Champion of the Isles
"This isn't right." Sivana cursed, destroying the bedside table in his private chambers. "This isn't right. I deserve the powers of the champion, I am the only one worthy of them. Yet some boy, who's trained and studied martial arts, is given the power."
"Calm yourself Sivana." A voice said, over a magic communications device that looked like a hand mirror. In the glass of the devices, was a golden masked man in white robes, with antlers on the mask.
"Lord Belos." Sivana said, taking a knee.
"What seems to be the problem my Champion?" Belos asked.
"It's the Wizard, my Lord." Sivana said. "He managed to find himself a champion, and is here in the Demon Realm. He freed the prisoners of the Conformatorium, and bested me in battle."
"How could he have bested you?" Belos asked.
"He claims to have trained and honed his skills in martial arts, and while new to his powers, his fighting prowess and experience were how he bested me." Sivana said.
"I see." Belos said. "Do not fret Sivana, so long as you don't do anything to disrupt my plans for the Day of Unity, you are free to handle this matter anyway you see fit."
"Thank you, Lord Belos." Sivana said, before the transmission ended.
"Why do you bow to him?" One of the Sins voices echoed in his head.
"He is but a meager welp, weaker then us." Another said.
"Patience is a virtue." Sivana said. "Though he may be weaker, he is still the monarch of this world, and if I were to suddenly take over by force, well let's just say that wouldn't go very well. If we can harvest this realms natural resources, then we can amplify our powers, to where not even seven Champions, would be able to stop us."
"A truly fiendish plan. Though how long will it take?"
"As long as is needed." Sivana said, as smoke began rising from his body. "Green, Envy, why don't you go play with the Wizard's champion a bit, test his mettle, and find out what his weakness is."
"With pleasure." The two Sins said, before the went flying out of the Demon Eye, and through the air of the tower.
~The Owl House~
The sun shined through the stained glass of the window in Midori's room. The shining light awoke the teen, stirring him from his sleep, and yawning before he sat up, or tried to at least, when he felt something hugging his left arm. He knew King was sleeping on the right side of his bed, but when he looked to the left, his eyes widened and froze, when he saw Luz in her pajamas, which consisted of a pair of shorts and a muscle shirt, sleeping next to him, and subconsciously holding his arm.
'The hell is Luz doing in my bed?' Midori questioned, trying to keep from freaking out.
Carefully pulling his arm out of Luz's grasp, Midori lifted himself out of bed, in a way that kept him from moving the bed too much. When he was out, he gently pushed King closer to Luz, and she instinctively grabbed the little demon like he was a stuffed animal, and snuggled in to him closer in her sleep, before Midori pulled the blanket over her.
Quietly leaving the room, Midori grabbed his vest and bag from the hook on the door, and proceeded to head downstairs, and leaving through the open door.
"Phew, that was a close one." Midori sighed in relief.
"What was?" The Owl Head known as Hooty asked, popping his head next to Midori's.
"Gah, I forgot you could talk and move." Midori jumped.
"So what was close?"
"I woke up this morning to find Luz in my bed. She was fully clothed of course, but it was still a bit embarrassing." Midori said.
"How so?"
"Well, I'm a boy, she's a girl, and we're both hot blooded teens just starting to notice the opposite sex, and getting into the nitty gritty of how our bodies work, and respond to puberty." Midori said. "So it's kinda weird for me to find Luz sleeping in the same bed, let alone the same room as me. It's not like when we were little and we'd have sleepovers on the weekends."
"Oh I get it." Hooty said. "So what'd you do?"
"What was I supposed to do Hooty? I snuck out, and left King in her arms in place of my arm." Midori stated.
"I think she'll notice you missing, and I don't think she knows that she hugged you in her sleep." Hooty said.
"She's always been a cuddler when she sleeps." Midori sighed. "Well, I'm burning daylight, and I gotta get started on finding a job if I'm gonna find my own place."
"Eda said you're more then welcome to stay here for as long as you need." Hooty said.
"True, but I'd rather not put her out longer then I have to." Midori stated, stretching out a bit, before he sniffed himself. "But first I need a bath, I stink. There's a beach around here right?"
"Wait, I wouldn't go to…" Hooty tried to stop Midori, as he ran around the back of the house, to the beach in the back. "Oh dear, EDA." He cried out in panic as he stretched to her room.
Down at the beach, Midori threw off his Champion Gi and put on his bathing suit, before running to the water, and dove in after jumping in the air, creating a splash. Swimming around underwater, Midori felt like his troubles were melting away, with how relaxed the water made him feel, before something caught his eye. The underwater world of the Boiling Isles, was beautiful, but at the sea floor, he spotted something, that shouldn't have been there.
Up on the shoreline, Eda, Luz, and King were frantically running to the sandy beach Midori had run to.
"I don't get it, what's the problem with Midori cleaning up at the beach?" Luz asked.
"It's not called the Boiling Isles for nothing kid." Eda said. "The water is so hot, it'll melt the flesh from your bones in an instant."
As they reached the shoreline, they stopped when they saw Midori's bag hanging from a branch, with his clothes hanging by it.
"We're too late." Eda said.
"He jumped into the water, not knowing what was to come." King said.
"What are you guys crying about?"
Eda, King, and Luz, looked to the left to see Midori standing there, wiping himself off with a towel.
"What? Do I got something on my face?" He asked.
"How did you survive the water?" Eda asked.
"What do you mean? It's not that hot." Midori said.
"Not that… look what happens when I throw a stick into the water kid." Eda said, throwing a stick onto the water, before it caught fire. "That's how hot it is."
"Didn't feel that hot to me." Midori said. "I actually found it to be quite refreshing."
"Guess that's the power of Shazam for ya." Luz said.
"Don't know what you're smiling about. You snuck your way into my bed last night." Midori said. "Care to explain?"
Luz only blushed, while Eda and King looked at her, before she began to talk.
"The walls are paper thin, and since your room's right next to mine, I could hear you were having a nightmare." Luz said. "I hadn't intended to fall asleep on your bed next to you, I just wanted to stop the nightmare, so I came to comfort you."
"I appreciate that Luz, I do." Midori said, blushing a bit himself. "But next time, try to stay awake to avoid any awkward situations like this again."
"Right." Luz said.
"So, considering you're the only one capable of swimming through the boiling water, what did you see down there?" Eda asked, wanting to change the situation.
"Well, I found this." Midori said, pulling a pure white magic staff from behind the tree he'd been toweling behind. "It looks similar to the staff I held when given my Champion powers. Except for a couple things."
"Which are?" Eda inquired, as she and Luz examined the staff.
"It's made, entirely out of the bone of some creature, has the same shaft as your magic staff, and has a 100% pure refined Eternium gem in the head." Midori stated.
"That's not Eternium kid. That's crystallized Titans blood. A powerful, and impossibly hard to find element that's practically been mined dry." Eda explained, looking at the gem.
"No, I think you'd be wrong about that." Midori said, holding up his pendant. "This is unrefined Eternium, and it has a supernatural reaction to the gem in the staff."
"Hold on. Eda, didn't you tell me yesterday that stuff from the Demon Realm, causes all the myths and lore's are created through leaks into the human realm from time to time?" Luz asked.
"Every now and then, yeah. But what does… oh I see what you're saying kid."
"Eternium, might actually just be fossilized Titans blood, that made its way to Kahndaq in the human realm." Midori added. "That would actually make sense. I mean, no one who's studied Eternium has been able to completely figure out its elemental components, and all research has concluded that Eternium does hold similar dried or hardened blood."
"So then that means, our worlds are more connected then we may have thought." Luz stated.
"All this chit chat about Titans Blood has made me remember that I still need my morning cup of Apple Blood." Eda said, as they marched back to the house.
"You mean, apple juice?" Luz asked as they went into the house.
"No." Eda said, entering the fridge, and pulling out a jug of Apple Blood. "Midori want some?"
"Sure, if I'm gonna be living in the Demon Realm from now on, I might as well get used to the…" Midori froze as he stepped through the door, before falling face first onto the ground, to show King had pulled on his tail. "…food here." He grumbled.
"What the hell happened?" Luz asked, as the white tiger themed kitten, stepped out from their hiding spot, and pawed at one of Midori's ears.
"I don't know. All I did was pull on his tail." King said.
"I think we may have found my weakness." Midori mumbled. "I don't feel like I can move at all."
"OMG, just like the Saiyans of Dragon Ball Z, and not that rip off Dragon Claw Z." Luz said. "You're basically a Saiyan now."
"Except I'm not." Midori said, getting up as King let go of his tail. "An' I doubt I'm gonna be having any sort of Super Saiyan transformations with this power of mine."
"A Super what now?" Eda asked, giving Midori a mug of Apple Blood.
"A fictional species in an anime about aliens who are also martial arts masters." Midori said. "Granted, that was one of my guilty pleasures I was able to hide from Richard and Nicole. Reading and watching Dragon Ball Z and Super, were some of my favorite pass times, before I started watching them with Luz."
"His favorite character is Gogeta." Luz said.
"While hers is Broly, from Dragon Ball Super, Broly." Midori said, taking a drink from Apple Blood. "Mmm, this is actually pretty good, tastes like apple juice, but with a bit more of a fruity punch to it. So now that we've gotten these things out of the way, I think it's time Luz started her first day of Witchy Apprenticeship."
"Ooh, right." Luz said excitedly. "Teach me some spells. When do I get a magic staff? Was I supposed to bring my own runes? Do you have a dangerous magical quest for me?"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Slow down kid." Eda said, pushing the human out of her face. "Being a witch doesn't happen over night. Also, you're still in hot water for that little stunt you pulled with going into Midori's bed last night."
"Oh." Luz groaned with a blush.
"But a magic staff huh? Considering Midori's got one of his own already, I won't be needing to take him under my wing as an apprentice. You really want one?" Eda asked, putting her mug down.
"More then anything." Luz said.
"Magic Staff, come to me." Eda called to the magic staff.
There was a moment of waiting, before the sound of crashing and clanging could be heard, as Eda's staff came flying into the kitchen, and hit her in the head.
"It's early." Eda huffed, picking it up.
"I bet." Midori chuckled.
"Now, witches are awarded their staffs from school." Eda said as she used her magic to bring something into the kitchen. "With me as your teacher, you'll be taking a different approach." She stated, before dropping a bag full of potions at Luz's feet. "You'll have to work for it."
"How many methods of money gathering do you have?" Midori questioned, as he followed Luz and Eda through the house.
"I run a few businesses." Eda stated. "On weekends, I sell rare human treasures that Owlbert drags over from your side of the realm." She said, grabbing a toy sword that was on the mantle.
"I shall smite my enemies, ages six to eleven." The sword said.
"Hey, that was from my Halloween costume from last year. How does all the stuff I toss keep ending up in your possession?" Midori questioned, spotting his initials written on the hilt.
"But most days, I sell only the finest home made elixirs and potions." Eda stated.
"Snake oil." Luz read, pulling one of the jars out of the bag.
"No one wants an un-oiled snake." Eda said. "Now follow me."
Midori just shrugged his shoulders, as he and Luz followed Eda to the balcony outside her bedroom window.
"Today Luz, you'll deliver packages and sell potions to that town over there, Bonesborough." Eda explained, pointing to the town closest to the Owl House. "You'll have to be careful, I have rivals everywhere, who'd like to take my business down, and you along with it."
"This has me concerned." Midori said. "I don't think Luz should be going out on her own for this job."
"You wanted a dangerous magical quest, sister you got one." Eda said.
"I won't let you down Ms. Eda." Luz said, turning to salute her, with the bag hanging over the ledge, before Midori caught it as the bag slipped from her grip.
"Are your hands covered in snake oil or something?" Midori asked.
~Afterwards~
"Remember, never befriend a man in sandals, and always measure twice, cut once." Eda said, as Luz and Midori stepped out the door, with both of them fully dressed, and Midori's new staff in hand. "Good luck." She smiled, before closing the door on them.
"Do you think we'll be able to finish this before noon?" Luz asked.
"I doubt it. We don't know our way around the town." Midori said, before the door opened up again.
"Hold up, Eda's sending me with you as your guide." King said, coming out.
"Be back by nightfall, or risk mortal peril." Eda said, before closing the door again.
"Have a nice trip." Hooty said.
"Let's get this over with." King said, leading the way.
"Come on big man." Midori said, picking King up and putting him on his shoulder. "Point the way and we'll follow."
"Yes finally, a throne I can relax on." King said.
~Bonesborough~
"Whoa." Luz gasped, as she and Midori stepped into town, seeing all sorts of different demons and creatures.
"Hey it's rude to stare." King said.
"He's right Luz. Knock it off, and stop drawing so much attention to us." Midori said.
"You're the one drawing attention to us big guy." King stated. "You're the Champion of Shaz, with the lightning bolt on your chest to prove it."
"Right. An' since I can't turn back, I need some way to hide it." Midori said, before looking at his staff. "You don't suppose I could just make a cloak out of magic, do you?"
"Anything's possible with magic." Luz said.
Putting King down for a second, Midori raised his staff into the air, and drew a circle with magic, before it fell down over him, covering Midori in a black cloak that covered him like an overcoat with a hood.
"Oooh, snazzy." King said.
"So, Midori and I are the only humans here?" Luz asked.
"Haven't seen any others." King said.
"Can I even be classified as human still?" Midori asked, gesturing to his ears and tail.
"You're still you big guy." Luz smiled. "But there must be a reason for that right? The both of us coming here, not ten minutes after Midori got his Champion powers. Like, what if I, Luz Noceda, average teen, actually had a predetermined path of greatness. Just like Azura."
"I don't think that's what's happening here Luz." Midori said.
"Yeah, did Azura's path to greatness ever involve delivering boil cream?" King asked, pulling a bottle from the bag.
"Today I'm delivering packages, but tomorrow I'll be earning the respect of everyone on the Boiling Isles, with my magical prowess." Luz said.
"Ha, good luck. The Boiling Isles is nothing more then a cesspool of despair." King said.
"More like a cesspool of delight." Luz said.
"I don't think you wanna be in any sort of cesspool." Midori said, before Luz walked off to talk with a centaur looking demon. "Luz?"
Midori just looked from afar, as Luz just talked with the demon, before coming back, looking a bit freaked out.
"Well?"
"He bought a potion, but I might have inadvertently insulted him." Luz said. "His face is on his chest, not his head."
So the trio went about their day, with Midori having to bail Luz out from a doorbell that tried eating her after she rang it, a random sinkhole of quicksand, and a swarm of fairies trying to eat her skin. Eventually they stopped for some lunch, with Midori just eating a piece of food he conjured with his magic, while King ate something called a, not dog.
"I know I've had enough delight for one day." King said.
"I thought being one of the only two humans in a magical world, would make me special." Luz said. "But apparently, it just makes everyone want to scream at me, or eat me." She stated, lifting her arm to show there was still a single fairy trying to eat her, before Midori zapped it away with a string of lightning.
"What'd you expect Luz? You can't honestly tell me you thought this world would be a fantasy dream come true." Midori said. "That's just being naïve and asking to get killed."
"Well what do you know about it huh?" Luz asked, sounding angry. "At this point, Azura would already have been sent out on an enchanted quest. Where's my quest granting Wizard?"
"Sorry to break it to ya Luz, but aside from Midori, no one here is that well dressed." King stated.
"This has been a rough day." Luz said, getting up and hauling the bag over her shoulder. "Let's just deliver this last package and go home."
"Sounds like a good idea to me." Midori said, before he and Luz stopped, when they passed through a pair of doors, and on the other side was a castle. "Whoa."
"Pretty." Luz said, before they went up to the door and rang the doorbell.
Almost instantly, the doors opened up outward, allowing for Luz, King, and Midori to step inside.
"Big houses always belong to big whack jobs. Let's get the package inside, and get out of here." King said.
"Gotta collect payment as well." Midori added as they stepped in.
"Hello?" Luz asked, following him.
"Hey wait." King called to them, running after the two before he was startled as the doors shut themselves.
"We're delivering a package from Ms. Eda the Owl Lady." Luz said, as the three of them entered the study, before the entire study lit up, revealing it was a library, with a well dressed wizard standing at the top of the stairs. "Today just got good." She gasped.
While Luz gasped in excitement, Midori couldn't help but feel there was something off with this whole situation.
"Magical Wizard." Luz gasped.
"Weird old man in jim-jams." King said.
'First Luz complains about this world not being what she expected it to be, then a few minutes later her ideal fantasy world comes to life. Something's fishy about this, and I don't like it.' He thought. "Luz, I'm getting a bad feeling about this guy."
"Don't be such a stick in the mud Midori. You were given a destiny by an old wizard, so why can't I?" Luz asked.
"I was in my Oscillarium, reading the stars. An' who might you be with eyes full of curiosity?" The wizard asked.
"My name's Midori, this is Luz, we're here to deliver a package from Eda the Owl Lady." Midori said.
"Midori, don't be rude." Luz said. "I'm sorry, he's not very trusting of strangers."
"Tis quite alright, but I must say, I sense something very strange and unique about you young lady." The wizard said.
'Definitely playing on Luz's desire to live out a fantasy adventure.' Midori thought. "Look we're kinda busy, and have a few more potions to sell, so if you wouldn't mind, we'll just collect payment, get out of your hair, and leave."
"Oh but won't you join me for tea?" The wizard asked, using his magic to set up a tea table with cups and snacks.
"Okay." Luz gasped, before Midori put a hand on her shoulder.
"Luz, I am really not liking this old man's approach with you. Just a moment ago, you were complaining that this world wasn't like the fantasy adventure you dreamed of, then suddenly someone dressed exactly like the wizard in the Good Witch Azura, comes up and says there's something unique and special about you?" Midori asked. "Don't you see this could just be one of those rivals Eda warned us about?"
"Well I don't think he is, Midori." Luz said. "An' what would you know? You were chosen by the Wizard Shazam and given his powers to be his champion. So why do you think it's fair that something awesome like that can happen to you, but not me?"
"That's not what I'm saying at all Luz." Midori said. "Where the hell is this coming from? I didn't even say anything about the wizard who gave me my powers."
"Luz, Midori's just saying, this all seems too coincidental to be believable." King said.
"Well I'm gonna sit and have tea with him." Luz said.
"Fine. You wanna be stubborn, then be stubborn." Midori said storming off. "I'll see you back at the Owl House. King stay with her, and keep an eye on the Wizard."
"Roger that." King said with a salute.
~The Owl House~
"Today's been a lot more peaceful then I thought it'd be." Eda said, sipping on a cup of tea, while petting the kitten as it purred. "I thought it'd be chaos with a Champion of Shaz living under my roof, but it's relatively peaceful."
"I'm back." Midori said, entering the living room.
"Where's Luz and King?" Eda asked.
"Luz was invited to have tea with one of your clients, while King's keeping an eye on the two of them to make sure she's safe." Midori said.
"Who pissed in your porridge?" Eda inquired. "Did something happen?"
"Luz stayed, because the guy said there was something special and unique about her." Midori said. "She also brought up how I was given this power, while she remained powerless."
"That had to have created a rift in your friendship." Eda said.
"I know Luz was wanting to live out her dreams in a fantasy world, but don't see why she has to be so gullible to anyone who says something's unique about her." Midori said.
"Well, isn't she unique?"
"Of course she is, she's smart, clever, has an awesome talent for making music videos, and she's even good on some instruments." Midori said, the kitten jumping into his lap. "But what I'm pissed about, is she won't heed any or my warnings about this creep."
"Well, so long as she comes back in one piece, I'd say you did the best you could to warn her." Eda said.
"I'm home." Luz said, running through the living room and grabbing the toy sword.
"Kid we need to talk." Eda said.
"Not now, gotta prepare for my quest." Luz said, running up the stairs.
"Oh boy." Midori sighed. "I'll go see what she's up to."
Heading up the stairs, Midori tried to think of something to say to Luz about this quest she was being sent on, and how it might be dangerous. As he reached her door, he heard Luz speaking up, and talking with King.
"So, King. What kind of chosen one should I be?" Luz asked.
'Chosen one? The old bastard's definitely playing with her heart and dreams, no doubt about it.' Midori thought.
"Should I be full of optimism and goodness, like the Good Witch Azura?" Luz asked. "Or should I be like a bad girl chosen one with black nail polish and a mysteriously withdrawn attitude. I act like I don't care, but I secretly do."
"The hell is all this nonsense about?" Midori asked, making himself known. "Chosen one? Luz, you literally met the old man, an hour ago. What makes you think, he's not just stringing you along for some twisted ploy to get at Eda?"
"Please Midori, I don't have time for your paranoid nonsense." Luz said. "I am a chosen one, the wizard said so due to a prophecy he's studied."
"That's bullshit and you know it." Midori said. "Luz, I'm just concerned you're getting yourself into something you won't be able to come back from."
"I don't need you concern Midori. You're not my dad, so just leave me alone. If I want his advice, I'll give him a call." Luz stated, turning away from him.
Midori's eyes narrowed. There were a few things wrong with that statement that Luz just said. Not wanting to escalate things further while in the Owl House, Midori grabbed King, and walked backwards before closing the door.
"What's the big idea?" King asked as Midori made his way down stairs.
"There's something wrong here." Midori said, as they reached the living room.
"What's the matter?" Eda asked, as Midori put King down on the couch. "Why so tense?"
"Luz just told me I'm not her dad, and that she'd call him if she'd want his advice." Midori said.
"So?" King asked. "What's so strange about that?"
"Her old man died of brain cancer six years ago." Midori stated. "An' Luz would never make light about something like that, not even in an argument."
"So you think she's possessed by something?" Eda asked.
"I do, and I'm willing to bet money Warden Sivana is behind it." Midori said.
"What do you need?" Eda asked.
~Luz~
"My first mythical quest." Luz said, standing at the city limits sign, outside the forest of Bonesborough, before jumping down, and sliding along the slope of the hill.
Making her way through the forest, a thick dense fog began to envelope the area, making the forest seem darker, and blotting out some of the sunlight.
"Okay, I've got my scroll, got my youthful optimism, got my trusty weapon." She said, pressing the button on the toy as she pulled it out.
"By the Power of Skullgar, I am out of batteries." The toy said, before it shut off for good.
Continuing her journey, Luz began to question her decisions, leading up to this moment.
"You know, I wonder if I made the right choice coming here." She pondered. "An' that argument with Midori… why did I bring up my dad like that?" The human asked herself, before gasping as she saw an entire village of cat creatures meowing, with dragons flying overhead.
As she made her way through the town, Luz gasped when she saw a dashing man with an eyepatch, pull himself out of the fountain in the center of town, before he spotted her.
"I see, so you're the chosen one." The young man said. "Huh, the Celestial Staff should have picked me., Nevareth Bladestrife. Teen prince of Angstmore."
"Yes, yes I did make the right choice." Luz said, looking him up and down.
~Eda and King~
"This is where we met the scones, I mean the Wizard before." King said. "Why did Midori send us to do the recon work, while he goes after Luz?"
"He's the Champion of Shaz, he's far more powerful then me." Eda said. "Besides, he made it clear he'd tail Luz to make sure she was safe, while we did the work on gathering information about the… wizard?" She asked, walking through the curtains they'd walked through earlier.
"Whoa, it wasn't like this before." King said, seeing the castle in shambles and ruins.
"I don't like this." Eda said.
Entering into the crumbling structure, Eda and King looked around to see the books that had been in perfect condition before, were now withering old, and turning to dust. Eda's attention was drawn from the books, to something she kicked on the ground, before she picked up the discarded parchments, and saw a hidden message written on each of them, in different styles, while all looked like some sort of map.
"I really, don't like this." She stated.
~Midori~
"Okay, who the hell is this guy?" Midori asked with the kitten on his shoulder, both of them spying on Luz from afar as she was walking with her new companion. "An' why am I feeling such anger towards him, just for talking with Luz?"
"Meow."
"Nevareth, your vengeful backstory is so compelling, and I'm loving your animal sidekick." Luz said, grabbing and cuddling the flying creature next to them.
"After my village was consumed, my heart has known nothing but vengeance." Nevareth stated.
"Nevareth." Luz said.
"Lady Luz. Do you think love can bloom on the battlefield?"
"Gag me with a spoon." Midori groaned. "That is one of the most overused and cliched lines in an adventuring story line."
"Ooh, hew-hew. This quest, is questing in all the right ways." Luz said with a smile.
"She can't be serious, can she?" Midori asked as they began going over a bridge, only to be stopped by a gnome like cat creature.
"Ew." Nevareth said.
"Hum-di-diddle. To pass the bridge, you must first solve my riddle." The creature said.
"Another overused trope? How much more obvious can this get?" Midori asked.
"Hit me little furry man."
"Your quest shall stop, if you fail this game, so tell me my dear what is my name?" He asked.
"Luz is not gonna be able to actually get this one correct. Most likely though, she'll be able to pass to matter what name she says. It's gotta be all part of the trap she's being lured to." Midori sighed.
"Uh… Chris?"
"That's it, you may cross the bridge."
"Or he could have his name, written on a name tag pinned to his shirt." Midori groaned. "How has she not seen the obvious signs of a trap. I know we've watched enough anime's together for her to recognize the signs."
"An' please take this chosen one, it shall help you on your journey." Chris said, giving Luz a golden ring with a blue gemstone on it.
"Wow, this is amazing. Thank you." Luz said, taking the ring.
"Do you need a cape?" Nevareth asked.
"Nah, I think I'm good."
"You can use my shirt." Nevareth stated, tearing his shirt off, and making it into a cape for Luz, showing off his ripped body.
"Whoa, you're buff." Luz said. "But you got nothing on Midori, his body's like, way more chiseled then yours."
"Three cheers for the chosen one." Nevareth said, as if ignoring what Luz just said about Midori.
"Why that little…" Midori hissed, his face red with anger as he held back the urge to attack.
~Eda and King~
"Oh no." Eda said, as she and King came across the same village that Luz passed through and met Nevareth in, while it too was in shambles. "Are you sure she came here?"
"The trail Midori left us, doesn't lie." King said, following a line of glowing blue string.
"Hey, wake up you. What have you done with Luz?" Eda questioned, interrogating one of the dolls, after approaching the weed overgrown fountain.
"To find your Pupil, and still your wrath, look ahead and follow the path." The doll stated, before decaying into nothing.
"The cat man melted." King gasped.
"It's a trap. Midori was right." Eda said. "They want me to follow Luz and Midori."
"So what do we do?" King asked.
"We leave it up to Midori." Eda said. "If he's right about Sivana being behind this, then there's nothing I can do to help if a fight breaks out."
"But what about Luz?"
"She'll be fine." Eda said. "After all, Midori's perceptive, he'll be able to save her, no matter the sacrifices needed."
~Midori~
"Thank you for inviting me to your feast Princess. All your food was so tiny and cute." Luz said, walking through the forest, with Nevareth and a few fairies that joined their party, before the Fairy Princess used her magic to conjure a bracelet for Luz.
"For you, chosen one." She said, putting the bracelet on the human.
"Thank you." Luz said. "You have all been so kind, and thoughtful."
"Something's not right about those pieces of jewelry." Midori said, still managing to keep his distance. "I don't know what it is, but I'm sensing some sort of magical energy coming off of them. Don't know how or why I'm suddenly able to do that, but I guess it's just one of the powers that comes from being a Champion."
"I hope this quest never ends." Luz stated.
"Your quest will soon come to an end, for the staff you seek, is just around the bend." Chris said.
"Thanks for ruining the mood Chris." Luz said.
"Go on chosen one, the Celestial Staff is yours." Nevareth said. "You've earned it."
Luz walked through the forest, saddened to say goodbye to her new friends, as they said their farewells.
The birds were chirping, and the sun was shining through the forest foliage, as Luz made her way to her destination, stopping with a gasp, when she saw the staff standing on a platform in the middle of the lake.
Making her way to the edge of the lake, Luz looked down as the water began to light up, and a path manifested itself to her, from out of the water.
"I knew this world wasn't all gloom and doom, like Eda, King, and Midori said." Luz stated, marching along the path. "There is wonder here, and I… I think I came here for a reason." She said, stepping up to the staff. "Okay, this is it. Moment of truth."
"Stop Luz." Midori cried out, just as the human girl was about to grab it.
Luz turned around to see Midori, standing at the start of the path as it sank back into the water.
"Midori? What do you want?"
"Luz, don't you see? This isn't how reality works. Even in this world of mystery and wonder, there are still limits to what is truth, and what is fiction." Midori said. "I get you want to feel special, like you want something good to happen to you after all the pain you've suffered, for being outcast by our classmates for being you. But trust me when I say, that this isn't real."
"Oh yeah, how would you know?" Luz asked.
Midori pulled Nevareth out from behind hid back and dropped him to the ground, creating an echoing sound of wood hitting against wood.
"Nevareth was nothing more then a puppet. A tool to manipulate you into letting your guard down." Midori said.
"No, you're lying." Luz said. "You just made that puppet with your magic, you can't be telling the truth. You're just jealous that you're not the only special one here."
"Luz." Midori said. "When we argued earlier, you referenced your father. Why would you make light of something like that, when you know he's been dead for six years?"
Luz's eyes widened, and Midori caught the silhouette of one of the Sins, emerge from behind her.
"As I thought." Midori stated. "You've been possessed by the Sin of Envy."
"No, no this can't be happening. Why…" Luz stopped when she heard something whispering in her ears. "No, you're jealous."
Midori didn't like where this was going, as Luz turned back around, and pulled the white staff from the ground, before she turned back to Midori, her pupils glowing red.
"You're jealous, and scared that I'd be more powerful then you." Luz said, her voice sounding different. "Well, your fears were founded, as I am far more powerful then you'd ever seen."
The illusion of the lake broke, revealing a dried up, wasteland of sorrow and misery, as Luz laughed incredulously.
"No. No this isn't you Luz." Midori said. "I wasn't able to due this before, but with the staff in hand, maybe… Shazam!"
A lightning bolt came from the sky, and struck the gem in Midori's staff, before it channeled through to him, and he was back to his human form, with his ears and canines remaining pointed, with three stripes remaining on his right cheek. The staff was gone, but so was the rest of his Champion transformation.
"Luz please. You're my best friend, and I care about you." Midori said.
"No you don't, you never cared about me." Luz stated.
"Yes I have, and I still do." Midori exclaimed. "I was there when you lost your dad, I was there to hold you close, I comforted you, stood up for you at school when the bullies made fun of you for losing your dad, I protected you when you needed it most. I pushed you out of the way of moving cars, I snuck out of the house to make sure you were safe, and okay after Richard and Nicole would threaten your safety when I hung around you. I even defied them, and beat up their children, to protect you, when they started beating on you. Luz listen to me, I care, more then you ever know."
"Lies." Luz said, sounding like she was struggling to fight against Envy's control. "LIES."
Luz jumped from the platform the staff had been on, and landed on the ground in front of Midori, before she swung the staff, and hit him in the face with it. The force of the blow knocked him back, and into one of the old dying trees, making it crack and fall.
"Let Luz go… Envy." Midori panted, picking himself up while in pain, before he was grabbed by a large pink tentacle, as a demon came out of hiding, with all the other puppets, and holding him in place.
"Oh, but we're just having so much fun." The demon said.
"I'm assuming this is your true form Adegast?" Midori asked.
"That's right. Though you could say my powers been given, a bit of a boost." He said, as the silhouette of a four armed monster appeared behind him.
"Greed. So Sivana has the two of you working together?" Midori asked. "Makes sense, Greed and Envy tend to work well together." He said, before Luz struck him with another swing of the staff.
"Come on Champion, fight back!" Envy said, speaking through Luz. "Or do you not wish to harm your precious companion?"
"Companion?" Midori questioned, spitting out some blood with a couple teeth. "Luz is more then a companion. She's my best friend. I would never do anything to intentionally hurt her."
"Fine then. I'll make her watch as you suffer." Envy stated, sounding agitated.
The possessed Luz continued to strike Midori with the staff, hitting him back and forth, causing his injuries to worsen with each attack. This onslaught of violence continued, only stopping when Midori was on the brink of death.
"Any last words, before we end you here and now?" Greed questioned.
"Luz." Midori wheezed. "I understand why you'd feel jealous of me. I understand that you want something grand like what happened to me, to happen to you. Everyone, wants to believe they're chosen. But if we all just sat around waiting for a prophecy to make us special, we'd die waiting. What happened to me, wasn't a predetermined destiny. It was a mere chance, luck of the draw. If I could, I'd trade places with you, and give you the Champions power, but that doesn't matter." He stated, his voice getting louder, and Luz's body trembling from emotion. "You don't need super powers to be special, because you are special."
"Enough of this, time to die Champion." Adegast exclaimed.
"You're Luz Noceda, daughter of Manny and Camila Noceda, an amazing fireman who gave his life to protect the people suffering from the flames of devastation, and a mother who's without a doubt the worlds best veterinarian, and who loves you no matter what you do. You have your mothers heart, and your fathers courage. You might not be the Wizards Champion, but you're their Champion, their daughter. So stop letting that weakling Sin control you, and fight back."
Midori's eyes shined a brilliant neon blue with power as his anger rose, the air around him heating up as rocks and branches began defying gravity, as Luz dropped the staff, and struggled to fight against Envy.
"Midori." Luz said, her voice sounding like it was back to her normal self. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry I hurt you."
"There's no need to apologize Luz." Midori said. "Just fight back, fight until you drive that Sin out of you."
"Midori." Luz cried, grabbing his shoulders.
"This shall not stand. You both shall die here and now." Adegast stated, swinging his tentacle down on them.
"Shazam!" Midori cried out, getting struck by lightning again.
The strike caused a minor explosion, and forced the possessed Adegast to let go of him, and for Luz to be pushed back. With Envy back in control, Luz sat up, before her face was grabbed by Midori in his Champion form, and with power flowing through him, making his eyes pure lightning blue, Midori pulled on Luz's face, and began to drag Envy out of her, before the Sin was removed entirely, and was slammed onto the ground, with Midori pinning him there with his staff, letting out a guttural growl resonating from deep within his diaphragm.
"Envy, you and I need to have a few words." Midori said, tossing away the robe that hid the mark of Shazam on his chest.
Sticking his thumb and middle finger in his mouth, Midori whistled loudly, as if calling for a steed. From out of the bushes, came the kitten, only now it was fully grown into its adult tiger form.
"Kohaku, take Luz and get out of here." Midori instructed.
Kohaku, the white tiger, bowed its head in acknowledgment, before going over to Luz, and taking the human girl's hood in its mouth, pulling her onto its back, before it tore off the jewelry and cape she'd been given by Adegast's puppets.
With the enchanted items off the human, and Luz tightly secured on its back, Kohaku roared before it went running off away from the battle scene.
"Now then." Midori said, his staff hitting the ground as Envy turned into smoke and escaped, retreating to the possessed Adegast's side.
"You shall not get away from us."
"You will die here Wizard's Champion."
(Cue Music… Fight Back: Neffex)
"Come and try it then." Midori said, sticking his Magic Staff into the ground and taking a fighter's stance.
Envy and the possessed Adegast charged at Midori. The Champion just looked at the Sins making their way to him, before he charged at them. Envy, in his true form, turned to mist, and allowed for Midori to pass right through him, before the teen slammed right into Adegast, pushing him back, before he used his tentacles to grab Midori.
Without much force, Midori pushed the tentacles away, before he cried out as Envy clawed his back. Raising his leg, Midori kicked Adegast back, with a front kick, and struck Envy with a spinning back kick, before Adegast charged at him again.
Jumping back, Midori thrust his leg upwards and struck the larger demon on the underside of the jaw with a jack knife kick, causing his jaw to audible crack, and for his knife to be thrown in the air. He turned back to Envy as the Sin, charged at him, and ducked under the attacking monsters claws, before hitting him with a bolo punch.
"Threatening me is one thing, but threatening, and possessing my best friend?" Midori began, swiping his arm to the side, catching one of Adegast' tentacles that was swung at him, and charging electricity through it, causing the demon scam artist pain, before severing it. "That's crossing a line, no one walks away from."
Throwing the severed tentacle into the air, Midori ducked down bending forward away from Envy as the monster tried a sneak attack, before back flipping through the air, his hands gripping the Sins shoulders, before his feet were planted on its back. Without warning, Midori kicked with his right leg extending, sending the monster flying to several trees, and knocking them to the ground.
At the same time, Adegast attacked with one of his puppets, swinging a sword at the teen, before Midori, back stepped and hit the puppet with a back fist strike. It was simple for the champion to dodge the puppet's swings, but he knew he had to keep his guard up around the demon and sins, as Magic could affect him, no matter if it was magic from the Sins, or magic from the Isles. Maneuvering his body to strike, Midori felt some resistance as something grabbed his leg, before he looked down and saw one of Adegast's tentacles holding his leg, and keeping him down. With his back turned, the blade wielding puppet came charging at Midori from his blind spot, with intent to kill as he swung down. The teen Champion was quicker however, and when he turned back, he grabbed the blade by the flat sides, and shattered it with the pressure from when he grabbed it, before he drove the shattered end through the puppet.
"AH, my perfect pecs." Nevareth cried out, before he vanished into nothing.
"Must have grabbed him when I wasn't looking." Midori said, dropping the blade as Envy came charging at him again.
Midori could tell the attack was coming, and seconds before Envy could swing his claws at the teen, Midori bent backwards with his arms up and hands planted on the ground, causing the attacker to look down right before he was kicked on the underside of the jaw, his body arching through the air, as several of his teeth were knocked out.
Using forward momentum, Midori used both his legs to wrap around the tentacle holding him in place, and performed the windmill spin, pulling Adegast in like spaghetti on a fork, before he kicked downwards, slamming the demon into the ground and practically impaling him in the head with his right foot, and began to spin on his hands, picking up speed before he flipped forward, kicking Adegast towards Envy, in which it caused the Sin shock and surprise before he was pinned down by the demon his partner was possessing.
Landing back on the ground, called for his staff to return to him, before he used it like a baseball bat, and struck the severed tentacle he tossed into the air earlier, sending it flying at the duo with enough magic inside, to cause an explosion on impact.
(End Song…)
When the cloud of dust settled after the explosion, all that remained was the charred body of Adegast, with neither Greed or Envy in sight.
"Cowards must have returned to Sivana." Midori tsked. "Just as well. Any longer, and they would have called for the others, and I am not strong enough to take on all Seven Deadly Sins by myself. Not yet at least."
~The Owl House~
"Whoa, take it easy kid." Eda said, as Luz began to wake up.
"Mmm, where am I?" Luz asked.
"You're back at the Owl House. Midori and Kohaku rescued you from the Sins that were manipulating the situation you found yourself in." Eda explained. "How do you feel?"
"Like… I just did something horrible." Luz said, before she felt something wet against her cheek, as Kohaku, still in its full tiger form and curled around Luz, licked her face comfortingly.
"Everything's gonna be okay Luz." King said.
"I'll say." Midori said, walking through the door.
"Midori." Luz gasped, getting up and running to him. "I'm so sorry Midori, I don't know what came over me. I didn't want to hurt you, but I couldn't stop and…"
"Hey, it's okay." Midori said. "None of it was your fault."
"But it was. I was jealous of you for being chosen for the powers of the Wizard, and I wanted to feel special too." Luz said.
"Hey, it's okay. Envy was the one who made you do all that stuff."
"But I…"
"No buts Luz." Midori said. "Now, you just rest up with Kohaku, I'm gonna go to town, and try to find a few bounties to get some money in my pocket, to get a few things."
"If you're sure."
"Hey." Midori said, hugging Luz. "I don't care what you did. So long as you're safe, that's all that matters to me."
"Oh Midori." Luz said, crying into his embrace.
"I will never understand, human emotions." Eda said, shaking her head.
"They're too confusing." King added. "Still though, if the Sins are capable of this, who knows what else they may be capable of. It sends shivers down my spine, just thinking about it."
~A/N~
Quick question. Can anyone guess what the substance was that Luz poured into Midori's chest wound in Chapter1.
Also, for those asking about giving Luz powers, you'll just have to wait and see until sometime later in the story.