I awake from my slumber to unleash unspeakable atrocities upon my foes. By which, I of course mean that I am cursing you all with a new chapter. I took a bit of a break from writing for a few days. Fall break arrived and my family took a small vacation. Sucks that I only get a two-day break but it is what it is. College itself has been easy-peasy-kill-me-pleasy.

Now onto the business at hand. Enchanting Grom Fright is our backdrop today and I look forward to revealing it. This chapter was a lot of fun to write, I hope it's as much fun to read.


Chapter 11: The Bringer of Fear

Luz took in a deep breath, calming her nerves and steadying her hands. Her eyes focused on the target in front of her. The barrel of her gun pointed straight at the center and she pulled the trigger. The weapon bucked in her hand as the bullet flew through the air, punching through the target. Royal rose from his seat and inspected the bullseye.

The two were currently behind the Owl House, it was early in the morning, but not so early that they risked waking anyone up. Luz had never been particularly interested in firearms before, but now that she had an instructor she actually found it pretty interesting. Royal had even let her try some of his larger rifles. He had explained that there was a special bond between Guardians and the guns they used, that each weapon had a special personality.

He had also taught her about what it meant to be a Guardian, treating her as a sort of protege, though he didn't officially call her that. He had told her that the most important part of being a Guardian was devotion and sacrifice; you must be willing to lay down your well-being, or even your life, for those around you. He then stressed that the second most important part was remembering where you parked your jumpship. Truth be told, he was a far better teacher than Eda, not that Luz would ever say that to her face.

"Six inches off from the center," the Exo mused, "You've been improving." She beamed in response to his praise, she really had improved. Royal had taught her all about her new revolver; aiming technique, proper maintenance, and safety discipline, to name just a few. The training had come in handy more than once, on her first day at school she had used it to help stop a rampaging basilisk. She shivered at the memory, still uncomfortable with the idea of shooting something that could bleed. But that was why she had been experimenting with her glyphs. She had even discovered a plant glyph she could use to summon vines, just like Willow.

"All in all, not bad," Royal continued. Luz smirked, placing her gun on the table.

"Not bad?" She challenged, "I'd say I'm getting pretty good at this."

"Had that been a man, you would've hit him in the arm. Caused him to stagger, maybe knocked him to the ground. Had it been a Cabal Legionnaire, he would've shrugged it off and returned fire. Had it been a Minotaur, I doubt it would have even noticed," Royal said morbidly, "Not bad isn't good enough. Not bad is going to get you killed."

Luz looked down, feeling a little ashamed of her earlier boast. Seeing that he may have gone too far, Royal set a hand on her back.

"But you are still making remarkable progress," he said, checking the time, "We'll have to call it here for today. Let's see if you can progress to halfway reasonable tomorrow." Luz nodded and the two began to clean up. As she did, Luz felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. Pulling it out, she saw that her mom had sent her a text, asking how the camp was going. She struggled to respond, typing and erasing, before deciding to just send a thumbs-up emoji. Royal watched over her shoulder.

"Trouble with your mother?"

"Yeah," Luz sighed, "She still thinks I'm at some boring summer camp when, in reality, I've been learning magic and fighting robots. I don't know how to tell her without causing her to worry. I know she cares about me, she just doesn't understand."

"Look on the bright side, kid," Royal said somberly, patting her on the shoulder, "At least you can remember your mom."


Luz, Gus, and Willow all walked up the steps to the entrance of Hexside. As they walked through the main doors, they noticed that the halls were covered in decorations.

"Somethings different," Luz stated, tapping her chin in thought, "Did everyone get a haircut?"

"Oh yeah," Willow said, "I forgot you've never been here for the social event of the season."

Gus was quick to chime in, "Welcome to your first-" He was cut off when two paramedics ran past, carrying a stretcher between them.

"Outta the way!" One of them shouted, pushing through the crowd of students. They surrounded a Beast-Keeping student with dark skin and hair that covered his eyes. The nearby students all watched as the medics escorted the student onto a stretcher.

"Come with us immediately," one of them ordered, "Your disease… it's advancing!"

"Is there a cure doc?" The student asked weakly.

"Only one," the medic said as a menacing aura drew in around him. In an instant, it dissipated as the medic gained a more upbeat tone, "Finding the perfect date to Grom!" The two wheeled the student over to Skara, who had been watching intently.

If that's the cure… then, Skara, will you go to Grom with me?" He asked, pulling out a still-beating heart with the word Grom written on it. Skara screamed, throwing her books away and pulling the Beast Keeper into a hug.

"Yes I will, or whatever!" The surrounding students and teachers applauded and cheered for the couple.

"You guys have a version of prom on the Boiling Isles?" Luz gasped, I was kicked out of my last school dance for dressing like an otter." Struck by inspiration, she struck a pose, "Maybe I could be your Grom queen."

Willow didn't look very enthusiastic, "That's not something people usually sign up for." As the three conversed, Amity walked around the corner. Unable to see over her stack of books, she bumped right into Luz, dropping her cargo to the ground.

"Watch it, nitwit," she snapped, not realizing who she had run into. A look of recognition passed over her face and she hastily course-corrected.

"Oh, hi Luz… and co. Sorry about that," she apologized, her tone instantly growing softer.

"No problem," Luz dismissed, "let me help you." She crouched down, helping Amity pick up her book and other materials. Seeing a small slip of paper that Amity had dropped, Luz quickly recovered it and offered it to her friend.

"Here, your note." Amity snatched it out of Luz's grasp, her hand moving as fast as Royal's lightning.

"Man, you got some quick grabbers," Luz complimented, not missing a beat.

"It's just, it's… private," Amity said meekly. The hallway fell silent as the loudspeaker screeched to life. A few students murmured excitedly as Principal Bumps' voice came over the intercom.

"Attention Hexside students," he announced, "This is your principal speaking."

"Oh man this is it," Gus said nervously.

"He's announcing who will be this year's Grom royalty," Willow added while Amity shuffled uncertainly.

"This year, I have the privilege of bestowing our highest Grom honor too… Amity Blight! Our Grom Queen." The assembled student body gasped, staring at Amity and whispering among themselves. She shrunk under the many eyes watching her.

"WHOOO! Amity, get it, queen!" Luz cheered, oblivious to the mood of the room. She held up her hand for a high-five only for Amity to run off, disappearing into the crowd.

"Don't leave me hanging," Luz called awkwardly. Willow placed a hand on the Humans shoulder.

"You might wanna give her some space," she soothed, "Being Grom Queen is a tough job. Even for Amity."


"The work is complete."

Synegorus had done it. The Typhon, its magnum opus, was completed. The perfect blend of utilitarian function and cruel design. It was a colossal construct, towering over even the Wyverns it had relied upon. The frame was bipedal, like a Minotaur, only far more armored. Its triangular face featured three optics, each of them glowing with the digital conscience of the Vex. On its left arm was a long-barreled weapon that held within it the searing fury of a planetary core. Adorning the silver chassis was a myriad of frost and icicles. They served no function, nor were they even real. Synegorus had tried to find some justification for their inclusion before concluding that it simply liked how they looked. The aesthetic sensation was something new to the Mind.

The Typhon summoned a large cleaver from nothing. Carved into the blade were very special inscriptions. A circle, with triangular patterns inside it. A flame glyph, discovered by Synegorus after its encounter with the Human child. From that encounter, it had learned that the glyph patterns could be found in nature. The Typhon looked at Synegorus with the same stare that all Vex had. Now, it was time for the finishing touch. Synegorus opened the Typhon and poured into it a fraction of the Mind's hatred, its desire to burn the Universe clean of the infestation of life.

"Rise servant, and obey your master." The Typhon rose and, with a simple calculation, set itself ablaze. The fire coating the Vex form snapped angrily, fueled not by conventional sources, but instead by a combination of magic and the Vex's own power.

"My fire boils atoms into quarks!" It roared. The Typhons' voice sang with power, like a raging wildfire.

"You shall be the first of my great frames, my chosen weapons," Synegorus proclaimed as the Typhon kneeled, "You shall be Pyrikaga, my torchbearer."

"All life exists to feed my flame," Pyrikaga answered obediently, "Everything that they cherish shall be engulfed by the maelstrom."

"Good, you will do nicely," Synegorus said, sending the Typhon to learn of the world it would be invading and the enemies it would be facing. The Mind rumbled as it mused over its current predicament.

"If I could unmake entire worlds with a snap of my fingers, I wouldn't get to have nearly this much fun."


"Very good," Principal Bump said, "Lower the streamers, fill the punch bowl, and how's my disco ball?" He was in the gym, overseeing the final preparations for the Grom celebration. Hanging from a nearby rope was a small pink demon with a large shell, currently serving as the disco ball for the dance. The demon complained about feeling nauseous, which Bump ignored.

"Great, just keep it up for 36 hours." With those final words, he departed. As he left, Luz entered, looking around the room in awe.

"My first school dance experience on the Boiling Isles," she said aloud, taken in by the atmosphere around her, "I can't wait to get overdressed, take awkward photos, push all the buttons… wait what?" Lo and behold, there was a small pedestal with a red button on it. Naturally, she couldn't just let it go unpressed.

"Well hello," she greeted cheekily, "Don't mind if I do." Once she pressed the button, the ground began to rumble as the floor opened, revealing an arena and several racks of blades, maces, flails, shields, and even a knuckleduster if she wasn't mistaken. Royal's training hadn't just covered firearms; he had an appreciation for all weapons and expected her to at least familiarize herself with such tools, just in case.

"Medieval torture seems like a strange theme for Grom," she commented, poking a heavy-looking mace, "but hey-"

"They're not for decoration," Amity's voice echoed from the stands. Looking up, Luz saw the Witch sitting on the top row of the stands.

"This arena's where I'll make my debut as Grom Queen," she continued, rising from her seat and making her way down to Luz's level.

"Right, why don't you seem excited?" Luz asked. Amity grabbed a sword, holding it in a loose grip.

"Because this isn't just some dance party," she said dejectedly, grabbing a sword from the display, "That's Grom. Short for Grometheus, the Fear-Bringer. It's a monster that lives under the school. Every year it tries to break out, and a student had to defeat it before it invades the town. Ever the optimist, Bump holds a party and calls it a tradition. The worst thing is that Grom can read minds and shape-shift into your worst fear. And mine... is very embarrassing." Having finished her tale, she returned the sword.

"Is it Royal?" Luz asked, "I know he was kinda freaking you out."

"No, I've worked past that," Amity said, shivering slightly, "Mostly."

"If it worries you so much, then why don't you just tell Principal Bump that you want out of this death match biz?" Suddenly, she gasped, "Unless talking to Bump is your greatest fear."

A small laugh escaped Amity's lips, "No, but that's a good idea. Thanks, Luz."


"Put on the dress," Eda demanded.

"There is no way in hell I'm wearing that thing," Royal objected.

"I'm already wearing the suit, so you gotta wear the dress," the Owl Lady countered.

"For the last time, sod off," the Exo retorted. The two were currently bickering relentlessly while King watched, eagerly waiting for them to come to blows.

"You already wear a dress all day! How is this any different?"

"These are scholarly robes that denote me as a Warlock. Calling them a dress would be like comparing a Hunters' cloak to a blanket, or a Titans' mark to a towel. It's just insulting."

All I'm hearing are excuses," Eda said, "I don't have any other fancy clothes so these are your only option."

"Can't you just conjure up an illusion or something?" Royal asked, growing tired of their argument. Eda blinked, having completely forgotten about that option.

"I guess I could, but now I just really want to see you in a dress."

"As if I'd even fit in that thing," Royal grumbled. Eda opened her mouth to push one last time before Luz's footsteps interrupted her.

"I'm home guys," she called, poking her head in the door.

"Hey kid, how was class?" Royal greeted as Luz walked in.

"Good, good. Sweet threads Eda, what's the occasion?"

"Chrome-dome and I chaperoning Grom tonight, so I need to look sharp," Eda said casually. Royal held out a hand as he interjected.

"Let it be known that I got roped into this against my will."

"I told him that if he helped me out, I'd consider us even," Eda explained.

"Which does not extend to wearing a dress!"

"I dunno," Lancer said from behind Luz. She managed to refrain from recoiling in surprise, growing more accustomed to the Ghost's antics. "I think you could pull it off."

"And Gus asked me to co-emcee the fight!" King spoke up, finally realizing that all the fight had left the room, "We're gonna turn this bloodbath into a fun bath."

"Have they announced the victim yet?" Eda questioned. Luz furrowed her brow, leaning back against Eda's nest.

"Yeah, it's Amity. She's kinda freaking out though, I wish I could, like, take her place or something."

The response was instant, as Eda and King collapsed into laughter while Royal looked at her like she had grown a second head.

"I don't know," he said, "If even a fraction of the things Eda has told me are true, then I think it would be best if you stayed home."

"Relax Buckethead," Eda said, managing to catch her breath, "It's perfectly safe. So long as you aren't Groms' punching bag. That being said, he is right Luz, you wouldn't last a minute. Grom is on a whole different level and you're just a Human. And Humans are, you know, fragile." As soon as she said that, Royal's head snapped to her.

"Oh, fragile, are we? How about I go down there and throttle Grom myself, show you just how fragile I am." Not one to be outdone, Luz also stepped forward, blushing indignantly.

"I've been learning lots of new spells and Royal's been training me, I can handle myself."

"Easy kid," Royal swapped targets, holding her back, "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. You have proven that you are capable, but you're still learning. The mind adventures were one thing, the basilisk another, and don't even get me started on the shrinking episode, but a literal fear demon might be a few steps too far."

Luz quickly rounded on him, "So fighting the Vex is perfectly fine, but this is too much?"

"Never once did I intentionally send you off to fight the Vex, those were circumstances outside of my control. I still object to the idea of sending off children to fight this thing, the only reason I'm not kicking down the door myself is that Eda assured me that they'll be safe."

"What's the point of all this training if you won't let me use it to help my friends?" Luz challenged, "I'm not some weak child!"

"There's a horrifying spider in your hair," Eda remarked evenly. Luz wasn't falling for it.

"Nope, I'm not as fragile as you think Eda," Luz said defiantly, turning around, "And I won't be so easily fooled." Unbeknownst to Luz, there actually was a massive spider clinging to the back of her head. Royal was about to speak up before Eda held up her hand, signaling him to stop. Luz exited the room, slamming the door behind her.

"Maybe you were too hard on her," King said, "She's saved both of you before." Royal nodded pensively, perhaps he should put more faith in the young girl. Guilt began to gnaw at him, he wasn't being fair to Luz.

"Facing Grom means facing your worst fear, King," Eda responded, "I don't think Luz understands what that means yet."

"I still feel like I should take care of it myself," Royal said with a ruthless edge in his voice.

"Out of the question," Eda rejected, "Can you even imagine what Grom would turn into if he laid eyes on you?" Royal conceded as Eda turned to inspect herself in the mirror.

"Do you think I could pull off a dress?" He asked uncertainly.

"You could pull off anything," King encouraged, "We're style geniuses!"


Luz tore through the trees, pushing branches out of the way, muttering angrily to herself. She was sick of being treated like she was helpless. She picked up a hefty stick, swinging it around a bit.

"I'm not 'fragile'," she ranted, "I'll show them. I'm tough. I'm a bad boy." She heard a set of distant footsteps coming from just behind a thick bush, startling her out of her mood.

"Ominous footsteps," she said quietly, "Creepy woods. No problem for a bad boy like me." She lifted her stick, ready to defend herself. Letting out a valiant battle cry, she charged and swung her improvised weapon. She felt it impact someone, knocking them to the ground. Her victim let out a cry of pain and surprise. Luz blinked, she recognized that voice. She pulled out a light glyph and activated it. To her shock, Amity was nursing a bruise on her head. Luz tossed her stick aside, helping her friend up.

"Oh my gosh. Amity, I am so sorry," she apologized profusely.

"And here I thought this day- Oop!" Unfortunately, just as Amity regained her footing, she began to slip on the mud beneath her. Luz pulled her close and Amity managed to stabilize herself. Amity stared at Luz's face, inches away from her own, and blushed. She broke off, sitting down on a nearby stump.

"-Couldn't get any worse," she concluded. Luz looked around, not seeing another available stump. She plopped down in the mud, not particularly concerned with the mess.

"Did you talk to Bump? Was it as terrifying as you imagined?"

Amity sighed, "He said no. I'm Grom Queen, unless I can find a replacement. And who'd want to switch with me?" She curled up, tucking her legs into her chest. Luz watched her friend. She felt awful for Amity. If only there was a way she could help.

What would Royal do? She wondered, recalling the lessons he had taught her about being a Guardian. Being a Guardian is about devotion to your people and sacrificing yourself for their sake. Luz brightened, she knew what to do.

"I would."

"What?" Amity looked up, confused. Luz stood up, striking a heroic pose.

"Amity Blight, I'll do it. I'll take your place and face Grom in the arena. I'll be your fearless champion!" She declared. Right as she finished, a massive spider crawled over the top of her head and onto her face. Luz screamed and slammed her face into the mud. Pulling herself out of the muck, she groaned weakly.

"Fearless… champion."


Not long later, Luz found herself back in her room. She was rummaging through a chest of spare clothes while Lancer watched. She pulled out a black dress, holding it up.

"It's nice but too bland for you," Lancer said, laying down his verdict. Luz reached in again, retrieving an otter costume.

"Now that is much more 'you'. Though it might be hard to fight in." Her phone buzzed and Luz set the clothes down. Her mom had texted her again, sending a picture of a sign for Chimichurri sandwiches and a message saying that she missed her. Luz frowned as Lancer gave a sympathetic whistle. Hooty decided to interrupt the moment by cramming through the window and pressing himself up against her face.

"Oh, Luz. You have a guest!" He said in a sing-song voice. He retreated as the door opened, pushed open by Amity. Luz greeted her as the Witch picked feathers out of her hair.

"If that bird tube ever talks to me again, I'm going to destroy it," she swore.

"I hear that sister," Lancer chirped, "I still gotta be careful whenever I'm alone, just in case he tries to eat me." The two shared a nod before Amity got back to the task at hand.

"You ready to train?" She asked. Luz picked up the clothes she had set on the ground.

"Which should I wear to Grom? This one says; Witch with a dark side. But this one says; I'm an otter… with a dark side."

"Luz, you need to take this seriously," Amity pleaded, not interested in playing dress-up, "If you can't defeat Grom, everyone on the island will have to live out their worst nightmare." Hooty returned, pushing himself against Amity's face.

"You wanna hear my worst nightmare?" This proved to be a mistake as Amity immediately attacked the house demon. It took all of Luz's strength to hold her back as Hooty retreated, a myriad of bruises across his face and body. Once Amity calmed down, the two went out front where the twins were waiting for them. Lancer departed to help Eda with Royal's outfit.

"Grom will transform into your darkest fears. What are you afraid of, Luz?" Amity asked. As Luz thought, Edric leaned closer to his sister.

"Wanna say our greatest fears? One, two… being alone forever!"

"Being stuck with you forever," Emira said plainly. Her brother slumped.

"In preparation, I've made a list," Luz proclaimed, pulling a piece of paper out of her pocket. She passed it to the twins, who read it and chuckled. They each drew a spell circle. Illusions appeared around Luz, manifesting as a text from a creep, a cat with a Human face, a glass of milk, and a Vex Minotaur.

"One of these things is not like the other," Edric whispered to his twin, who nodded in agreement. Amity sighed as Luz freaked out.

"Not enough. The reason I can't face Grom, it goes deeper than things that just gross me out or present some physical threat." She poked Luz in the chest, "What's your real fear, Luz?"

"My real fear is…" she began, looking up at the window to Eda's room, "that Eda and Royal think I'm too fragile. That I can't do this. And if they're right, then I'll never be a real Witch." The twins looked at each other and nodded. They each drew a spell circle, summoning colossal illusions of both Eda and Royal. They looked down at Luz, judging her.

"You're inadequate," the Eda illusion berated.

"You will never be good enough," the Royal illusion added. Luz shrunk under their assault.

Upstairs, the real Eda and Royal were finalizing their outfits. Royal had finally relented and tried on the dress, only for it to be far too small for him to wear. Now, he was wrapped in his Human illusion with a black suit and purple tie. Eda wore a similar brown suit and was busy fiddling with a yellow bow tie in the mirror.

"Still got it," she said, shooting finger guns at her reflection. Royal barely stifled a laugh, to which Eda shot him a look.

"Something funny, Glowstick?"

"No, no," Royal said, holding himself back, "It's a good look."

Eda was about to reply before being interrupted by a loud cry. Swinging the window open, both she and Royal witnessed Luz being verbally bombarded by doppelgangers of themselves.

"Is that supposed to be me?" Eda asked in disbelief before gaining a sly look in her eye, "Damn, I look good."

"This is trippy," Royal muttered, not sure what to make of the scene before him.

"Wait a minute," Eda said suddenly, "You're training to be Grom Queen!"

"So what if I am?" Luz challenged. Eda dropped down to ground level, with Royal floating right behind her.

"You think training will help you against Grom?" Eda pushed, "You always go overboard and I have to bail you out. What's the fun in watching a kid get eaten by a monster when it's my kid? Aren't I right Royal?"

The Guardian had been deep in thought as Eda chewed her pupil out. Her words snapped him out of his stupor. His gaze flicked between student and mentor as they watched him. As he looked into Luz's eyes, he saw resolve as firm as iron.

"She can do it," he said, surprising everyone, especially himself. Eda stared at him in utter disbelief.

"You're not going to stop me?" Luz asked hesitantly. Royal shook his head.

"I've only known you for a month or two," Royal said, "But I've learned a fair bit. Specifically that there is nothing I can do to stop you from helping your friends. One may as well attempt to chain the wind. So, I shall put my faith in you. Think of it as a test." Luz brightened at his endorsement while Eda still seemed to have been thrown off.

"Well, it doesn't really matter," Amity spoke up, "We are literally out of time."

"Do you really intend to let her go through with this?" Eda whispered.

"I do," Royal answered, "But if it looks like she's in real danger, I will intervene."


It was following her. Lilith had been having a nice dream for once and now that damnable Harpy was here to haunt her. Exhaustion had finally caught up with her while she was working. It had been a lovely dream, she was back with her family before Eda had been cursed. They were enjoying dinner together. Then, it appeared.

Lilith had excused herself to get some fresh air. The Harpy had followed her. She had tried going for a walk to get her mind off it, but it still followed her. She could see its glowing eye, hear its mechanical chirps, and feel its very presence.

"Leave me alone!" She shouted into the abyss of her own dream. For once, the Harpy seemed to hear her. She felt it recede and let out a sigh of relief.

Then, unimaginable force.

She collapsed to her knees, unable to stand under the weight bearing down on her. It was as though the Titan himself was standing atop her. Blood began to leak from her nose, ears, and eyes. Even in her dream, she could feel the agonizing pain.

"The time draws near," an impossibly powerful voice rang throughout her dreamscape, "Soon, death shall be the only word on the wind." Lilith let out a small gasp of pain as the voice finished.

"A presence? One I did not anticipate," it spoke again. Lilith screamed as the pressure somehow became more intense.

"Get out of my head," she whimpered. The voice simply laughed. It sounded like bones grinding against each other.

"Worry not, little one. It will all be over soon."

Lilith woke in a sweat, knocking several papers and utensils off her desk. She struggled to calm her breathing. Gingerly, she rubbed her face. When she pulled her hands away, her heart dropped when she saw her fingers dripping with blood.


The Grom dance was in full swing. Students were chatting, laughing, and just generally enjoying themselves. A few teachers hovered on the outskirts, awkwardly conversing among themselves. Lancer had somehow stuck up a conversation with the demon acting as the disco ball. Royal grabbed two cups of punch from the bowl and carried them over to Eda. He offered her a cup, which she accepted and downed instantly.

"Never seen you so on edge," he commented. Eda fidgeted, fiddling with her empty cup.

"Of course I'm on edge," she said tersely, "We're going to have to save Luz from a huge monster. I'm surprised you aren't more nervous, I have to be more on edge just to keep the average up."

"Believe me, I'm worried too," he soothed, "But we need to have faith in Luz. Also, I'm just better at hiding it than you."

"So much for mama's night out," she huffed. The lights dimmed as Gus stepped on stage.

"It's almost time for our main Grom event. Please, please, take a seat, and be aware that the first three rows are splash zones." As the crowd cheered, Royal hesitated. This may have been a mistake after all.

"I see we've got Principal Bump in the house," Gus continued, working the crowd smoothly, "Now sir, I hope you don't throw us in detention because we're going to raise the roof!" The spotlight shone on Principal Bump, who gave a small smile and pumped his hands slightly. The students cheered as King fiddled with his props, muttering to himself. Joining Eda at the top of the stands, Royal looked over to the door Luz would enter from and tapped his leg anxiously.

"Come on kid," he whispered, "Make us proud."

"Now, introducing our Grom Queen," Gus announced, hyping up the crowd, "You know her, you love her… you've at least heard of her. Luz, the Human!" The spotlight swung to face the entrance as Luz entered, wearing a half-suit/half-dress combo. She said something that Royal couldn't hear to Amity, who was standing behind her. A pedestal crawled over to Gus and he pressed the large red button atop it. Large weapon racks rose from the ground as the floor split in half, dividing the students. Luz stepped toward the arena, looking between the available weapons. Her hand lingered over a flail before she remembered what Royal had told her.

"Flails are impractical, cumbersome weapons that are more likely to damage the wielder than the enemy. They are unable to retain the force of your swing and require extensive training to be used properly. The only advantage they offer is the ability to wrap around your opponent's weapon or shield. All things considered, I would rather go into a fight barehanded than use a flail."

She reached for a nearby arming sword, placing a few glyphs along the flat of the blade. Off to the side, Royal nodded approvingly. She then checked her holster to confirm that her revolver was still in place, intending only to use it as a last resort. A determined smirk formed on her face as she ventured into the pit. Thick, black smoke began to rise from the ground and Luz turned to face it.

"There you are Gromarama. Not too scary, are you?"

Grom shifted form, appearing as several cats with Human faces that begged her to make them Human. She cringed and swung her sword with a firm, two-handed grip. For each apparition that she banished, more manifested. To prevent them from surrounding her, she stabbed her sword into the ground, activating a glyph. Ice erupted around her, shooting outward and spearing the cat-men. King took to the stage as Gus continued, leaving Eda and Royal alone.

"Did you teach her that?" Eda asked. Royal shook his head.

"I expressly told her not to stab her sword into the ground, terrible for edge retention. But she does have a habit of surprising us, doesn't she?"

Back in the pit, Grom chose a new angle of attack. It changed its form to that of a large phone, with a message from a creep. Luz didn't hesitate, activating another glyph on her sword. The blade became coated in ice, easily tripling in length. Luz thrust, skewering the phone and causing it to vanish.

Grom writhed, searching Luz's mind for another fear. Finally, it found something. The demon morphed into a Minotaur and slammed its fist into the ground, screeching in its mechanical tongue. Luz let out a shaky breath and pulled out her pistol. Grom charged as Luz opened fire. The rounds punched through Grom as it reared back for a strike. Luz dragged her sword along the ground, activating her final glyph. As the blade made contact, a massive pillar of ice shot forth, slamming into Grom and pushing it into the ceiling. The demon writhed in rage as Luz bested it once again. Searching once more, it found exactly what it was looking for.

The portal door appeared behind Luz and swung open. The crowd watched with bated breath as an adult Human woman stepped out.

"Mija?" She asked, looking around the room in confusion.

"Mom! What are you doing here?"

"What is this horrible place? This isn't camp. And are those weapons?" The Grom-woman questioned. Luz dropped her weapons as she panicked.

"I-I can explain," she stuttered, backing up. Royal clenched his fists, ready to intervene. Eda placed her arm across his chest.

"Remember, we can't let Grom see you," she whispered. Royal groaned, frustrated but understanding. Grom morphed into a more monstrous form.

"Mija, have you been lying to me?" It growled. Luz continued to concede ground before her courage finally ran out.

"I can't do it, I can't face my fear!" She cried, running out of the arena and into the hall.

Grom snarled as it gave chase, "Why are you running, Luz?" Royal and Eda both leaped to their feet, following the Fear Bringer into the hallway where Amity was waiting for them.

"What happened in there?" She asked.

"Luz panicked," Royal said quickly, "I need to catch up with her before Grom does."

"I'm coming too," Amity said, "It should've been me in the first place."

"Just stay behind me," Royal acquiesced, "Let's get moving."

The three ran outside, with Royal tracking Luz's position. Not that he needed to, Grom wasn't exactly hiding its tracks. He pulled out his sparrow as Eda helped Amity onto her staff. They took off, chasing down the fear demon. Royal gripped the handlebars of his sparrow tightly, pushing it faster and faster. Luz was going to die and it would be all his fault.

They finally caught up with Grom, who had cornered Luz at the edge of a cliff. Eda dropped Amity off behind a bush before chucking a fireball at Grom's back. Royal joined in, chucking a solar grenade at the demon. The two landed on either side of Grom, with Eda pointing her staff and Royal pointing his glaive at Grom.

"It's ok Luz," Royal called to her, "We can handle this."

Grom rumbled, preparing to attack. Before any of them could strike, Amity raced out of the bushes, throwing herself between Grom and Luz.

"Stay away from her!" She shouted. Grom growled and grabbed the Witch. It rooted through her mind, searching for her fear. Her eyes glowed as it latched onto its new target. Eda and Royal held their fire as Grom shifted once more, appearing as a humanoid figure, roughly Amity's size. It reached into her pocket, pulling out a small note and ripping it in half. Amity closed her eyes, clutching her dress as Grom slunk away. Stooping down, she picked up half of her note and held it to her chest. Luz picked up the other half and read it.

"You were afraid of being rejected?" Luz asked, "Amity, it's ok. What if I went to Grom with you instead?" She held out her hand.

"Really?" Amity asked, accepting the gesture.

"That's what friends do."

Amity smiled, then looked at Grom sternly. It drew back, rising above the two and roaring.

"Then if that's settled, may I have this dance?"

The two began to duel with Grom, weaving magic and dancing together flawlessly. They spun, perfectly in sync, as Amity raised them on the back of a massive Abomination and Luz prepared several plant glyphs. Luz dipped back as Amity held on, placing her glyph on the Abomination. The two lept off as the Abomination charged forward. Grom met the charge, only for the Abomination to surge directly into its gullet. Grom began to swell as the glyphs activated. Vines began to burst out of the creature as the girls finished their act. Grom exploded as the two stared into each other's eyes. Where the demon once was, a large tree with pink leaves stood. Matching tiara's appeared on the girls' heads as the last remnants of Grom retreated.

"So," Luz started playfully, "Who did you wanna ask out?"

Amity blushed, "Oh, it's not important." Royal propped his glaive on his shoulder as he walked over to the two.

"Now that was a fine display, from both of you," he praised, "I knew you could do it." The rest of the student body arrived on the scene, led by King. He raced over to the two and cheered into his microphone.

"And there you have it, folks. A happy ending for this year's Grom. Let's give a big hand to our Grom Queens, Luz and Amity!" The crowd cheered, lifting them up in celebration.

"You know," Lancer said, slipping in next to Royal, "I ship them." Royal looked at his Ghost, not understanding what he was talking about.


Everyone returned to the auditorium for one final dance. Amity and Luz were at the center of attention, laughing and celebrating as they danced around each other. Royal stood off to the side, sipping punch and avoiding attention. Unfortunately, Luz hadn't forgotten him.

"Come on, Royal," she shouted, "Get in here and have some fun." The Guardian held up his hands, trying to back out, only for the crowd to pull him in.

"You gotta show us your moves," Luz begged, "I wanna see you do the robot." She performed some generic robot moves before looking at the Guardian expectantly.

"First off, that's racist," he said in an amused tone, "And second…" He proceeded to effortlessly execute the most intricate robot dance anyone had ever seen. Granted, for most of the audience, it was the first time they had ever seen it. He ended by flipping around and balancing himself on one hand. He dropped back to his feet as everyone around him watched, slack-jawed.

"Never challenge a Titan to an arm-wrestling match, a Warlock to a trivia game, a Hunter to a knife-throwing contest, or a Guardian to a dance battle."


The celebration had to come to an end eventually and the festivities wrapped up. Eda, Royal, Luz, and King walked into the Owl House, chatting about the night.

"I still can't believe that you can dance, Rustbucket," Eda joked. Royal chuckled.

"I've got gears that you can only dream of. Although I'm way out of practice, I pulled a servo back there."

"And let's not forget the lady of the hour," Eda continued, "Great work out there kiddo."

"Thanks," Luz said bashfully, "but I think I'm going to head to sleep. It's been a busy night." She took off her tiara and handed it to King, who accepted it eagerly.

"Now I am King and Queen, the best of both worlds!"

Luz retired to her room and opened the window. She sat on the windowsill and sighed. Despite everyone praising her, she still felt like she had failed. She hadn't been able to face her greatest fear, her mom. She pulled out her phone and saw that she had two messages from her mother. Smiling, she began to type.

I won't lie. Today was kinda hard.

Gus and Willow were inspecting a small fragment of Grom. Willow poked it and it turned into a ladybug, causing her to jump back.

And I don't always feel like I'm supposed to be here.

Gus prodded the smoke and it transformed into a clown. He yelped and ran.

But when things get tough, my friends help me out.

Amity sat in her window and placed her tiara in a box. Closing it, she looked out over the Isles and leaned against the frame.

I think you'd like them.

King jumped onto a slumbering Eda, waking her from her nap as he fell asleep. Eda placed a hand on his back and fell back asleep.

They've all taught me so much.

Royal flexed his arm while Lancer projected a beam on it, checking it for any strain.

Te extraño también, Mami. One day, I'll tell you all about this.

Her mom responded, but Luz had already set her phone aside and gotten into bed. She fell asleep with a smile on her face.


You know, I thought that it wouldn't be right to create a Grom chapter without letting Royal take a swing at the bugger, but I also didn't want to steal the moment from Luz and Amity. So I decided to compromise. Enjoy a little non-canon extra.


The portal door appeared behind Luz and swung open. The crowd watched with bated breath as an adult Human woman stepped out.

"Mija?" She asked, looking around the room in confusion.

"Mom! What are you doing here?"

"What is this horrible place? This isn't camp. And are those weapons?" The Grom-woman questioned. Luz dropped her weapons as she panicked.

"I-I can explain," she stuttered, backing up. Royal clenched his fists, ready to intervene. Eda placed her arm across his chest.

"Remember, we can't let Grom see you," she whispered. Royals fists shook, sparking with Solar power.

"No. I'm not going to stand aside and do nothing."

Before Eda could stop him, he jumped over the stands and soared through the air. He dropped into the arena, directly between Luz and Grom.

"Royal?" The fear in Luz's voice was practically tangible.

"Get out of here Luz, this bastard is mine." Royal summoned his glaive and flipped it around anxiously. He felt Grom latch onto his mind as it searched for his greatest fear. Grom shifted, taking a new form. Before Royal stood a figure wrapped in a tattered brown cloak with a hood covering their face. Grom reached up and pulled it back, revealing Royal's face, but colored silver and with glowing crimson eyes. There was a string around the false Royals' neck with three Ghost shells. Two of them belonged to other Guardians while the one in the center was none other than Lancer.

"Yep, don't like this," the Ghost quipped. Royal ignored him, focusing on the demon.

"I shall be the end of you," he challenged. Grom responded by pulling out his own Glaive, forged of twisted silver metal. The two charged each other and their glaives clashed. Grom may have Royal's body, but it lacked technique. The Guardian overpowered the demon as they locked blades. He jabbed Grom in the face with the butt of his weapon. While the demon was staggered, he brought the bladed end around in a quick slash. Spinning with the strike, he shifted his grip and swung the glaive at Grom's knees. The demon screamed as the limb was severed. Continuing with his spin, Royal raised the blade and stabbed it into Grom's chest. It howled as it died, dissolving into dozens of shards that retreated into the shadows.

"Run," Royal threatened, "Little demon."


And another one bites the dust. I don't want to alarm you all, but I only have four more chapters planned for season 1. After that, I'll likely be taking a bit of a break so I can plan out season two a little more. Nail down some specifics, you know?

So. Season three, huh? The first special dropped before I got this up, which was not my plan. But no plan survives first contact with the enemy. I really enjoyed it, though I don't tend to be super critical of media. Now to wait seven years for the next special. Hooray.

One last thing, I don't know if there are any For Honor players reading this. But if there are... THE JORMUNGANDR REWORK! THE JORMUNGANDR REWORK IS REAL!

mysticalex: Yes and no. Royal from before he became a Guardian was good friends with the Exo Stranger. Royal post-resurrection is down bad. As for your second question, canonically Royal will be the only Guardian present. However, I do have a few non-canon extras planned involving some other characters.

OMAC001: Let's just say that things shall be moving very quickly now.

GodzillaMaster: I have also taken some cues from the Gravemind. Can you really blame me? The Gravemind is awesome. Royal only got down a few sips before going all tipsy. He can do many things, but holding his beer is not one of them.

Solaris Hez: I still haven't gotten the Titan chest piece, which is just a tragedy. Bungie, please, fix your game.


"So…" Amity began slowly, "You're made of metal."

Royal glanced at her for a moment, before returning to tinkering with his armor. Both he and the youngest Blight were in the living room of the Owl House. After the adventure in Royal's mind, everyone had gone to sleep. The morning had come and these two were the first ones up.

"Really? Never noticed," Royal replied sarcastically. Fortunately, Amity seemed more comfortable around him now. Unfortunately, she had undergone a massive invasion of his personal privacy. It may have been necessary at the time, but that didn't make him feel any better. His mind felt like a mess, as though a tornado had torn through and flung his neatly organized thoughts into chaos.

"What's that like?" Amity continued, sounding genuinely curious.

"It was a rough adjustment," Royal started, "All my senses are sharper, my perception is heightened. Were I to go back to being a pathetic fleshling, it would be a rough adjustment."

"Pathetic?"

"Yes, of course. Biomatter is weak and fallible," he explained. Amity gave him a strange look and he decided to keep rolling with it. "From the moment I understood the weakness of my flesh, it disgusted me. I craved the strength and certainty of steel. I aspired to the purity of the blessed machine."

Seeing that Amity was watching him intently, Royal doubled down, rising to his feet and pointing at her, "Your kind cling to your flesh as if it will not decay and fail you. In time, the crude biomass you call a temple will wither and you will beg my kind to save you."

He stared into her eyes with his glowing optics, "But I am already saved. For the machine is immortal."

"Doesn't metal corrode?" She asked innocently. Royal sputtered, thrown off by her remark. He shot her a withering gaze. Rather inconsiderately, she refused to wither.