We find ourselves in front of an old house where the Leviathan Axe was lodged in the ground when suddenly a powerful gust of wind blew the battle axe out of the ground through a glowing door.
Through the door we find ourselves in the Boiling Isles as the Leviathan Axe flew into Ardyn's hand and the Owl House Title logo appeared.
Iki wo sutte haitara kurushii koto
Kizu ga hitotsu fueru tabi ikiteiru koto
Looking around Ardyn sees the Owl House with Hooty and King watching Eda teaching Luz magic.
Tsukaifurusareta sonna kanshou mo itsuka kitto
Yoru ni tokete kieru
We then find ourselves at Hexide as Willow and Gus wave at them while Amity merely looks away with a small blush on her face.
"No enough" yugandatte
"No escape" machigattatte
"No fear" koroge mawatte
Susumeba iin deshou
As Eda struggles to fight off the curse she briefly fights off the feathers before we see Romani chained up against the wall before a large shadow grows.
Looking up they saw Emperor Belos glaring down at them with staff at the ready and all his coven ready to attack. Standing behind him is a shadowed figure with a demented grin on his face.
Sore wa marude shinwa no you na
Iro, katachi no jubunairu
Spinning her staff Eda creates a powerful blast blowing the guards away before Lilith leaps in and the two sisters clash making magic explode all around them. From the smoke Ardyn, Luz, Amity, Willow and Gus ran towards the top.
Summoning an ice glyph Luz makes a bridge of ice allowing Amity's abomination to charge forward ramming them away as Willow made a road of vines for Ardyn to run ahead.
Ibitsu na mama hibiwareteiru
Kono sekai de hitotsu kagayaku
Kirei na tsuki
Running to the top, Ardyn and Emperor Belos clashes axe and staff before the shadowed figure fires a powerful blast knocking Ardyn back.
Holding out his hand a gilded sword forms in Ardyn's hand before he thrusts his weapon clashing with Belos and the shadowed figured creating a bright light.
FATE/BOILING ISLES
Book 1
Chapter 6: Hooty's Fated Hassle.
When Ardyn opened his eyes, all he saw was darkness. He was in a void where there was no one and nothing for what appeared to be miles and miles of pitch blackness.
"Hello?" He called out, his voice echoing in the darkness. "Luz? Romani? Eda? …King?"
As he looked around for something, Booker stopped when he noticed a light off in the distance. He stared at it before walking towards it. Curious as to what it might be. When he reached the light, Booker was met with a rather unique sight in front of him.
The memories of Odysseus.
In the memories, Odysseus is a hero that is found within Greek Mythology, being the main character of the Homeric epic "The Odyssey". In "The Iliad" he is shown taking part in the Trojan War.
During the Trojan War he performed great deeds as the most cunning and crateful member of the Achaeans. After the loss of Achilles in battle, Troy ended up falling to the Trojan Horse plan devised by Odysseus. Soon after the conquest of Troy had concluded, Odysseus set out on a journey to return to his beloved Penelope. However, on the way back he encountered many dangers…. The vicious one-eyed giant, Cyclopes. The curses of Poseidon. The witch Circe and the nymph Calypso's temptations. The song of the Sirens. The strait of the monster, Scylla. The wrath of Helios. Nevertheless, in the end he overcame these difficulties and though having made many sacrifices, he made his way back to Penelope's side.
"The weight and pain of taking just one step forward. I am familiar with how much it can take."
A hero of the Trojan War and a member of the greatest family of adventurers in Greek mythology. A man that truly surpassed numerous adversities and went on uncountable adventures. The fact that his name was the origin for "The Odyssey" is not to be underestimated.
However, as Ardyn was amazed at what he saw from the memories of the hero of the Trojan War, the scene begun to change as it begins to glitch out as another scene begins to take into a form of a memory…
A memory that will haunt him for years…
Fire.
Fire, as far as the eye can see.
Fire, cursed and unnatural.
The air was laden with smoke and ash, the sparkling sound and heat of the flames, the smell of burning flesh. The image of this hell became a memory that was burned into Ardyn's mind.
As Ardyn began to look around and walk down the path that wasn't covered in flames, he notices another human being, a man, standing over the death and destruction that was happening all over the place. He wears a black suit and trench coat. His face is blank, and his eyes are vacant. However, before Ardyn asked who he was, the man's image change to that of another form with pieces of armor on his body, bandages over his face and wears a blood-red hood. He carries a M9 bayonet right hand, dripped with blood.
Ardyn steps back from man as he felt his magic flowing on his hand, but it began to hurt… badly. Ardyn turned his hand over and gasped when he saw glowing lines forming on it. Slowly going up his arm.
"No. No no no no no!" Ardyn yelled, panicking as he tried to push them off. "Someone help me!"
But it was no use. He was at the mercy of his own powers. As the fire raged on, the lines spread throughout Ardyn's body and climbed up to his head. Entering the corners of his eyes. Ardyn let out a scream as his eyes and hair started glowing.
"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"
"ARDYN!"
"GAH!" Ardyn jolted awake as he quickly sat up. He looked around and saw that he was back in the Owl House, in his and Luz's bedroom.
"Are you okay? You looked like you were having a bad dream," Luz said, worried for her best friend as he rubbed his face. Trying to clear it from his grogginess.
"I'm alright," Ardyn said, yawning and stretching his arms. "It was just a nightmare."
"Sounded like it was more that when you started sweating and mumbling in your sleep." Luz said as Ardyn looked at her for a moment before sighing.
"And I guess you want to know what it's about right?" Ardyn asked Luz, who nodded at his question. With a simple nod, he begins to tell her about the dream / nightmare that he had. As he concluded his story, he saw that Luz had a wide-eyed expression not of awe but of surprise. "And I suppose you had the same experience?"
Luz was hesitant but nodded as she begins to tell him about the dreams that she had last night. The first one was going though the memories of Nero and her whole life from beginning to end. The second dream was of the Queen of the Shadow Lands, Scáthach.
Throughout her battles, Scáthach eventually ceased being human and started to be closed off from the World, unable to die as a human. She was known to be a woman "strong like a monster" who many sought out for apprenticeship. At the age of sixteen, Cú Chulainn traveled to the Land of Shadows in search of fame, and she became his mentor, guiding him in the "secrets of leaping", teaching him runic magecraft, and granting him his favorite demonic spear, Gáe Bolg.
With her serving as the master of many pupils at the same time, Cú Chulainn was close to his fellow pupil Ferdiad, his equal in arms, and both competed for the right to possess Gáe Bolg. During this period, they went to war with Aife from the neighbouring country, who in some versions of the legends was her sister, and although Scáthach argued with Cú Chulainn over not letting him into battle, she, Cú Chulainn and Ferdiad eventually "caused hell together." Cú Chulainn captured Aife alive and became involved with her afterward, earning Scáthach's punishment. Upon Cú Chulainn eventually receiving Gáe Bolg, she lamented over her inability to be killed by him since she had already ceased being able to die, wishing that he had been born earlier. Although still young and having arrived to the Land of Shadows by the shortest route, he could only apologize while lamenting the fate of the woman he loved. Cú Chulainn and Ferdiad eventually left the Land of Shadows on the same day, and Scáthach did not see them off due to having already passed down all her teachings to them. Using her foresight, she was able to predict her beloved pupil's final moments. She later taught Cú Chulainn and Aife's son, Connla, as well.
Due to her nature, the Land of Shadows itself eventually became completely sundered from the mortal world, fully becoming a land of the dead. Still existing unto modern times and unable to become a Heroic Spirit on the Throne of Heroes, Scáthach had not ventured outside of the Land of Shadows for two thousand years. Unable to die, she could only wait until the time the World and its outside finally disappear.
"Jesus… But wait how is she able to be a Heroic Spirit if she's still alive?" Ardyn asked Luz, who only shrugged as she had no idea how either. The young Hybrid could only sigh as things just got more and more confusing.
"Kids! Come on down!" Eda called up from downstairs. "I got something to show you!"
A moment later, in their normal clothes, Ardyn and Luz were on the couch with King while Romani was drinking a cup of coffee while reading a book: A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin. They were watching Eda and Owlbert playing a card game. Eda shuffled her hand, and the eyes on the cards looked up at her. Owlbert, wearing a green visor, narrowed his eyes at her and hooted.
"Watch closely, kids. Hexes Hold'em is the trickiest game on the Boiling Isles. Any proper witch knows how to play," Eda said as she crossed her legs in confidence.
"Really? It doesn't look any different from Pokemon or Yu-Gi-Oh," Ardyn said before turning to Luz. "By the way, do you still have my SDK: Blue-Eyes White Dragon?"
"That depends. Do you still have my SDJ: Red-Eyes B. Dragon?" She asked, pulling out his card, still in mint condition. Ardyn pulled out her card in the same condition as the Blue-Eyes and the two traded cards.
"Oh yeah? Well, can your cards do this?" Eda asked, placing a card down on the table. Magical energy sparkled from the cards, sending Owlbert flying for cover behind the side of the table. That's when the cards all grew legs and stood up. Opening jaws to roar at their enemies.
"...Only in the anime," Ardyn said with a sigh.
Owlbert's card surged forward and attacked Eda's, making the little owl smirk. As the two armies fought one another like herds of animals, Eda smirked. "Now when it looks like the deck is stacked against you, that's when you break out the wildcard," she said, drawing a card with a tower on it.
It glowed green and Owlbert's animated cards burst in flames. The fire then flew up into the air and formed fiery letters spelling out "WINNER: EDA"
Owlbert hopped back on and hooted at Eda, his wings extended in acknowledgment of her victory.
"Woo, I win!" Eda gloated, before she bent down and pointed at the owl's face. "In your adorable owl face. Ah, I love the feeling of victory; it feels...fluffy?"
"Eda, your arms!" Ardyn said, pointing at her arms. Black feathers were growing from her arms. This caused alarm for him, Luz, and King.
"It's happening again!" Luz whimpered
"What's happening again?" Eda asked.
"Your curse is returning!" King and Romani pointed out. Eda finally noticed her arms and screamed when she saw the feathers on her arms.
The five of them ran up the stairs to Eda's room, and pulled out the chest she kept her elixirs in. But when she opened the chest and looked inside, Eda was distraught to find that all the elixirs bottles were empty. "Oh boy. This is terrible. I'm out of elixir," Eda said, grabbing one and shaking it.
"Uh, last time this happened, you turned into this thing." Luz held up her phone to show her the picture of the Owl Beast on her cracked screen.
"I know I should be repulsed, but that look is fierce," Eda said, puffing up her hair.
"Yeah? Well monster you tried to kill us!" Ardyn exclaimed. The last thing he wanted was to go up against that ravenous beast again.
"You're right, you're right. We need to head to the market," Eda said, hitting her fist in her palm.
"Market!" Luz cheered.
"Market!" Ardyn cheered after her as they stood up and started to leave.
King followed them and shouted in glee. "I'm stealing everything that's not nailed down!"
"Before we go, would anyone like to play one more hand of Hexes Hold'em?" Eda asked and reached for the cards in her pocket. But then Romani came over and pulled them out of her pocket before she could get to them.
"Not gonna happen, Eda!" He quipped, jumping back before she could grab them.
"Hey, give me back my cards!" Eda yelled, upset that he had the gall to steal from her.
"You want them back? Then you're going to get that elixir," Romani said, handing them to Luz. The girl then turned and handed the deck to Owlbert.
"Take these and fly ahead. She'll have to follow us," she said to the owl from Eda's staff. Owlbert grabbed the cards from her and flew out of the room.
Eda ran after him. "Owlbert, you sore loser, gimme back my cards!"
It was another lovely day in the town of Bonesborough. As winged demons flew over the witches and demons going about their day on the ground. Including the Owl House group. With their cloak to disguise themselves, Eda and Romani led the group through the market towards a potion shop named 'Mr. Elixir'. Eda banged on the closed metal grate that covered the window while Romani was acting as look out for any guards that are nearby.
"Hey, open up, Morton!" she yelled as Ardyn, Luz, and King went to sit down on a bench.
"Uh, ju-...just a minute!" called Morton's voice from inside the shop.
"Is there anything better than people watching in the Demon Realm?" Luz asked as she and Ardyn sat together.
"It's like watching the inner machinations of a mad man," Ardyn commented.
To prove his point, the two and King watched three witches standing at a bus stop as a giant egg rolled up to it. The egg cracked and opened, revealing a featherless bird that screeched before flying away. Leaving room for the witches to get inside the egg. One of them closed it, and it rolled off. "Wait, wait!" Tiny Nose shouted as she ran to try and catch the egg but missed it. "Aw, dang it."
"Heh, I remember those days," Ardyn said, reminiscing the days when he ran after the bus back home.
"The curse of tiny legs," Luz said.
"I know the pain." said King as Ardyn pats his head.
Tiny Nose looked down in defeat, before the sound of loud footsteps made her look up. When she did, she screamed and ran away from a larger witch with a brown cloak. He stopped and looked over his shoulder. Waving his hand, he motioned for other witches dressed like him to follow. They did so while pulling a cart with a large worm-like demon tied to it through the street.
Ardyn and Luz walked up to Eda and Romani. "Whoa, that is one ominous parade," said the Latina girl.
"Yeah, Aunt Eda. Who are those guys?" asked the hybrid as the two Witches scowled at the sight.
"Those are demon hunters," Eda said, frowning at the hunters. The demon that was tied down growled and started bucking against its bindings. The two demon hunters pushing the cart pulled its ropes to pin it back down. It then tries to bite at the first demon hunter, but he stepped back from it's jaws. "Dangerous nomads who capture and sell the most powerful beasts."
The first demon hunter traced a spell green circle and created lightning in his hand. Without mercy, he shocked the demon unconscious. When he stopped, the hunter turned and looked at Ardyn and Luz with one eye covered with an eye patch.
While Luz felt uneasy, Ardyn stared down the hunter a bit before the hunters continued their way.
"...Which I'm about to become IF YOU DON'T OPEN UP, MORTON!" Eda yelled as she continued knocking on the gate unit Morton finally opened the gate.
Revealing himself to be a lanky young man with light pale skin, light brown eyes, and short brown hair. Oddly, he was wearing a gray funnel hat. He also wore a mint green long-sleeved top with fingerless gloves, and a long brown overlay dress with a criss-cross sleeve, and a dark brown belt with a frog necklace.
"Sorry, Eda! I was up all-night poison tasting and for some reason, I don't feel great," he said.
"You taste test poison and you're wondering why you're sick?" Ardyn asked with an incredulous expression. Unable to comprehend why he'd do something so idiotic. "Dude, the fact that you're still alive is nothing short of a damn miracle!"
Morton looked at him with an uncertain look in his eyes. "You think it's the poison that's making me sick?"
"Yes Morton, it will get you sick." Romani said with a blank stare causing Morton to chuckle in embarrassment.
"Romani, Ardyn, let's not get sidetracked. I'm all out of my juice, Morton," Eda said, pulling out one of her bottles and handing it to Morton.
"Oh, gee. Lemme see what I can do," Morton said, before ducking down and digging around. With the sound of rattling bottles being heard by the others.
As he was doing that, Ardyn looked back and saw the demon hunters continuing their way. That's when he saw Willow and Gus, looking dejected, behind the demon.
"Willow and Gus!" Luz called out when she saw them too. The two best friends ran up to their witch friends as they walked over. "Hey, friends!"
"What's the matter? Did something happen?" Ardyn asked when he noticed their frowns.
"Them," said Willow, pointing to a food stand a few feet away from where a group of teenage girls talking and laughing together. Among them was Amity, who was staring at a potion.
The other girls were her friends, Boscha, Skara, and Cat. Boscha was a slender witch with pink skin, three gray-blue eyes, and violet hair tied back in a bun. Skara was a young witch with a dark brown skin tone, eyes with gray irises, and hair that came in tones of pinkish-gray and deep mauve held up in a ponytail. Cat had dark skin too, and brown wavy hair with a side bang. She wore squared glasses with black frames over her brown eyes and had a red lower lip.
"Amity's having a moonlight conjuring and invited everyone but me," Willow said as she looked down at the ground, sad.
"And she keeps posting about it on her Penstagram account," said Gus as he summoned his scroll. Opening it up to Amity's Penstagram post of her and her friends posing.
"'It's Conjuring night! No dorks allowed'"? What a jerk!" Luz exclaimed, scowling for a second before looking at her friends. "Wait a minute, What's a moonlight conjuring?"
"You spend the night at someone's house, telling stories, playing games…" Willow explained.
"Like a slumber party! We have those!" Luz said with a smile, pointing at herself and Ardyn.
Willow then pulled out a book. "Then you bring something to life with moon magic!"
"Should have known there was an angle to this," Ardyn muttered.
"Gus and I have never been to one. You need at least three people and-"
"Well, luckily for you, you've got four right here," Luz said, pulling Ardyn in. "Right, Ardyn?"
The hybrid, however, was hesitant. "I don't know…" he said, rubbing his arm. "I don't think Eda or Romani will let that happen."
They were interrupted when Amity's friend group walked by, laughing at them. "Sorry you couldn't get an invite to the conjuring, Willow," she mocked Ardyn's friend before turning to Amity. "Only real witches allowed."
Amity sighed, trying not to look at Ardyn and Luz. "Leave her alone. It's not her fault she was born without talent," she said as they walked away.
This made Willow growl with anger, which unknowingly made her magic act up. Several large vines started growing from the ground.
"Whoa! Willow, chill!" Ardyn exclaimed in alarm, slapping the vine away. "Don't get angry at those sad sacks. They're not the ones that'll have a kickass moonlight conjuring."
"So, does this mean…" Luz trailed off with a hopeful grin. Willow also looked hopeful too.
"Yeah, I'll join you guys." Ardyn relented, resulting in Luz nearly tackling him to the ground when she hugged him. The two looked at one another and blushed, before Luz let him go and backed away.
"Are you serious? This was on my bucket list!" Gus said in excitement as he pulled it out and checked off moonlight conjuring. "After owning a real human bucket!"
"That's a really weird thing to want, but I appreciate your enthusiasm," Luz said.
"We should go tell Eda and Romani," Ardyn said as they walked away.
Back at the store, Morton stood back up. "I've got bad news and good news. The bad news is I'm all out 'till next week," he told her with an apologetic look. "Good news is feathers are a good look for you."
A feather grows out of her hair. "Morton!" She yelled, swinging her arms down in anger, causing the feather and several others to flutter to the ground as she stalked forward, causing Romani to face palm at what was happening in front of him.
"Well gee, E. Why'd you wait to re-up 'till now?" Morton asked his most frequent customer.
"I've been very busy," Eda said, crossing her arms and turning her head away from him.
"Yeah, busy playing Hexes Hold'em. She's obsessed with it," Romani said with a small grin on his face.
"I am not obsessed!"
"You're playing it right now!" King said, and just like he said, Morton and Eda were playing the card game. With several cards now splayed out on the counter, with Eda holding one in her hand.
"...Am I winning?" She asked the store owner as Romani gave her a blank stare. "What?"
Morton then spoke to her in a dark and serious tone. "You know, I wouldn't suggest this to just anybody, but if you need your elixir, you can try your luck later this evening."
"In the night market?" Eda gasped.
"Is it the only way to get Eda's elixir?" Romani asked as Morton nodded solemly.
"Sorry Romani, but that's the only way to get the elixir right now. There's a guy with a stand, goes by Grimm Hammer; if anyone has what you need, it's him," Morton said Eda and Romani, understanding the situation Morton told them as he walked back into his shop. At that same time, Ardyn and Luz walked back to her.
"Hey Eda, Romani? Gus, Willow, Ardyn, and I are going to do a moonlight conjuring and stick it to Amity. So can we-"
"Not tonight, we're going out," Eda quickly said cutting Luz off, grabbing her staff and walking away as Ardyn looked upset at her. "We need you to watch the house, we have many precious objects in there."
"Like me!" King said, pointing to himself when Eda picked him up by his collar. "Whoa!
"You're coming with me. I need an extra pair of eyes looking out for pickpockets, and an extra pair of hands in case I want to pickpocket," she said with a smirk.
"Pickpocket!" They both cheered together as Romani sighed at their antic.
"The reason why I'm going is to make sure they don't get caught." Romani said as the two teens nodded, Eda and King can be loose cannons when they get too greedy for their own good.
Ardyn then spoke up. "Well, maybe they can come to the house and-"
"No! Besides, moonlight conjurings are dumb, sitting in a circle holding hands. It's like magic for babies," Eda said as she, Romani, and King walked away.
Ardyn furrowed at Eda as she walked away. Upset at how petty she was being over the moonlight conjuring. He sighed in frustration and turned to Luz. "So much for that," he said, wondering what they were going to do.
Willow and Gus ran over to them. "So, what did Eda say?" asked the former
"So... guys…" Luz tried to explain to their friends but was interrupted by Gus.
"Oh, look!" He pointed upwards at the moon, as it rose into place. "The moon is rising into place. And the celestial powers only align once a year."
"Oh, I can't believe I finally have enough friends for a moonlight conjuring! Thank you, Luz and Ardyn! Did Eda say it was okay?" Willow asked the two best friends.
Well, that certainly made Ardyn and Luz cringe. Why did they have to have those big and innocent eyes? Taking a deep breath, Ardyn decided to be the bearer of bad news. "Yeah...listen, guys...she said-"
"Yes!" Luz yelled, slamming her hand over his mouth. "she said yes. We can do it at the Owl House. If we don't make a mess or touch anything and never bring up that we, did it!" She nervously laughed.
"Yes! Oh, you're the best!" Willow cheered before she and Gus started singing together. "We're going to do a conjuring! We're going to do a conjuring! Conjuring! Conjuring!"
Ardyn pulled Luz aside and turned her away from their friends. "Luz, are you sure about this? If Eda finds out about this, she'll kill us," he said to her.
"It'll be okay. It's just bringing something to life," Luz said. "Look at them. Do you really want to break their hearts?"
Ardyn looked at Willow and Gus, seeing how happy they were. He then looked up at the moon nervously. One little lie won't hurt, would it? After all, Eda was a criminal herself. So, what was having the conjuring going to do?
Hours later, night had come to the Boiling Isles. Eda and Romani were about to leave the Owl House. Ardyn was sitting on the couch with Luz as he looked out the window, listening to the crickets chirping outside. He and his friend were waiting for Eda to leave.
"Alright you two, I'm leaving. Ardyn, as my unofficial nephew, you're in charge while I'm out," Eda said, putting her cloak on with Romani doing the same. "Make sure Luz and Hooty don't get into any trouble."
"Hoot hoot!" Hooty opened the door to pout at her. "I don't need a babysitter. I'm a big boy house!"
"You can count on me, Aunt Eda. I've house-sat before," he said, standing up from the couch. It was true. He had to house-sit an orphanage on some occasions.
"Yeah! We'd never betray your hard-earned trust!" Luz said before laughing nervously.
Eda narrowed her eyes at them. "You're acting suspicious. You're doing that thing where you hide in your hoodie."
She was referring to right now, as Luz had her hood up and closed over her mouth. "Meow I'm not."
"Umm…" Ardyn tried to figure out a way to change the subject when he remembered something. "Oh, where's King?"
"He's right here," said Eda with a smile as she opened her cloak to reveal King strapped in a pink baby carrier and snoring as he slept. "His little body just conks out when he's weightless. Look at this." She moved side to side and showed the two kids King was still sleeping as he moved like a ragdoll, with his arms and legs dangling in the harness.
"Aww, he's so dangly," Luz said, playing with his feet as Ardyn and Romani chuckled at the sight.
Eda chuckled as she pulled away and walked outside. "Anyway, really going now," she said, before stopping and turning back to the kids. "And Ardyn…"
The hybrid grew nervous as she scowled at him.
"...I don't care if you're Anna's kid, if you or Luz mess up the house, I will never trust you again, Ardyn Pierce," she said in a dangerous, menacing tone, before smiling and using a lighter tone. "No pressure! Bye!" Owlbert hooted and opened his wings before Eda hopped on and flew away. Leaving Ardyn and Luz waving after her for a few seconds, however Romani stay behind to tell them something.
"Kids I know you going to have a Moonlight Conjuring without Eda's knowledge." Romani said with a small smile which caused the two teens to flinch but Romani calmed them down. "I have no problem with you guys having one, but just make sure you clean up and have you friends out of here before we get back. So like Eda said, no pressure. Have fun." Romani said as he calls his palisman, a blackwood staff with a lynx at the end of it as he took off after Eda.
"Yeah...no pressure at all…" Ardyn said as he gulped in fear.
Luz turned to two bushes near the house and whispered. "Okay, they're gone."
"Release!" a voice said as the two bushes glowed and then exploded in a burst of leaves. Revealing Willow and Gus in their casual clothes. "I'm a sneaky sneakster!" Willow said, wearing a long-sleeved yellowish-tan dress that had a blue tie with an oval chartreuse gem on it, light gray and dark gray striped leggings, and brown boots.
"I've got leaves in my pants...and I like it," said Gus, whispering that last part. He was wearing a green tunic with white sleeves and a black belt. He also wore black tights and brown boots.
"Well, come on in!" Ardyn said as Luz opened the door for them to enter.
"Company! Hooray!" Hooty said as the two friends led their witch friends into the house. "Finally, someone to listen to my stories! Okay, one time, a sparrow flew into my mouth, and then I-" He was cut off when the door shut on him. "Hey…"
He coughed out a sparrow, which flew away chirping.
"Welcome to…" Luz started, before she and Ardyn gestured towards the main area of the Owl House.
"The living room!" They both exclaimed with big smiles.
"We call it that because it's technically living! I'm pretty sure it's Hooty's breathing from the walls." Ardyn pointed towards a wall as it moved with heavy breaths.
Willow looked at it closer with an intrigued smile. "Enchanting," she said.
Gus started rummaging through an open chest and pulled out an 8-Ball. "And look at all these human treasures," he said, before pulling out an actual human skull. "And actual humans!"
"Yeah, I wouldn't touch that," Ardyn said, creeped out by that.
Luz held up a blow of eyeballs. "We've got snacks, we've got weird music!" She put the needle down on a gramophone, which produced the sounds of an evil witch cackling evilly.
Gus walked up to her with a bucket on his head. "We've got a bucket!"
"Gus, my man," Luz said with a wink.
"And best of all we have actual friends to do the conjuring with! This is so exciting!" Willow said with excitement as she held her hands together.
"Yeah, so how does this conjuring work?" Ardyn asked as he walked up to his friend.
"Well first, we find something to animate. Since it's our first time we should pick something meaningful." Willow suggested, walking over to some flowers in an owl-shaped pot. "Something beautiful."
Gus then burst through the flowers with a Beef Bob action figure. "Like this strangely buff little man?!" he said as he held it in front of them and tapped the figure's stomach.
"I'm half beef, half Bob!" It spoke.
"Yes! He's perfect!" Luz exclaimed.
"That's...not exactly what I meant by 'beautiful'," Willow cringed.
Gus lowered the action figure as he started whimpering and looking hurt with sad eyes. As Ardyn cursed the universe for creating the puppy dog pout, he turned to Willow. "Why don't we do the plant after Beef Bob?" he asked.
Willow relented. "Okay, buff boy it is," she said with a small smile.
"Yes!" Luz hugged Willow.
"Tonight, he shall be risen!" Gus screamed at the ceiling.
As the moon rose into the sky, the group of friends moved to the center of the living room. Gus placed Beefy Bob on the ground between the four of them as they sat in a square formation with several lit candles around them.
"According to the conjuring books I've read, we say the incantation and make a connection with the doll," Willow explained as they all held hands and closed
"Figurine," Gus said quickly.
However, there was one person that wasn't holding hands with them. Luz looked and saw Ardyn looking hesitantly at Gus and Luz's hand. "Are you sure it'll be okay?" He asked.
"It'll be okay, Ardyn," Willow said with a reassuring smile. "It's just a simple spell. Nothing bad will happen." Ardyn glances at her, Luz, and Gus, before letting out a sigh. Taking their hands, he scooted into the circle. They then began the incantation.
"Moonlight, we call, we sing. Moonlight take this chance. Moonlight come tie the string. Moonlight starts the dance!" Willow and Gus said perfectly while Luz tried to keep up but slipped with each line.
"Moonlight tie... string... and I don't know the words!" Luz said.
Ardyn said nothing and just let them chant. Even as the group started glowing with a layer of moon magic washing over them, he was still focused on his own powers. When the glowing started, he saw his circles appearing. Now all he had to do was keep his power in check.
Outside, the moon continued rising into the sky. Hooty looked up and stared at the Demon Realm's natural satellite. But then the moon stopped moving, before a burst of blue light expanded out of it. A similar burst of blue light busted out from between Ardyn, Willow, Luz, and Gus, spreading around the living room and extinguishing the candles.
Ardyn looked around with a confused look on his face. "What the heck was that?" Did it work?" He asked. The others all opened their eyes and looked at Beefy Bob.
"That's your cue, little man," Gus said to it.
It didn't move.
"I've got a really bad feeling about this," Ardyn said nervously.
His anxiety would prove to be correct, as the entire house started to rumble like it was an earthquake.
Outside, Hooty blinked his eyes, before opening them. Revealing them to have turned the same blue as the magical energy from the moon. Birds flew away from the house, as the foundation cracked around it. Then the Owl House suddenly started to rise and stand on two giant owl legs. The three kids screamed as they lost their balance. The shaking stopped when the Owl House stopped rising and just stood there.
When Ardyn groaned and sat up again, a book fell on his head. "Ow!" He yelled, before opening his eyes. Only to see that the entire living room was in a state of dismay. "Oh, man."
"Did the entire house just hiccup?" Luz asked.
"I don't think so," Ardyn said, standing up as Gus leaned up from the couch.
"Little buff guy, what did you do?" He asked the toy, pushing it to get it to talk again.
"A real man never takes accountability!"
"Hooty? Hooty, what the hell happened?" Ardyn asked the guardian of the Owl House. However, the owl didn't answer back. So, the hybrid walked over to the front door with a frown. "Come on, Hoot! What hap-"
He stopped when he opened the door and looked at Hooty. Startled to see his eyes glowing blue with an also transfixed look.
"Hooty? Are you okay?" He asked, worried for his friend.
"Uh, Ardyn…" Luz nervously said as she walked out onto the front. Ardyn turned and gasped when saw how high up they were. "What's going on?"
"I think we might've animated the house by accident!" Willow exclaimed as she and Gus ran out to join them.
"The house?!" Ardyn and Luz shouted in a panic. Hooty made ghostly noises before the House began to walk away. They all scream in terror as the door slams shut.
Luz ran up to the door. "Hooty? Hooty! Hooty, you must stop!"
"By the power of moonlight, I have risen. Hoot hoot." Hooty said.
"He's in some kind of trance!" Gus said to the two humans.
The House stepped through some trees and caused the house to shake again. The jostling made Gus yell as he, Willow, Ardyn, and Luz lose their balance. He and Willow nearly fell off the edge, when Luz and Ardyn caught them.
"Hang on!" Ardyn yelled as he held onto the arm of Willow, while Luz got Gus. The two grunted as they tried not to drop their friends. "Why is this happening? I thought it was supposed to animate the doll!"
"Figurine!" Gus corrected.
"SHUT UP, GUS!" He shouted.
"Our magic must've spread through the house instead of the doll!" Willow shouted up at him.
Ardyn and Luz nearly fell when the house shook again. The two then grabbed the other's hand for balance, causing the glow to return. Book then noticed that Hooty was heading straight for a cliff and was about to walk over it.
"HOOTY, STOP!"
Incredibly, Hooty listened. The House stopped moments before it would have walked off a cliff and stood still. Giving Ardyn and Luz the time to pull Willow Gus back up to safety. The four friends let go of each other and stared at their hands. But when they broke contact with each other, the glowing stopped.
"How'd we do that?" Gus asked.
"That glowing…" Ardyn whispered, looking at Hooty's eyes and then gazing at the moon. Getting an idea in his head, he held his hands out again. "Guys, hold hands again."
They did so and started glowing once again.
"Hooty, back away from the cliff," Ardyn said to him as he obeyed. The Owl House took several steps away from the cliff before stopping.
"We're controlling it with the power of friendship," Willow said, before Ardyn gave her a 'really' look. "Uh, and the moon. Probably the moon."
"This is amazing! What do we do now?" Gus asked as they let go, making the glow fades.
"On the one hand, we should probably stay put," Luz said, glancing at Ardyn. She remembered what Eda warned him about and didn't want to get her friend - or herself, in trouble.
"On the other hand, we've got a giant walking house and should totally take it on a joyride!" Gus exclaimed.
Ardyn and Luz looked at one another and then up at the now-descending moon. Ardyn thought to himself that if they only go around for a bit and stay away from Bonesborough, they might be alright. He looked down at Gus and said, "Okay, okay, we'll go. But we got to be back before the moon sets and clean everything inside. If not, then Eda's going to kill us!"
Willow and Gus smiled and nodded. The four then cheered and laughed as they directed the house forward. However, little did they know was that they were being watched. The leader of the demon hunters growled out as the house walked away.
After a while of walking through the forest, Ardyn noticed someone down on the ground. "Hooty! Stop!" He quickly commanded, bringing the house to a halt. He then let's go of their hands and turns back to where he saw the person.
It was Boscha walking past the trees with a duffel bag under her arm and a... crow to her ear?
"Hey, is that the same girl that made fun of you two?" Ardyn asked, as they spoke into the bird. "And why is she talking to a bird?"
"Willow gasped when she saw her. "It's Boscha."
"Ugh! Yes, Mom. I'm going to a moonlight conjuring," Boscha said into the crow. So, birds were the equivalent to phones in this world? "No, Mom. You can't come. And yes, Mom, it's sad that you're asking." She let go of the crow, which cawed as it flew away. However, she then turned around and noticed the Owl House behind a hill.
"She noticed us. What do we do?" Willow whispered to her friends.
As he stared at Boscha, an idea came to him. "I've got an idea," he said, turning to Gus. "Can you make me a megaphone?"
Gus nodded and conjured a megaphone with his magic. Bring it in front of his face. Ardyn took a deep breath before clearing his throat and started speaking in a menacing tone.
"Get out!" He said in a deep voice. "Your negative spirit has disturbed my land! Now you must leave it! Or suffer my curse!" Gus, Luz, and Willow held in their laughs at the trick they were pulling.
"Ew. A talking house is threatening me? Whatever," scoffed Boscha as she rolled her eyes at it, unimpressed. "I'll just TP you like I did with the rest of the neighborhood."
"You will leave my land or suffer the consequences!" Ardyn roared through the megaphone and the Owl House stood up as he let loose a roar. Boscha screamed as she turned and ran away. At that moment, the four friends started laughing hysterically before calming down.
"I've never pranked anyone before. And now I have a taste for it," Gus said.
"Yeah, Ardyn, that was brilliant!" Luz said.
"I know. I'm awesome like that," Ardyn boasted with a big grin on his face.
"We should follow her to Amity's house to show off our conjuring. That will show her who's got no talent," Willow said, getting excited.
Ardyn and Luz looked at the moon. It was now nearly at the treetops and still going down. Meaning their time was running out. "Yeah, no. While I'd love nothing more than to prank little miss perfect, we need to start heading back," Ardyn said, to his friends.
"Amity's updating her Penstagram," Gus said, showing them the post.
"'Shout out to my fellow witches. #HumansandHybridscansuckit?!'" Luz read before growling at the post.
"Easy, Luz. Don't let her get you all riled up," Ardyn said, trying to remain calm. He was upset and a little hurt that Amity would say that about him and her but didn't let it get to him. That last thing he wanted was to risk losing all they've accomplished on the Isles.
But then scroll's notification bell went off and Ardyn saw Amity made another post.
'Especially a certain annoying #Hybrid that doesn't understand the color aqua!'
"… Y'know I was going to let this go, but now… Let's get this witch!" Ardyn shouted furious with fire in his eyes.
Reconnecting the conjuring, the group made the House walk towards Bonesborough as they all cheered. Not noticing that several shadowed figures were following them through the trees.
When they reached Bonesborough, they commanded the Owl House to walk the streets. Down below, the citizens that were out screamed and ran for cover as the Owl House stomp through the town.
"Look, Amity's house!" Willow said, bringing the house to a halt.
In front of them was a huge manor covered in red moss on a hill, made from purple and gray stone, with a brown shingle roof, complete with stone chimneys and a large spire. Round, stained-glass windows are found at the highest level of the manor, with diamond shapes painted on them.
"That's her house?" Ardyn asked, surprised. The manor resembled more like an English castle than someone's house.
"Time to show Amity what a real conjuring looks like," Willow said with a determined look in her eyes.
However, just as the House started forward, it was stopped by a giant rope over the roof and tied down to the ground. The group's connection broke when the house suddenly stopped.
"What happened?" Willow asked as she and Gus looked up. Noticing the large rope holding them down.
"Is that a... giant crossbow?" Luz asked nervously, pointing at a giant crossbow that was aimed right at them.
Demon Hunter leader gave his followers the signal and the crossbow fired another rope anchor. That bolt flew over the house and stabbed into the ground. The rope secured the house further. The kids were then startled by the Demon Hunter jumping up and landing in front of them.
"Knock, knock." He growled before he created electricity in his hands. Before Ardyn could do anything to stop him, the Demon Hunter electrocuted the kids. All four kids screamed in pain, before falling to the ground unconscious.
When Ardyn regained consciousness, he groaned in pain, and his vision was still buried. Looking around he saw that he, Luz, Willow, and Gus were tied together. The Demon Hunters were busy tying down the Owl House to their cart.
"Guys! Guys! Wake up!" Ardyn yelled, shaking around to get his friends to wake up.
Luz groaned as she and the two witches woke up. "Ardyn? What's…" she gasped when she saw the hunters tying down the house. Once they were done, the Demon Hunter leader jumped down from the porch.
"Hey! What's your problem?!" Ardyn yelled at the hunters. "You can't just take our house!"
"We're Demon Hunters, kid. If there's a demon in your house, I can do whatever I want to it," the leader said with a smirk. "Which is why we're taking the house and ripping out the house demon. We can sell it to restaurants as exotic meat."
"No! Hooty would taste terrible," Luz exclaimed.
"Hey, I'm a refined taste. Hoot! Hoot!" Hooty said.
"What do we do with the worms?" another Demon Hunter asked. The two looked at the kids before the leader smirked.
"We'll stop by the cliffs and throw them over into the ocean," he said.
The four kids gasped in fear. The hunters laughed evilly as one of them picked up the kids while another one opened the front door. The four screamed when they were thrown through the air before landing hard in the living room. "Ow! Ow! Ow!"
After the hunters closed the door, the leader signaled for his band to get moving. Together, they started pushing the large cart through the woods. One stood atop a cliff and blew into a horn. As for the kids inside, Hooty made more strange noises as Luz kicked at the door.
"Hooty! Hooty! You must wake up!" Luz yelled, trying to snap Hooty out of conjuring.
"If you want this to end as you say, four of us hold hands. It's the only way," chanted the house demon.
"¡Oye, no me hable así!" Luz snapped in Spanish. "If these guys don't kill us, Eda will when she finds out about the house."
"Wait, I've got an idea!" Ardyn exclaimed. Struggling against the ropes around his body, the blonde boy held out his hand as best as he could. Calling the Leviathan Axe to his hand. Leaning around the couch, the magical axe shook as it slowly moved out from behind the furniture before zooming towards Ardyn. Flying into his hand but the blade got lodged into the ground.
"Willow, I can't use the axe like this. I need you to use your magic too…" Ardyn paused when he noticed that Willow was looking down at the ground with a look of shame. "Hey, what's wrong?"
"I'm so sorry, you two. You wanted to turn back but I just had to show off to Amity," Willow said.
"Willow, why would you want to show up to Amity?" Ardyn asked. "You've got nothing to prove."
Willow looked at him a bit. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you." She said, looking away.
"We could try," Luz said, trying to be supportive.
With a sigh, Willow finally admitted, "She and I used to be friends."
"...You're right. I find that VERY hard to believe." Ardyn said, only for Luz to nudge him in the arm with a disapproving frown. "Well it's true!"
"You and Amity were really friends?" Luz asked her friend.
"Yes. We played together as kids, but when she got her magical powers and I didn't, she stopped hanging out with me. I just wanted to prove to her that I was a powerful witch too," Willow said as she sniffled a bit, almost crying. "Guess she was right all along. I am just a loser."
Ardyn and Luz stared at her in silence, understanding why their friend's feeling. "That's ridiculous," said the young girl. "You helped bring a house to life. Amity doesn't know what she's talking about."
"She's right, Willow," Ardyn said, joining in on cheering Willow. "You've got crazy powerful plant magic that I can't even believe. Next to Eda, you're the most powerful witch we know. No offense, Gus."
"No, not at all. I know what I'm about," Gus said.
Willow looked at Luz and Ardyn in surprise, before smiling at them. She then wiggled her arms around before finally getting her arm free. Pulling the ble blade of the axe out of the ground, she then said, "Quick. Give me the axe."
Ardyn handed her Leviathan Axe, and Willow was able to cut them loose thanks to some control of plant magic. She handed the weapon back to Ardyn as they all stood back up. "Alright, let's get out there and kick some butt!" He exclaimed with a grin.
"Yeah!" They all cheered.
But then, suddenly, the cart that was carrying the house stopped abruptly. Thinking that they were at the cliffs the hunters were going to throw them off, they opened the door and ran outside to fight. Only to find out that wasn't the case. The group of Demon Hunters stopped because of something, or rather someone standing in their way.
Standing a few feet away was a tall man wearing robes woven with the finest fabrics, though he still looks modest, his long hair appearing with the colors of the rainbow under sunlight. In his right hand was a staff with no Palisman. However, the most disgusting part about him is the fact that his ears are slightly pointed.
The mysterious person stared at the hunters and children. Not moving at all or saying anything at all until the leader of the Demon Hunters stepped towards him.
"Move aside, stranger!" He demanded.
"I'm sorry, but that's not going to happen." Said the man, who then pointed at Ardyn and his friends. "Now, I'll be taking the children and their home off your hands."
This made the other hunters laugh at the human. "I don't think so," the leader said, pulling out his sword. "Now move, or we'll…"
POW!
The wizard suddenly swung his staff into the face of the Demon Hunter. The hunter cried out in pain and stumbled back when the wizard thrusted his staff into the chest of his enemy. Using a burst of pure magical energy to send the hunter flying back and landing on the ground. Now unconscious as the others stared with shocked expressions.
The wizard then slammed his staff into the ground. Activating another form of magic and making multiple pillars of energy to rise rapidly from under the feet of the other hunters. Launching them into the air, where they were hit with spheres of the same energy from the sky that were summoned by the mysterious wizard.
With all the hunters taken out in such a quick and brutal fashion, the kids were stunned for a moment until the wizard turned to look at them. In a flash of petals, he was gone and appeared in front of Ardyn and his friends.
The kids gasped at his sudden appearance and stepped back, with Ardyn holding the Leviathan Axe to fight if necessary. But the wizard just stared at him. Looking at the hybrid as if he was observing him with a small smile formed on his face.
"Uh...hello…" Luz nervously said with a wave. She flinched when the wizard raised his hand and creates a beam of light in his hand and shot it at the ropes tying down the Owl House. Cutting it loose and freeing the house from the cart.
"You should go. The moon will be setting soon," the man said, before turning and walking away.
"Wait!" Ardyn called out.
But the wizard disappeared when his body turned into petals that spiraled into the air and off into the sky. Leaving the four kids standing there in a state of confusion and wonder.
"...Who are you?" Ardyn finished his sentence, even though it was too late.
Luz snapped out of it when she looked out at the horizon and saw the moon setting in the distance. "Oh, no. I don't mean to step on this victory, but we got to get home before Eda does."
"Then let's get Hooty home!" Ardyn said as he held hands, making the connection through the moon's magic. The Owl House walked away, leaving the ruins of the battle behind.
After walking through Bonesborough once more, the Owl House came back to its original spot. Sitting down in the crater it left when the kids animated it. A moment later, and the moon magic faded away. The four kids were in the living room and when the house was back in its original place, Luz opened her eyes and glanced at Ardyn. "Did we do it?" She asked.
Hooty opened the door. "Is the room spinning or is it just me?" He joked with a chuckle. "Ah. Just a little house humor. Ooh."
"Sorry about all that, Hooty," Ardyn said as he rubbed the back of his head. "None of that was supposed to happen."
"It's okay. I'm just glad I was included," Hooty said with a smile. But then the moment was ruined when the door slammed shut, revealing a very angry Eda on the other side, with King by her feet and Romani scratching the back of his head with a conflicted look on his face.
"Oh, crap." Ardyn and Luz gulped, with Luz clinging to Ardyn for dear life.
"Ardyn Pierce! You are so busted!" Eda glared at the blonde boy as she marched to him.
"Hey, Auntie…" Ardyn tried to speak when Eda cut him off.
"I trusted you with looking after my house," she said.
"You did," Ardyn admitted.
"And you went behind my back and held a moonlight conjuring. And you animated my house. My house!" She shouted at him.
"We did…"
"Wait! Eda!" Luz exclaimed, coming to his defense. She stepped in front of him with her arms out. "It wasn't Ardyn's fault. It was my fault."
"And ours!" Willow said, stepping alongside Luz with Gus. "Don't punish Luz or Ardyn. We're the ones who pushed them to do the conjuring."
"If you're going to eat me just do it now. DO IT!" Gus yelled in Eda's face, shutting his eyes, and awaiting his fate. However, Eda looked disgusted at the idea. That was an old witch thing. How old do they think she was?
"Willow, Gus, what are you doing?" Ardyn whispered to Willow as she looked at him.
"Helping out a friend," Willow said to him with a smile.
"Well, you're all guilty, so you'll all be punished by cleaning my house top to bottom," Eda said, summoning various cleaning supplies that land in the kids' arms. She walked past them before stopping and looking back at the kids. "And another thing…"
The four of them gulped in fear when Eda's glare turned into a smile. "That was totally amazing. And I'm so joining you for next year's conjuring. Now get to work."
The four of them ran off and Eda flopped onto the couch with King, who had an adorable sailor suit on while Romani took a seat on his favorite chair. After the night that she had, with Tibbles cheating at Hexus Hold Em while Romani was able to beat him at his own game, the Owl Lady could use more than a little time to rest. It was lucky that her home stomped on Tibbles' stand before the little demon could do anything to her or Romani.
"I can't believe they animated a whole house," King said, looking at Ardyn and Luz as they cleaned together.
"Yeah. You're right. That takes some powerful magic," Eda said as she looked at the kids.
"They are still young, but I can't deny they have potential for the future." Romani said as he got up with a stretch and heads back into his room to get some sleep.
"You know, I still kind of wish we got to show up Amity," Luz said.
"Yeah. Too bad no one will know of our daring adventures," Willow said. However, unbeknownst to them, the same wizard that saved them from before was watching them from afar.
"Look like I was right." the unknown wizard said, standing on his staff as it hovered in the air, the wizard stared at Ardyn Pierce through the window of the house. The young boy was putting books back on a shelf as he talked with his friends about their adventure. "Just like those kids in that world, this young boy and that young girl have a purpose in this world.
The man then looked at the rising sun. Shining its radiant light on the Boiling Isles and bringing the new day. "There will be many more summits to climb. Each is more dangerous than the last." The wizard said as he began to disappear.
"I hope you'll be ready for when the time comes...Ardyn Pierce and Luz Noceda." Merlin, the Magus of Flowers said as his body disappears into a flurry of flower petals.
Meanwhile, at Blight manor, Amity was in her room with her friends. To say that their conjuring night was a disappointment would be putting it lightly. Boscha, Cat, Skara, and Amelia were glaring at a stuffed rabbit that was sitting on the floor. They did everything that the book said to do, but they couldn't bring it to life.
"Ugh. So, what if we couldn't move a doll. Now we have time for what really matters," Boscha said, summoning her scroll. "Penstagram." The other three summoned theirs a few seconds after her.
Meanwhile, Amity was brooding while looking out of her window. Last night was a complete failure, but she wasn't too bothered by it. Normally she'd be angrier about failing at something as simple as a moonlight conjuring, but Amity wasn't. She was thinking about yesterday, when she saw Ardyn and Luz with Willow and Gus and how she somewhat denied them coming to her conjuring.
Boscha gasped, getting Amity's attention. She walked over and looked at Boscha's scroll. Her Penstagram feed had several people's posts showing off Ardyn, Willow, Luz, Gus, and the animated Owl House.
Amity and Boscha share a look of total shock.
"WHAT?!"