Amity and Luz continued to glare at one another, nearly nose to nose. It quickly became clear that Luz had hoped Amity would be intimidated; likely something another human, or maybe some other witch may have done, but a Blight never backed down. "Let's set the terms for this duel, shall we?"
Luz backed off and held up a finger, still clearly angry and thinking with her bruised ego rather than her head. "One: if I win, you apologize to King for squashing his cupcake."
The rodent demon creature was too busy scraping up the cupcake off of the floor to be paying attention to what was going on around him. "Good night, sweet child." He cried, cradling the pastry.
"And two: you admit that humans can be witches too." Luz continued, holding up a second finger to emphasize her point.
Amity was done with this human and her smile faded once again. Destroying her was going to be so satisfying. "Fine by me. But when I win, not only do you have to tell the whole Covention you're not a witch, you have to stop training. Forever."
"Do it, Luz! For my honor!" Cried the rodent demon.
Luz doubled down. "Fine. Let's shake on it." She insisted, again jutting her hand out toward Amity.
Drawing a small purple circle of magic around Luz's wrist, Amity grasped the other girl's hand and the spell circle glowed, the magic seeping into their palms as it always did when she made a promise with her parents and siblings. "The everlasting oath is sealed." She smiled.
She released Luz's hand once the spell circle faded, and Luz simply stood there in shock, looking down at her faintly glowing palm. "That's probably fine."
"Meet back inside the theater in one hour." Amity said, turning and walking away, flipping her hair with a hand confidently as she did. "Let's see what kind of witch you are." Amity slowed her pace as she heard Luz speak to her rodent demon pet, then turn and run in the opposite direction. If the human was connected to the rodent demon from the poster, then it was likely she was also connected to the Boiling Isles most wanted wild witch as well, and Amity could have just set herself up as the witch to assist in the capture of The Owl Lady.
She had an hour to practice and get things in order. She would need to find an appropriate place to summon her abomination in the Covention Hall; the Abomination Coven should have the necessary supplies on hand… Amity found she was clutching her tunic, a habit she had developed when worried or anxious, and she immediately folded her arms instead. "What am I doing? I've got this." She whispered to herself before suddenly becoming conscious again of the crowd around her. Fortunately, the noise level had returned enough that her vocal thoughts weren't heard, but she still felt confused. The human didn't even have magic, after all.
A blue fiery light creeping along the pillars and walls of the Covention Center caught her eye as the wanted posters for The Owl Lady began to disintegrate… no, become invisible she realized, reaching out to where one had been a moment before. It fizzled and sparked where she touched it, then vanished again when she pulled her hand away. Amity searched the hall and surely enough, each poster with the creepy old lady and the furry rodent demon's image had vanished, and she narrowed her eyes. There was clearly something going on in the hall that she wasn't aware of.
"Amity!" Called a familiar voice, and she turned to see Lilith approaching her with all the grace of a raven haired celestial. The woman waded through the crowd as though she was wordlessly willing it to part for her and kneeled down to her height, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I understand you've found yourself in a witch's duel. Very intriguing."
Amity blushed, turning away for a moment. "It's no big deal. There's this human girl that believes she's some kind of hero and decided to challenge me."
Lillith smiled warmly. "Don't let your guard down, Amity. This human and her instructor will not hesitate to take advantage of any lapse in your judgement. You will have to be relentless. Win this duel, and it may even cement your place in the Emperor's Coven…"
Amity nodded and balled her hands into fists, a look of determination covering her face. This was her door into her future. "I won't let you down, Ms. Clawthorne."
Lillith stood, her smile turning from one of warmth to satisfaction. "I know you won't. Now, I was told you've made some impressive headway on your skills at school. Why don't you give me a demonstration while the hall is being set up, hmm?" She said, placing a hand on Amity's back and guiding her through the crowd that seemed to instinctively part. "Let's go, shall we?"
A glowing purple ring appeared on the floor near the Abomination Coven booth, and a small mound of swirling mud rose from it, growing arms, legs, and a vague face with dark eyes and a gaping, sagging mouth. Amity held her hands above the creature that barely came up to her shoulders, concentrating hard on the creature's form. This was her fourth attempt at summoning her new abomination, and she knew she had been trying to summon it at too great of a size in an effort to impress Lilith.
Attendants of the Abomination booth snickered and smiled cutely at her effort and she growled. "Abomination, attack!" She ordered, gesturing to a diminutive pale demon with bright red hair and a large nose; a sphere with limbs, large blue creative eyes, and a maniacal look as she stood upon a heap of Coven members that she had wrestled to the floor, charged up on a Construction Glyph sticker. The poor creature would feel that the next morning, Amity was certain.
Amity's abomination groaned, twisting off its own head lump and throwing it across the hall. It's aim was off unfortunately, and the lump of goo struck another nearby booth attendant, knocking him to the floor and sprawling him out, resulting in both shocked and impressed glances from the Abomination Coven members. She smiled proudly for a moment. The abomination still wasn't as large as she'd like, and its aim was off, but she did it, and she turned back to Lilith, seeking her tutor's approval.
"Well done, Amity. I see you have your father's talents for summoning." She commented, though her smile held a hint of disappointment. "Please. Allow me?" She asked, kneeling down to Amity's level and placing a hand on the back of her neck and pointing forward along Amity's eyeline. "Stay calm, Amity. Breath. You're not performing for anyone here. You are simply showing a human that she doesn't belong in our world." The young witch nodded, feeling a sudden sense of overwhelming confidence and power that came with Lilith's words. Her palms glowed as the abomination's head slithered back across the floor to reform into its body. "Now, try…"
"If everyone would make their way to the auditorium for a very special presentation…" came Principal Bump's voice echoing through the Covention Hall. Both Amity and Lilith perked up their ears at the announcement. The crowd, for the most part only listened for a moment before returning to what they were already doing until the voice continued. "Of a surprise witch's duel!" Now the crowd was paying attention, with gasps, cheers, and the sudden tromping of feet that began making their way to the auditorium.
Lilith turned Amity toward her and gave a reassuring smile. "Remember what I've taught you, Amity. You'll do fine."
The start of the witch's duel seemed to be taking forever for Amity, who was pacing outside the auditorium next to Lilith. She stood calmly and graceful with her fingers steepled at her waist. She wore a smug look that was confusing Amity. A sort of half smile that seemed to mean this duel of Amity's was somehow personal. Did Lilith have some particular issue with humans as well? Of course, why wouldn't she? Humans didn't belong on the Boiling Isles, in Hexside, and couldn't perform magic.
"Amity, you're talking to yourself again." Lilith noted, casting her light green eyes down on her.
"Sorry." Amity replied. "I guess it helps me think."
Lilith placed a reassuring hand on Amity's shoulder. "You have nothing to be nervous about. You are intelligent, strong, and capable. Keep your senses about you, and you will have no trouble."
"Are… are you expecting something?" Amity asked. It wasn't in her nature to question her tutor, but Lilith was acting strangely since they had met today.
The older woman smiled and looked away for a moment, as though reminiscing. "I know this human's instructor, and I can assure you that not everything will be as it seems. She has a penchant for dishonesty and… unsportsman-like behavior. I would imagine her student is the same."
"The wanted posters that disappeared from the walls earlier… is Luz's instructor The Owl Lady?" It would make sense, given that Luz considered the weird demon rodent her friend. "If they use Wild Magic…"
"If they use Wild Magic, I will intervene and they will both be immediately brought to the Conformatorium. You needn't worry." Lilith assured her. "Now, it's time for your big debut."
The doors entering the back of the auditorium opened and Lilith began to usher Amity out onto the stage. Principal Bump stood to the side of the door, and gave Amity a stern look before speaking to Lilith. "I would like a clean duel. Getting blood out of this floor is quite difficult." Lilith only grinned and continued walking forward. On the opposite side of the pit stood the Owl Lady, certainly not as menacing as the poster made her out to be. She was probably in her forties, with a full head of greying hair, a thin build and angular facial features. Extravagant jewelry adorned her pointed ears and long nailed fingers that matched her gold eyes, and a single yellowed fang overhung her bottom lip. A sleeveless red dress that looked as though it had been pulled from a dumpster weirdly still flattered her form. She stood defiant though, with her hands on her hips and a confident grin despite being in Lilith's presence. Amity couldn't see Luz anywhere though. Was she forfeiting?
Lilith stepped forward, addressing the impressive crowd that had gathered and filled the bleachers. "Beloved citizens!" she said, her voice carrying easily throughout the auditorium. "The Emperor's Coven proudly presents an impromptu demonstration of the sort of witch we seek every year." She said, gesturing behind her. "Introducing: Amity Blight."
Amity stepped forward, to cheers from the crowd. She blocked out all thoughts of failing and pressure from her mind, feeling the confidence of Lilith's words fill her again. Losing her Top Student badge was a set back. Everyone had set backs. Even her parents. Even Azura. There was no hero's journey without them, and she would be rectifying that today.
"Versus..." Lilith continued, gesturing to The Owl Lady with a sweeping motion of her hand. The Owl Lady looked around, confused, before stepping to the side to proudly reveal Luz, timidly hiding and visibly shaking. "Some human girl."
A hush fell over the crowd for a moment before whispers began to build into a cacophony of laughter and heresy. Amity narrowed her eyes at Luz and began walking forward to the middle of the pit. The human and the Owl Lady were having some kind of coaching moment that ended with the older woman grinning and Luz looking even more uncertain than before. "This is going to be easy." Amity said to herself.
The bell on the side of the pit screamed, throwing spittle in every direction, and causing the crowd to erupt in cheers once more. Luz met Amity in the center of the pit, smiling nervously and offering a shy wave. Amity glared, cracking her knuckles and showing every intention of breaking Luz's. Between them, Amity drew the largest spell circle she could within her reach, and ordered, "Abomination! Rise!" Shocking both girls, a massive gooey mitt protruded from the circle, drawing up every ounce of greyish purple mud in the pit. The abomination squeezed through the circle and placed a hand on the ground, heaving its form out of the circle. The auditorium shook, and it squeezed its other arm out to lift itself further through the circle before stepping out onto the ground. The abomination was towering, and Amity's mouth opened agape before she regained her composure. She looked at Luz, whose body seemed to freeze up in absolute terror. "Show me what you've got, human!"
Luz regained control of her body before the giant abomination pounded the ground with a balled up fist where she had been standing. "I-I-I'm not good under pressure!" The girl cried, running back toward her instructor. Amity could feel power coursing through her. She had never been able to summon an abomination of this size before, and even her concentration wasn't waning with its size. "Abomination, attack!" She said, and instantly and without hesitation the abomination tore off its own head, pitching it in a high lob. The head must have been the size of a slitherbeast, and came down on Luz's heels as she ran, already nearly out of breath. The head of the abomination reached out a tendril-like tongue to nab at the human as its body stomped forward.
Luz reached the wall of the pit and sunk down, cowering in terror as The Owl Lady stood to the side and looked on, though with excited suspense. The abomination's head continued to crawl lazily toward Luz with its tongue before its body stomped on it, reintegrating the mass into itself. The towering abomination pushed forward and lifted a foot to stomp on Luz's whimpering form when suddenly a jet of flame shot up its leg and up its body, past it's face. The blast knocked the creature backward away from its target and it groaned.
Amity glared at Luz in disbelief. "How did you do that?!" She shouted. There had been no spell circles, no wands, no staff present.
"Uh, magic?" Luz replied, waving her hands nervously.
The crowd seemed split between booing and cheering at the sudden twist in what had been expected to be a short, one sided fight and Amity growled, holding her hands out to regain control of the abomination. The creature continued to stagger backward before regaining it's footing on a mound on the floor. From beneath its feet, an intense gust of wind shot up, grabbing both the abomination and Amity in a whirlwind that sent them into the air. Had the abomination not been so large and close to the source, Amity likely would have struck the ceiling. Instead, after an initial scream of surprise, she instinctively curled up and found the floor, landing hard in the sand, but safely kneeling. She whipped her head up, her green hair beginning to come loose from her hair tie and getting into her face. "I saw you that time!" She shouted, pointing a finger at Luz. "You didn't use your hands! What are you getting at?!"
"Not dying!" Luz shouted back, having to cup her hands around her mouth for her voice to carry enough over the sound of the crowd. Amity raised her hands, straining as though having to physically lift the abomination back to its feet. It groaned, and charged forward at Luz, causing the human to scream again and retreat.
"Finish this already!" Amity growled in frustration, pushing the abomination on. Despite its large size, it was still slow and awkward, and Luz was doing nothing but running, keeping a healthy amount of space between herself and the abomination. Another step and the sandy floor of the pit exploded in a cloud of debris, knocking both the abomination and Luz to the ground. Amity raised an arm to shield herself, but strode toward Luz. She would win this herself if she had to. "How are you doing that?!"
Luz looked at the floor, then up at Amity as she approached. "No, Amity! Don't step any closer!"
Amity paused and lifted an eyebrow in suspicion, remembering Lilith's words about not trusting the human or her instructor. "Why Luz? What happens if I step closer?"
She was about to move closer again when suddenly from the bleachers, the furry grey rodent demon dropped from above between them, causing Amity to step back, expecting some new trick. Still to her surprise, a crop of hardened sandy spikes shot up from the floor, nearly impaling all three of them. The rodent demon was lifted into the air on the sharp tips, the covention merchandise catching on the spikes. "Huh? I'm okay!" He claimed, obviously surprised.
Luz turned to the Owl Lady, incredulous. "Spikes?!" The only response was an innocent grin and a pair of thumbs up.
"I knew it! You were cheating!" Amity shouted, pointing an accusatory finger. This was why humans shouldn't be witches. They were insulting! They didn't understand what duels meant! Despite everything Lilith had told her earlier, it still cut deep that Luz would still try to cheat her out of a win.
"Amity, No! I…"
Lilith had already approached the edge of the pit where the duel had paused, touching one of the spikes with a finger, causing it to crumble back into soft sand. "Oh, Eda… I do believe this means you lose." She said gleefully, causing the Owl Lady to groan in annoyance.
Amity looked to each of the older women, clearly people that knew each other well. She felt suddenly used, and betrayed by Lilith and the Owl Lady's reactions. Was she just a pawn for some vendetta?
"It wasn't my idea to cheat. And when I found out, I tried to stop it, but-" Luz said, approaching Amity, trying to speak over the older women.
"Who could believe anything you say?" She said. She was suddenly confused. She still felt fully charged, her emotions heightened to such intense levels that everything suddenly felt like a target, including her tutor. Feelings of betrayal and aggression were threatening to well up in her throat and she turned to walk away from the fight before she did something she would regret in front of the entire Covention.
"Wait just a sec, Miss Protégé." The Owl Lady ordered, and Amity stopped with the intent to tell her to leave her alone. Instead, the Owl Lady lifted her hair from the back of her neck despite Amity's protest, and she could feel something pull off. The giant abomination that had prepared itself for another head throw attack the moment the fight restarted instantly began to shrink where it stood down to its usual, waist height. It's enlarged head came crushing down, and the remaining goo began to seep back into the ground.
The Owl Lady held up a sticker that everyone in the auditorium recognized. "A power glyph from the Construction Coven!" The Construction Coven used such glyphs to enhance their power when building or repairs were required in a hurry. The members of this particular coven were specially trained to use the glyphs, and overcome the heightened feelings of aggression, among other side effects.
Amity could hear the gasps roll through the audience, and she scanned the disappointed faces that only a few moments ago were cheering for her. She suddenly felt tiny under everyone's gaze. She saw Willow. And Skara. She met Boscha's eyes, and even Edric and Emira's. With her brother and sister here, her parents would surely know the moment they returned home. Scouts of the Emperor's Coven were watching. Lilith…
Lilith. Amity's thoughts raced back to the practice before the duel. When she was teaching her how to aim her new abomination's attack. Of the sudden rush of energy and emotions she'd had, likely when the glyph was applied. She was feeling lightheaded, barely hearing the Owl Lady's mockery of Lilith, and for now she didn't care. She rubbed the back of her neck where the glyph had been. It felt raw, like a bandage had been torn off. "But… I didn't know!" She could barely see through the tears in her eyes, but the hazy blue, white and brown form of Luz approaching made Amity turn toward the exit of the auditorium and run.
She burst through the doors into the mostly empty hall and found a darkened nook where anyone walking by would be unlikely to notice her. They had learned about Construction Glyphs in class, and the kinds of after effects they could have. Mood swings, depression, increase in appetite, and Amity was feeling them all. She curled herself into a ball in the nook and buried her face in her knees, hugging them close to her chest. She was feeling everything right now and wanted nothing more than to disappear from the world.
"Amity…" came a familiar voice through her muffled hearing, and she could hear a series of slow footsteps approach. "I'm sorry."
Amity lifted her head to glare back at Luz, her eyes still full of tears. "Uh, seriously?! Just leave me alone!" She wanted nothing to do with humans, now or ever again.
"I didn't mean to embarrass you." Luz said quietly, unsure of whether to stay or go.
"That's all you ever do!" Amity cried, feeling her cheeks redden with rage again. "First at school, and now this!"
"Yeah, but…"
Amity climbed to her feet, feeling the energy she had felt earlier; all the confidence, all the certainty, drain from her body. "You made me look like a fool in front of the Emperor's Coven. My future!" Her voice was shaking. She was no longer certain of anything now. "You think it's so easy to be a witch. I have been working my whole life to get to the top!" She shouted, pressing forward and jabbing a finger into Luz's chest in anger. "You lost! You cheated! Say it! Say you're not a witch!"
Luz went quiet for a moment before meekly answering. "I'm not a witch." She said, looking down at her shoes. She pulled a note pad and pencil from her back pocket and kneeled on the floor. Amity watched in confusion. She thought she would get some sense of closure or satisfaction from hearing the admission, but she only felt empty. Luz started to draw a circle, then a variety of shapes within it without lifting the pencil before finishing her picture with two small extra slash marks. The image seemed random to Amity, but when Luz tapped the center of it, the paper folded up and condensed into a point of light that Luz cradled gently in her hands. She smiled proudly at it, and held it up on display to Amity. "But I'm trying hard to be one."
The tiny light shined in Amity's eyes, and for the first time in the last week, she focused on something beautiful. Something that wasn't just to further some agenda or get revenge or put someone in their place. As simple of a spell as it was, it brought Luz joy, and Amity couldn't help but feel just a twinge of pride with her. She shook her head. "That's nothing." She told herself aloud. "A child could do a light spell." She added, turning away, feeling suddenly embarrassed again. She could hear Luz shuffle and put her back against the wall as well as the light faded. "But… I've never seen it cast like that."
Luz's voice sounded dejected now, and she too was curled up with her knees to her chest. "It doesn't come naturally to me like it does for you, so I've had to improvise." She admitted, lifting the notepad.
Amity sighed. She hated that she was suddenly relating to this human girl and the hard work she was obviously putting in to learn even the most rudimentary of magic. She turned toward Luz and slowly drew a small glowing spell circle in the air between them. She reached through it and took Luz by the wrist, pulling it toward her until both of their hands were within the circle. Both of their palms glowed, and the circle faded. "The oath is unbound." She announced, letting go of Luz's wrist and standing to leave. Her heart was still racing from the Construction Glyph, and she was exhausted from the duel and the emotional molar coaster she had experienced afterward, but at least she would not be the reason Luz failed at her magical studies. That she would leave to her and her instructor.
"Did it work? Can I still learn magic?" Luz asked from her sitting position on the floor.
Amity stopped for a moment, looking to the side to answer. "Humans have no magical ability." She replied. "But I doubt that'll stop you." She continued walking, passing the small rodent demon that came rushing past in his search for Luz. She didn't need to turn back to hear him dive into Luz's arms, and her loving words to him in response. Her chest began to ache again, and she cursed Lilith for putting her through such a withdrawal state.
Lilith. Amity stopped in the hall as it had begun to fill again with everyone leaving the auditorium, avoiding even looking at her if they could, which seemed to feel even worse than their surprised and disappointed looks after the duel. The doors to the auditorium opened again and Amity recognized Lilith's exasperated scream of anger come from within. "Lilith." Amity said under her breath.
Amity wasn't sure what she intended to do, pushing through the crowd and back into the auditorium, but she felt the need to confront her tutor. To tell her exactly how she felt having trusted her, only to be used such as she had been. Any respect she'd had for Lilith was gone for now, and she would have to find some way to make it into the Emperor's Coven on her own moving forward.
She angrily shoved her way backstage of the pit again where she knew Lilith's guest room was. It was a small, but comfortable suite where all of the celebrity visitors to the Covention Hall stayed, and surely enough, Lilith was struggling down the hall to her room. Amity could see that the woman was angry, defeated, and frustrated. "Good." Amity said quietly to herself. It looked as though Lilith's boots laces had been tied together, and she was attempting to undo them while walking to her destination. Amity met her in front of the door to her suite.
"Ah! Amity! You did well considering how those fools cheated." Lilith said, her charming smile and voice trying to dig their way into Amity's pride again in an effort to endear herself. "Eda's capture is of great importance to the Emperor. Seeing as how close you are to the human in age, I assume I can count on you to get close and assist…"
"How could you?" Amity whispered, interrupting Lilith's monologue. She knew that reaching the top of any coven could be a cutthroat endeavor, and the Emperor's Coven even more-so. It was what she had been taught. What she had been groomed for. Be the best, no matter what or who it cost. She just never really thought she would be that cost to someone she trusted. "You betrayed me! You used me! You… you… put that… that thing on me, knowing what it would do. For what?! You didn't care if I won or lost or what happened to Luz! You only cared about showing up The Owl Lady!"
Lilith pulled herself up to her full height and glared down at Amity, making her shrink. "Emperor Belos himself has ordered the Owl Lady's capture. This was a means to an end, Amity. Surely, you understand that the Emperor's Will must be done."
Amity couldn't help but step back from Lilith at this moment. This didn't feel like the same person she had been training with in her own home. She turned away, her head lowered and her shoulders slumped. As she walked away down the hall, she could feel Lilith's eyes boring into the back of her head, and she performed a small spell circle out of the woman's sight. She closed her eyes and concentrated on Lilith's boots, slowly tying them together once again. A loud thud could be heard shortly after Lilith opened the door to her suite, and Amity managed a small grin before leaving the auditorium.