The halo of the horizon arrives with golden grace. Slowly, The Boiling Isles begin to lift themselves after a long slumber and so do Luz's lazy eyes.

Out of nowhere, Eda burst into Luz's room banging a pan with a spoon:" Wakey Wakey, you sleepy bird, it's already noon."

Luz turns to Eda with her eyes wide open:" It's already noon? How long have I..."

Eda giggles:" No no, kid, I was just joking. you I just need something to push you out of your beauty sleep. Come on, we got a long day ahead of us. Meet me downstairs when you are ready."

As strange as it might be, Eda waking up this early is quite surprising. Normally, Eda would be the last to wake up in this house but now, odd. Putting all the weird things aside, Luz gets ready herself for the day.

Rushing downstairs, Luz wonders what makes Eda so full of energy today. Maybe she strikes gold when scamming... Dealing with her clients. Or perhaps she finally found a reason to teach Luz magic. However, all her questions were answered after Luz saw Eda packing nets and sticking some food rations into her hair...

"Where are we going, Eda? What's up with the hunting gears?" Luz wondered.

Eda turned her excited eyes to her student:" Oh these. We are hunting kids. There is a great bounty on the Beast. Check it out." Then she pulled out a piece of wanted paper showing a dark red eyes beast and the reward... A hundred thousand snails?

"Wait..."

"Isn't it exciting?" Eda smiled.

Even though it is exciting, Luz knows for a fact that yesterday the strange witch has dealt with it already. Did Eda even listen to what she said the day before? Typical Eda, not a good listener.

"Eda." Luz takes a deep breath and:" Someone already got it."

Eda's eyes blink rapidly:" What?"

Luz faces palm:" Eda did you even listen to me yesterday? The white witch who killed the beast in the forest... Whom I met."

Eda was confused by Luz's answer:" Then why are they still... Nah... He probably hunts the wrong one. Look at its picture, it stands and has bigger eyes, right?"

Luz shook her head as a part of Eda shattered. Putting the paper back into her hair. When she pulled her hand out a white book flew out of it. Luz took notice of it and saw it was the same book she found yesterday. With it, Luz remembers Eda hasn't told her anything about the book and the old owner of her room. Like the wind, Luz dashes over to the book but is stopped by Eda holding her by the collar of her shirt.

Eda:" Kid slow down. What the matter?"

Luz:" You didn't keep your promise, Eda."

Eda walks over and picks the book up. Taking advantage of Eda not looking at Luz, she spins around which causes Eda to lose balance. With that Luz snatched the book and held her in her arms.

Luz:" Eda, you said you were going to tell me about that person..."

Eda put her hand out demanding Luz to hand it over:" Kid don't push my limit, hand it over before things get ugly."

Usually, Luz would be on her cold feet but with a burning passion to know what happened, she stood her ground, carefully watching Eda's every move. Eda on the other hand was like a raging bull her face began to grow red as her eyes lay on the book. Even though she wants to recover the book but her student was the one holding it, she must be careful about how to approach this. Because of this both of them stand still like a statue waiting for the other to make a move.

Luz wanted to calm Eda down and not destroy Hooty in the process she spoke:" Eda let us sit down and talk about this."

Eda:" Put the book down and we talk... Now." Eda's hands twitched as she bit her lip.

Slowly the human put the book down but still has a hand there in case Eda pulls tricks again. Unexpectedly, Eda sits down in front of Luz as her expression changes. Tears fell from Eda's eyes.

This caught Luz off since she never saw Eda would cry like this. Questions rushing in Luz's head like a stampede:" Eda are you... Ok... I'm sorry."

Wipe her tears away:" No it's ok. I'm just remembering everything."

Luz: `If that memory hurts you then you don't have to..."

Eda:" But if I don't tell you then you would just crawl yourself into trouble just to search for an answer. It's best that I tell you some of it."

Luz:" Some of it? Why not all?"

Just then an idea came to Eda's mind:" Well if you go with me today then I will tell you everything about that person, ok?"

As much as Luz doesn't like the idea since it is just the same trick just now but by her observation, it is for the best. Luz nodes her head.

Eda slowly regains her cool head and brings out a picture of Eda when she was younger, her hair was grey but has some stripe of orange mixed into it, and standing next to her was another person. A kid with a giant hat on top of his head, smiling. Luz took a closer look, and she saw the boy had white hair and red eyes... Those eyes... Can't be.

"Hold on. That boy... Yesterday... He is your son?" Luz gasp.

Eda:" Son? No, he is my first student. Do we look alike that much?"

Luz:" Well he does have weird eyes and sharp teeth like you. Also, you like to scam people for their money and he likes to use others for his hunt. You two do have a lot in common."

"Oooh. Whom are we talking about? Let me guess… it is… Ouch." Hooty said as he got punched by Eda.

"What are you guys up to? The King demands to know." King walks over to Eda and Luz.

At first, Eda found all the attention a bit overwhelming but soon she pushed through and decided to let it slide:" Well we were just talking about Yulla, you still remember him, right?"

"Who?" King blinked his eyes.

Eda sighed:" The one who holds you every night."

King shakes his head. Eda:" The one that suffocates you every night."

King's eyes widened:" Ohhh that guy... Wait he back? Quick to the secret hideout." King then runs off to a pile of dolls.

Luz:" Wow that's cute of him I guess."

Eda:" Ah that reminds me." Pulling out a book from her hair when she opens it to an entire world of pictures with Eda and Yulla in it. Some were pictures of them together. Others are time Yulla when he was a kid. Then Eda pulls out a picture of Yulla holding two snakes in his hand and running straight to the camera.

Eda:" Yup he was a cute strange boy. Even though he is a weirdo, he never gives up on trying his best to become a mighty Witch." Eda sighed.

Luz:" And yet he is giving up on you... Why?"

The silence was Eda as she sat there and her eyes stared into the picture of Yulla. The memory flowed back into Eda's mind; it was a night...

Eda shook her head then slowly stood up:" Well kid that's enough memory today. Let us head out to the Bounty guild for some snails. My pocket is empty right now."

Luz:" You haven't answered me..."

Eda put her finger on Luz's mouth:" Again if you want to know more then come with me."

Frustrating with Eda's answer, Luz wasn't a pushover when she saw Eda's reaction to Luz's question. Perhaps the reason Yulla left was too much for her to handle. By the looks of all the pictures she takes with Yulla, Eda saw him more than a student. A son she never had. Poor Eda. Luz should avoid asking her about him.

Grabbing all the necessary, Eda and Luz head out to the Bounty guild for some hunting.

After a while, the duo arrived at an enormous white building with a sign that said:" Bounty guild. You post we hunt."

Strange as it is, a guild that focuses on bounty hunting. Why would a Witch Isles need a place like this? Putting those questions aside, Eda and Luz walk into it.

Entering the guild building, Luz was surprised to see the place was quite spacious. In front of her was a receptionist's desk and next to was a bar counter with a set of tables and chairs lining up perfectly in a straight line. On the right was a huge board with papers sticking to it, look closely she can see many different bounties on it. Some were a simple task of hunting small creatures meanwhile there was a mission involved with finding rare items. However, all of them were paid at high prices, a hundred snails, thousand snails, and billions can be seen on bounty boards too.

Just then Eda snapped her finger to bring Luz back to reality:" Kid. What do you feel about this place?"

Luz:" Grand. Huge. And Rich?"

?:" Well thank you, we do get that a lot from a newcomer." A mechanical voice said in front of Luz.

Luz turned her to the voice and it was a stunt. A well-suited person towering over Luz and Eda, he dresses in a dark blue suit with a bit of seashell for buttons. However, what made Luz's jaw drop was his head, a floating mechanical head shaped like a crowd with a face screen showing his emotion which was a smiley face. Not only that she saw long tendrils behind his head hovering along with his head.

Luz by instinct hides behind Eda:" Hi UHM..." She said sheepishly.

?:" Oh dear. Did I scare her off? My apologies." The tall man lowered his posture.

Eda giggles:" You don't have to. She was just shocked to see someone like you for the first time. Luz this is Adel the Bounty guild master. A demon and a good friend of mine if I do say so."

Slowly Luz moves away from Eda's back and comes in front:" Hi I'm sorry for reacting like that."

Adel:" It's fine to be amazed by my looks most. But no need to worry I will not harm anyone unless they start first. You have my words."

Hearing those words somehow makes Luz ease the fear in her heart. Besides the strange mechanical voice and tall appearance, Adle is quite formal compared to those who live on these Isles. He doesn't seem to be bothered about anything but rather keeps his cool.

Eda:`` All right, Adel. I have a question. Has this beast got hunted by anyone yet?" Show the bounty paper to Adel.

Adel brings out a small circular glass:" Well if I recall it was. How unfortunate and pardon for my mistake. I should have taken the bounty down when it finished. It's very hard to take care of my business alone these days."

Eda:" Come to think of it. What happened to this place, why has it been so quiet recently."

Adel turns to the bounty board and sighs:" Well that would be thanks to our great Emperor. Normally this place would be crowded with hundreds of witches, hunters, and demons coming to take a step toward adventure... Until he decided to form his dogs. Those arrogant bricks."

Luz:" Excuse me but whom are you talking about?"

Adel:" The Emperor hunter group, the Hunter Coven. Before that Coven came into existence, my Guild was the place where people hired someone to do things that they were having trouble with but nowadays the Hunter Coven does all that my guild does but for free… Because of that people no longer needed this Guild anymore. Some even consider removing this place entirely." He sighed.

Luz is sad to see a place like this go to waste as time goes by. A place where people can request help now is nothing more but a spike in people's eyes. Must be very hard for him to keep everything in check. Even though everyone has lost hope and moved on, only the owner didn't give up on it.

Luz:" Could we do anything to help you a bit? Mr. Adel?"

Adel:" How thoughtful of you young one. I am happy that you are not the only one who gave up on my hope of saving this place..." He turns around with a smile.

Luz:" There are others too? That's great."

Adel:" Well no. There is only one person who continues doing bounty beside you and Eda."

Eda:" Whom would that be?"

Adel:" Oh recently a strange witch dressed in white came to this place. At first, I thought he was just looking around but then he just grabbed a paper and went. I thought he was a delinquent trying to mess with me but then in the afternoon, he came back with the beast on the wanted paper. For some reason, he only asks to give him half the bounty and takes off. He has been doing that for a week, why would someone want half the bounty?"

Eda:" Hold on. A witch dressed in white? Does he have big red eyes?" Eda asked

Adel:" Well not as big as you think but rather menacing to look at and whenever he is near me, I feel like my soul is being ripped apart."

Eda:" Where is he?"

Adel:" Slow down Eda what's wrong do you know him."

Eda:" Yes."

Adel look back at Eda for a while:" All right, he went to the Foggy Forest in the west from here. It is said there is a rumor of the beast recently has a leader and has been terrorizing the place ever since. I recommend you…" Without a word Eda grab Luz and head out to the forest.

After Adel told the duo about the white whereabouts, as fast as the wind, Eda and Luz landed in a misty forest. In front of them was a sea of gray clouds, the mist was so thick that even the wind blew by and I couldn't clear any of it.

Eda lights up a lantern:" Ok kid, listen up we are going in this mist and we are going to find him and then we get out. Got it?"

Luz:" Can I just stay here and ...?"

"No." Then Eda dragged the human along with her.

On their way, fog consumes all that surrounds them. The trees are all gone, the bushes nowhere to be seen even the smallest rock is nothing more but mist. Luz's heart beat like a drum, her eyes looking back and front and her legs shaking in ice. On the other hand, Eda's eyes face forward while her arms hold the lantern and the human-like glue. They walk, walk and walk then they stop.

Luz:" Why did we stop?"

Eda:" Kid, close your eyes."

"Why?" Luz asked.

" Just close, do not open them all right?" Eda said as she covered Luz's eyes.

Slowly Eda held Luz's hand and passed through the forest. As much as Luz wants to answer why she has to cover her eyes. Luz knew it would be wise to follow what Eda said. Curiosity got the best of her and in a moment, she opened her eyes. And there ... Were bodies.

One on the tree, a couple lying on the ground, and parts scattered around the ground. Black ooze drips out of them and most of them look like the beast she saw yesterday. This is nothing more than a messy room with strange black liquid. Terror consumes Luz's mind, as her mouth is open and her voice is ready to burst open. Eda's hand came to cover the sound escape as she put her other hand on her mouth to make Luz go quiet.

Then Eda pointed Luz in a direction where noises of meat cutting are happening and another noise sounded like someone is singing with a small child-like voice

"Put the blade

Into their head

And we'll get dinner before bedtime."

Could it be him but his voice isn't this child-like? Could it be another hunter? That would explain the bodies lying around. The song is too creepy for a hunter to sing as if they were a mentally ill person.

Luz changes her point of view to the noises, and Eda shines her lantern at the voice. What they saw wasn't what they expected. A figure shaped like an imp is busy digging into a corpse, black liquid spurting out like an orange being squished for its juice. Then the imp pulls out a small orb from the dead beast. The imp let out a big smile and slowly consumed the orb. While it enjoys its meal, Eda casts a spell, a fireball heading toward the imp but the little monster moves aside. Thanks to the explosion of light Eda and Luz can see what it is.

A doll? Shaped like a small devil with horns. The doll doesn't look like it is brand new, rather it looks damaged and old with stitches on its head barely holding a huge gap in its head. One of its eyes was a button while the other was a hole lit up by a burning red eye. Bandages run across its body and tail.

Imp:" Hey you watch it, what's your major malfunction."

Eda:" It's talk?"

Luz:" Now I'm starting to understand why Yulla left you."

The imp's eyes raised open:" Did you just say Yulla?"

Eda:" You know him?"

Without a word, the little imp ran as fast as it could. Eda and Luz go after it, and they run and run. Eda casts spells trying to corner it; however, the doll jumps and dodges any obstacle that stands in front of it. Luz tries to jump onto the doll but ends up kissing the ground more often. After a wild goose chase, the doll runs into a forest opening, there slowly the fog begins to fade away. Right before Eda and Luz arrive a staff fly by Eda face inches away.

"Eda!" A voice cries out.

Out of the bushes came the white witch. His eyes were filled with worry and sorrow, then he turned to the doll standing next to him:" Razor what in the Titan's name... I told you to lure them, not THEM. First the net nows this." He shouted.

Razor turns to Yulla angrily and responds:" She attacked me with a fireball. First, you expect me to stand there and take it... Are you out of your mind?"

Eda:" Yulla..."

Yulla put his hand up to Eda:" Not now Eda, your ruckus in the forest ruined all the plans I have for this hunt."

Eda:" Is this how you..."

"We talk later now, pull out your weapon and defend yourself. We have guests." Yulla said as he pulled his staff out of the ground. "As for you Razor, you are in big trouble mister. Hop on." With that, the doll hops onto Yulia's shoulder.

Soon a growling voice can be heard in the shadow of the forest. First, there were one then two and finally, the forest began to growl itself. Red eyes light up the forest and a wolf-like beast slowly appears. Eda pulls out her staff while Luz stands behind Eda for cover.

One of the wolves jumps into the group, Yulla thrusting his staff right through the monster and then shoving the corpse aside. Then another one came in this time it came straight to Eda, with her magic spell the wolf was pushed away crashing into a tree. With another dash in aim for the helpless human, the doll jumped off Yulia's shoulder and slash it into two with sharp claws.

Razor:" Wow, did humans know how to fight?"

"No, she doesn't. Take care of her while we deal with these." Yulla said.

Razor:" Great babysitting." Then he slices another wolf into two.

Luz:" Hey I could take care of myself."

Razor:" Yeah right hiding behind someone else knows how to take care of yourself huh?"

The monsters were sent one by one to the group. Eda casting magic, Yulla swings his staff with all his might but the wolf number doesn't seem to be diminished but rather increases.

Yulla:" Their leader must be nearby... Twinkle, Razor." With a word, his space cat appeared on his other shoulder while the doll jumped back to his original post." Eda, I need you and the human to duck this one."

Eda was confused:" What do you...?"

Yulla:" Trust me."

Eda then lowered her head. With that done, the white witch draws a circle with his staff in mid-air:" Twinkle portal storm and Razor let's turn up the heat." While drawing another circle with his other hand.

Just then multiple small circles appeared in front of all the monsters, and out of them were fireballs, one after another fell to the ground, some managed to get away but the damage was huge.

Razor laughed while continuing to throw more fireballs:" Eat this you..."

Yulla:" Language."

Out of nowhere, a mighty roar can be heard throughout the forest. With great speed, a huge figure jumps out of the forest and grabs Yulla by the neck, and pings him into a tree.

The creature was a dark armor knight, orange liquid pouring out of it like molten lava. That not all the liquid soon forms into wolf-like creatures surrounding the white witch. Eda out of fear casts a magic missile toward the monster but the wolf jumps in and takes it. The knight monster let out a dreadful roar, and more and more of its friends showed up and slowly walked to Eda and Luz.

Yulla smirked:" Well it's about time you show up. Woody!"

Out of thin air, a green owl with a brown scarf came out flashing its wing right into the knight's eyes. In pain, the creature releases the white witch, and the owl flies straight into the ground and phases through it. Then came out of the ground a burst of vines twisted into a cage trapping the Knight and separating them from other wolves.

Yulla:" Twinkle portal, Woody protects them and Razor does what you do best." He smiles.

Razor:" I like the sound of that." Two of the doll's hands light up with fire and throw them into the Twinkle portal open on the Knight's sides.

Yulla dashed in and struck the Knight with his staff. Everything was going smoothly until the knight glowed and out of it was a huge roar accommodating it was a huge shockwave pushing everything. It then rushed towards Eda but it fell. Looking back the knight's legs were being held by some root from the ground. It looks up to see a figure coming down and landing in its head as a staff with a force so great it breaks its armor and goes straight into its flesh. The monster let out a roar and soon its body began to evaporate leaving only an empty armor. Soon the wolf vanishes, leaving not a trace behind.

Yulla:" Finally that thing is being dealt with..." He said as he fell to the ground.

Eda rushed over and the only thing he heard was Eda screaming his name. Everything faded to black. And the spirit vanished.

After many hours have passed, returns to the Owl's house with the white witch on the couch, his eyes still closed. Luz stands by with King who is trying to poke the boy but is stopped by Luz. Eda wasn't in the best mood as she searched all over the place for medicine, and books that involved what she just saw today.

Luz gets worried by the minute to see Eda acting like that:" King, I'm worried. What if he won't ever wake up again? Should we calm Eda down?"

King sighed:" Well as much I hate this kid for hugging too hard back then. I think if he died, Eda would be devastated."

Luz:" Do you know what happened to him and Eda before?"

King sadly shakes his head. Disappointed, Luz went to Eda just to see the Owl lady still reading book after book, pages were turned but no answers. Luz walks to Eda:" Hey, are you ok?"

Eda:" No… I mean yes everything is fine, kid. It's just that… he is here now and yet… I'm not going to lose him this time or ever again…" Tears begin to slide down Eda's cheeks.

Luz:" Eda… Please take care of yourself… I don't want to lose you too."

Hearing those words makes Eda break into tears and hug Luz in her arms.