Chapter 2: Witches Before Wizards
As the sun rose over the Owl House, in Luz's room, the human girl was stirring in her sleep as her dream had her reliving the events that transpired yesterday from when she followed Ryuji and Juniper through the interdimensional portal to arriving at the Owl House for the first time to riding on Eda's staff and flying through the skies of the Boiling Isles. Gasping as she woke up, she shot up and looked around her surroundings to find she was still in the same room from last night and King still sleeping on the end of her sleeping bag, the little demon snoring.
"It wasn't a dream!" The fantasy lover cried out happily before she got up and walked over to open the window. "Good morning, terrifying fantasy world!"
"Good morning." Greeted a random giant octopus monster in the distance before sinking into the water.
"Ugh!" Luz flinched slightly upon seeing that. But her discomfort disappeared as the sound of King's snoring got her attention. Walking back over, she lifted the little demon up, this action awakening him. "Good morning, you little cutie-pie."
"No! I am not your cutie-pie!" King retorted back trying to turn his face away from Luz as she rapidly kiss him like a little house pet the affection he was getting.
"Yes, you are." Luz said, hugging him before laying him back down where he was sleeping. He sighed as he slumped down onto his stomach.
"I know." King admitted as he slumped down onto his stomach before closing his eyes.
After getting dressed, Luz then walked over to the bathroom through which she ducked from two owls flying out of the door upon opening it. After the owls left, Luz then carefully walked backward into the bathroom and closed the door. As she was walking backward, she failed to notice Hooty as he entered the bathroom through the window.
"Hi, Luz." Hooty greeted, scaring the girl who turned around as she screamed and karate chopped him. "Aah! I'm just wishing you a good morning. Jeez!" The house demon then retracted himself back out the window and onto the door. "Hoot! Ow!"
"Sorry, Hooty!" Luz apologized before she noticed her Azura book on the sink counter. Picking it up and opening it, she looks herself in the mirror as she then gives herself a pep talk. "This is it, old girl." She then put the book in front of her face. "Your first day on the Boiling Isles… as a Witches Apprentice!" She exclaimed the last part excitedly.
After she was done in the bathroom, Luz looked around until she found a closet. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and crossed her fingers.
"Please have witchy clothes. Please have witchy clothes. Please have witchy clothes." Luz prayed as she opened the door before opening her eyes to see, much to her joy, the closet full of robes, hats, brooms, and other items that would belong to a witch. "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes! Yeees!"
Grabbing a black robe, a witch hat, and a name tag sticker, she puts on the hat and robe before she grabs a marker and writes on the sticker, making it say "Hello, my name is Witch Apprentice Luz" with stars around where she wrote. After doing so, she then peels off the stick and puts it on the robe. Now prepared for her day, Luz then walks over to Juniper's room.
"Juniper, rise and shine!" Luz cheerfully said after she knocked on the door.
"Ugh! Too early. Five more minutes." Juniper groaned tiredly from within her room.
"Juniper! Juniper!" King said as he barged into the witch girl's room, a scream coming from her soon after.
"King, how many times do I have to tell you not to wake me up with a cannonball?" Juniper said with annoyance.
"But you got to come to the kitchen!" King said, sounding excited. "There's something amazing you got to try!"
"Ugh! Alright. Just got off my bed and let me get a shirt on." Juniper said, King soon coming out of the room. A brief moment later, Juniper steps out only wearing only a blue dolman top with the left shoulder slouched down on her arm to reveal a red bra strap and black polka-dotted magenta boxers, the young witch covering her mouth as she yawned. "Okay, show me to the kitchen."
With that, King then ran off with Juniper and Luz following him. Upon reaching the kitchen, the girls' eyes widen in surprise at the sight before them. As King happily sat down at the table, Ryuji was fully dressed and at the stove as he hummed a tune while cooking.
"Ryuji?" Luz said, getting his attention.
"Oh, morning, girls." Ryuji happily greeted them. "You're just in time. I was just getting breakfast ready."
"Juniper, he cooks." King happily whispers as Ryuji placed down some sausages in front of him, the little demon going ahead to eat them.
"Now this is how you wake someone up." Juniper said with a smile as she walked over and sat at the table before Ryuji set down a plate of prepared rice with bacon at the side. "Ooh!"
"Ryuji, what's all this?" Luz said with a surprised smile as Juni began eating.
"Hey, I said I'd prepare every meal for as long as Eda teaches you how to do magic." Ryuji said before he noticed how his friend was dressed. "By the way, why are you dressed like that?"
"Well, if I'm going to be a witch apprentice, I have to look the part." Luz said before she ran off. "Oh! I better wish her good morning!"
[Ryuji]
"Luz, wait!" I called out before I then used my magic to prepare two more rice dishes and make them float over to me. "You can't start witch training on an empty stomach!" After the dishes got over to him, I then held both plates in each hand. "Hope Eda likes this. I only just used what was in the fridge to make this."
"He-he-he-he." Hearing Juniper's light chuckle, I then turned to her with a raised brow.
"What's so funny, Juni?" I asked her.
"Oh, nothing." She said with a casual smile. "Oh, just a little heads up, but Mom ain't a morning person. So don't freak about what she says, alright?"
Though confused by this, I continued on and managed to find Luz at the stairs, getting beside the eager girl as she looked up the stairs with a huge smile. I smiled at how excited she was before my attention was brought to the top of the stairs from hearing a toilet flush. Before long, Eda stepped out dressed in nothing but a plum sweater with amber cuffs, a long yet stained, violet nightgown, and light yellow bunny slippers. The witch yawned before she noticed and looked down at us.
"Good morning, Eda! Made you breakfast, like I said!" I said as I presented her one of the plates.
"Hello, Eda the Owl Lady." Luz said as she then struck a pose. "I am ready for my first day of Witch Apprenticeship!"
"Ugh!" Eda groaned as she shook her hair out, causing some spiders to spill out before she pulled one out from her ear and flicked it away. "Who are you again?" Me and Luz were shocked by how she responded, acting like she didn't know us.
She then walked down the stairs before she took the plate from me and walked down to the kitchen. Taking the other dish in both hands, Luz and I looked at each other as we were both confused by this.
[Ryuji's aside]
You guys saw that, right? How could Eda not remember us? We literally met her yesterday!
"Eda, it's me!" I said as we then went after her, managing to catch her in the kitchen as she put the plate she took onto the table before opening and searching the fridge. "Ryuji? The son of Axel?" I grunted when I got hit in the head which turned out to be a novelty mug that said "Thirty and Flirty" with a yellow number 30 and the world "flirty" written in pink letters that Eda made come to her hand with her magic. "The guy with the curse you promised to help who also promised to cook for you in exchange for magic lessons for my human friend Luz here?"
"Yeah, we freed the oppressed and defeated the evil warden together yesterday, remember?" Luz put in.
"Kids, lay off the details." Eda said as she turned to us while holding the mug which was filled with a red liquid. "I haven't had my cup of Apple Blood yet."
"You mean 'apple juice'?" Luz asked, confused by what she meant.
"No." Eda said with a nonchalant look before she sat down at the table with her plate in front of her. Putting her mug down, Eda then made a spoon come out of the drawer and into her hand before then using the utensil to eat a spoonful of the rice. After doing so, Eda's eyes widen with surprise. "Wow! This is good!" She then got to eating her food. "What is it?"
"Apple risotto with a side of bacon." I told her. "I didn't know what you guys liked, so I just used whatever was in the fridge."
"Well, congratulations, kid!" Eda said with a smile. "As of now, you're the Owl House's official cook."
"I second that!" King cheers gobbling up everything on his plate.
"Here, here!" Juniper added as her mother drank from her mug.
"Here you go, Luz." I said as I put down a plate for my friend, setting it at the table.
"Ah, that's good Apple Blood." Eda said, looking a little more refreshed. "Now I remember. I promised I'd teach your human friend magic."
"That's right." Luz said as she gained an eager smile. "So, Eda, what spells are you gonna teach me? When do I get a magic staff? Was I supposed to bring my own runes?" She then gasped excitedly. "Do you have a dangerous magical quest for me?"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! Slow down, kid." Eda said, taken back by the sudden questions. "Being a witch doesn't happen overnight."
"Yeah, and you're gonna be a witch while wrapped in a bathrobe and wearing the dirtiest traffic cone I've ever seen." Juniper said as she tried to hold back her laughter.
"Traffic cone?" I said before I looked over to Luz as she took off the hat and blew on it, removing black dust to reveal it as an actual traffic cone. Right there and then, King joined Juniper as they both laughed while Luz dropped the traffic cone in disappointment.
"But a magic staff, huh?" Eda asked, getting our attention as she sipped some of her drink which paint her lips red. "You really want one?"
"More than anything." Luz honestly said as she regained her smile at those words.
"Magic staff, come to me!" Eda said after she wiped the red off her lips, holding out her hand as we all then waited for her said possession to appear.
It was definitely coming, but not seemed to be fumbling around the house as we heard, clattering, crashing, and all kinds of different stuff breaking.
"No. Oh, come on!" Juniper groaned in annoyance upon hearing the sounds. "I just finished cleaning up the last mess!" Soon after she said that, her mother's staff flew in, but it whacked the witch in the head instead of being caught and Eda fell to the floor. Juniper smiled amusingly at this. "But, on the other hand, seeing that is sort of worth it."
"Smart ass." Eda retorted to her daughter as she picked her staff up and twirled it around a bit before planting the end to the floor. "It's early." After recovering, the Owl Lady then went on with teaching Luz some basic knowledge. "Now, witches, wizards, and warlocks are awarded their staffs after learning and mastering their magic." She motioned to her staff as she said this. "With me as your teacher, you'll be taking a different approach, just like Juni here." Using her magic, Eda then made a large bag filled with glass potion bottles land on the floor. "You'll have to work for it. Same goes for you if you want me to help you with that curse, Ryuji."
"Whoa, whoa! Hang on." I spoke up as I pointed my thumb at King and Juniper who paused from eating. "If you're gonna have us do any work, can it wait until we all had a good breakfast."
"Yeah, Mom. Let's eat something before getting down to business." Juniper said as drool leaked out of the corner of her mouth. "I just started eating and I'm hungry."
"Okay, okay. I guess we all could eat before we do anything." Eda said, King and Juniper cheering before they went back to eating.
With Eda and Luz sitting down to eat, I then went on to prepare my own plate. Just when I did though…
"Hey, serve me up seconds!" Juniper said as she held up her plate which she surprisingly licked clean.
"Whoa! Okay." I said as I then used my magic to take her plate and load it with prepared rice and bacon before sending it back.
"Thanks, DK!" Juniper said before she then began eating her food with much gusto as I then went on to sit down between Luz and Eda.
"Wow. Never seen anyone with such a big appetite except my big bro." I said before I turned to Eda. "Is this normal for her?"
"Eh, pretty much." Eda told us as she ate. "Speaking of, you two might want to eat yours before she snatches them. I've seen her do plenty of eating competitions, so she won't think second about taking anyone else's food." With that, Luz and I then got to eating our breakfast, not wanting the Clawthorne girl to take it.
After eating breakfast, Luz and Juniper then got dressed, coming out in the clothes they had yesterday.
"Well, now we don't have to worry about leftovers." I said as the witch girl pat her now full stomach as she had eaten all that I prepared for today's breakfast. After Luz picked up the bag, the three of us then followed Eda into the living room as she began to explain to me and Luz the details of her line of work.
"Now onto business." Eda said as we followed her into the living room. "I run a few businesses. On weekends, as you already know, I offer rare human treasures that Owlbert and Juni drag over from the human realm." She tapped the owl on her staff and her daughter before she picked up a toy sword.
"I shall smite my enemies!" The sword said after Eda press the button.
"Yeah, ages six to eleven." I jokingly whispered, getting Luz to giggle.
"But most days, I sell only the finest homemade elixirs and potions." Eda said as she tossed the sword aside.
"Snake Oil?" Luz said after she pulled out a bottle from the bag, reading the label out loud.
"No one wants an unoiled snake." Eda said with a smile before walking off. "Follow me." We then followed her to the balcony outside before she pointed toward a town out in the distance. "Today, you two will deliver packages and sell potions to that town over there, Bonesborough."
"Bonesborough…" I said, now getting excited to explore my first town in the Boiling Isles.
"Be careful though." Eda told us. "I have rivals everywhere who'd love to take my business down and you along with it. Ryuji, I especially want you to keep an eye out for people like that, especially the Emperor's Coven. Warden Wrath no doubt told them about you, so they'll be on the look for you."
"Yeah, Wrath said he wanted me to use me as bait for my dad." I said, remembering what happened at the Conformatorium.
"What did your dad do to make them so mad?" Luz asked with worry in her eye.
"It's not them, but the Emperor himself that's mad at him." I told her. "Much like my grandfather, he was against the rules Belos set up. Dad didn't exactly told me what he did, all that it led to him being hunted so much that he can't use our family's portal to here as much as he likes."
"And the same reason he had you go through the portal I have." Eda put in. "Luckily, no one will be able to spot you in an instant, so you should be able to keep a low profile as long as no one sees your curse. That right there is a dead giveaway."
"How does the Emperor's Coven know about my curse?" I asked.
"Let's just say when your mom got her curse, it showed itself in a place everyone can see." Eda told me before she turned to Luz. "Which is why I will be counting on you to help him stay hidden." Eda then gave my human friend a smile. "You wanted a dangerous magical quest? Sister, you've got one."
"I won't let you down, Miss Eda." Luz said with a salute, accidentally letting the bag slip out of her hands.
"Phew! That was close." I sighed in relief as I managed to catch the bag and gently put it down on the ground with my magic.
"Thanks, DK." Luz said with a grateful smile.
"Yeah, you better stay close to each other." Eda said before we all then walked downstairs with me and Luz going outside to get the bag.
"Remember, never befriend a man in sandals and measure twice, cut once." Eda told us. "Got that?"
"Uh…" Was all Luz could say before Eda interrupted her.
"Great! Good luck!" Eda said before she slammed the door in our faces.
"How her and my dad became friends, I'll never know." I said as I strapped the Saisho to my back. "Honestly, I think she might be doing all this just so she doesn't have to cook and have us do her chores."
[No one's view]
Back inside the Owl House, Juniper then spoke to Eda with a raised brow.
"Mom, no offense, but do you really think it's a good idea to let them go out alone?" Juniper asked, getting her mother's attention. "It's only their second day on the Isles and you didn't exactly give them a map. Also it just looks like you're just using them instead of keeping your promise."
"I'm keeping my word, Juni, really." The witch firmly answered. "Though I see your point. You better go with them. Oh, and take King with ya too."
"Got it, Mom." Juniper replied as King woke up.
"What?" King said in objection as he stood up in shock. "But Juniper is more than enough for this! She and Ryuji know magic! And I just found the perfect spot! Why do I have to go?"
"King, you can have your power nap when you come back." Eda bluntly told him. "While I agree Juni might be able to handle things and that Ryuji can be able to take care of himself, he's still new to this world like his human friend. We all know that they're going to get lost or eaten, probably both."
"We can hear you!" Ryuji angrily said as he popped up at the window.
"And we won't get eaten or lost!" Luz added in reassurance as she joined Ryuji at the window before Eda used her magic to pull down a curtain.
"It's for extra precautions. Plus, you work for me too." Eda then crossed her arms. "Unless you want to start paying rent, I suggest you go with them."
King then angrily stomped his feet as he did a quick tantrum before getting off the chest and joining Juniper in walking to the duo outside, the witch girl grabbing and putting on her cloak as they did.
[Ryuji]
A moment after Luz and I left the window, King and Juniper then came out with Juniper wearing her cloak.
"Be back by nightfall or risk moral peril!" Eda said in a rather cheerful tone before she closed the door. It wasn't long until she quickly opened it again. "Also love you, Juni!"
"Have a nice trip!" Hooty cheerfully said after Eda closed the door.
"Huh! Let's get this over with." King said with a sigh of annoyance.
After getting to Bonesborough, we started our walk through the streets with Luz carrying the bag while Juniper held onto a list Eda gave her so we would know where to make deliveries.
"Alright, looks like we only got about a decent amount of clients to visit." Juniper said as she looked over the list. "This won't take too much of the day."
"So do you usually do this on your own, Juni?" I asked the witch girl.
"Sometimes. Other times, King comes along." She told me.
"That's because you force me to!"
"Oh, really? So you weren't actually bored?" Juniper smugly retorted with a raised eyebrow as we came to an entryway that lead us to the streets.
After going through the gate, me and Luz looked around in awe at all the different kinds of creatures who were the citizens of the town as they walked around, doing their daily routines. I even saw this weird-looking butterfly demon that had two heads.
"Hey, it's rude to stare." King said, getting mine and Luz's attention.
"Yeah. I know everything is weird to you, but you need to watch what ya look at." Juniper advised. "Stare at the wrong 'thing' and we could be in trouble."
"Sorry, this is just a lot to take in." I said with an embarrassed smile. "I just can't believe I'm actually here. I've only heard about it from stories my dad told me when I was little. To actually be here, on these very grounds of the Demon Realm."
"Yeah, I've only seen places like this in my dreams and it's incredible." Luz put in. "Are Ryuji and I the only humans here?"
"Well, technically DK is a hybrid who's only half-human." Juniper told her. "But, yeah there is nothing like the two of you around here, not that I've seen anyway. Have you, King?"
"Nope. Not one." The demon replied back, shrugging his shoulders.
"They're right. There's not a single human here." I said as I explained. "While some might have a little human blood in their veins, they are completely inhuman. While I'm a half-human, you're the only actual pure human around here and one from the human realm I might add."
"Wow!" Luz said in awe as she gently put the bag down. "Hey, maybe there's a reason why I'm the only human here, right?" Luz then gasped excitedly. "What if I, Luz Noceda, average teen, actually had a predetermined path of greatness? Just. Like. Azura."
"Whoa! Take it easy, Luz." I said to her. "Let's not get crazy here."
"Yeah, the only reason you're here is because you followed me and your boyfriend through the portal." Juniper put in.
"I'm not her boyfriend! /He's not my boyfriend!" Me and Luz immediately said to the witch girl.
"Whatever!" Juniper said. "Plus, the only reason you're not back home is because of the deal DK made with my mom."
"Hey, you helped with convincing her, Juni." I reminded her.
"Yeah, I know." She told me. "The point is that you can't go straight ahead and think you're living some action-packed, superhero witch life like you read in that nerd book of yours." I gave Juniper a glare for her disrespecting The Good Witch Azura.
"But what if I am?" Luz said, her excitement shining in her eyes. "It just makes sense. DK's part of a superhero family and he can do amazing magic. Maybe I'm destined to work with him as a powerful, magic duo like Azura and Ludolf!"
"Luz, as much as I would like us to be a team like that, I'm afraid that is part of some sort of destiny." I told her. "The life of Azura and Ludolf is all just fantasy fiction. Real life doesn't act like it does in books."
"Yeah. Did Azura's path of greatness involve her delivering boil cream?" King said with a nonchalant expression as he picked out and held out a bottle of the said content.
"Today, I'm delivering packages," Luz said in a positive before she enthusiastically twirled, "but tomorrow, I'll be earning the respect of everyone on the Boiling Isles with my magical prowess!"
"Ha! Good luck with that!" King said, doubting the statement. "The Boiling Isles is nothing but a cesspool of despair. Why do you think Axel doesn't come back to this dump?"
"Hey, watch your mouth there, buddy!" I said, disliking that comment. "From the way he told me, my dad loves the Isles! It's like a home away from home to him!"
"Yeah! I bet this place is less of a cesspool of despair and more like a cesspool of delight." Luz said as she heaved the bag of bottles over her shoulder. "Come on, Ryuji! Let's go sell us some potions!"
"I'm coming, I'm coming." I said as I followed her, chuckling at her enthusiasm.
[No one's view]
After Ryuji and Luz walked away, Juniper then spoke to King.
"Well, you gotta give Luz a big hand for trying to look on the bright side of things." Juniper said as she and the demon watched the two scout around for customers. "There's not that many like that around here."
"I know and that's what makes it so annoying." King commented as Ryuji then pointed over to a nearby centaur.
"Actually, it's kind of cute." Juniper smiled as she watched Ryuji and Luz go over to the centaur. "Maybe that's what DK likes about her."
[Ryuji]
After getting over to the centaur, I then spoke to him as he was examining this pumpkin he picked up, looked directly at his face which was concealed by a skull mask.
"Excuse me, sir." I said to him. "Hi, we're traveling sellers of potions and elixirs. Would you like to buy one of our products? I bet we have something you might need."
"Sure, kid. Just one thing…" The centaur said with a sigh before he put the pumpkin down. "My eyes are down here."
"Aah!" I yelped in shock as I looked down and saw his face was on his chest and not on his head, the abs he had actually being this sort of chin.
[Ryuji's aside]
Yeah, this day did not really go smoothly for us. Nobody was interested in buying any potions from us, especially the ones me and Luz reacted too. Honestly, the deliveries were easier than walking around and trying to offer potions to people. Of course, the answers to the door weren't exactly easy even though we did get the payments for them. Much like this one…
Doing the deliveries, we stopped at one house which looked normal enough except for this doorbell that looked like an open mouth with the button at the center. After Luz rang the bell, the mouth turned out to be real as it then chomped on Luz's hand and started sucking her in.
"Aah! Help!" Luz said as her arm was sucked into the mouth.
"Oh, boy!" Juniper said as me and her grabbed Luz, keeping my human friend from being sucked in whole.
"No, no, no! She is not food!" I said as me and Juniper tried to pull Luz out of the mouth.
[Ryuji's aside]
Yeah, at this point, I was starting to think King might had been right about why Dad didn't come back to the Isles. If things were like this for him, I wouldn't have blamed him for not wanting to come back.
After a while with only having one last delivery on the list, the four of us stopped to take a break, sitting down at the sidewalk while Juniper ate a sandwich she brought and King ate a notdog from a nearby notdog cart, the notdog being a hotdog bun with some kind of black lump in it. While they did, me and Luz just looked forward with looks of both annoyance and disappointment.
"Mmmm! So good." The young witch said as she was enjoyed his lunch before sighing in content.
"I don't know about you, but I know I've had enough delight for one day." King said.
"Yeah, yeah." I sourly said.
"Hey, why the long faces?" Juniper asked.
"It's nothing." I told her. "It's just that the way my dad told me about the Isles made look like such a wonderful place. But now that I'm here and getting to see it, it's doesn't seem like anything that I thought it would be. And it doesn't even help that she sent me and Luz out here without teaching her any magic or giving me any advice in how to deal with my curse like she promised."
"Yeah, and I thought being the only human in a magical world would make me special." Luz said as she reached into the bag and pulled out her Azura book. "But, apparently, it just makes everyone want to scream at me or…" When she lifts up her arm, she revealed the same butterfly demon from before gnawing on her elbow, "eat me." Deciding to stop the demon from eating my friend, I then smacked it away. "Thanks, Ryuji." Luz then opened her book to show the illustration page of Azura receiving a quest from a great wizard. "At this point, Azura had already been sent on an enchanted quest. Where's my quest-granting wizard?"
"Sorry to break it to you, Luz, but no one here is that well-dressed." King said told my friend.
"Yeah, he ain't wrong about. Besides, wizards aren't as great as you think they are." Juniper told us. "I know that you had a rough day, but my mom is a witch of her word. She had me doing this while she was teaching me. I think this is just her way of seeing if you two are willing to learn."
"Yeah, but this has only showed us that the Isles had got our hopes up for nothing." I told her.
"Guys, this is only your second day on the Boiling Isles." She said, trying to cheer us up. "Don't compare this to the stories anyone told you or compare yourselves to the witch and the werewolf in your books. Your story is different from theirs. I bet you two will have your own tale to tell when you go back home, one that's just beginning." I did feel a little better from hearing this, but not enough to smile. Luz was just the same. "Look, we just have one more delivery and we'll be done for the day." Juniper then got up and took the bag before putting it over her shoulder. "By the time we get back, I bet Mom will get start on your lessons in magic and handling curses. That's what you want, right?"
"Yeah." I said, trying my best to not to sound so sad.
"Then let's go and get this delivery done." Juniper said as she then took out the list. "Come on! It's not too far from here! The sooner we get it done, the sooner we can get back so Mom can teach ya somethings." I turned to Luz, who looked at me for a moment before she nodded and then put her book back in her bag.
"Okay, we're coming." I said with a sigh as I stood up before helping Luz to her feet.
[No one's view]
Unknown to them, from an alley across the street, a mysterious figure was watching them as Ryuji and Luz walked to catch up with Juniper, King soon getting up to join them. After they walked out of sight, the figure then swiftly left, leaving no trace behind.
[Ryuji]
After walking for a while, we then turned and headed down an alleyway, one that gave a really creepy vibe.
"Uh, Juni, are you sure we're going the right way?" I asked the witch as we walked.
"Well, that's what it says on the address." Juniper told me. "Relax. All we're gonna do is deliver one little package. Simple as that."
"Yeah, she's right." Luz said, trying her best to smile. "Let's just do this last delivery and head home."
"Look, I'm just saying that this place seems a little sketchy, especially someone who's receiving a potion." I said as we then went through an entryway with a tarp door. "Considering what we just experienced and who we're helping, it's possible this delivery might be a… trick."
With all of us looking forward, Luz gasped in awe at what was in front of us. Instead of someplace sketchy like I thought it would, we were now in front of a great and majestic castle.
"Whoa." I said, amazed by the sight.
"Pretty." Luz said, feeling much the same as we walked to the front and she rang the doorbell, this one not trying to eat her or anything after it rang before the doors then opened to us.
"Okay, now I'm starting to see what you were getting at, DK." Juniper said, making me turn my head to see the concern look she had. "I don't like the vibe I'm getting here."
"Yeah, big houses always belong to big whackjobs." King said in agreement. "Let's kick the package inside and get outta here."
"What? And miss out on this?" I said, wanting to enter the castle. "This is the kind of stuff I thought I would get to see here in the Isles. Looks like there is some delight around here, right, Luz?" After getting a response, I then turned to find Luz gone. "Luz?"
"Hello?" Hearing her voice, we all then looked to see her already walking inside the castle.
"Luz, wait up!" I said as I ran over to catch up.
"Wait, hold on!" Juniper said as she and King followed us inside, the door closing behind them. Though it was sudden, I pushed it aside and continued on, managing to catch up to Luz.
"Hello? Anybody here?" I spoke out as we all entered a darkened room. "We're here to deliver a package from Eda the Owl Lady?"
The moment I said that, lights turned to reveal the room as a grand library with a grand staircase leading up to an entryway with the picture of a wizard dressed in purple with his robe patterned with gold stars. Before long, the same wizard from the picture stepped out from the entryway and stood atop of the stairs, me and Luz gasping in awe at this.
"Today just got good." Luz said as she smiled.
"You got that right." I said, sharing the same smile. "I can't believe it! A real wizard."
"More like weird old man in jim-jams." Juniper nonchalantly said, earning an elbow from me.
"Don't be rude." I told her before the wizard spoke up, walking down the stairs.
"Hello, there. I welcome you to my humble abode." The wizard politely said to us. "I was in my tower, reading the stars. And who might you all be?" with eyes full of curiosity?"
"Just some delivery kids." Juniper simply said. "If you just tell us what you ordered, we'll be on our way."
"Oh, yes. My package." The wizard said. "Though I do sense more with your friends who possess eyes full of curiousity." He then turned to me and Luz as we looked at him in awe. "Young man, young lady, dareth I say that I believe I sense something unique about you both." He then walked over to us as he used a spell circle to summon chairs and a small table set with tea cups full of tea and a tray of food. "Please, would you join me for tea?" I was about to accept when Juniper stopped me.
"Nice of you to offer, but we're good." Juniper said before she whispered to me and Luz. "Come on, guys. Let's just get out of here."
"Yeah, let's scram!" King whispered, jumping up behind Luz. "Wizards are just old people with glitter in their pockets."
"Come on, King. Aren't you exaggerating a bit?" I said before King pointed at the wizard where I then watched as he took some dust out of his pocket and scattered it to the side.
"Yeah, I don't really trust this guy." Juniper said.
"Okay, now I know you're just being paranoid." I told her. "Compared to everything else we just met, this guy looks pretty harmless."
"Yeah. I mean, look at him." Luz said as we all looked at him. "The stars on his robe are sparkling. And there's a baby fox in his beard." Looking to his beard, we saw it was true as this little fox poked its head out and looked at us with adorable eyes.
"You see? This is the kind of person I was expecting we'd meet around here." I said before I then gained a sly smile as I went on to reel King in. "Plus, King, I think I see scones on the table."
"Where?" King eagerly said before he then rushed right over to the table.
"DK, we didn't come here for tea." Juniper said to me with a scowl. "We're supposed to deliver a package, remember?"
"Yeah, I know, but this is the first person we met today who doesn't think of us as weird or wants to eat us." I said to her, trying to change her mind. "It's just for a little talk. Once we're done, I promise we'll give the nice wizard his package and head back to the Owl House."
"Ugh! Fine." Juniper groaned. "But we're heading straight back to the house after this, got it?"
"Got it." I said before I spoke to the wizard. "Actually, sir…"
"Oh, please. No need for formality." The wizard kindly said. "You may call me 'Adegast'."
"Oh, sorry." I said to him. "We would love to have tea with you, Adegast."
With that, we all then walked over with me and the girls taking our seats in the three empty chair across from Adegast while King got on the table and began eating the scones there were there.
"Hm. Young man, I see you have a weapon in your possession." Adegast said as I then realized I still had my sword on my back.
"Oh, my Saisho." I said, worried that I may had upset him. "I'm sorry. I should've known better than to have weapons on me at the table."
"Oh, don't worry. I don't mind." Adegast told me, stopping from taking my weapon strap off. "After all, a warrior should not be without his arms for battle, especially in a place like the Boiling Isles." I smiled at his compliment.
"Do you sell potions, Mr. Adegast?" I heard Luz say before I looked behind us to find a small cart littered with potions.
"Why, yes. I run a small business." Adegast nodded.
"You should run a small business of running more scones into my mouth! Ha!" King proudly said as he held up the plate he licked clean of scones.
"I'm surprised to see you here." Adegast said with a hand under his chin. "It was my understanding that Eda delivered the packages herself. As such, I was not expecting her child and two humans to come."
"Well, actually I'm a hybrid." I told him. "My father was human and my mother was a witch."
"Ah, I see. Hmm." Adegast then looked at me with concern.
"What's wrong?" I asked him with worry.
"It's nothing, just that I've seem to understand that you are deeply trouble by something." He said before he then told me something that surprised me. "Under a terrible curse must not be easy."
"How did you know I was cursed?"
"Your eye, it has the paled sign of one who is cursed." Adegast told me, making me put a hand by my gray eye. "More specifically, one who has been born with such a thing."
"Yeah, my mother was cursed and some of it passed onto me." I told him, looking down in despair. "It's because of it that I haven't met her before in my entire life."
"Oh, I am terribly sorry, my boy." Adegast gave me a look of pity.
"It's fine." I said before trying my best to smile. "I don't think we've been properly introduced completely. My name is Ryuji and these are my friends: my human friend Luz, Juniper, and the little demon on your table is King."
"Yes, I was quite aware of who this young witch was." Adegast said as he turned to Juniper for a moment. "Seeing as she is her child, I can understand why she could be delivering my package and being accompanied by a demon." He then turned to me. "Though I'm not quite sure as to why you and your human friend would be accompanying her."
"Well, we're actually staying with Eda for the summer." I told him. "My dad sent me to her so she could help me with my curse."
"Ah, yes. I have heard that Eda has experience with curses." Adegast then turned his gaze to Luz. "And what about you, my dear?"
"Oh, me?" Luz said with surprise. "Well… I'm kinda, sorta her apprentice."
"Oh! I see now." Adegast said with surprise. "And how are you and Ryuji finding the experience so far?" His question made us both sigh.
"Can we be honest with you, Adegast?" I said to him. "I'm not sure this is something we can really enjoy. My dad told me that this place was wonderful and that I would have a good time. Now that I'm here though, I'm just starting to think that he was lying just so I could believe there was something to love about this place. It especially doesn't help consider that this is our second day here and she's having us doing this instead of helping me with my curse and teaching Luz how to do magic like she promised."
"Yeah, I'm pretty much the same." Luz put in as she took a cup of tea. "When I decided to stay in this magical world, I thought I was meant for something special, but Eda thinks I'm meant for chores and I'm afraid I came to the wrong place."
"Okay, guys, I'm gonna have to stop you right there." Juniper spoke up in a serious tone. "My mom might be a lot of things, but she always keeps her word. There's more to being just a witch than in your books and movies, Luz, a lot more than you think. And, DK, my mom is going to help with your curse. She's just trying to see if you are willing to learn how to deal with it."
"Your friend is very much right. Though I do believe I might have a solution for you both." Adegast said as he stood up from his chair. "I have a quest…"
"A quest?" Luz excitedly as she shot out of her seat, dropping the tea cup and breaking it. Adegast chuckled a bit in amusement by her enthusiasm.
"Luz, I don't think he was finish." I said with an amused smile myself.
"Your friend is right." Adegast said. "I was about to say that I have a question for you both."
"Oh, sorry." Luz said with a little embarrassment.
"Not to worry. Now my question is…" Adegast said before he spoke out profoundly. "Would you like to go on a quest?" Luz and I then gasped from hearing this.
"Wait, as in a real quest? Like filled with magic, danger, and wonder?" I asked as I got up from my seat, causing Adegast to nod.
"Yes!" Luz eagerly answered.
"Hold up, what exactly are you playing, beardy?" Juniper said as she got up from her seat.
"I assure that I am very serious. I do believe that I have a solution to all your troubles." Adegast said as he then pulled out a sealed scroll out of his beard. "Within this scroll is a map through which leads to the resting place of the legendary Celestial Staff."
"Celestial Staff?" Luz said in awe.
"Yes, it is a powerful and ancient relic created by the ancient ancestors of the Noble Three." Adegast explained as he unrolled the scroll to show us a map of the entire Iles, the image of what appeared to be a grand staff resting at the center of a majestic lake. "It holds great wisdom and power. Anyone who wields it can cast any spell and break even the strongest of curses."
"The strongest of curses?" I then gasped in realization. "Wait, are you saying that staff can get rid of the curse I have?"
"Indeed, but there is something you must know." Adegast said. "The Celestial Staff cannot be wielded by just anyone. Many had tried to take the staff, but all had failed."
"Wait, is this like a 'Sword in the Stone' kind of thing?" I asked him. "That the staff can only be wielded by one worthy enough to wield it?"
"Yes, which is why I also speak of this to your human friend." Adegast said before he turned to Luz. "Legend foretells of a human child who would come to this world and wield this staff to free the Isles from a great and powerful evil." Hearing those words, I had suspected that the "great and powerful evil" was no doubt Emperor Belos. "Perhaps thou hath cometh here for a reason."
"I believe I have." Luz said in awe as she took the map before she nudged me where I then shrugged as to silently admit that I was probably wrong about her having a destiny here in the Isles.
"Though you must know that finding the Celestial Staff is not an easy task." Adegast said to us. "Should you believe yourself worthy to attempt this quest…"
"So worthy!" Luz said as she eyed the piece of paper.
"You need to know the road is dark and perilous."
"Love peril, big fan of peril!"
"And only the Chosen One can pull the staff from its post."
"Chosen one." Luz repeated the two words that resonated with her the most.
"Neat story, awesome." King sarcastically said as he dragged the bag. "Anyway, the food is gone and we are too."
"Yes, we have to go…" Luz said before she spoke out in an excited tone. "And pack for this enchanted quest! I'm in!"
"And you're not going alone." I said with a grin. "I'm coming with ya!"
"You can count me in." Juniper said as she shared the same grin, surprising us. "I don't really trust the old guy, but if that staff can do all that stuff, might as well help my two awesome housemates get it."
"Awesome! The more, the merrier!" I said, happy that she was on board.
"Wonderful." Adegast said with a proud smile before me, King, and the girls started our walk out of the castle the way we came in. "Good luck to you all, brave heroes!"
"Thanks, Adegast! We won't let you down!" I said as I waved goodbye to him.
[No one's view]
After Ryuji turns back around, unknown to the four as they walked back down the hall they came out of, Adegast watches them leave with an oddly proud smile. After he hears the slam of his own door closing, all the lights in the library go out, concealing the wizard in darkness.
[Ryuji]
After getting back to the Owl House, me and the girls went on to grab some things for the quest before heading up to Luz's room to do so with King following us. Luz managed to find the toy sword from earlier along with its sheath. As me and Luz packed our bags with what we would need, Juniper started reading the map to see where we needed to go. She's lived on the Isles her whole life, so it just made sense she would be our guide.
"I can't believe we're actually going on a real-life, magical quest!" I said, excited by all this. "And think, if it all goes well, I'll be able to use my dragon form. I'll finally be able to know what it feels like to have the wind brush against my scales as I soar through the clouds!"
"And I'll be able to do magic as the Chosen One!" Luz said before saying something that caught my attention. "By the way, what kind of chosen one should I be?"
"What do you mean?" I asked as I turned to face her.
"I mean, should I be full of optimism and goodness, like the Good Witch Azura?" Luz said as she held up her book in one hand before passing it to the other hand in front of her face, switching from the bright smile she usually haves to a serious look with a raised brow. "Or should I be like a bad girl Chosen One with black nail polish and a mysteriously withdrawn attitude? Being like, 'I act like I don't care, but I secretly do'."
"Oh, you guys talking about bad girls?" Eda asked as she poke her head in the room before walking in with curiosity while holding a dismembered arm by its bone for some reason. "Wait, what's going on?"
"Eda, tell Luz and Ryuji how dumb wizards are." King said from atop the rolled-up sleeping bag Luz planned to take with us.
"Ugh! Wizards are the worst." Eda groaned in disgust as she swung the arm out, making King duck down. "Never trust a man in casual drapery."
"Yeah, what she said." Juniper commented as she continued trying to read the map. "I ain't got nothing against them, just that most of them are a bunch of jerks."
"Wait, why are talking about wizards?" Eda questioned.
"Because one of your clients was a wizard…" King said as he was holding back his laughter and slowly losing control, "who told Luz that she… she was… a Chosen One!" He then burst out laughing.
"Wait, wait! Luz?" Eda said in amusement before she joined King in on the laughter.
"He even gave her a map!" King said as they continued to laugh, this causing Luz to frown in embarrassment as the poor girl hid her face behind her book.
"Really, guys?" I spoke out with a glare at the two as I comforted Luz. "Is this necessary?"
"Yeah, lay off her!" Juniper said as she got in between me and Luz and King and Eda, glaring at the laughing duo as she stuck up for Luz. "Especially consider me and DK are gonna go with her on this quest thingy."
"Wait, what?" Eda said in disbelief as she stopped laughing. "Hold on, all three of you are doing this?"
"Well, yeah." Juniper said before she looked back at the map. "At least, that's what we're gonna do if I can figure out this map."
"Okay, Luz and Ryuji falling for this, I can believe." Eda said, getting her daughter's attention back. "But why are you gonna go on some wild goose chase for?"
"Because this 'wild goose chase' happens to have something that could help us." Juniper told her mother. "That wizard told us there's a staff that is so frickin' strong that it can break any kind of curse! Do you know what that means?"
"Hold up, let me see that map." Eda said as she then took the map and looked it over before turning back to Juniper. "You didn't honestly think this was real?"
"What?" Me and the girls said in shock.
"This map is bunk. It doesn't even point to any specific place around here." Eda told us as she then gave the map back to Juniper. "Plus, there's no lake with a Celestial Staff on the Boiling Isles. If there was, I would have stolen that ages ago."
"But what if there is?" Juniper said as she tried to convince her mother to think otherwise. "If the Celestial Staff really does exist, then…"
"Juni, I told you that there isn't." Eda told her. "I've been all around the Isles and not once even found anything like that."
"Maybe you just weren't looking hard enough." Juniper glared, causing Eda to narrow her eyes at the little witch.
"Watch your tone, young lady." Eda angrily said to her daughter.
"If you two are gonna fight, mind taking it out of the room?" I spoke out, getting the Clawthornes' attention as I stood up and walked over to them with a glare. "Luz is already upset enough as it is."
"Yeah, I see your point." Eda said after seeing Luz's upset face before speaking to her with a smile. "Hey, Luz." Luz then looked up to the Owl Lady. "Cheer up. Couple more months here and you won't look like such a mark."
"Eda, would you please leave?" I harshly told her.
"Okay, okay. Take it easy." Eda said before she spoke to her daughter. "Juni, follow me. We'll talk in the living room." Juniper huffed as she followed her mother out of the room, dropping the map which I then pick up. Remember there was still one person left in the room, I then turned my gaze to him.
"What?" King asked me in confusion.
"You need to leave too." I told him.
"What? Why?"
"Because you laughing at her is part of the reason Luz is upset."
"Oh, come on! I just got comfy!" With a growl, I then grabbed King by the fur and started carrying him to the door, much to the demon's shock. "Wait, hold on!"
"Get out!" After tossing him out, I then slammed the door closed. Leaning against it, I panted a bit as my anger started to fade away. After I calmed down, I then turned to Luz to see how bummed out she was before then walking over and sitting next to her. "You okay, Luz?"
"Yeah, I'm fine." Luz said before she then leaned into me in despair. "Maybe Eda is right. Maybe that map is nothing but bunk."
Seeing this, I used one arm to try and hug her in comfort, even though I felt much the same. Eda did know more about the Isles than any of us, so I was starting to believe that maybe the wizard was just lying to make us feel better, much like my dad had done to make me see the Isles as a wonderful place. Though that changed went I looked at the map and was surprised to find a Japanese character glowing in white above the image of the Celestial Staff, the character meaning "One".
"Or maybe she's wrong." I said as I let go of Luz, letting my friend sit up as she looked and gasped in awe at what I found.
After she slowly took it, the character then disappeared. After looking at it in confusion, I then looked over and saw that where I had the map was directly under the sunlight coming from the window. Getting a thought of what was going on, I then grabbed Luz and got her to stand up with me before I then moved her hands to where the map was directly in the sunlight. From doing so, we both gasped as more Japanese characters appeared along with a line on the map of the Isles, the character I saw before actually being part of a title written in Japanese which actually said "The Chosen One".
"The directions to the Celestial Staff!" I said in awe. "The real map is written in morning dew ink, a special invisible ink that can only be revealed in pure sunlight! That's why Juni couldn't see it."
"And it haves something written in Japanese!" Luz said, just as amazed by this. "Ryuji, you know Japanese! Read what it says!"
"Okay." I said before I then got to reading it out loud. "Let's see… the title says 'The Chosen One'… and this looks like some sort of prophecy. 'With secrets revealed, the journey is far from done with the light of day revealing the path of the Chosen One. There lies the staff of great power wielded by the one to light the land's darkest hour. Many who follow shall be lead astray for only the worthy shall find the way'. Look like only the person destined to wield the Celestial Staff can truly find it. Maybe that's why Eda didn't find it."
"Yeah, but will I find it?" Luz asked, feeling some doubt. "Am I worthy?"
"Well, there's only one way to find out." I said as I gave an encouraging smile. It took a moment before she then gained a smile of determination.
"Yeah, you're right." Luz said, her determination for the quest regained. "I'll never know unless I try."
With that, we then grabbed our bags and Luz grabbed the sheathed toy sword before we then opened the window and went out of it. I went out first and made it to the ground so I would catch Luz before putting her down gently to her feet and the two of us then left as we followed the map.
[No one's view]
Back inside the Owl House, King hopped onto the couch with a tired look on his face with Eda sitting opposite to him as she talked with her daughter.
"Finally! All that mean‐spirited laughter made me sleepy." King said, laying down before he fell sleep.
"Mom, that staff could solve our problems!" Juniper said to her mother.
"Juni, for the last time, you are not going on that bogus quest." Eda told her.
"But, Mom, don't you see what this means?" Juniper argued. "If we get that staff, then we can finally be able to go and find Dad and we wouldn't have to hide anymore!"
"Juniper, no means no, so drop it!" Eda sternly said to her. After Juniper looks down in despair, Eda sighed before she spoke to her daughter like the mother she is. "Juni, I know that you want to have your dad back in our lives, I do too. But we can't go after every wild goose chase we hear about. You will see your dad, I promise, but you need to think before running off like that. You understand?"
"Yeah, I guess you're right." Juniper said before she then sat down in the chair behind her. "Good thing you stopped me or I would have charged headfirst on Adegast's quest." As Juniper chuckled, Eda's eyes widen in shock.
"Adegast?" Eda asked.
"Yeah, he's the wizard client of yours that gave us the map." Juniper told her. "He was one of the referrals from the list." Hearing this, Eda then turned to the sleeping demon on the couch.
"Crony, wake up!" The witch said, making King open one eye at her. "You said that wizard was one of my clients?"
"Yes. Now go away." King said before then tried to go back to sleep.
"Mom, what's wrong?" Juniper asked with concern.
"It's that wizard you told me about. I don't really recall any wizard named Adegast." Eda said as she flopped down onto the couch, making King get a little air and waking him up. "And I don't like this itch he's scratching into Ryuji and the human."
"Less talky, more nappy." King said to her as he went back to sleep, clearly showing no signs of caring at the moment.
"Well, now that I think about it, he did seem more interested in them than he did with me and King." Juniper said as she thought back on when she and her housemates met Adegast.
"And that's what worries me." Eda said as she then looked toward the stairs with worry before she then turned to Juniper. "Juni, would you tell Ryuji and Luz to come down here? I want to talk to them."
"Sure thing, Mom." Juniper said before she then got up and went upstairs to Luz's room, the witch girl soon knocking on the door. "Luz? DK? Can I come in?" Getting no response, Juniper slowly opens the door. "Look, guys. I know you might still be upset, but I talked things with Mom and she…" After opening the door, Juniper is shocked to see both of her friends gone. "Luz? DK?" Hearing the wind blow, she looked over to see the window open. "Oh, no." Running over to the window, she looked around and called out from not seeing any sight of her fellow teenagers. "Hooty, where's Luz and DK?"
"Hoot, hoot!" Hooty said as he stretched himself out to the window. "If you want the answer you seek, solve my riddle within a week—Ow!"
"Hooty, this is no time for games!" Juniper angrily said after slamming her fist onto the house and leaving a crack in its wall. "I need to know where those nerds ran off too!"
"Okay, okay! Sheesh!" Hooty said to her. "They went into the forest towards Bonesborough."
"The forest? Oh, crap!" Juniper said as the house demon retracted himself, the witch girl soon starting her run downstairs. "Mom! King! We got a problem!"
[Ryuji]
After finally leaving Bonesborough by going past the sign posted at the city limit, me and Luz continued towards the forest as I held onto the map to make sure we were going the right way.
"Okay, according to the map, the lake is located somewhere in that forest." I said as I read the map, making sure it was in the sunlight. "Doesn't seem like we have to go very far. By the looks of it, we might be able to make it there right around sunset."
"This is so amazing. Our first mythical quest!" Luz said with an excited smile.
I then put the map away as we headed into the forest. After entering those woods, this mysterious fog rolled in, surrounding us and obscuring what was in front of us and the way we came in. From this, I then created a light orb so we didn't get lost in the fog.
"Okay, now I'm starting see what it meant that 'Many who follow shall be lead astray'." I said. "This must be how the staff keeps itself hidden from the unworthy."
"So if we get lost, does that mean I'm unworthy?" Luz said with concern.
"Well, if we don't find a village." I told her as we walked. "The map said we would be on the right track if we find a village. Which means if we do, then that means you're worthy to wield that staff."
"Yeah, you're right." Luz said as she regained her confidence. "Okay. Got my scroll, got my useful optimism, and got my trust weapon." She then raised the toy sword into the air and pressed the button.
"By the power of Skullgaaaar…" After the toy whirred off, I then cleared my throat to remind her of one thing she forgot to mention.
"Oh, sorry." Luz said after realizing she had forgotten about me. "And I got my trusted companion: the one and only Ryuji the Dragon Kid."
"Mm-hmm." I hummed with a nod. "And together, we'll find the Celestial Staff and fulfill the prophecy. You know, it's funny. My dad actually told me about a prophecy here on the Boiling Isles."
"Really?" Luz was surprised by this.
"Yeah. From what he told me, there's this legend that tells of a member of the witch race who would rise above all others to lead the Boiling Isles into a new age of peace and harmony."
"Hey, wait. What if that legend was talking about you? Maybe you're the one who will help the Isles!"
"What? Me? No way. I'm nothing that special. Besides, it's just a legend."
"Yeah, a legend that might actually be true. I mean, you have all sorts of crazy strong magic."
"Yeah, but not the kind that people would consider 'legendary'."
"Oh, don't be so modest. You're the strongest warlock I've met." She then gasped in awe. "Maybe you and I are destined to work together! We could be a duo, just like Azura and Ludolf! Ryuji the Dragon Kid and Luz the Human, the heroes of the Boiling Isles!"
"Okay, let's just focus on finding the village." I said, chuckling at her enthusiasm. "We're not gonna find the staff by talking the whole way."
"Right. Then, onward!" Luz profoundly said as we continued on.
After an hour though, we both started to lose our optimism after walking for so long and not finding the village.
"Hey, Ryuji." Luz said as I then used my Saisho to cut through some vines in our path, my friend sounding pretty depressed. "I'm starting to wonder if we really made the right choice by coming here."
"Yeah, I'm starting to think this might've been a waste of time." I said as I cut away the last few vines. "Maybe we should turn back and…" I stopped and stood there in awe at the sight before me, putting my Saisho back on my back.
"Ryuji?" Luz said as she then went up to me with concern. "Hey, what's wrong?" I then slowly turned her head to her right and she gasped in awe at what I was looking at. "Wow."
As the fog finally cleared, we found ourselves inside this whole entire village full of cat-like creatures. Walking into it, we both couldn't help but smile at how majestic the place looked and how friendly the residents were like this one cat person who waved at me and I politely waved back.
"Okay, I take it back." Luz said with eyes full of excitement. "We made the right choice coming here!"
After walking over to the center of the village, we both stopped as we watched someone come out of the fountain there. After they pulled their hair back, we saw that it was a warlock about our age with short black hair, a muscular physique, and an eyepatch over his right eye. He was dressed in a teal, sleeveless dress shirt with a white collar, white pants, black boots, and black fingerless gloves. Attached to the gold shoulder pad strapped to his left shoulder, the red belt held up a large, broadsword behind him.
"Oh, we definitely made the right choice." Luz said as I saw her looking at the warlock with a smile and a blush, causing me to growl at the guy for getting Luz's attention.
"There you are!" Hearing that voice, we then watched another stranger come onto the scene, this being a witch who looked very displeased. "Honestly, Nevareth, must you really bathe yourself in the fountain? It wouldn't hurt to have some dignity."
The witch who spoke to him was one who looked about our age with quite the curvaceous figure and long, luxurious black hair styled into hair loops that flowed down from the front and along the sides of her head and a braided ponytail that flowed down over her left shoulder. She was dressed in a golden tiara and a fancy purple dress with gold accents and a long, frilled skirt. I couldn't really help but gaze upon her as she looked absolutely beautiful.
"Oh, calm down, Nevasia." The warlock who I guess was Nevareth said to the witch now known as Nevasia. "I was only getting rid of the smell that you had detested."
"You could have done it in the bathroom where we were staying at." Nevasia retorted. "As well as bath properly without soiling your clothes."
"I told you that what we were given is too small." Nevareth told her. "Besides, I believe this means these clothes do not have to be washed anymore."
"Oh, brother. Sometimes you are so infuriating." Nevasia said as she pinched the arc of her nose in annoyance.
"Um, hello." I said with a nervous smile, getting the attention of the two as they turned to me and Luz.
"Oh, hello there!" Nevasia said before she hurried over to us, Nevareth following behind in a casual walk. "Deeply sorry you had to see this. My brother tends to be rather picky with how he does things."
"Uh… no worries. I understand perfectly." I nervously said as I looked away, trying my best to avoid staring at her cleavage that showed from the top from which the sight of made me blush. I soon lost that blush after remembering what she just said and became surprised. "Wait, 'brother'?" After Nevareth finally reach over, I saw that his eye was the same hazel as Nevasia's dazzling eyes.
When Nevareth looked at me, he began shocked before instantly glaring at me.
"Get back!" He said as he pulled his sister aside before he then drew out his sword and held it as he stood between me and Nevasia.
"Whoa, whoa!" I said, taken back by this as I held my hands up in defense.
"Brother, what are you doing?" Nevasia said, shocked by her brother's actions.
"Nevasia, look at his eyes." Nevareth said to her. "This boy is cursed, which means he's dangerous."
"Whoa! Hey!" Luz said as she then got in front of me. "Put down the really cool sword. Ryuji's not dangerous."
"And how do I know that you aren't lying?" Nevareth said to her.
"Nevareth, I do believe she speaks the truth. Look!" Nevasia said, pointing to me and Luz. "Their ears are not ones of witches."
"Humans?" Nevareth said, surprised by this. "What are two humans doing here?"
"I do believe it is clear as to why they are here." Nevasia said with a smile as she walked over to stand behind us, putting a hand on both mine and Luz's shoulders as her brother lowers his sword. "One of these two is the Chosen one who will defeat the great evil and save the Isles."
"Yeah, though I'm technically not human." I said, causing Nevasia to look at me with a raised brow.
Instead of telling her, I decided to show her as I stepped a bit away from her with a smile before using a spell circle on the ground, my Plant Magic making a small vine to grow out of the ground in front of her before presenting her with a beautiful rose which she takes before giving me a touched smile. Hearing a huff, I looked to see Luz had turned away with her arms crossed in annoyance.
"You're a hybrid." Nevareth said with surprise. "Never thought I would see one."
"Ah, well, you just have to know where to look." I said as I stood up.
"Well, I do say that this is some impressive magic." Nevasia said to me as she held onto the rose. She then turned to Luz. "So am I correct to say that the young lady beside me is the Chosen One?"
"Uh, yeah, I am." Luz answered her in an annoyed tone.
"So you're the Chosen One?" Nevareth nonchalantly said as he walked over to my friend, putting his sword back on his belt. "You don't look like much of one. If you ask me, the Celestial Staff should've picked me: Nevareth Bladestrife, Teen Prince of Angstmore."
"Nevareth, you know as much as I do that the staff can only be wielded by a human, the one which it chooses to save the Isles." Nevasia said with a displeasing look to him.
"Yes, I remember. But still…" Nevareth said.
"Anyway, I do believe we haven't been properly introduced." Nevasia said as she turned to me and Luz with a smile, my friend going over to stand beside me. "I am Nevasia Bladestrife, Crowned Princess of Angstmore." She bowed to us while Nevareth crossed his arms. "This is my twin brother Nevareth."
"It's a pleasure to meet you both." I said, returning the bow. "I'm Ryuji Frank, the Dragon Kid. And this is my friend Luz. Seeing how you two know about it, I believe you are looking for the Celestial Staff as well?"
"Oh, yes. We had been traveling for quite some time." Nevasia told us. "While we managed to find refuge in this village, our search to find the sacred lake had been for naught as we only found ourselves returning here no matter how long we walk these cursed woods."
"Well, we happen to have a map." I said as I pulled out the map. "And the prophecy said that only the Chosen One can be able to find the staff. You can come with us if you want."
"I suppose it is only right. There is strength in numbers." Nevasia said with surprise. "Very well, sir Ryuji. We shall accompany you and Lady Luz on your quest. Come, Nevareth. Let us gather our things." With that, Nevasia then walked off with her brother following her.
"Well, those two seem pretty nice, huh?" I said after the twins were out of sight.
"Yeah, especially Nevareth." Luz said with a blissful smile. "He is so cool."
"Really, Luz?" I asked with a raised brow. "You're going ga-ga over that prince?"
"What? I'm not going ga-ga over him!" Luz said, breaking out of her trance as she looked at me with shock. "I just think he's cool."
"Really? After he pointed his sword at me or how rude he was to you about being the Chosen One?"
"Hey, he may have been rather cold to us, but I think he might actually be a nice guy once we get to know him."
"Geez, you really fell hard for that egotistic dumbass."
"I didn't fell hard for anything. Besides, what about you and how you acted with that the princess?"
"What? Nevasia?" I was surprised by this.
"Don't play dumb with me. You got the hots for her." Luz pointed a finger at me.
"What? No, I don't!"
"I saw you staring at her and her… personality." She used her hand to emphasize the last word.
"I'll admit that she is quite appeasing to the eye, but that doesn't mean I fancy her like that."
"Oh, yeah? Then why did you give her a rose with your magic?"
"I was just being nice! Geez, Luz. Why are you acting so prickly about this?"
"I'm not prickly!"
"Is everything alright over here?" Looking over, we then watched as the Bladestrife Twins walked over to us with satchels over their shoulders, Nevasia looking at us with concern.
Seeing how they no doubt saw us argue, me and Luz quickly decided to end our fight, clearing our throats and turning away from each other to recompose ourselves.
"Yes, everything is fine." I said as I then held the map in the sunlight, doing my best to smile. "Let's get going, shall we?" With that, the four of us then ventured on out of the village and back into the forest.
[No one's view]
Back in Bonesborough, Juniper and King were leading Eda to where they met with Adegast, the little demon traveling ahead.
"This is where we met the wizard." Juniper said as they reached the entryway.
"Yeah, and all those scones he had." King added before they went past the tarp.
"Whoa!" King said as they all looked in shock. "It wasn't like this before."
King was right. While it looked like the castle he and the teens went to, it was completely ravaged in ruins and was slowly falling apart.
"I don't get it." Juniper said, confused by this. "This place looked a million times better when we did that delivery."
"I don't like this." Eda said before the three then walked up the doors.
Upon opening them, the inside was shown to be a total mess inside. Entering the library, which had a floor littered with parchment and shelves of books covered in dust, they all spread out and began looking for the wizard.
"Hello? Adegast?" Juniper called out as she walked around, her voice echoing throughout the room. She then stopped as she felt something at her foot before she looked to see she stepped on a few papers which she then picked up. Examining them, her eyes widen in shock. "Mom, look at this!" With that, Eda then came over before her daughter gave the papers, Eda becoming shocked at the sight. "They're all the same map that wizard gave us!"
Juniper was right as they were all exact copies of the map. Noticing the light revealing something written on the maps, she held them over more into it and saw the same writing as the map Luz and Ryuji had, though each map of the Isles led to different locations instead of the forest.
"Morning dew ink?" Eda said as she scowled from her suspicions being confirmed. "Okay, now I really don't like this."
[Ryuji]
As we were walking through the woods, we had a talk with the twins and they told us the reason why they were looking for the staff. It turned out that the two were from a different Titan far from the Isles and were separated only a week after they were born, their father being overthrown in a coupe masterminded by their uncle who rules the land with an iron fist. After the two met and they found out about their heritage, they decided to put an end to their uncle's tyranny and reclaim the throne so they could bring peace back to their home. Nevareth had vowed to avenge his father by bringing his evil uncle to justice. But the twins' uncle had proven to be too powerful for them, so when they heard tales of the Celestial Staff, they came to the Boiling Isles in the hope to use its power to defeat their uncle. Needless to say, I did feel sorry for them and finally understood why Nevareth had such a cold approach to others.
"So you guys are looking for the staff because you want to free your people from your uncle's tyranny." I said, taking in their story.
"Yes. While our will is strong, our uncle has proven to be more powerful than any witch in the land, one we have no chance in defeating." Nevasia said with despair. "While we did not wish to leave our home, we had to find the Celestial Staff as it is the only we have in saving our people."
"Nevareth, Nevasia, I really love your backstory. It is so compelling." Luz said before the little dove-like demon with white bat wings flew down to rest on her head. "And I'm really loving your animal sidekick."
"After my village was consumed, my heart has known nothing but vengeance." Nevareth said with a stoic expression. "Even after reuniting with the sister I never knew I had, I feel as if nothing can remove the pain and loss I have deep inside."
"Nevareth." Luz said as we both felt pity for him.
"I understand." I said as I then walked up to Nevareth. "After everything you've been through, it's not easy to forget pain like that. But I think you can be able to get rid of it. Like a wise man once said 'any scar can heal when despair becomes hope and hate becomes love."
"I do hope that you're right, Sir Ryuji." Nevareth said before he then stopped and walked over to Luz. "Lady Luz…" He then got in a dramatic pose. "Do you think love can bloom on the battlefield?"
"Oh." Luz said with surprise as she turned away with a blush. "Nevareth!"
As Luz was reacting to what that prince said to her, I tried my best to hold in my laugh with a few snickers slipping out. I wasn't the only one doing it as I saw Nevasia snickering as well. It wasn't long until me and the princess broke out laughing, getting the attention of the two.
"Brother, I'm sorry, but I'm afraid that what you said was too cliché." Nevasia said with an amused smile. "Is that really your way of trying to charm a maiden?"
"Yeah, seriously, dude." I said to him. "You sound like a drama queen in Lord of the Rings than a prince." With that, Nevareth gave a growl before he then walked away ahead of us, me and his sister still laughing at this. "Luz, are you seriously falling for Prince Cliché there?"
"What? I thought what he said was sweet." Luz said to me. "This quest is questing in all the right ways."
Sometime later, we soon came across a bridge over a river. But, just when we were halfway across, this cat person popped out of nowhere and stopped us.
"Ew!" me and Nevareth said at the same time as the cat person was actually quite ugly.
"Hum-di-diddle! To pass the bridge, you must first solve my riddle." The cat person said to us.
"Hit me, little furry man!" Luz said, accepting the challenge without hesitation.
"Your quest shall stop if you fail this game." The cat person said. "So tell me, my dear. What is my name? "
"Wait, that's it?" I said in surprise before I whispered to Nevasia. "Not much of a riddle master, is he?" Nevasia giggled at my joke.
"Hmm…" Luz thought for a moment until she then noticed something while looking at the cat person. Following her gaze, I saw that the cat person had his name tag on his shirt. "Uh… Chris?"
"That's it! You may cross the bridge." The cat person said before taking out a golden ring with a blue jewel. "And please, take this, Chosen One. It shall help you on your journey."
"Wow! This is amazing! Thank you." Luz said, accepting the offering.
"Huh. First challenge of the day and Luz already got awarded for succeeding." I said, a little impressed by this.
"Do you need a cape?" Nevareth asked as she put the ring on.
"Nah, I think I'm…"
"You can use my shirt!" The prince said as he cut her off, ripping off his shirt and showing off his very well-built body. I rolled my eyes at this while Nevasia facepalmed herself by her brother's actions which took Luz by surprise.
"Yes! I need a cape!" She eagerly said while Nevareth tied it around her neck.
"Three cheers for the Chosen One!" Nevareth said, getting Chris to cheer for Luz with him as they shouted "Hooray" every time Nevareth yelled "Hip-hip".
"Is your brother always like this?" I asked Nevasia, annoyed a bit by Nevareth and the way he was praising Luz.
"Unfortunately." The princess told me as she removed her hand from her face and we walked behind her brother and Luz, the four of us continuing our journey. "I do so wish that he would act more like a prince instead of making a fool of himself."
"Yeah, I get what it's like to have a brother who embarrasses you from time to time." I said to her, remembering my big bro Ben.
"And he does need to shape up if he is ever going to find a wife. There's only so much as the title of prince can do for him."
"Yeah." Thinking about what she said, I blushed as I went on to ask her one certain question. "So, Nevasia… just curiosity, do you have… anyone waiting for you back home?"
"Well, I do have my people who are no doubt waiting patiently for me to ascend the throne as queen."
"No, I meant… do you have anyone special waiting for you?"
"Oh!" Nevasia gained a blush at realizing what I meant, but tried her best to smile. "No, I don't. I haven't yet found my king."
"Oh, I see." I was surprised. "You know, I thought someone like you would already have a prince-in-waiting."
"Oh, yes. I do see that. As queen, I am expected to marry and even bare a child someday in my life. I'm still searching for the one who would be the perfect husband for me. Despite having so many suitors in my homeland, I hadn't been able to find the one to be my king. While I do not mind valor, I'm not fond of brutish men." She then turned her gaze to me, her smile becoming more honest. "If I were forced to choose though, I prefer someone around my own age who is intelligent and talented in magic." I felt my heart flutter as she fluttered her eyes at me.
"Oh, well…" I gave a nervous chuckle as I felt my face turning bright red. "I suppose the one you choose will be quite the lucky man."
"Oh, I do believe that I would be the lucky one." The princess turned her gaze over to Luz as she kept moving forward with Nevareth beside her. "Maybe just as lucky as Lady Luz is to have a man such as you." It was then that I realized what she was implying.
"Wait, do you think… Oh, no. Luz and I… We're not… We're just friends."
"Oh. Sorry, I had just thought since you were accompanying her…"
"Yeah, we're not dating. Besides, I'm pretty sure your brother has her wrapped around his little finger."
"Oh, well then…" Feeling her take my arm, I then watched as she then pulled it close to her, giving me a smile as she did. "I suppose it is alright if we walked together like this, yes?"
"Oh, yeah. I don't mind." I tried my best to stay calm as I felt her chest pressing against my arm.
[Ryuji's aside]
Wow, did a princess just show interest me and even flirt with me? Luz was right. This quest is questing in the right spots.
[No one's view]
"Oh, no." Eda said as she, Juniper, and King arrived in the same village Ryuji and Luz had gone through earlier.
Much like the castle, the town was completely abandoned and void of all life, large thorny vines sprouting all over.
"King, are you sure DK and Luz came through here?" Juniper asked with worry.
"I can't mistake their smell." King said after he sniffed around. "Apple, lemons, and young naïve confidence."
"Why would those two go here and not head back?" Juniper asked.
"Probably because it didn't look like this when they got here." Eda said as they moved forward. "My guess is that someone's using Illusion Magic to keep Ryuji and Luz on this quest, no doubt the same one who used it to make that castle look nice."
"Wait, so you're saying Adegast is using illusions to trick Luz and DK?" Juniper said with surprise. "But why?"
"That's what we need to find out." Eda said to her daughter before she found a cat person lying by the fountain and caught in thorns. "Hold this." After giving her staff to Juniper, Eda went over and flicked the cat person. "Hey, wake up, you! What've you done with Luz and Ryuji?" Getting no response, Eda then picked up the cat person and shook them. "Hey, I'm talking to you! What's your endgame?" Still no response. "Hey, did you hear me?"
"Mom, I'm not so sure this guy is alive." Juniper said as she walked over before the cat person's head suddenly turned to face Eda, scaring the young Clawthorne. "Aaah!"
"To find the boy and your pupil to still your wrath, look ahead and follow the path." The cat person said before giving an evil cackle as they disintegrated into dust.
"Ew! Gross!" Juniper cringed in horror.
"The cat man melted!" King gasped in shock.
"That wasn't a cat man." Eda said as she stood up. "Just a piece of the illusion."
"Why would Adegast just leave that here?" Juniper asked.
"As a message for me." Eda told her. "Adegast wants me to follow Ryuji and Luz." She then took her staff back. "Come on, we need to find them fast."
[Ryuji]
After getting across the bridge, we soon came across a village of fairies who were very welcoming to us. After we told them about Luz being the Chosen One, their princess invited us to a feast in her honor. After the feast, the princess decided to join us as we continued on our journey.
"Thank you for inviting us to your feast, Princess." Luz said to the little fairy. "All your food was so tiny and cute." Luz said.
"Think nothing of it, Chosen One." The princess said before she then gave Luz a bracelet. "Let this bring you good fortune on your journey."
"Thank you." Luz said as she accepted the offering.
With her allowing me to go to Luz, Nevasia released me as I then went on to stand beside my human friend.
"Everyone, this has got to be the best day of our lives." I said to all the new friends we had made. "We can't thank you enough for all that you've done."
"Yeah, even though we only just met, you've all been so kind and thoughtful." Luz added with a smile. "I hope this quest never ends!"
"Your quest will soon come to an end for the staff you seek is around the bend." Chris said as he popped out of nowhere.
"Thanks for ruining the mood, Chris." Luz said with a deadpan look as I took out the map.
"Actually I'm afraid he's right." I said as I saw we had reached the end of the path before pointing to a row of trees. "According to the map, the lake should be right through there." With that, I then put the map away and smiled. "Well, we finally made it. Now let's go get that staff." When I turned to them, I saw that our new friends had depressed looks on their faces. "Guys? Hey, what's wrong?"
"Ryuji, I'm afraid you and Luz will have to continue on alone." Nevasia said, shocking us.
"What? Why?" I asked.
"This part of the forest is protected by magic through which we cannot pass." The fairy princess told us. "It is said that only humans can pass through it. Because you are half-human, you may be the only one who can accompany Lady Luz."
"But, Nevareth, Nevasia," I said as I turned to the twins, "you worked so hard just to find this place. Out of everyone, you two deserve to be with us."
"We do appreciate your concern for us, but this isn't about us." Nevasia told me. "This is Lady Luz's moment and, if anything, I believe the one who deserves to see her claim her destiny is you." Hearing everyone agreeing, I couldn't help but smile.
"Well, if you're okay with it." I said before I then turned to Luz who had the same smile I had as I walked over to her. "Shall we?"
"Yeah, let's go." Luz said before she then spoke to our friends. "Nevareth, after we get Ryuji uncursed, we'll go and help you beat your uncle!"
"I'm looking forward to it, Chosen One." Nevareth said with a wink. "Now go on. The Celestial Staff is yours. You've earned it." Nodding to him, me and Luz then went on down to the final stretch of our journey. "Farewell, Lady Luz! You too, Sir Ryuji!"
"We shall be awaiting your return!" Nevasia added as Chris and the fairy princess said goodbye to us.
After walking for a while, we then stopped upon seeing a crystal blue lake with a small piece of land at the center. Resting there was this amazing white staff with a blue, diamond-shaped crystal on top of it that was just glowing with magic.
"That must be the Celestial Staff!" I said before we eagerly ran over to the edge of the lake.
Upon reaching the edge, we watched as the lake started glowing and a path to the staff arose from the water.
"Okay, now that is cool." I said, impressed by this. "I knew this place wasn't all doom and gloom."
"Yeah, it's like your dad said." Luz said before we then started walking over to the staff. "The Isles is a place full of wonder. And I came here for a reason." With that, we then stopped and stood in front of the staff.
"Well, here it is." I said before I stepped back a bit. "Go on ahead, Luz. It's all yours."
"Thanks, Ryuji." She said to me before she stepped closer to the staff. "Okay, this is it. Moment of truth."
Slowly reaching out, Luz grabs the staff and starts pulling it with all her might causing blue light to shine from it. The moment she pulled it free, we both then watched in awe as swirls of blue light surrounded her for a moment before going into the crystal, making it illuminate the place in light.
"Yes! I am the Chosen One! I knew it!" Luz said as she proudly held the Celestial Staff. "I always suspected there was a reason nobody understood my wacky antics back at home." I then cleared my throat to remind her that there was someone who understood her. "Oh, except you, Ryuji. But now I have concrete proof."
"Yeah, I'm sorry I doubted you. Looks like you were destined to be here." I said before holding my arms out to the side. "Now let's see what they said about the staff is true."
"Right!" She said as she then spun the staff around before pointing it at me. "One curse removal coming up!" Our smiles disappeared when the staff suddenly disappear in a puff of smoke. "What? No!"
With seeing the plants around us suddenly dying and the lake suddenly drying up, I walked over to Luz as we both drew the swords we brought while the mysterious fog appeared and surrounded the pit that was once a lake, fear and confusion filling the both of us as we found ourselves in a place of ruin.
"What the hell?" I said before we heard a familiar voice.
"Luz the Human and young Ryuji." Looking toward the path, we saw Adegast standing there.
"Adegast?" I said, confused by his presence. "What is going on? What is this?"
"Oh, this? Just some of my finest work." Adegast calmly told me. "I worked very hard to ensure this could fool anyone, including you."
"What?" Luz said, confused by this. "What's he talking about?"
"Illusion Magic." I said as I realized it before I glared at the wizard. "The fog from before. That was him pulling us into an illusion."
"Well done, Dragon Kid." Adegast said with his head down before his arms started moving around in sudden movements and cracking as he was then pulled into the air.
"Old wizard?" Luz said in horror.
"Luz, that's no wizard." I said, just as horrified.
"Your friend is right." Adegast said before he lift it up his head and turned it to the side with a crazed look on his face. "Your hubris has failed you, Witch Apprentice!" Laughing like a psychopath, a large purple octopus demon with black eyes and yellow irises along with boney black humanoid arms and hands came out of the fog behind the wizard who had a tentacle on the back of his neck.
Just as we backed away from him, more of his tentacles popped out of the ground with Nevareth, Nevasia, Chris, the fairy princess, and everyone we had met on the quest at the ends of them like the wizard. They all even had the same crazed smile as him.
"Okay, Luz. Don't panic." Luz said as we walked around with our swords in hand, keeping back-to-back of each other before stopping with me in front of the demon and the wizard. "This is classic Chosen One biz. You just have to rescue everybody and defeat the final boss."
"Luz, there is nobody to save!" I told her. "These aren't even real people, not even that wizard! That demon is the real Adegast and these are just part of the illusion he put us in."
"That's right and you both fell for it!" Adegast said to us. "I tricked you, you fool!" As Adegast laughed, I turned my head to see Luz looking at the demon in absolute disbelief.
[No one's view]
In the forest, Eda, Juniper, and King flew through the trees on her staff with the witch explaining to her about Adegast's plan.
"Wait, so Adegast is trying to use DK and Luz to bait you out?" Juniper asked in shock.
"Yep! And he's no wizard." Eda told her. "He's what you call a puppet master, a demon who specializes in scamming and manipulating people with illusions. He's trying to use Ryuji and Luz to lure me into his trap."
"Yeah, and we're flying directly into his trap. Hooray." King sarcastically said.
"Hey, unless you got a better plan, I suggest you keep your mouth shut." Juniper said to the demon as they kept on flying.
"Hey, faster, you!" Eda said as she hit her staff, causing it to fly faster.
[Ryuji]
"There is no Celestia Staff, is there?" I said, figuring out Adegast's plan. "That was just a lure to get us out here. This was all a trap!"
"Yes. I played you like the fiddles you are." Adegast said to us. "With you being so desperate to be rid of your curse and your friend just begging to think she was special, it was so easy to get you both here."
"Yeah, you got us here." I said to him. "And now you're gonna get an ass-kicking!"
"Oh, I beg to differ." Adegast said before he created a spell circle. Just like that, all the accessories Luz received transformed into magic restraints, making her drop the sword as the cape wrapped around her, the bracelet turned into handcuffs, and the ring turned into restraining bands around her fingers.
"Luz!" I said as I then went over to her.
"No! Betrayed by my own cool accessories." Luz exclaimed in dismay.
"Why are you doing this?" I angrily asked the demon.
"Why? Because your friend's mentor has been stealing customers from my potions business for years!" Adegast told me as he slithered forward. "I plan to put her out of business for good!"
"Does everybody have a beef with Eda here?" Luz asked out loud, all the puppets confirming this.
"Seriously, how is that witch a friend of my dad?" I asked as Luz groaned in exasperation.
"I've tried so many times to do away with her, but she was much too craft for me." Adegast said to us. "But I knew if I had someone close to her, she would come right to me. And you two lured her into my trap."
"Ha! Jokes on you!" I told him. "If Eda is as smart as you say, then she already knows about your trap."
"Yeah, there's no way Eda is dumb enough to fall for this!" Luz put in.
"Adegast!" said a voice me and Luz both knew anywhere as we then looked up to see Eda on her staff along with King and Juniper.
"Oh, crap." We both cursed at our misfortune as all three of our rescuers were then ensnared by more tentacles that burst out of the ground.
"Eda the Owl Lady." The octopus demon said, sounding proud of himself. "After so many years, I finally caught you! And all it took was tricking your little hybrid and your human student."
"That's right, you have me!" Eda told him. "Now release them!"
"Yeah! Let the nerds go!" Juniper demanded.
"I didn't have to be a part of this!" King yelled out.
"Of course you would trade your life for that of the hybrid." Adegast said to her. "The same reason as to why you came all this way out to save him. That's why he made the perfect bait."
"What?" I asked, confused by what he said. "What are you talking about?"
"Well, well. It looks like I'm not the only one who had been lying to him, does it?" Adegast smugly said, causing Eda to look away with shame and despair. "It doesn't matter though. He will find out the truth after I turn him over to the Emperor's Coven."
"Let my friends go, Adegast!" I said as Adegast turned to face me, my sword at the ready and standing between him and Luz. "Let them go or I'll slice you into calamari!"
"Quite the bold words for a child, but I believe you're in no position to order me." Adegast said before the Chris, Nevareth, and fairy princess puppets moved in and surrounded Luz.
"Luz!" I tried to run over to her, but the Nevasia puppet and a few others came over and blocked my way.
"I would tread carefully, Dragon Kid. You wouldn't want anything to happen to your human friend, would you?" After he said that, I then turned to face the tentacle fiend. "If you want her to come out unharmed, I suggest you drop the sword and surrender yourself to me."
"Ryuji, don't do it!" Luz pleaded to me.
From this, I became torn. One part of me told me to not give up and keep on fighting, but another told me to do as he said so Luz wouldn't get hurt. After a moment, I gave a sigh of defeat as the latter won and my decision was made.
"Fine. You win." I said, dropping my Saisho.
"Good boy." Adegast said before a tentacle popped out and wrapped around me, the demon pulling me into the air.
"Okay, I did as you said. Now let Luz go!" I told him.
"Oh, she can leave if she wants to." Adegast said to me. "But I sense she wants a real fantasy."
From this, I then watched as the three puppets surrounding Luz then spewed out that mist, Adegast putting her under the illusion.
"Stay with us, Luz. Stay with Adegast." The Nevareth puppet said as he put a hand on her shoulder. "We need you here. You're our Chosen One."
"Yeah, you can eat our tiny foods forever." The fairy princess puppet added.
"Luz, around here, you can have people who understand you and really accept you for who you are." The Nevareth puppet put in. "Why would you want to live in a world where people laugh at you?"
"I see your point. It is beautiful here." Luz admitted.
"Luz!" I called out, trying to get Luz to snap out of it as Eda, King, and Juniper were being squeezed.
"And you guys think I'm special." Luz added.
"No!" I said as our three real friends were being ensnared in more of the tentacles. Just when I thought it was all over…
"But it's not real!" Hearing Luz shout out in defiance, I watched as my human friend ran out of the cloud of the illusion and grabbed the toy sword before making her declaration. "I am Luz Noceda, a Witch's Apprentice! And I'm gonna earn my magic staff the hard way!" As I smiled at this, Adegast moved his wizard puppet over to her as he looked in disbelief. "I believed you, magic man. Now feel my wrath!" With a charge forward, she stabbed the wizard puppet, making it go poof to reveal she had managed to stab the tentacle.
As the octopus demon screamed in pain, I felt his grip loosen which allowed me to slip right out before I then rushed over while grabbing my Saisho and joined Luz, both of us ready for battle. I then watched as the Clawthornes and King joined us as they had managed to escape the tentacles from Adegast's losing his grip on them too. It wasn't long until we all then began fighting the army of puppets as they swarmed us, me and Luz slashing at fairies and cat people while King hid behind Juniper as she blasted a few cat puppets. Eda even made quick work of a few puppets by casting a blast of fire that burned a few puppets away and made Adegast scream in pain. After taking care of one puppet, I looked over and saw the Nevareth puppet coming behind Luz.
"Luz, look out!" I said as I quickly made my way over to her, Luz turning around the see the puppet before I stepped in and stabbed it in the gut with my Saisho. "Take that, pretty boy!"
"Aah! My flawless pecs!" He yelled out before he turned into mist.
"Thanks." Luz said with a grateful smile.
"No problem." I told her. "To be honest, I've been waiting to do that all day."
"Ryuji, look out!" Luz told me before pulled me aside and jabbed her sword forward, stabbing the Nevasia puppet in the face. "And that's for toying with Ryuji!"
"Aah! My beautiful face!" the puppet yelled before she turned into mist like her brother.
After she turned to me with a smile, I gave Luz a thumbs up which she returned. With all the puppets gone, the fog disappeared and we thought it was a sign that we won until…
"Back off!" Adegast cried out, holding out King and Juniper in his tentacle. "Or the girl and her dog gets it!"
"I am not a…" King tried to argue before he muffled by a tentacle. Me, Luz, and Eda stopped as we saw the two being held hostage, me sheathing my Saisho while Eda and Luz dropped their weapons.
"King! Juniper!" I said to my friends. "I'm so sorry about all this. We should've listened to you when you said that wizard couldn't be trusted."
"Yeah, you guys were right." Luz added. "He isn't mystical or magical. He's just a big, slimey jerk!" From there, she then kicked the sword up before grabbing and throwing it, sending it flying right into the octopus' head.
"Aaah!" Adegast yelled in pain, causing him to lose his hold on King and Juniper who then ran over to us. "You little brat!" He tried to send a magic blast at her, but I managed to catch it with a spell circle and held onto it as I prepared to send it back. "What?"
"Here comes… Dragon Kid!" I said as I then tossed the spell at the octopus demon.
"Nooo!" Adegast screamed out as he was surrounded by a golden aura before he then shrunk down into a miniature version of himself. I was actually surprised because I wasn't trying to use a shrinking spell.
"Okay, I don't know how I did that, but I'll take it." I said as I then shrugged.
"Oh, no, you don't." Juniper said as we all went over to the shrunken demon, the witch girl stopping him from trying to escape before picking him up. Then, while ignoring his screaming, she bit off his head with a loud, sickening crunch that made me and Luz gasp in shock. "Huh. Not too bad." She then noticed the looks of horror me and Luz were giving her. "What? This is normal. Deal with it." She then handed what was left of Adegast to Eda.
"Well, that's the last time I take an outside referral." Eda nonchalantly said as she ate the rest of the demon. "Mmm. Oh, did you want some of that?"
"No, we're good." I said, still grossed out by what I saw.
"Yeah, though I'm just confused." Luz said sadly.
"Thinking of calling it quits, huh?" Eda said, earning her an elbow from me.
"Yeah, this place is nothing like I imagined." Luz admitted.
"Yeah, this place is a nightmare." I put in. "And I don't blame my dad for not wanting to come back here."
"What? Kid, what are you talking about?" Eda asked in surprise.
"Well, King told me one of the reasons that Dad didn't come back here was because the Isles was a terrible place." I told her. "And I now believe it and that my dad only lied just to make this place look good."
"King, why the hell would you tell Ryuji that?" Eda scolded King.
"Well, it's true, isn't it?" King said, trying to defend himself.
"No, it's not!" Eda told him. "The only reason Axel didn't come back was because Belos was after him. He didn't want to risk himself getting captured and leaving Ryuji and his brother all alone." Taking on a much calmer approach, Eda then turned to me. "Ryuji, what your dad told you about the Isles wasn't a lie. He loves this place just as much as me and anyone else here. He never came back here because the Emperor's Coven was still after him. He knew if he got captured, he would be leaving you and Ben all alone which is something he could never hold on his shoulders."
"Yeah, that does sound like him." I said to her. "But I don't see how my dad could like coming back here. Honestly, I can't see how him or any Fire Dragon can even love it here."
"Hmm." Eda hummed before she then spoke up. "Maybe not here." She then walked forward as she made her staff fly into her hand. "Come with me. I got something to show you." Luz looked over to me as I shrugged for being just as confused as her.
[Ryuji]
After getting on her staff, me and Luz waited in anticipation at what Eda wanted to show us as we flew the breeze while we flew.
"Okay, you can look now." Eda said as me and Luz then took off our blindfolds.
"Whoa! /Sugoi!" Luz and I saw in awe as we gazed upon the sight before us.
As the sun was setting to allow the night to begin with the sky a nice dusk orange, we looked down to see the actual corpse of the Titan which had made up the entire Boiling Isles.
"The Bones of the Isles, one of the most wondrous sights anyone can ever see." Eda said. "Up close, the isles can be slimy…"
"And very stinky." King added.
"Not to mention really weird." Juniper chimed in.
"And gross." Eda finished before we all looked up to the sky. "But, if you look at it from a different perspective…" Up above the skull was a shooting star flashing across the sky.
"It's beautiful." Luz finished what her mentor was going to say after a shooting star flashed across the sky.
"Yeah." King said as he leaned up against Luz and closed his eyes.
"This was what my dad loved about the Isles, wasn't it?" I asked.
"Bingo." Eda nodded to me. "Much like any other Fire Dragon, Axel could always see the beauty of this place. In fact, it was him who showed me this in the first place."
"Wow." I said, amazed by this until another thought came to mind. "Eda, how did you know that Adegast was lying?"
"You kidding? I've dealt with creeps like that before." She said where I then realized what she was saying. "I know all about the crap they tell anyone."
"Did my mom fall for that too?" I said to her. "I'm just guessing you only fell for it because you were just trying to help her with her curse, like how Luz was trying to help me with my own."
"Axel tried to help too and there was nothing but a dead end and a trap waiting for us." Eda told me. "There are a lot of people out there who make promises like that, most of which aren't really telling the truth and are looking out for themselves. You just need to know which ones are telling ya the truth and which ones are lying."
"And I was somebody that fell for those lies." Luz put in as she looked down in shame. "I'm sorry, Eda. I never should have listened to that wizard. I just wanted to feel like I had a place somewhere. I mean, Ryuji's dad and brother are both superheroes who lead the greatest superhero team in the world, he's got that awesome sword, and he can even do magic. I would be lying if I said I wasn't a little jealous of that. I just wanted to feel like I was really special, you know?"
"Look, kid, everyone wants to believe they're 'chosen' for something great." Eda said, getting Luz to look at her. "But, if we all waited around for a prophecy to make us special, we'd die waiting. And that's why you need to choose yourself."
"Does that mean you'll give me a magic staff of my own?" Luz asked as she smiled.
"Not yet, but maybe someday." Eda told her, returning the smile.
"Hey, what am I? Chopped liver?" Juniper asked, holding her hands up in emphasis.
"Hehe! Oh, don't worry, Juni." Eda laughed lightly said as she put her arm around her daughter and pulled her into her shoulder. "You'll get one too someday."
As the witch girl smiled with her mother, I then glanced over to Luz before giving her a wink. She smiled at me before she leaned her head on my shoulder with King leaning with her as we all enjoyed the sunset. This lasted for a great moment before Eda spoke up.
"Okay, now how about we have ourselves a tasty dinner?" Eda asked as everyone looked to me.
"Okay, I'll whip something up." I said with a smile, causing everyone to cheer.
Later that night, after we all got back to the Owl House, I got to work on preparing dinner after giving everyone chopstick to eat tonight's meal. I smiled as I listened to them talk to themselves.
"Ugh! How dare you defy me?" King complained as he struggle to use his chopsticks. "You are the definition of evil!"
"Wow! Where have these things been all my life? These things are amazing!" Juniper said, getting a hang of them. "What are they called again?"
"They're called 'chopsticks'." Luz told her before she laughed where I looked as she spoke to King while handing the demon some training chopsticks with a bunny on top of it. "Here, King. Use these."
"Fine, but only because I am very hungry." King said as he took them before grumbling to himself, Juniper laughing at him.
"Alright! Dinner is served." I said as I walked over and placed the bowls of rice, veggies, and giant pieces of fried chicken down on the table.
"Oh, mama! That looks good." Juniper said, licking her lips.
"Thank you, Ryuji." Luz said as I then sat down.
"You're welcome. Itadakimasu." I said, doing a bow before eating.
"What was that?" Juniper asked.
"It's a Japanese phrase." I told her. "It's used to thank the chef who prepared the meal for both yourself and others with you. Me and Dad do it all the time."
"It's true." Luz added. "Me and my mom did when we invited them over for dinner."
"Oh. Well, in that case, itadakimasu." Juniper said as she mimicked me, surprising me by how she said that on her first try.
"Wow, you just said that perfectly on your first try." I said to her.
"Really? Huh. Weird." Juniper said, a little surprised by this.
"I can do that too! Eatachikimasu!" King said as he tried to mimic me before digging in, causing me to laugh.
"We'll work on that, King." I chuckled.
"Ryuji, I'm sorry for dragging you into all of that." Luz said with an apologetic look on her face. "I got all your hopes up for you to get rid of your curse for nothing."
"You have nothing to be sorry about, Luz." I told her with a reassuring smile. "I should've known better than to trust the first stranger I meet in the Isles who offers a way to end my curse."
"Ow!" Hearing that, the two of us looked over to see King rubbing his hand while Juniper glared at him, the plate of extra fried chicken lying between them.
"Don't even think about stealing my chicken." The witch girl said to the little demon.
"Besides, I know that you just wanted to find something about you that you want to call special." I told her as we continued our conversation. "Though I think you may be cutting yourself short."
"What do you mean?" Luz asked in confusion.
"Well, think about the time you found out the truth about my heritage when you followed me to Valla." I said to her.
"Wait, wait? Valla?" Eda spoke out in shock. "As in the Kingdom of Valla, the major kingdom of Armro? She's been there?"
"Yeah, on a few occasions, me and Dad took her there to visit my relatives." I told the Owl Lady. "Though the first time she got to Valla was from following me there and finding the truth about everything. I had ran out of the elixir that helps me manage my curse and, like when I usually run out of it, Dad took me to my cousins' castle where they could watch over me as I turned into a feral dragon while he went to get more. Luz got worried about me and came over to my house, where she found the Portal Keep and found the one for Armro which took her all the way to Valla. At one point after that, from what my cousins told me, the beast I turned into broke free and started attacking everyone. I even attacked the Crown Prince, my own cousin. Everybody thought it was over until Luz here came up and tried to stop me."
"Hold on, you mean to tell me your nerdy human friend here actually stood up to a feral dragon?" Juniper asked with surprise.
"Yeah, she just walked right up to me and even spoke to me." I told her as I continued.
"And she wasn't scared of going up to a big, ferocious dragon that could rip her apart at any moment?" Juniper asked.
"Well, I was a little bit scared." Luz spoke up. "But even though he did turn into a beast, I knew that the friend I knew was still in there and that he wouldn't hurt me. I had put my trust in that and that Ryuji was still in there for just a chance I could get through to him."
"Of course, I tried to kill her too." I added. "But when she spoke to me, I could hear her. Unlike the attempts made by my cousins, she actually calmed me down. It was like she tamed the beast that I had in me. She even helped me get back into the cell where I actually fell asleep."
"Wait, so after all that, you stopped and took a nap from one human talking to you?" King said with confusion.
"Well, I think it was more likely it was because I heard the voice of a friend who went all that way to save me from the terrible curse I was dealing with." I said before I turned to Luz. "Luz, you've done things which none of us thought possible. You helped me get control of my cursed dragon form and you saved me from a Dargon. And that's before we came to the Isles. Just the other night, you helped us defeat an evil warden and get people like us to stand up to the unfairness he gave. That kind of courage and compassion doesn't just happen. You may not think it, but you are special. At least, to me, you are."
"Thanks, Ryuji." Luz said as she then looked down at her plate with a grateful smile after gaining a blush.
Looking over, I saw both Juniper and Eda looking at me with smirks to which I gained a blush of my own as I realized they were silently teasing me for how my compliment caused Luz to react.
"Uh, let's finish our meal before it gets too cold." I said, making an excuse which worked as we all went back to eating.
Well, that was certainly interesting with a lesson learned. Second day on the Boiling Isles and me and Luz got to learn a little bit more about it. Of course, I do understand that she was taking precautions against people like Adegast, but I'm still a little bit pissed off with Eda sending me and Luz out to do potion and elixir deliveries especially when there was a possibility we were going to get killed. I'm just glad we made it out alive. Hopefully, me and Luz won't be tricked like that again. Besides all the hell we went through, I've come to see what my dad was talking about with the Isles. Even though the Boiling Isles itself wasn't natural, sometimes, a place like this could have many wonders on its own. All you have to do is just find them. It might seem pretty freaky up close, but if you look at it from a different perspective, it feels just like home. And I can't wait to learn more about the Isles and see what else is in store for me and Luz to make this the best summer ever. DK out!
Author's Note: Hey, guys! I hope you all like the chapter. It seems Ryuji and Luz did learn a pretty good lesson, huh? And it looks like the Dragon Kid is now learning more about himself along with Eda. What exactly did Adegast mean? Is Eda hiding a secret from Ryuji? Could this be connected to Eda's connections to Axel? All great questions, but will have to wait. In the next chapter, see Ryuji and Luz as they look towards a new way of learning magic. That's all I got for now. Don't forget to leave a comment to tell me what you think of it. See you all in the next chapter!