew it was a good idea to bring you!", Bria shouted in amazement as everyone "woo-hoo'd".
"I don't know what's going on, but I've got my eyes on you.", Mattholomule said before he went forward behind the others, leaving Luz, Gus, and Amity outside before they, too, followed, not knowing that a dark horse was nearing them as it snorted.
Back at the library, Luke, Lucia, Willow, Boscha, and Selena were walking across the halls with Mew tailing them without anyone knowing.
"How much further do we have to go?", Lucia asked.
"Actually, we're here.", Selena responded, seeing that the Forbidden Stacks was actually quite similar to a sort of ghostly graveyard and a bit like a magical school hall at the same time.
"Whoa. This is what the forbidden stacks looks like?", Willow asked.
"I know... It looks amazing.", Lucia agreed before the two placed hands on top of each other and blushed upon noticing this before retracting them.
"All right, let's start looking.", Lucia spoke before Boscha gasped and pulled Luke down as Willow did the same for Lucia while Selena just went down by herself.
"Wait.", Boscha spoke before someone draped in an old cloak named Malphas entered from a doorway.
Once he left, Luke and Boscha (as well as Lucia and Willow) realized how close they were to each other and rolled away, blushing.
"So, we'll be super sneaky and quiet. Got it.", Lucia said.
"So, what's his story?", Luke asked.
"Malphas is actually the one who gave me and Selena our jobs and our own study rooms. Even Amity's, since she works there, too. He's usually nice, but if we're caught, he'd feed us to the book worms.", Boscha warned.
"I know here that probably means unholy, blood-sucking snake monster, but in the Human Realm, that's just a cute name for nerds.", Luke responded.
"It's true.", Lucia agreed before Boscha blushed.
"Huh. The human world sounds odd.", Boscha said.
"Well, I've been there for so long. But I didn't exactly have good memories there, as you all know. There were some, though, but most of my time there was bad. But, taking into account the good ones I had here, maybe I could help Luke show you around someday.", Selena offered.
"Selena...!", Luke blushed, making her giggle a bit as Mew giggled as well.
"But, uh, let's turn back. We don't wanna push you girls." Lucia said.
"We're getting that diary.", Boscha said, dragging Luke deeper into the library.
"Whoa!", Luke exclaimed.
"I just hope we don't get into any hitches...", Lucia said.
"You and me both.", Willow added as they and Selena followed.
Back to the forest, Mattholomule checked the map.
"According to the map, we should be getting close.", Mattholomule said.
Unfortunately, that was when they all heard a shrill neighing sound and looked up to see the source of it all: the Headless Horseman himself, who roared darkly as he raised his sword with his horse neighing at the same time.
"The Headless Horseman!", the group shouted before the Headless Horseman rode down the hill, brandishing his sword.
Mattholomule was about to run only for him to scream as a snake dragged him up by the ankles into a tree.
"Don't worry, Matty. We got ya.", Gus assured before then making an illusion of a Headless Horseman, puzzling said supernatural creature, as well as Matt, for the moment.
"Now!", Luz and Amity shouted before they used their plant spells to create big branches.
"Hey! Only Bria can call me-", Mattholomule began before screaming and face planting on the ground with Gavin and Angmar picking him up by the arms and dragging him over to the others.
"Come on, dude.", Gavin began.
"I'm not surprised he couldn't handle Glandus.", Angmar added, puzzling Luz, Amity, and Gus.
But just then, the Headless Horseman grew angry and swung his sword at the illusion, making him poof away before charging toward Gus while Mattholomule came to in time to see this as the supernatural being raised his sword with his horse neighing as it went up.
"Gus! Look out!", the two shouted in unison as they shoved Gus out of the way only for the Headless Horseman to strike!
And when he did, he swiftly severed Luz and Amity's heads, much to Gus and Mattholomule's horror as while Luz's head was caught by Gus, Amity's was caught by Matthololmule as they both screamed, as did Gavin and Angmar, with Luz sticking her tongue out like a bad fake corpse for a moment before speaking up as Amity groaned.
"OW! Ugh... Now, I know how Eda felt...", Luz groaned.
"Ow...! Ow...", Amity groaned at the same time before Gus and Mattholomule both screamed again, louder and longer, with Angmar and Gavin screaming next.
Back at the library, Luke, Lucia, Willow, Boscha, and Selena were pulling books off of shelves, one of which crumbled to dust, in hopes to find Philip's diary as a sort of little mouse squeaked, passing by. At that moment, Luke and Lucia gasped upon seeing the diary before pulling it out with Willow, Boscha, Lucia, and Selena squealing and giggling before shushing each other as Mew flew closer to get a good look at the diary. But when Luke opened the diary, he noticed an echo mouse sitting in the pages, having eaten nearly all of them, making him gasp.
"¡Pequeña rata!", Luke shouted with the last word echoing before a few echo mice ran out while Mew squeaked worriedly and disappeared before she could be seen.
"Oh, no.", Lucia said in worry as Luke gasped before Malphas went up to the group of four from behind.
"Boscha? Selena?", Malphas said.
Meanwhile, Gus and Mattholomule were genuinely worried for Luz and Amity, who were now reduced to heads.
"Luz, Amity, are you two okay?!", Gus asked.
"I guess so, but MAN, did that hurt!", Luz responded.
"Other than being reduced to a head, doing great.", Amity added.
"Are you sure you two are all right?", Mattholomule asked.
"Yeah. I just can't feel anything from the chin down. Get it?", Luz grinned a bit nervously before the Headless Horseman roared and charged again.
"You're gonna pay for that!", Gus exclaimed before he then got out an ice glyph and created a spell circle.
"Ice winds, blow!", Gus shouted before blowing them toward the Headless Horseman, moving him back slightly before he then used a Plant Glyph to send him launching up the air with a bit of a scream.
When the ice winds cleared, a few patches of ice, one of which had a pointy end from where the wind was blowing, remained.
"Why don't you chill out for a while?", Gus asked, picking up the pointy end from the ice and snapping it off.
"Whoo! You did it, Gus! You saved us.", Bria grinned.
"Not all of us...", Gavin corrected, gesturing to Luz and Amity's heads held by Gus and Mattholomule.
"Hey. We're still okay. Our heads just aren't attached to our bodies right now.", Luz responded.
"I still don't get it, though. What did they mean by 'couldn't handle Glandus'?", Amity puzzled.
"Things work differently at Glandus. Weak students are pushed around by the strong. But if I had a Galdorstone, I might be able to change things for the better.", Bria responded.
"Aw, really?", Luz beamed a bit.
"Hey! Over here!", Angmar exclaimed before everyone got to the ruins with Bria gasping.
"The Ruins of Sleepy Hollow...! We're here!", Luz grinned.
"Okay, Angmar, you're on lookout duty. Angmar!", Bria said upon noticing that Angmar was distracted by butterflies.
"Hmm?", Angmar asked.
"I said you're on lookout duty. And if I catch you playing with anymore bugs, I'll make you eat them! Okay?", Bria asked, making Angmar whimper.
"I believe in you!", Bria exclaimed.
This, however, made Luz and Amity uneasy about Bria before they all entered the ruins. When they did, Mew reappeared in the Hollow Forest outside the ruins.
"Mew?", Mew puzzled before noticing Luke and Lucia's decapitated bodies, alarming her, before they started moving by themselves, albeit a bit clumsily, much to Mew's puzzlement, at first before she then giggled at the sight and moved closer to them.
"I can't believe we found it.", Mattholomule said in surprise before Bria gasped and used her magic to get a Galdorstone and cracked a statue in the process.
"Oh. Whoops. Well, we did it everyone. The power of the Galdorstones is ours!", Bria said before the Galdorstone enhance her own construction magic, making a big tree trunk with little branches on it.
"I can't believe it. The legends were true! Woo-hoo!", Bria squealed before she, Gavin, and Mattholomule went around stealing the Galdorstones with Gus moving aside the plants covering the bases of the statues.
"What the...?", Luz said in surprise.
"Huh. 'The Phantom Bringer.'", Gus said in a bit of surprise.
"Mari...?", Luz puzzled before Gus checked out the other graves.
"'Aleth the Vision Creator'? 'Khari the Mirage Maker.' But these titles are for-", Gus began before gasping.
"Wait a minute... those aren't ruins...! That's an illusionist graveyard!", Luz shouted.
"Oh no. Stop! These aren't ruins. This is an illusionist graveyard.", Gus said.
"What?!", Amity said in shock before Mattholomule dropping the Galdorstone he was holding with one hand.
"Ew!", Mattholomule reacted before Bria giggled.
"Aw, Gus, you're saying that as if it's a bad thing.", Bria said.
"That IS a bad thing!", Luz shouted.
"Luz is right. These stones were theirs. We shouldn't take them.", Gus agreed.
"Even if these witches were alive, what would illusionists use Galdorstones for? High-def party tricks?", Bria asked.
"No. I'd bet they'd make your worst nightmares come to life!", Luz spitefully retorted.
"Come on, Gus. Don't you wanna power up those cool spells of yours?", Bria asked.
"No. This isn't right. I won't let you steal these.", Gus refused.
"Yeah, you tell her, Gus!", Luz smirked.
"I don't think you know what you're saying, Gus.", Bria sneered angrily.
"Oh, really? Because I was beginning to wonder if you were ever going to change things in Glandus like you said you would.", Amity retorted angrily before Angmar ran in.
"It's the Headless Horseman! He's coming this way!", Angmar shouted before everyone screamed and ran for cover before the Headless Horseman arrived and roared as his horse whinnied.
"How did he get here so fast?!", Gus exclaimed.
"Gus...? Now would be a good time to get out another glyph.", Amity said in worry before Gus tried to reach for a glyph only to pat himself down.
"I can't! I'm all out of glyphs!", Gus shouted before Luz and Amity gasped as the Headless Horseman raised his sword to strike again.
Meanwhile, at the steps of the library, the girls were standing before Malphas, who wasn't as intimidating as he appeared earlier.
"I'm just like super disappointed in you two. Like, I can't even process these feelings right now. Gosh, it's so hard for me to say this, but like, you two're fired.", Malphas said before he sadly took Selena and Boscha's employee ID's as the two girls tensed before Malphas turned away with the doors closing heavily.
"Selena..., Boscha, we are so so-", Willow began.
"Not right now, Willow. This isn't even your fault, anyway. It's just... Luke, everything's changed since you and your sisters came here. Being around you, it makes me do stupid things and I wish it didn't.", Boscha interrupted, starting to tear up before gasping.
"It's okay. I, uh- I do stupid things around you too, Boscha.", Luke responded before Boscha and Selena gasped as did Willow and Lucia.
"I think we need to go home.", Boscha said a bit sadly before leaving with Selena sighing sadly for her as she left with her.
"Boscha...", Willow said sadly with Lucia feeling just as bad before Luke groaned, took a deep breath, and patted his cheeks, opening his eyes, now filled with determination.
"Nada funcionará a menos que lo haga funcionar.", Luke said before he walked back into the library.
"Luke, wait!", Lucia said as she joined him.
"We're coming, too!", Willow added.
Back to the Ruins of Sleepy Hollow, the headless horseman attacked, swinging his sword with Gus barely missing before hiding behind a statue as the headless horseman swiftly hacked at the big branch angrily, making it fall to the ground.
"What now?", Luz asked.
But right then, a sudden fog surrounded by electricity appeared, puzzling the horseman as much as everyone else who took notice before a bestial roar sounded with the source of said sound turning out to be a sort of floating whale with flames and claws.
"What is that?", Amity asked.
"I think that must be the ruins' previous guardian.", Mattholomule said.
"I heard it has the power to control weather.", Angmar added.
"And summon ghosts.", Gavin added.
"Uh, It'll just be an illusion, but maybe I can help it scare the horseman away.", Gus said before then conjuring an illusion of the creature, which appeared beside it, much to the Horseman's puzzlement before the illusion poofed away with the creature went staticky and then poof away, revealing the true source to be an old man.
"Aw, dang it...", the keeper sighed before the enraged Headless Horseman raised his sword and then swung down only for Gus to step in, brandishing an icicle, like blade to perry it, prompting the headless horseman to move back.
"Well, I don't know if this is gonna work because I'm a head, but...", Luz began before taking a deep breath as a spell circle appeared in front of her before she then breathing her ice winds on him, freezing him in ice this time.
"Huh. I meant to blow him away, but I guess that works, too.", Luz said.
"Who are you, anyway?", Amity asked.
"Oh-ho! I am Ichabod, the keeper of the Sleepy Hollow Graveyard.", Ichabod responded.
"Ichabod...? Ooh! Like Ichabod Crane from the Sleepy Hollow story back home!", Luz grinned.
"Dreadfully sorry, but I haven't the faintest idea of who that is.", Ichabod said before Luz grumbled a bit.
"Still, it has been a very long time since I've had a visitor! And to think it'd be another illusionist! Hehehehehe, though I don't remember them being so small.", Ichabod said as he hugged Gus before Gus gave him a face as did Luz and Amity.
"Don't give me that face. An illusionist has always kept watch over the Galdorstones, We gain no powers from them, so we're the least likely to use them for evil. Probably.", Ichabod responded.
"Well, we gotta get out of here. Now.", Gus said.
"Yeah, that headless horseman could break free at any moment!", Luz agreed before
"So, the big bag guardian is just another useless illusionist. Hehehe, today just keeps getting better.", Bria giggled before Gavin and Angmar then traced their spell circles and then summoned an abomination, grabbing the group of five before the branches appeared, wrapping themselves around them as Bria smirked while Gus glared at her.
"You little rat!", Luz shouted, her echoes, attracting Mew's attention, puzzling her before she peeped out from the wall to see Luz, Amity, Gus, and Ichabod in trouble.
"Me-rew!", Mew spoke before flying down and away from the wall.
Act IV
Ichabod and Gus were struggling to break free from an abomination and some vines as Bria and the other Glandus students stole.
"Got it! Whoops.", Bria said, getting some Galderstones before dropping them with Angmar and Gavin catching them as Mattholomule picking up a Galderstone.
"Huh. Hey!", Mattholomule exclaimed as Angmar stole it from him.
"You're playing by Glandus rules, Matty. You can have anything you want if you're strong enough to take it.", Bria smirked before she, Gavin, and Angmar laughed, making Luz angry before she shouted.
"I WISH THAT HEADLESS HORSEMAN WOULD BREAK OUT OF THIS ICE AND CHOP OFF ALL YOUR HEADS LIKE YOU DESERVED!", Luz shouted before panting angrily, leaving Ichabod, Gus, Amity, and even Matthololmule surprised.
"What? Too dark?", Luz asked before suddenly the ice started cracking apart, catching Bria's attention, making her deathly afraid.
"Oh, no...!", Bria gasped before the Headless Horseman roared as he broke out of the ice and then turned to Bria and her cohorts with a growl.
"Uh-oh.", Luz said in worry.
Then, the headless horseman roared as his horse whinnied before Bria and the others ran from the Headless Horseman, who chased after them, intent on beheading them like he did Luz and Amity earlier.
"AAH! Cursed! This place is cursed!", Bria shouted before screaming as she and the others ran off.
"What are YOU still doing here? Apart from holding my girlfriend's head.", Luz glared.
"Hey. I-I didn't know she was gonna do this.", Mattholomule began before Bria shouted.
"Matty, we need you to hold our stuff if we survive!", Bria shouted before the Horseman roared as he swung at Bria, making her squeal in horror before she ducked, barely making it.
"Luz has turned the Horseman's wrath upon us as revenge!", Angmar shouted in panic as he, Bria, and Angmar ran.
"We're doomed!", Gavin added.
"This is exactly how it was at Glandus. Always Bria's stooge.", Mattholomule responded.
"Better a stooge than a clown. Bria was right, illusions are nothing but high-def party tricks.", Gus sighed sadly.
"Yeah, I used to think that too. But then I met some dork who used his powers to save me from a sword-swinging headless horseman, even if your friends paid the price for it to save you.", Mattholomule responded as he made a saw of rock to cut the vines trapping Gus and Ichabod.
"Hey, we're still alive here.", Luz added.
"Yeah, we may be heads, but we're not dead.", Amity added.
"I know that! Look, all I'm saying is, if a dumb illusion can save a jerk like me, maybe it's not as useless as you think.", Mattholomule said as he successfully freed Gus and Ichabod.
"Thanks, Mattholomule.", Gus thanked.
"Okay, Mattholomule. We don't like you and you don't like us, but those three? They're the worst! But even if they are, nobody deserves having their head chopped off like we did.", Luz said.
"Really? Whatever happened to, 'I WISH THAT HEADLESS HORSEMAN WOULD BREAK OUT OF THIS ICE AND CHOP OFF ALL YOUR HEADS LIKE YOU DESERVED'?", Mattholomule teased.
"I was really mad at them for using us, okay? I wasn't even thinking straight when I said that out loud.", Luz explained.
"All right. I never thought I'd say this, but let's go save those jerks!", Gus said.
"Any ideas?", Amity asked.
"I'll call the hounds.", Ichabod said, slightly unsettling Mattholomule.
"Whoa.", Mattholomule said.
"Uh, for who? Us? Or them?", Amity asked.
"Any other ideas? You know, like how to get him to stop chasing and beheading everyone he sees?", Luz asked.
"Well, according to legend, the reason he wanders this part of the forest and attacks intruders was because in his past life, before he became the headless horseman, he was Archibald Brightburn, the finest warrior of the Deadwardian Era and supporter of all magic, even Illusions. But after his head was severed during a great war in Amphibia, he became vengeful for the loss of his head and is possibly looking to get a new head right now. After all, none of the heads he cut off up to now could come remotely close to satisfying him.", Ichabod explained as Mew flew over above him, Amity, Luz, Gus, and Matthololmule.
"So, where do we find something like that?", Gus asked.
"Mrew?", Mew spoke before then floating over to a statue just as Luz noticed said statue with a grave just below it, the inscription entitled, "Archibald Brightburn: the Greatest Warrior of the Deadwardian Era".
"Guys? Look at this. 'Archibald Brightburn: the Greatest Warrior of the Deadwardian Era'? That doesn't make any sense.", Luz said.
"Yeah. If this is an illusionist graveyard, why would his grave be here?", Amity puzzled as Mew, unbeknownst to everyone, went up to the statue's neck.
"Mew-re!", Mew spoke as she traced a line around the neck.
"Mew, Mew!", Mew spoke, pushing the neck off before it fell.
"Incoming!", Mattholomule shouted as he just noticed it falling down.
Then, by sheer luck, Ichabod caught the head.
"Hey! That's it! If we can put this head on him, it might calm his millenium-long rage!", Ichabod grinned.
"That's a great idea.", Amity grinned.
"Now, all we need to do is to get back to our bodies first and we'll be on our way.", Luz said before noticing that her body and Amity's were walking up to the group by themselves, making Luz gasp.
"Could this day get any better!", Luz said excitedly before giggling as while Amity gave a nervous, bashful grin while the two heads were held by Gus and Mattholomule.
"So, how are we gonna catch him by surprise?", Amity asked, relieved as she is to be back in her body.
"With all due respect, sir, I'd like to try something a little more... creative.", Gus grinned.
Meanwhile, a statue crumbled due to Angmar leaping away from the headless horseman's strikes with his sword, panting heavily in fear.
As soon as the horseman raised his sword and started to bring it down, his sword suddenly went up like it hit something invisible before Angmar, too busy getting bracing himself, was caught and snatched away by Luz's hands, making him drop the Galderstones he was carrying. Soon after, the Headless Horseman then went after Gavin next, cornering him enough for him to strike again, only for the end result to repeat, but this time, with Amity's hands clutching Gavin and pulling him away, making him drop the Galderstones as well, with the Headless Horseman getting puzzled to notice that he's no longer there, either. Then, he turned his gaze toward Bria, who quickly fled away.
"Every witch for themselves!", Bria shouted before the Headless Horseman roared as his horse neighed and then started trotting with the horseman grabbing a nearby jack-o-lantern, lighting it in flames and bringing it to life with but a simple touch as it gave an evil laugh, further making Bria more fearful.
As she ran, Bria turned to the Galderstones she, herself, was carrying.
"Oh, yeah! I can't believe I forgot.", Bria grinned before she drew a spell circle, creating a big roadblock for the Horseman, which apparently did nothing to stop his advances as it broke apart when he went through it, much to her shock.
"Huh?", Bria said before she then tried again repeatedly, only to be met with the same result.
"Why isn't my magic working?!", Bria exclaimed before yelping as she barely ducked her head underneath the sword.
"What's going on? No, no. This is all just an illusion. Hahah, it can't actually hurt me. It can't even touch me!", Bria said in denial before the horseman pulled out the pumpkin and then tossed it toward her, flames spewing out from it before Bria gasped as the pumpkin moved toward her, prompting Bria to duck and roll, causing the pumpkin to land on the ground and burst into flames in the process.
When Bria recovered, she saw what she had never hoped to see, the heads of Angmar and Gavin seemingly severed as they had corpse-like faces, petrifying her as she gasped in horror before the Headless Horseman walking toward her by horse, further paralyzing her with fear.
"Look... Stealing the galderstones like that is wrong. I get it! P-Please...! Please! NO MORE!", Bria shouted, even starting to shed tears before the horseman only raised his sword with an angry roar as his horse whinnied, making Bria scream and brace herself.
"Fire!", Mattholomule shouted before the statue's head was launched toward the horseman, lodging it into where the neck would be.
Just like that, the sword strike was interrupted, stopping midway before the head started to move again and blink for a moment, the rage finally subsiding as Gus, Mattholomule, and Ichabod, Angmar, and Gavin appeared.
"Phew... That took a lot of concentration.", Gus said.
"Gus...? But... why would you...?", Bria puzzled before the horseman started to give a clam chuckle, which turned into that of a relieving excitement.
"The rage... It's gone...! It's gone! IT'S FINALLY GONE!", the no-longer headless horseman shouted before laughing as he turned to Gus and the others.
"Thank you for purging this rage from my body. It's been dreadful going through it for so long...", the horseman thanked.
"You're welcome.", Luz grinned.
"Bria!", Angmar said as he and Gavin caught up to her.
"Thank goodness you're okay.", Gavin added.
"Gavin? Angmar? You're alive! I thought he chopped your heads off!", Bria said.
"Well, he would've if it weren't for Luz and her friends.", Angmar responded, gesturing to their "heads" which poofed and were revealed to be Luz and Amity.
"Hey, Bria.", Luz said.
"They told us the whole story about who he really was and helped them figure out a way to calm his rage. What happened back then was really strange.", Gavin added as Luz and Amity's heads were put back into their bodies.
"Oh, body...! How I missed you.", Luz said as she hugged herself.
"Well, I think he went a little overboard with the whole beheading thing, so, do you wanna start over?", Amity asked.
"It has been 1,000 years overdue.", Luz added.
"Very well...", the horseman spoke before turning to Bria and her friends.
"Children of Glandus High, I respectfully ask you. What's the first thing an orc does upon seizing power?", the horseman asked.
"What...?", Bria asked, still shaken by the ordeal.
"Norsko. Ashgarn. Ratanák. Every one of these despots. Their first act was to capture the illusionists and confiscate their Illusion Magic. Why? So, they can have absolute power and tread all over the citizenry without so much as one finger lifted against them with only one weapon: Fear. And that... is why... I will never let you steal these stones. You're gonna have to pry these Galderstones, dang it!", the horseman spoke as he picked up the gladerstones that fell before his horse whinnied as it went up for a moment before landing again.
"Pry it! From my cold..., dead... hands.", the horseman warned before Bria fainted with Angmar and Gavin holding her up.
"Maybe we'll just take her home.", Gavin said.
"Yeah, she's probably traumatized after the night she's had.", Angmar added before the two left.
"Well, that was a riveting speech.", Amity grinned.
"Laying an illusion over the whole graveyard to make it seem like the stones weren't working and the horseman has done his work, very clever. Keeping honing your powers of observation, child, and there's no limit to what you'll be able to do.", Ichabod grinned.
"There are some limits. I wish I could repair all the damage they did.", Gus said.
"Um... maybe I can help?", Mattholomule offered.
"Really? Well, as long as you're helping..., so are we.", Luz grinned as she and Amity stepped up.
Later, a bird was chirping, standing on a statue, which had been repaired, though not nearly to their former glory.
"So, there was actually a land called Amphibia?", Luz asked.
"Yes.", the horseman responded as he assisted in the clean-up as well.
"And there were orcs here, too?", Amity asked.
"Yes, there were.", the horseman responded.
"What really happened that got you... cursed?", Gus asked before the horseman sighed.
"Apparently, it was over 1,000 years ago. It was during the great war against the Dark Lord Sauron. I was busy protecting my flanks as best I could from the orcs. But there was one fateful orc I fought and, to this day, will never forget: Azog the Eternal. Somehow, he must've cursed me during the fight. I wasn't exactly sure how it works and was hoping I could find the answer to that. But it was after my death... that I found out the hard way. Somehow, the curse Azog afflicted me with left me to wander in this very realm, beheading anyone who intrudes, consumed by sheer rage. That is..., until now. According to the curse, it said, 'May the curse burn strong with fiery rage until the right head is reunited with the body of age'.", the horseman said.
"Sauron... Wait. We know him! We fought him together at Grom.", Luz realized.
"But now, he's known as Sauron the Neccromancer.", Amity added.
"From what we already know about him, he's awake, but he's not completely awake yet.", Gus stated, much to Mattholumule's surprise.
"Okay, how are you all processing this right now?", Mattholomule asked.
"We had a lot to deal with earlier before now.", Gus responded.
"Well, I guess that would explain that big flaming eye that appeared in the sky.", Mattholomule said.
"Whatever the matter, it's clear that Sauron is becoming a grave threat that cannot be ignored. Fortunately, I know of one way to stop him should he resurrect into this realm.", the horseman said.
"You do?", Amity asked.
"Yes. And what are your names?", the horseman asked.
"I'm Luz. Luz Noceda.", Luz introduced.
"Amity Blight.", Amity added.
"I'm Augustus Porter. Call me Gus for short.", Gus added.
"I'm Mattholomule.", Mattholomule added.
"And I'm Ichabod, keeper of the Ruins of Sleepy Hollow.", Ichabod added.
"I see. Ms. Noceda, For all that you and your friends did in freeing me from my cursed rage, I present you with this gift.", the horseman said, giving Luz a Galderstone.
"Huh? You're actually... giving me one of those? But why?", Luz puzzled.
"There's more to its origins than you currently know. Matter of fact, it's keyed into the one way we can possibly defeat Sauron for good. 1/9th of it, in fact. They didn't just enforce the law... They WERE the law.", the horseman said.
"Oooh. Sounds mysterious.", Luz grinned.
"Thank you for defending the Ruins of Sleepy Hollow, witchlings. Perhaps it's time I hid this place for good. All except for you all, of course.", Ichabod said.
"But- there's so much history here!", Gus said.
"What if we came over on the weekend to help build your defenses?", Mattholomule offered.
"And with Archibald helping, too?", Luz added.
"I would like that very much. You're both welcome to come whenever you please.", Ichabod said before making finger guns and leaving.
"He is definitely a ghost.", Mattholomule said.
"Hey, with all that's happened, he'd better be.", Luz joked.
"So, does that mean we're like... friends now?", Gus asked.
"I... don't know.", Mattholomule said before they both started leaving the graveyard with Mattholomule playfully shoving Gus.
"Squirt. Heheh.", Mattholomule said before Gus playfully shoved back.
"Jerk. Hehahah.", Gus grinned.
"Huh. Who'd have thought that he'd actually be our friend?", Luz grinned.
"I didn't.", Amity responded as she and Luz followed before Mew then disappeared.
Later, at Blight Manor, while Mew reappeared there and then flew closer, although still above, Luke, Lucia, and Willow got there and knocked on the door before Selena and Boscha opened it and saw them with her and Selena's staff cards with Willow and the twins looking very disheveled.
"We are so sorry about everything! I understand if you never wanna see us again and...!", Luke began before Boscha interrupted.
"Don't. It's okay.", Boscha assured before noticing her and Selena's ID Cards.
"Our ID's...!", Boscha said in surprise.
"How'd you get those back? And what happened?", Selena asked.
"Well, to convince Malphas to hire you two again, we had to go through some trials.", Willow explained.
"Not to mention categorize some man-eating books- and, tame something called a paper dragon?", Lucia responded.
"That guy was not fun.", Luke added with a slight groan.
"Oh- looks like you made a new friend.", Boscha said before Luke and Lucia noticed an echo mouse on the latter's leg.
"You! You're that pest that ate the diary!", Luke scolded before Lucia angrily shook her leg, getting it off her before the two pounced on it, making Willow, Selena, and Boscha wince.
"I hate you...!", Luke glared to the echo mouse.
"Wait, This is an echo mouse. It consumes knowledge through writing and can play back anything it eats.", Boscha stated with a giggle.
"Really?", Lucia asked.
"We dealt with them a lot at work. Watch.", Selena responded before she rubbed its head a bit.
As a result, the echo mouse's eyes lit up as it projected illustrations onto the front door.
"Dad...", Lucia said.
"My journey through the Demon Realm is far from over. But today I humbly donate my journal to the ages. Entry one: May 21st... I think. My name is Philip Wittebane, and I found myself in a world so horrid, yet so fantastic, few minds could have dreamt it. If only those at home could see what I have, and perhaps they shall. For the more I learn about this realm, the more I am certain I can harness its strange powers to return home. Today I begin recording my journey to create a portal back to the Human Realm.", Philip's voice said before the projection stopped with Lucia holding up the echo mouse.
"You know that stuff I said a about you being a little rat, little fella? I take it all back.", Luke grinned.
"Me, too. Thank you, little guy. I hope you and I can be good friends.", Lucia said as she booped the mouse's nose with her finger while the wind gently blew her hair around.
Boscha stared between Luke and the damaged ID in her hand before she smiled.
"Don't worry. You always have a way of sneaking into people's hearts.", Boscha said.
"In more ways than one.", Willow added before, while Boscha kissed Luke on the cheek, Willow did the same for Lucia.
Both of them looked surprised by what they did as Luke and Lucia each turned to tem, not knowing that Edric and Emira were watching.
"Bold move, cousins.", Edric said, arching from an open window before Luke and Boscha made eye contact as did Lucia and Willow, both gasping softly, although Willow gave a high-pitched squeak as she and Boscha both blushed furiously and stepped away.
"Uh- okay- good to see you!", Boscha blushed.
"See you guys at Hexside!", Willow added as Boscha and Selena went inside while Willow quickly ran off, but not before the latter spoke.
"See you all then.", Selena grinned before winking to Luke as she followed Boscha.
"Why did I do that? Why'd I do that? Why did I do that?", Boscha asked to herself as she closed the door with Luke and Lucia standing there for a second before the former collapsed to his knees, still facing where Selena and Boscha once were as the latter giggled, neither one knowing that Mew was watching.
"Mew?", Mew spoke in wonder.
A/N: Looks like some new key elements are coming to light. especially with who Luke and Lucia are each going out with. Also, Maurice LaMarche voices the Horseman known as Archibald Brightburn. Plus, we get some "Luscha" and "Lucillow" moments as well. Who knows what Chapter 6 would entail now? Perhaps, you could lend some ideas for what might happen. If you want. You know, whatever. No pressure (to quote Trunks from Xenoverse 2). :)