Welcome back and enjoy, sorry for the delay.
At the Owl House, King, Luz, Camila, and Eda were relaxing on the couch snuggling together when... "HOOT MAIL!" The family then jumped up in fright.
"Damn it Hotty what did I say about you simply talking instead of yelling!" Camila told him as he coughed up a bunch of Letters in her face. Eda picked them up from the floor and she started reading.
"Bill, Love note from Ex, Death threat, Lawyer card like I need that!" She cackled as she tossed it into the garbage not reading the front of it which read Cursed? Rigged Witch Duel? Not paid by legal terms after hard work or fired for no reason? Call and your money's worth from Calamity and Co. as it then burned into a crisp before opening the rest of the mail as Luz was currently talking with her three friends Divila, Willow, and Gus over a crystal ball signal. "So any plans you guys have that I can join?"
"I do have another fashion exhibit but I know you're still not over you know what Luz," Divila commented knowing that the hidden basilisk still had a bit of trauma of almost being made into a fashion accessory.
"Well, there is this year's Conventionention you know," Gus said as Eda then tried to turn off the crystal ball but was tackled and pinned to the floor by Camila.
"Luz, don't listen to him they just want to take away your freedom and...OW!" Eda hissed in pain before passing out as a needle was in her shoulder which Camila had poked her with. "Don't worry she'll be out for about two hours I think."
Luz then turned to her friends and said "I'm in!" At the place where the convention was being held the Emperor's Coven was making a few final preparations as Mateo was walking with a clipboard.
"Ok so we already have the other coven heads at their coven stands along with a few small ones... Tiny cat coven? That's a thing?" A coven scout nodded as Mateo shrugged it off as he then approached Ava who was also helping.
"Well, as soon as the other covens are done, you'll be on stage announcing the Emperor's Coven as the coven for the event."
"Yeah, like the others..." He muttered before walking away from his girlfriend and heading elsewhere as the human witch began to remember the last time he was on stage.
He was a simple student and sports player in high school as he looked behind the curtain at a talent show. He had a simple performance which was juggling and dribbling a basketball while on a skateboard, sure a simple slip and fall wouldn't be bad but what he got was much worse. While during the two-minute performance he was doing well until one of the basketballs slipped from his hands and hit the next performer that was waiting to cause them to fall and drop a glass case of "Trained bees to hum a music note" which then swarmed him and the entire audience causing the show to be shut down leaving a few students to be treated for bee sting allergies.
Mateo shuddered remembering the ordeal before shaking it out of his mind. "This isn't high school years, and sure there are bees that are flaming insects of death but nothing like that inside here, you just got to go up on stage and please everyone you see there." He said to himself before readying himself.
Outside Eda woke up as she found herself with Luz, Camila, King, and Luz's friends. "Ok, what happened and where am... I." Eda looked and saw a banner that read Convention TODAY! "Luz!" Luz looked the other way and saw Philp walking toward them.
"Philp, glad you can come with us." "Yeah, I always came here since I was about ten, and the rest of you guys?"
"A few years but this has to be the best thing ever!" Gus claimed as Divila, Luz, and Willow shrugged a bit.
"Well each year is better than the last and this time you guys will like it!" Eda groaned.
"Now Eda I know you don't like this place but can you tell me why?"
"Fine but you're going to regret it when I show you why."
They all went inside as it was mostly the same as when Luz and Divila went only with a few small differences here and there. "You guys go on I need to talk to my mom she worked setting this thing ok."
"Sure we'll meet you at the end of the emperor's coven showing."
Philp nodded before leaving the group as they all went separate ways Camila brought out the old history book she got years ago and she began reading it while Eda went pickpocketing random bystanders.
"Well I don't know about you guys but I hear they give stuff away for free and..." "Yeah King just make sure you don't get lost!" Camila told the small demon who then left to find whatever was free for him to et his little paws on.
Luz, Gus, Divila, and Willow walked together in a group as they looked at all the covens there were at the convention. "So you're saying that all the small covens count also?"
Luz asked as Gus nodded. "Yep and every witch after graduating are required to do so," Gus told them.
"Frothe way to the tiny cat coven," Willow said as Divila walked in a fur coat with black and white spots.
"If that's what you guys prefer then I'll stick with the Beast-Keeping coven, all for my dog Arlo."
"Yeah, how is the little guy?" Luz asked her as Divila responded, "Good gaining a bit of weight though." The group laughed a bit before continuing to look at some old and new covens. Philp walked around before running into his mother. "Ah Mom, what are you doing here?"
"You know helping your father like most of the time, have you seen him? I've been meaning to ask him about something important."
Philp shrugged his shoulders to which Ava said "Well go back with your friends and let me know if you've seen him."
"They're not my friends, ok maybe just one of them but still I'm way older than them," Philp complained a bit.
"Still it's nice to make new friends, I'll see you when your father gets on stage." Philp smiled as the two then parted ways.
Soon most of the people then went to the section that was the Emperor's coven as they all sat down as a coven scout walked onto the stage and spoke "And now, I'm pleased to introduce the esteemed leader of this coven and this year's guest, you may know him from a few weird and odd rumors but here he is... Uhm what's your name again?"
Mateo smacked himself in the face before shoving the scout away and taking the microphone. "Yes, it is I the one and only leader of the Emperor's Coven in person!" A few people were silent until Mateo made a spell circle that launched a firework into the air as the crowd clapped in applause. "Now, It wasn't easy for me to rise to the top. I also started from humble beginnings."
"That's a damn lie..." Eda muttered as she figured that Belos probably took him in and made him the next coven head after her sister mysteriously vanished as Camila and Luz had a bit of concern which Gus and Willow noticed.
"Luz do you know him?" "In a way..." Luz replied shivering as Mateo continued his speech.
"Now I have the highest honor of enforcing the Emperor's will, and one day you will too! Just like my protege... Amity Blight!" Luz, Gus, Willow, and Divila spat out some water they were drinking as they all screamed in unison "WHAT!"
"Thank you and remember that the only way to accept the Titan's gift of magic is to be in a coven." He then finished in a pile of smoke. After the event, Luz and Camila walked out with blank expressions on their faces. "He's using actual magic..." Camila said worried about the revelation as she walked with Eda.
"He's training Amity..." Luz muttered. Soon the entire group walked around before finding King struggling to carry a large amount of stuff with shirts and bags all over him. "Whoa, I Need some help little buddy."
"No, I got this!'" King said before falling on his back unable to move until Luz and the rest of the kids got a few of his shirts and bags of him as he then breathed heavily. "Thank you..."
He then got up and went with the rest as he held a cupcake. "Going to share that?" Luz asked as King quickly shoved it into his mouth but quickly started gagging as Luz picked him up and started patting his back hard until he coughed it up as it flew... straight into the face of Amity Blight who quickly cleaned it up with her hand showing an angered expression.
"You again!?" Luz chuckled nervously as she talked to her. "Amity... how have you been doing?" "Fine until you humiliated me!"
"That was what two years ago?" Amity growled before snatching a pamphlet that Luz was holding. "You? Joining a coven as they'd ever except a human." Luz then raised her hand before Amity again interrupted her.
"And before you say no that's just some stupid rumor." She started walking away as Luz hissed under her breath before shouting. "Well, at least I'm not being trained to be a fake witch!" Luz then covered her mouth realizing what she had said as Amity turned around.
"Are you saying that I'm a fraud!" "Yes... No, I mean..." Davila then got in the middle of the two. "Alright, since you two won't settle your differences then that only means one way to settle this, a duel!"
"Yeah, that sounds right, me and you at the stadium one hour." Amity proclaimed walking away from the group as Luz grabbed Davila and shouted. "What was that!?" "I think my psychosis got the better of me." The black and white-haired witch claimed before wrapping herself in a fur coat.
Camila and Eda walked around before sitting down and talking a bit. "Cam are you alright? You seem a bit... nervous..." "What me? I'm fine why wouldn't I be I mean it's not like my ex-husband now has actually made and could probably obliterate you in an instant..." Camila said giving a nervous chuckle as she stood up and bumped into someone.
"Watch where you walk you..." Camila stopped as she had just run into Mateo. Eda made a fist ready to punch him in the face but Camila quickly stopped her. "I wasn't going to hit him, Cam."
"Like that time you punched the cafe barista in the face after your ears were exposed?" "I just wanted to give him memory loss!" Eda exclaimed as Mateo hide a chuckle.
"Something funny?" "Oh, nothing just that I'm surprised that you'd show your face in a very coven-protected area." He said as a few coven scouts patrolled around the area. "Well I didn't go here willingly," Eda said glaring at Camila.
"Anway on coven terms I should take you in but I think it'll be better to see you get humiliated in public." He said before making a spell circle causing most of Eda's wanted posters to vanish. "In a witch's duel." Eda then quickly started cackling and laughing before stopping a bit. "You serious?"
"Yes, but not between us, just a simple fight between two apprentices yours and mine I was surprised allowed the opportunity to train someone," Mateo claimed to cause Eda to laugh even more before Camila punched her in the shoulder.
"See you later Owl Lady." He then left with a sneering smirk on his face as Eda made a fireball before Camila tackled her. "Eda he's not worth it, I mean what are the chances that the two will actually..."
Luz then ran towards them screaming "Mom, Eda I need your help! I accidentally challenged Amity to a witch's duel, and I think she's going to kill me all the way dead!" She exclaimed before slumping to the ground. "Well no need to whine, you need to prepare for bloodshed"
"EDA!" Camila yelled at her. "I was just joking." Soon the two women were in sweatbands while Luz was drawing glyphs on paper. "Alright, Let's start your training. Now, I'm coming at you with a blast of fire. What do you do?"
"Uhm... oh! Make a large wall to block it!" "That's my kid." Eda then nudged Luz on the shoulder. "As if Blight could even beat..." Eda stopped after seeing Amity and Mateo practice as the young witch made a large abomination as Mateo looked at them and grinned.
"Oh, he so going to get it." Then walked into the stadium as Mateo then made the announcement. "Beloved citizens, the Emperor's Coven proudly presents an impromptu demonstration of the sort of person we seek every year. Introducing Amity Blight!"
A spotlight then beamed on her as the crowd then cheered. "And... some plain human." He said blankly as another spotlight shined on Luz who nervously waved. Soon the bell screamed starting the duel. Amity then quickly summoned an abomination that was twice as tall as the last one as Luz gulped.
"Give me all you got human!" Amity yelled as Luz quickly dodged an attack from it before tying it done with vines. "What was that you didn't even use your hands." "Still magic!" Luz countered before using a fire glyph to burn the abomination down just as Amity summoned another one while quickly incasing Luz in a dome that slowly started getting smaller and smaller.
"Amity... what are you doing?" Mateo asked but she wasn't listening to him as the abomination then squeezed the dome until the popped sending goo all over and released its arms but nothing appeared. "LUZ!" Camila screamed as the crowd was silent as well as Amity. "I don't understand she was supposed to..."
Mateo then grabbed Amity by the arm and pulled her towards him. "What be unconscious? She's a human and a child for titan's sake!" He said before tossing Amity to the floor. "I'm canceling the deal..." "What?" Amity stuttered before Mateo glared at her with cold dead eyes.
"Didn't you hear me, former apprentice? I'm not teaching you anymore and no matter how much money or goods your family gives it won't..." Just as the abomination started moving and stuttering almost like a seizure until it exploded from the inside as Luz stood out of it covered in goo which she licked off her face.
"Ok, that was not the worst thing I've tasted so far." Both Eda and Camila quickly ran up and hugged her as Mateo simply watched as his fingers twitched a bit before he looked back at Amity. "On second thought perhaps a letter to your family and you writing an apology for the human will make me change my mind, you still want to be part of this coven don't you?"
AMity quickly kneeled to him. "Yes... I'll get to it, sir." "Why are you standing there then?" Amity quickly took off as Mateo approached them. "I'm impressed by what you've just accomplished with just a few glyphs though I have no idea how you managed to get inside the damn thing without suffocating." He said standing a foot away from them as Luz slowly approached him.
"You think so?" "Yeah, I do honestly your just as talented as when I was your age," Mateo claimed as Camila walked into the conversation.
"You mean when you started a bee panic at your school?" "That was twenty years ago Cam!" He stated as Luz and Eda let out a chuckle. "You know what I'll let you have it this time, but remember I'll be waiting till you make a mistake Eda."
"Come and get me." Eda retorted as Mateo then walked away. "Now who wants maduros fritos?" Camila asked as Luz and King ran up to her. "I get the first bite!"
Both Eda and Camila chuckled as they left with the two. Mateo walked into a small stage room as Ava entered. "I say what you did, but why did you protect the human girl?" "It's complicated Ava, I'll tell you when the time is right, and can you tell Philp to get me a glass of water?"
"Sure." As soon as Ava then left the room Mateo quickly locked the door before dropping to the floor he reached into his pockets and rolling his sleeve to show the same sigil coursing through his veins, he started to have trouble breathing as he took out small vials of the same mixture he had made before drinking it which made his heartbeat slow down as the sigil reverted back just as he gasped for air and stood up when he quickly clutched his head in pain.
"Stop, what you want from me? just get out please!" He pleaded as he smacked himself on the head as he heard cries and wails from inside his mind when the door knocked.
"Dad, are you in there?" "(No, No, No...)" He thought before slightly opening the door. "Are you alright?" "I'm fine... now go back to your mother I'll be out soon."
"Are you sure because it looks like..." "I'M FINE!" Mateo yelled before slamming the door in front of him and eventually, the voices stopped.
"It doesn't matter." He muttered to himself before he walked out of the room. "Just a small side effect... nothing to worry about... it'll be fine."
