What motivates a man to confront the challenges that most of us would run from? Condemning him to solitude, exposing him to defeat and death? The answer... is love. A force so powerful that all reason becomes blind to it. Blind to all things... even the truth. Loss of love can make a man desperate. Desperate enough to do anything to bury the truth to hide from it's pain...
Ever since she nearly lost herself in her own mind, Luz has been on edge. She's spent sleepless nights studying all that has been documents by herself and her ancestor's travel book. Eda grew concerned of this. Her pupil nearly suffered a tremendous loss at the hands of the Forces of Darkness. And while her friends had purified her mind of corruption, the results unraveled her entire family's legacy in but a second. It was so much to take in all at once...too much to record. For the past few days, she's done nothing but monitored her books while King was having fun with her phone.
"Yes, attack! DEATH IS YOUR GOD!" He screamed and laughed hysterically. "I love watching two warriors battling to the death! Luz, you wanna check this out?"
"No." was her response, and King didn't like it. It was bad enough when she was pissed at him for stealing the info from her books. Now to him, Luz was a shell of her former self that no one could get through. That is...until her phone vibrates in King's paws.
"Luz, you mother just sent you a message."
And that was enough to peel Luz away from her books. It's actually been a while she and her mother even communicated, so a test message was something she couldn't completely figure out how to respond to. It read "How are you doing, cariño? 3, Mamá."; it helped that her mother already knew that she was in a different realm, but details of her endeavors have been left out for obvious reason.
"I've alright now. I've been learning a lot." was all Luz think to type as she sends it with King peering over her shoulder.
"You sure aren't saying much to your mom, Luz." The little demon said.
Luz replied, rather angrily "What do you want me to say, King? That I nearly died several times and almost had my brain destroyed? It would kill her to know that hell I've been through!"
"She'd probably be freaked out by our world anyway. So actually, by keeping the truth from her, you're doing her a favor!"
"...Your razor-thin logic works for me." Luz said, calming down.
"Always trust a shoulder demon!" King said, snatching Luz's phone from her. And it was then that Hooty open the door to reveal Gus and Willow standing there.
"Hoot hoot, Luz!"
"Come on, Luz! We're taking you to Hexside today." Gus said. "And please hurry!"
Willow added "The more I look at him, the more uncomfortable I get."
"HOOT! HOOT!"
"Sure." Luz simply said as she sits King down. "Don't stay on my phone all day."
"I FORGE MY OWN PATH!" King said as he looks a video of a cat chasing its tail. "What a dum-dum." He's distracted by his own tail wagging. He tries to catch it but flops on the couch after a second. "Ugh. Who has that energy?"
Later, Luz, Willow and Gus headed over to Hexside, which Luz still refused to be a student of. Gus and Willow were aware of the state Luz was in for the past few days. After that little down her memory lane, Willow thought her friend would be back to normal, but she was acting more emotionless now, more stoic. It drew some concern, since all she wanted was for Luz to be herself again. When they entered, they saw how the school was being decorated for some kind of a event. Luz could only assume it was a school dance of some kind.
"You guys have prom here?" She asks Willow and Gus.
"Oh yeah! I forgot you've never been here for the social event of the season." Willow said.
"And here, we actually call it-" Gus was saying before interrupted by two masked health workers entering, rolling a stretcher, making siren noises. "Outta the way!" One of them said, as they surrounded a beast-keeping student with dark skin, blonde hair that covers his eyes, and big, pointy ears similar to a bat. Skara looks on.
"Come with us immediately! Your disease- it's advancing!" The workers help the student onto the stretcher as Skara asks "Is there a cure, doc?"
"Only one... finding the perfect date to Grom!"
The student then sat up, saying "If that's the cure... then, Skara, will you go to Grom with me?" He holds out a beating heart, with "GROM?" written on it in red ink. Skara was pleasantly surprised by the way she was asked.
"Ahhhhh! Of course I will, or whatever!" he hugs him, and onlooking students and teachers cheer. All the while, Luz looked at what just happened with one eye raised.
"'Grom'?" She asks.
"Like I was saying, it's like your world's prom...but, there's another reason behind the name." Gus said.
"Was never really a fan of school dances." Luz said, with Willow asking "How come?"
"Funny story. You see, I was asked by this really nice boy, who I was just trying to do the favor for, But when we got there, a few minutes later on the dance floor, a bunch of ghosts with rapiers started showing up out of nowhere, and-"
But before she could finish, she was bumped by a student that had a stack of books and a note in hand. That student just so happens to be Amity, who accidently drops her stuff on impact as she was surprised to see that it was Luz she bumps into.
"Oh! Sorry, Luz. I didn't know you were here today."
"It's cool." Luz said as she helps Amity pick her books back up. She also grabs the note Amity had and examines it.
"Planning to ask someone to Grom?" Luz asked, making Amity immediately snatch the note away as she said "Yes! And I want it to be a surprise!"
"I can respect that. But don't expect me to be there. I have things to do." Luz said before walking off. Amity sighed since had wounded her. She too knew about Luz going stoic, but she didn't think it'd be so bad. Now Luz didn't want to anything fun. Although, if she knew the true nature of Grom, Amity would think it wise for Luz to stay away. Later, students were waiting anxiously for a certain announcement to come up.
"Attention Hexside students. This is your principal speaking." Bump said through the intercom.
"Oh, man, this is it!" Gus said, with Willow adding "He's announcing who'll be this year's Grom royalty."
Amity looks on, concerned.
"This year, I have the privilege to bestow our highest Grom honor to... Amity Blight!"
All the students gasps while Amity looked shocked.
"It's Amity!"
"Amity."
The girl in question looked uneasy, like she was about to throw up.
"She's chosen for Grom Queen?" Luz asked, unsure of what was going as Amity looks around and runs off.
"You might want to give her some space. Being Grom queen is a tough job. Even for Amity." Willow says. "We should probably fill you in on how Grom works.."
Later on, Luz finds Amity looking through weapons after learning what Grom is really about.
"So...Grom is really a creature that lives underneath the school, tries to escape on a yearly basis, and the Principal thought it wise to send kids down to face it, and some come back mind-broken?"
"Yep." Amity sighed as she examines a sword. "Since Grometheus has the ability to look into your worst nightmares, not many are well prepared to face what the fear the most."
Luz replied "I could imagine what that'd be for you. And I'm guessing you don't feel ready yourself."
"Obviously not. What I fear is...embarrassing."
"Well, whatever it is...I'd rather you not face it alone." Luz said, facing Amity up-close, making the Witch blush. "Amity...would you like me to accompany you...to face Grom?"
Amity was scared stiff. The very contents of the note she had before was for her to be asking Luz out. But she was sure as hell not prepared for it to be the other way around...
"Uhh...Well...I...uh...I gotta go!" And like that, Amity ran off as Luz shook her head.
"Shoud've saw that coming."
Later at the Owl House, Luz arrives to see Eda readying herself in a tuxedo with King as her tailor. All the while, Luz explains to her how the day's been.
"And after Amity was announced to be Grom Queen, I was willing to help her fight the thing, but I think things got lost in translation."
"How so?" Eda asked.
"I...may have made it sound like I asked her out on a date."
"Ooh! That would be interesting." King said. "With me and Gus co-emceeing the fight, it'd definitely be a night to remember."
"As for you facing Grom...I don't know, Luz." Eda said. "You've faced legendary monster's of your family's past, but Grom could look past and see what you really are afraid of."
"...There's nothing in my head that I'm not already prepared for." And it was then that she felt something crawling at the back of her head, making her reach and grab a humungous spider, before crushing it in her hands. "Or outside my head, for that matter." And with that, Luz stormed off, leaving her two friends concerned.
"You and I both know she could easily take Grom with the powers and skills that she has." King said. "But with the way she's acting, do you think she can handle what the Fear Bringer will do?"
Eda sighed, replying "As much as I want to say yes...that look on her face only seems to mask the true fear she holds inside."
Luz sits down beside a tree, deep in thought. In a moment of silence, she accidentally nods off, unaware of a ghostly figure standing over her. The figure was dressed in a brown trench coat as it kneels down as runs his hand down Luz's face. As she'd stirred awake, she felt a hand on her shoulder and looks up to see...Amity.
"Luz?" she asks. "What are you doing out here?"
"Uh...I just needed some time to myself, and I must've fallen asleep." Luz answers. "Why are you out here?"
"I was actually on my way to see you. I tried to talk Bump out of making my Grom Queen, but without a voluntary replacement, there's no way out of it for me."
Luz got up, replying "Well...like I said before, Amity. You don't have to face that thing alone. I can help you...Or better yet, I can take your place."
"You'd go up against the Fear-Bringer...just for me?" the witch asks.
"Of course. I'm more than willing to face my own demons if you're not ready."
'If only she knew I already face my demons today." Amity thought to herself. "...Thank you, Luz. Now, if you're really gonna go up against Grom, there's the matter of preparing you for the worse."
"And how do you suggest we do that?"
The next day, outside the Owl House, Amity and her siblings were with Luz as they were beginning her training to face Grom.
"Grom will transform into your darkest fears." She explained. "What are you afraid of, Luz?
The human girl replied "That's...a difficult question. I've already been through a lot."
"You've face enemies in physical battles, that is true. But this kind of fight will also effect you mentally. Those who've faced Grom before, the majority of them were never the same again."
"Wanna say our greatest fears?" Edric asked as he and Emira readied themselves. "On three. One, two... being alone forever!"
"Being stuck you forever." Emira said, overlapping Edric and making him sad.
Amity then said "Anyway...you have to think about this, Luz. Dip down into your mind, in search of your greatest fears."
And at that moment, Luz was silent, closing her eyes as she places her right hand onto her head. In her mind's eye, she did in fact dip down the very depths of her fears...All she saw was herself, and all those of her lineage...bloodied and dying on the floor...by the hands of the Prince of Darkness. Returning to the real world, Luz's eyes jolted open as she gasps, the Blight siblings looking at her with concern.
"Luz?"
"My fear...is failing my family. Unable to live up to my legacy...dying for nothing."
The twins looked at each other with widened eyes.
"Yeah...I don't think we can make illusions of that." Emira said.
"And if that's you're gonna face in Grom...there is nothing we can do to help you out." Amity said as Luz lowered her head.
"...You've done what you can, Amity. We're out of time...and I think I know one way this could get easier for me. EDA!"
The Owl Lady answers the call as she comes through the call, still wearing her suit as she holds a yellow bowtie in hand. "What's going on?"
"I need to make a quick trip back home..."
Later, at the Gym, the dance was in motion. Rockabilly-style music is playing in the background. Couples awkwardly dance on the dance floor. Willow dons corsages onto some guests. Eda waits nervously to the side. She looks at her watch, which has King as the arms. Speaking of whom.
"Why so twitchy, witchy? Trying to remember if I've ever seen you this nervous before."
"Well, of course I'm worried!" Eda exclaimed. "I'm going to have to save Luz from a nightmare monster! Ugh, so much for Mama's fun night out."
King replied "You really don't have that much faith...that Luz BELMONT is able to hold her own against Grom?"
"Ugh. Being a Belmont doesn't automatically make Luz capable of holding her against-" But then Eda was interrupted by someone saying "Actually, it kinda does." Turning around, she faces...Luz's mother, Camila, dressed for the occasion purple dress, and with Vee dressed in a teal dress. Luz's bright idea was to bring her mother along for the ride so that she would have one last thing to worry about, and that was explaining to her what Luz has been through from the last few weeks...by showing her. Eda was not sure if this was a good idea, but it helps to save explanation time.
"If Luz is anything like her father...I'm certain she can take on whatever she has to face." Camila says reluctant, since she was not fan of what was about to happen.
"You're not even the least bit concern for your own daughter?"
Camila replied "Oh, I am. In fact, I spent five minutes trying to talk my daughter out of this, but she seemed determined to do it...But I have faith in her, and you should too. She's a Belmont after all."
"...Yeah. I shouldn't forget that means something." Eda says.
All the while, Amity was in the hallway outside the gym, waiting for her replacement. Taking out the note she made for Luz, she smooths it out with her thumb and gives out a sigh. Then, she hears footsteps and quickly pockets it as she sees Luz with her hair slicked back, wearing a blue aristocratic uniform with long white pants, gloves and boots. She was a spitting image of her ancestor, Richter Belmont, and it made her blush.
"I'm...as ready as I'll ever be." Luz said, rather hesitantly and that didn't slip by Amity.
"This may be your last chance to back out, Luz." Amity says. "Once you go in, there's no backing out."
"...Story of my life."
Amity smiles, saying "Then, thank you, Luz. Honestly, I'm kind of amazed with how fearless you are. You've done things I could never do."
"Don't sell yourself short, Amity." says Luz. "You've done things that I'm guessing no witch on the Isles has done before."
"Heh. True enough. Now, you better get in there."
"...Would you help me with one more thing?"
King goes over to Gus with a card in hand and tells him "Hey, Gus. Luz says she wants to make a dramatic entrance, so she wants you to read this."
"Oh! Okay." Gus said, taking the card, clearing his throat then saying "WITCHES AND GENTLEMEN! TURN YOUR ATTENTION TO THE SOUTH WEST CORRIDOR!"
Everyone turns their heads to their left side.
"Other way, guys." Gus explains, making them to their heads to their right side.
"Annnnd, stop! Perfect!" says the young emcee. "Representing this year's Grom Queen is a being so fearsome..."
They hear stomping coming their way as an enormous silhouette moves towards the entrance.
"So terrible...!" Some of the couples cover each other's eyes. "So mind-bendingly large...!" Bump covers his own 'eyes' while a Teacher begins to tremble in fear "...That does of you with weak constitutions may want to leave the gym now!"
"I gotta get outta here!" yells the trembling teacher as he was about to bolt it.
"Too late!" Gus teases as he then says evilly. "Ready or not, here it comes! Quake with fear, you witchling fools!"
The stomping becomes harder and harder as the entire gym shakes and everyone can barely stay on their feet. "BOW DOWN BEFORE THE AWESOME MIGHT OF-"
(CRASH)
Busting through the entrance was a Golem of leather, decaying flesh and undead life flashing through electricity, a special battle-type innocent devil, curtesy of Amity.
"Okay, this huge guy was actually carrying the real fighter. Luz Belmont!" Gus exclaims as the this year's Fearless Champion reveals herself on top of the Golem.
'Oh Boy.' Eda and Camila thought the same thing. Luz jumps off the creature as she stands beside Amity.
"Here goes nothing." she says to Amity.
"I wish you the best of luck, Luz." The witch says, to which Luz replies "I prefer faith."
The pedestal with the red button skitters onto the stage. Gus presses it. The floor opens to reveal the Grom arena. Skara and her date, about to lean in for a kiss, rip off their formal clothing to reveal their Grom jerseys.
"GROM!"
"YES, GROM!"
Everyone keeps chanting "GROM" as Luz readies her whip and ventures into the arena. And it was then that she sees the Fear-Bringer itself. At first, it was but a blob of black goo, but then it did something that no one who's ever faced it has before. Before a smoke-like vapor, Grom encased the entire arena, leaving the spectators unable to see anything through its dome.
"For years, I have faced those who dare to keep me at bay...while they succeeded, their minds were left broken. But yours, however, so many fears, so many wonderful forms to take."
"...Show me then...what I fear."
"If it's a taste of despair you wish, a taste of despair you shall receive. You have a deep well of fear from which to draw. Remember where this all began...to the castle."
Luz's head started to hurt like crazy as she begins to suffer flashbacks from her family's history. And it was then, she saw herself in the halls of the Demon Castle. The screeching of flying rodents filled her ears as she looked to see a swarm of bats coming and forming into a singular demon bat. It screeched loudly, making the windows the castle shatter, but the Young Belmont was unfased.
"Back to Square 1."
Knowing the Phantom Bat was never in reach of her whip, Luz jumped from one of the staircase's steps and throw a vile of Holy Water, stunning the creature while it burned from the Blessed Relic. Then, she wasted no time, striking the beast hard. But that was not the end felt the ground below her feet crack apart. As it caves, Luz falls into a wide-open area, looking to be somewhere in the Wilderness as she standing before her was Grom's next form, the Black Knight Golem, fought by her ancestor centuries ago, with its Dark Gauntlet and menacingly sharp sword. A fine warrior, but nothing Luz couldn't handle. It's size and armor were also major weaknesses as Luz could easily outrun his blade, and she recalls that if he was stripped of his armor, he would die. Wasting no time, Luz waited for the perfect moment, seeing the sword come down and allowing her to strike, forcing the Golem back before she rips off the chains that keeps its armor intact.
"If this is the best the Fear-Bringer had to offer...it's not worthy of its name."
Using her whip, Luz tears the armor from the Golem's torso before doing the same with its helmet. The Black Knight's body engulfs itself in light before it bursts, lighting up everything before Luz found herself in a completely different place. It was like an underground cavern, boiling hot with magma underneath the platform she stood on. And before her was a seal that she recognized...was supposed to keep a legendary demon out of the Human World. And climbing onto the platform was the giant monster itself. stripped of skin, with all his insides –flesh and bone– exposed. His head bears two ox-like horns and two tusks, giving him the appearance of a demon. It was bound by gigantic shackles, hooks and chains on many parts of his body, indicating its imprisonment here.
It lets out a earth-shattering roar, but Luz unfazed as she recognized the unholy beast as a monster created by mortal hands. The Forgotten One.
"You were ripped apart once...and you'll be so again."
Soon enough, an endless supply of maggots dropped from its skinned torso, taking most of Luz's attention before the demon hovers his hand above the platform and then slams it down. Too bad he missed, as Luz struck his limb, causing his tainted to spill on the platform.
"Just about every part of him is deadly to me." Luz said to herself. "I have to be careful."
He unleashes a powerful roar that shakes the room, causing rocks to crash down from above. Fortunately for Luz, it helps to clear a lot of the maggots infesting the platform as she turns her attention to the Forgotten One. As it sweeps its arm across the platform, Luz dodges by slipping in between its fingers. But then, it clenches his fist with great force, provoking a wound on himself that drips poisonous blood which then sprays across the platform.
"Shit!" Luz said as she could barely get away from the practical acidic rain. But then, she saw the chain dangling from the Forgotten One's wrist, giving her an idea as she charges at the beast, before jumping onto the chain and begins climbing it. Reaching it's arm, she runs across it as the Monster tries to get her off, only to be unsuccessful as Luz's readies Victor's dagger and then jams it into its eye. The Forgotten One screeches in pain as Luz flips back onto the platform as the whole place seems to come apart as Grom loses its focus. At one last resort, the Fear-Bring unleashes the Forgotten One's ultimate attack, charging up to sweep a devastating energy beam from his mouth across the stage. But before he could, Luz charges first and jumps with whip in hand, striking the face of the beast as everything turns white.
Outside the dome the Fear-Bringer created around it's prey, the students and other spectators only stared anxiously as they weren't sure how Luz was doing.
"It's been 15 minutes." Bump said with concern. "This has never happened before."
"What!?" Camila yelled, facing the principal with a look fear. "Never?!"
"I knew this was a bad idea." Eda mumbled as she'd kill to find out what's going on in that dome. But it was then, they could see cracks forming and beams of light were seeping through. Pretty soon, the dome bursts and everyone could see Luz, still standing with confidence and determination against the blob of malice that looked like it was trying to get away. For the first, the students looked at this battle with awe, it was the only time the Fear-Bringer...afraid, and afraid of a human, none the less.
"...What...are you?"
"Is that all you got?" Luz said, stepping forward as she saw Grom take the form of Eda this time.
"You're unfit to be called a Belmont!" It said, but Luz saw thought its smoke in mirrors as she sends a left hook at the monster, making quickly change form...into her.
"My life is hell, because of you!" said the creature in Luz's form, but she wasn't fazed as sends a right hook this time. Grom was getting desperate, as it then transforms into Luz's mother.
"Have you any idea...how much I worry for you?" However, the only response it got was a kick to the stomach as Grom reverts back to its degrading form.
"Wow...she just drop kicked you." said Vee as Camila looks at her adopted daughter, then at Eda, who merely shrugs.
Luz stomps to the Fear-Bringer, swinging her whip as she manages to wrapped it around its 'neck' and pull him in. But not before Grom changes into one last form Luz wasn't ready for...her father. Both she and her mother were wide-eyed to see Grom change into a perfect copy of Julius. Bringing her head down, Luz didn't wish to face the man who created her, as the imposter reaches out to the Young Belmont. But before it could do anything, Luz pushes his arm aside as she tightens the whip around Grom's throat, making the monster choke before it shines Luz a menacing smile and then changes into the Belmont's greatest enemy, Dracula...
"You will never be strong enough to defeat me." The Fear-Bringer manages to get out, only to see Luz react with a smirk.
"...Not alone." The Belmont says. "Now, Amity!"
Suddenly, Grom is impaled from behind by a sword. An Ice Brand sword, in the hands of Amity; how she got it was curtesy of her Devil Forging class. With the freezing blade inside it, the Fear-Bringer becomes frozen by its demonic chill. Solidifying, both girls rip their weapons from the frozen monster as its body bursts apart, ending it. The audience was completely silent for about a few minutes...until the jumped in an uproar of cheers as tiaras appear on Luz and Amity's head. They smile at each other as King makes an announcement.
"And there you have it, folks. A happy ending for this year's Grom. Let's give a big hand to our Grom queens, Luz and Amity!"
While they students cheer, Camila lets out a sigh of relief as she was happy to see her daughter was okay.
"She really does take after you, Julius."
She looks over to Eda, who was clapping happily before turning to Camila and gives her a smile. The students parade their new Grom Queens out of the arena, as Luz and Amity hold hands together. Later, at the Owl House, it was time to send Camila and Vee home, as Eda has the portal open while Luz hugs her mother...
"I'm glad to finally see what you've been doing, mija." Camila said. "It's...not what I ever pictured you doing with your life, but...I can't really complain at this point. I think your father...would be proud."
"...I'm sure he would be." Luz said with a sad smile. "And I'll still hold up to my promise." She holds up the whip. "I'll put this aside...when I'm done."
Camila didn't want to admit it, but she wasn't entirely sure if she should keep Luz to her promise anymore. This was her Father's legacy, and she couldn't keep her from it. She wasn't even sure how long her daughter planned to be here, and there's no telling if she'd come back home at all.
"I know you will, Luz. You always keep your promises."
Nodding, Luz then faces her 'twin', saying to her "Vee...keep on being you. How are doing with the Hunter's Whip, by the way?"
"Makes me feel more human, the more I use it." Vee, said, bringing up her own enchanted whip. "There have been sightings of Night Creatures back in the human world...nothing I can't handle though."
"If I take care of things here...the Night Creatures will free from Earth. I'm sure of it."
Vee nods, saying "Good luck...sister."
And with that, both Mother and Sister return back to the human world. As the portal closes after they left, Luz takes a deep breath as Eda confronts her.
"How are you feeling, Luz?"
"Tired..." was all that Luz said before heading up to her room. When she was alone, she stared out the window. As this happened, Willow practice some of their speaker magics at a few remnants of Grom.
"No matter what challenges lie ahead." Luz narrates. "What terrors we have to face...we must learn to conquer it with willpower and determination."
Grom tried to turn into the fears of the young witches, only for them to stand tall and burn the pieces of the Fear-Bringer to ashes.
"No matter how powerful you are...don't ever be too afraid to find assistance."
Amity is seen, sitting by her window before pulling out a memory box to put her tiara in. She then brings out her new sword and reverts it to her broadsword, setting it beside her bed.
"We can't live in fear...we rise together."
Eda and King lay down on the coach as the Owl Lady pulls out her old mentor's Combat Cross, smiling at it before putting aside and decides to rest with King. Luz is then seen dropping her whip to the ground as she gazes out the window before letting herself drop to the floor.
"Together...we conquer the Night."