Chapter: It's time to explained why you're here.
The room was quiet for what felt like hours, Luz was so stunned that her brain could not come up with anything to say. She passed. But what? He was testing her? Why? For what? What does it mean? Thoughts and questions were spinning through her mind, until she finally broke the silence.
"I passed wh-"
"Test which we have prepared for you." Dion said, answering Luz's question before it was done being asked.
This took teen by surprise for two reasons, the first was that Dion had just interrupted her with a look on his face like a somone lay down a money in front of him. And the second being what he had said.
"By "we", you mean you and Eda. Or..."
"I mean, the Council of Four." Dion smiled as he do some jingling on his tambourine, and three people popping into the room with a puff of gray smoke. "Luz the Human. Let me introduce you to my friends and the other members of the Council of Four."
"Lady Aisha."
The woman looked at Luz. Her eyes were big, clear taffy in colour, sweet in glance, placed on very high cheekbones. She had a light lavender skin, wavy and pinkish-purple ombre, growing slightly past her shoulders and having brilliant tangelo tips. She wore a magenta coat with purple at the ends, underneath she wore purple long boots with black straps around them.
"Lord Sidon."
Sidon was menacing and intimidating in appearance, resembling a bat with sharp teeth and bat ears. He had violet eyes, small nose and mouth with a gray, skull-like face, and black eye rims. He appeared tall and muscular, but it was probably because of the armor over his arms. He wore a red to black gradient button up with ivory trimmings. He had a low crotch dark pants, and garnet red combat boots on his feet with similar ivory trimmings as his shirt. To complete the look, he had a onyx black, flowing hooded navy cloak. Just the sight of him screamed vampire.
"And General Khonvoum."
Khonvoum was most interested person in this group. He was a male-coded reptilian man, much taller than any human. He had two-toed feet and four fingers per hand. He had thick green skin with horns on his shoulders, encircling his head. His overhanging browbone casts his black-rimmed red eyes into shadow. His teeth were many and shark-like. The black crystal-like prosthetic lay down half off his shoulder, and his entire right arm, transparently half-exposing his bones. He wore only a black pants, silver arm guards and two bandoleers connecting together on his chest.
There was silence for a few seconds, broken only by Luz's breathing as she tried, and bit failed, to get her emotions under control. She stole a glance at four person, who were watching her with intrigue. Like she was a mystery that they needed to solve.
Then Dion turned to the trio and broke the silent.
"Seems like she has a kind heart. She's loyal to her friends. And her aura is strong and silly, like a baby's laughter. So, I vote for this idea." Dion raised his hand, "And, what do you think?"
Sidon looked at Dion. Then he looked at Luz, and then once more at the shaman. His expression was unreadable.
"Human. Completely human, but with a slight touch of magic. How curious." Sidon raised his left hand, "I'd like to see what she might achieve."
"I place a high value on loyalty. My answer is yes." Aisha smiled at Luz before raising her hand.
Khonvoum raised his hand and let out a dramatic series of grunts that Luz doesn't knew meant, {"Something or someone will probably eat her raw by week's end. And I will have that on my conscience, but my vote is yes."}
"Application accepted, unanimously." Dion said to no one in particular.
"I'm sorry, but what are you talking about?" Luz asked nervously. It's understandable when you consider they just made some mystery decision which is direct and individual concern to Luz.
All four pairs of eyes slid onto her.
"Better we let somebody else explain it to you."
A wicked grin spread across Katrina's face, unnerving Jett, and his jaw dropped as she arranged her Scrabble letters.
"QUIZZIFY," she said proudly. "One hundred and sixty-four points to me."
"How many?" Jett gasped.
"Feel free to check my maths, cuz."
He looked at her, raising an eyebrow. "Is that even a word?"
Katrina smiled at Jett, "Check the dictionary."
He checked both, and groaned. "You are far too good at this game, Red."
"And you're far too good at Hexus Hold Em."
"Good point. I'll stop complaining." Jett counted up what was on the board. "I think all the high-scoring tiles have been used."
"Do you give up?"
"Never. I can beat the odds … somehow."
Katrina smiled fondly. "This is cute that you think you stand a chance."
"I'll win." Jett going to put his Scrabble letters on board, but Katrina slapped his hand.
"Ow!"
"Don't cheat, Birdbrain." She warned Jett, pointing a well-manicured fingernail at him.
His unrepentance is obvious on his face. "How did you know?"
"You always rub the top of your middle finger with the tip of your thumb whenever you cheat."
"Betrayed by my own hand."
Just in that moment a human Afro-Latina entered the room, closing the door a bit louder than she had to.
"Jett? Katrina?" Luz asked surprised as they slid over to where their friend now stood and faced her. "What are you doing here, guys?"
"We welcome our newest teammate, Sunbeam." Jett said as drew a magic circle and threw it up. They suddenly heard the sound of thunder and Luz looked up to see he had spelled out the words "Welcome to the team!" out of magic neon-like floating lightning with fireworks around it.
The girl blinked once, twice, three times.
"I … don't understand," Luz said slowly.
"Master Dion didn't explain the situation to you?"
Luz shook her head, "He told me a story about magic, war with Belos, and the Order of Keepers. Then he wanted me to say who helped me back to human world. But I said I won't do that. And then it turned out I passed some test. After that I've met the Council of Four. And when I asked what's going on, Dion send me to this room."
Then Katrina went on to explain, "I and Jett apply to the Order of the Keepers. When we passed an examination for admission to the Order, they said we must have a third person, someone who will team with us. The Council of Four gave us a month to found third member of our team."
"We didn't think we would found right person. I felt like no one were on the same wavelength. And then we met you." Jett smiled, beckoning her in with his index finger. "We put you in for the vacancy to the team."
"But I'm just human." answered Luz, who was a surprised by what her friends had just said.
"Yep, a human girl who," Jett said before counting things off with his fingers. "Helped us seal an S class monster, hurt the gytrash only with two Dawn Crystals, and cast a powerful light spell despite being human."
"We told the Council of Four about our adventure." Katrina start explaining.
"Naturally, we has given them your identity after they took everlasting oath to let you keep memories of magic and other things." Jett cut in with smirk.
Katrina continued her speech, while Jett took advantage of Katrina looking at Luz and draw spell circe to swap a few scrabble tiles on game board. "They were impressed by your bravery and abilities. Though, they still wanted to test you; see if you could keep a secret."
"And you passed." They both said.
Luz attempted to process all that she was told.
"You don't have to worry, everything has been taken care of." Jett raised the pamphlet that Luz had with her on the day they met. "Our people will go to the human realm and wipe Camp Staff memories of you. Like you never have to come to camp."
He smirked before he drew a small spell circle with left hand and made the pamphlet for 'Reality Check Summer Camp' crumble to pieces.
"Just for the summer, then they'll undo the spell." Katrina added.
Jett nodded, "People from the camp probably will be walks like a polluted zombie for few weeks, but this isn't big deal. And you have your human scroll to talk with your mom. So, she won't be worry about you. She thinks you are on camp that's sucking the creative out of people. And you can be here, help us and learning how be a witch. We even got you a mentor."
"Who?"
"Best of the Best."
Luz heard follow the words and turned around.
"You are so lucky, Jett and Katrina give you good recommendations." Eda smirk and jumped on the table, knocked Scrabble boards off it. "So I, Eda Clawthorne – the most powerful witch on the Boiling Isles, a master of all magical forms, decide to take you under my wing."
"Clawthorne..." Luz then gasped in realization and looked to Jett and Katrina who gave her a confirming expression. "She's my mom." Jett said with smile.
"So, you want... me to be part of your team in a secret order that goal is to protect magic?" Luz clarified.
"Of course you have a choice. We would not wish to impose decision to be part of the Order." Katrina said gently. "If you don't agree, we'll get you home safely. With no hard feelings."
Jett rubbed the back of his neck, "We thought that since you don't want to spend summer on that boring camp, and you have really grown fond of this stink realm, this solution is ideal for you."
"I can't belive you did this all for me." Luz's voice caught and she could feel the back of her eyes stinging
Katrina smiled, "You're our friend."
"And real friends help each other, right?" Jett winked at the human girl.
This time, the tears found their way out, and Luz jumped forward and pulled them both into a very unexpected hug.
"You are great friends. I don't know what to say." Her breath hitched as two witchling hugged her back.
Eda then suddenly spoke, ruining their moment.
"You have a choice: yes or no. And better decide quickly, I'm missing my show."
Notes:
Hope you guys like it, leave a comment if you did!
~•~
The Council of Four voices:
Lady Aisha: White Diamond from "Steven Universe"/Christine Ebersole
Lord Sidon: Horde Prime from "She-Ra and the Princesses of Power"/Keston John
General Khonvoum: Venom from "Venom (2018)"/Tom Hardy , but when he talks it sounds like he's using guttural speech sounds.
Master Dion: Stoick from "How to Train Your Dragon"/Gerard Butler
