The Asmodean
By
Neztro
Chapter 3: The Real Eda Clawthorne
Authors note:
I see you have come back for another chapter of the harem anime owl house… thank you and I am sorry for the cringe. This chapter I am really proud because it's the first one without creepy harem shenagans. But still introduces a new member to the harem who isn't going to start liking luca but she'll grow to love him… will the real eda clawthorne please stand up.
Through the dark woods, Luca ran.
The boy was holding his sister on his shoulders, dashing though he did not know where he was going. His breathing returned to normal thanks to the short rest he had managed to receive but fear kept him from relaxing. In fact it propelled him forward. The boy felt the cold wind pierce his skin and hit him in his bones. A chill overtook him and his lungs constricted. Luca did not let that deter him as he passed the place he had initially tripped when he arrive to the isles.
The boy stopped for a second to catch his breath. The moon was out and full overlooking the boy like a silver overseer. Luca did not feel safe in these woods especially since she was on her way.
When Luca had first left, he heard her calling his name. This quickened his pace and he had to fight to avoid tripping again.
Luca took in several greedy breaths and even leaned against a tree, setting Luz beside him. The boy's breathing calmed after a few moments as the winds had seemed to lose their fight.
"I-i don't know what I'm doing. But, I need a healer… I can't let Luz die." He said to himself just so he can feel like he is talking to someone.
"Luca!" A familiar voice yelled out, her voice carrying in the woods.
"Crap," Luca immediately rose and picked up Luz on his shoulders. The boy darted through the trees his eyes moving back and forth looking for a place to hide.
He felt his heart pound his chest as he lost his footing and almost landed flat on his face. The boy managed to catch himself taking a few stumbling steps trying to keep his balance.
"Luca! Come out please!"
Odalia's voice followed the boy driving Luca forward.
The boy found exactly what he was looking for… a fox den big enough for him to hide.
Luca placed Luz down inside the underbrush of the den then followed after her.
Luca was breathing faster and faster as he saw the shadowy outline of Odalia walking through the forest. A fresh mist breaking across the land which barely concealed her facial features.
"Luca! Luca sweetie, please come out." She pleaded looking around.
Luca held his breath trying not to give away his position.
"Luca, we can talk about this. I'm sorry if I scared you, just let me explain." She said taking a few sniffs in the air.
"Luca, I'm getting agitated… you have me worried sick and I'm scared. Don't you care about how much you're hurting me." Odalia asked picking up a scent.
"You won't be able to hide for forever. The smell of my husband's clothing on you is strong, so it's best if you come out." She said surging forward and out of sight.
Luca lied in the dirt waiting for what felt like eternity. He didn't know he could stay still for that long but fear surprised him.
After a few more moments Luca thought it would safe and he crawled out of the fox den proceeding to pull Luz out.
Luca pressed his hand to his sisters head and his heart skipped a beat… she was burning up, which meant that she had contracted a fever. Luca knew that if it were not treated properly it could be fatal.
The boy picked Luz up and ran through the woods like a wounded animal. He ran for hours and could feel the darkness before the dawn overtake the forest. Luca looked on and saw a house with the same eye on it that the door and key his mother gave him was emblazoned on it's window.
Luca surged forward and loudly knocked on the front door. "Hello, is anyone in there. I need help!"
"Hoot, who are you!" A squeaky voice asked.
"Who said that?" Luca looked behind him to see only the dark woods.
"I did," the voice said from the direction of the house.
Luca slowly turned and saw on the front door was an owl faced circle glaring at him. "I must be hearing things. Unless you can talk Mr. Door Ornament?" Luca chuckled at his own joke but it was mostly from exhaustion.
"I can talk! Thanks for asking." the door ornament said back.
Luca screamed and attempted to run but the ornament extended from its place in the door and wrapped itself around the boy.
"No, please don't eat me. I'd taste terrible." Luca pleaded trying to fight his way out.
"Eat you?" The ornament asked confused. "Why would I eat… my new best friends!"
"Huh," Luca asked but the ornament only rubbed his face next to the boys.
"We can stay up all night and tell ghost stories, then come morning we can eat sugary food for breakfast and then play in the mud." the bird began shaking around with joy, laughing in hoots.
"Hooty what are you doing up this late?" A female voice asked from the doorway of the house.
Luca looked at her and in the dim light as the dawn broke revealed her. She had yellow eyes, sickly gray skin, and a snaggletooth fang on the left side of her mouth. She wore a red dress with a gold gem on the chest and she had the same pointed ears as his mom with a huge mane of gray hair that went down her back.
"Help! This thing is trying to eat me." Luca called.
"Hooty! Let them go this instant." The woman ordered.
"But Eda, I wasn't going to eat him. I just wanted to be friends."
"One... Two... Do I need to get to three?" Eda threatened glaring at the creature.
"Okay, sorry Eda." Hooty replied defeated. He released Luca and slithered away with his head down.
"Yeah sorry about him, he's a little… overeager." Eda stuck her hand out to help Luca up. "Are you okay kid, your sister looks a little worse for wear."
Luca took it and let her help him up. "My name is Luca. Did that bird monster say your name was Eda?"
"Indeed he did, for I am Eda Clawthorne. The strongest witch on the boiling isles." the woman boasted with a cocky grin.
"My mom told me to find you. I need your help." Luca replied, he knew this could be a trap but he didn't care. If there was a chance he can help Luz then he'll take it.
"Whoa, whoa, kid. Whose your mom and why does she need my help?" Eda asked, eyeing the kid suspiciously.
"Camillia Nocenda... My mom is Camillia Nocenda." Luca said through bated breath.
"Oh, how is old Cammie anyway? I see she still knows how to have fun due to her having two kids. Where is that old witch?"
"She's… dead." Luca replied feeling terrible for having to admit it.
Eda eyes widened and her face grimaced. "Geez, sorry kid. How did it happen?"
"I-i'd rather not talk about it right now. My sister needs the help of a healer."
"Oh of course. Give her here." Eda helped Luca pick Luz up and the two walked to the owl house.
Eda opened her door and placed Luz on her coach which was a small futon. The witch placed her hand on Luz's head. "Guh, this is a nasty fever. What happened to her?"
"It's, it's a long story." Luca replied.
"Kid, I've got nothing but time," she replied bringing out a black cauldron and grabbing ingredients from her shelves.
Luca contemplated whether he should say anything to this woman. She may be lying just like Odalia. How can I trust her? The boy thought.
"Kid, why are you staring at me like that?" Eda asked putting the ingredients in the cauldron and stirring.
"Are you really Edalyn Clawthorne?" he asked, staring daggers at the woman.
"Of course I am. Why would you ask?" Eda inquired, confused.
"And you knew my mother when she was in this place, right?"
"Yeah me and Cammie go way back."
"What's my mother's maiden name?"
"Bastonne." She said in a blank tone.
"When's her birthday?"
"April 7, 1981." She replied. "What's going on?"
"Last question, why did she leave the Boiling Isles?" Luca asked, he needed to know the answer to last one. Eda did know enough to tell me the right answers. Now I want to know why she hid this from me.
"She said that the Boiling Isles weren't a safe environment for the raising of children. She wanted for you and your sister to have a normal life." Eda replied.
"That does sound like her. Thank you."
"Now my turn for questions. Why so suspicious?"
"Well ever since I left home people have tried to take me and kill my loved ones. They succeeded with my mom."
"Uh huh, and who are these people?"
"Well the first was this big red haired lady with a giant sword. She's the one who killed my mom."
"Big red haired woman? Was she accompanied by four vampires?" Eda asked staring intensely at Luca while she placed more ingredients in the potion.
"Yeah, and there was also this woman in a manor who pretended to be you. Odalia Blight."
"Kid, this is bad… those were six of the empresses most powerful soldiers."
"Empress?"
Eda raised her hand. "Look kid, you can have my guest room. Go get some sleep. I need to make sure this potion is stirred properly."
"I'm not leaving Luz." Luca said, crossing his arms and glaring at Eda.
"Have it your way. At the very least go into the closest, grab a rag, and run some tepid water over it and place it on her forehead."
Luca stepped to do what Eda commanded. He grabbed the rag from the closest and placed it in water. When the water touched Luca it reminded him of the shower in blight manor and he felt his body tire once again.
"By the way Luca, did those women say why they were at your house?" Eda asked stirring and peppering some red powder into the cauldron. In response the brew bubbled and smoked.
Luca thought it smelled terrible. "They wanted… me."
"Did they give a reason why they wanted you?" Eda asked stirring feverishly
"No," Luca gently placed the rag on Luz's head and looked at his sister pitifully.
"Well that's strange… the empress doesn't usually send them out on retrievable missions. Mostly assassinations." Eda said smiling. The boiling liquid inside the cauldron turned from a sickly green to a healthy gold. "Brews done, Luca bring me a vial."
Luca grabbed the vials from where the witch had pointed and then handed them to her.
"Alright kid, the medicines done, it's time for you to go to bed. You look like crap." Eda ordered.
Luca yawned in response but stopped himself. "I'm not leaving Luz until I know she's better. I'll stay up the rest of the day if I have to."
Eda sighed "Very well. Geez kid, it's like you don't trust me or something." Eda said pouring some of the liquid into Luz's mouth and making sure she drank it. The witch then removed the rag and placed her hand to Luz's forehead. The witch let out a sigh of relief. "The fever's breaking which is good. Now all we can do is wait and let her rest."
Luca stood next to Luz. "I'm staying with her." he stated, his tone leaving Eda no room to argue.
"Very well Luca, but at least let me get you a bedroll and a blanket." She offered.
"No thanks… I'm… fine." he said his eyes feeling heavy and his words being interrupted by yawns. Luca felt his exhaustion overtake him as he leaned forward and almost fell over.
Eda caught him and noticed that he was knocked out. Poor kid, she thought, the empress has put him through the wringer. I never thought I'd say this but I wish Emperor Belos was still alive at least then he had a semblance of benevolence. This empress is a tyrant. Eda dragged Luca upstairs to the guest bedroom and placed him on a bedroll with a blanket. She tucked him in and heard him whimper as she was about to leave.
Eda returned to the boy and placed her hand on his head. She did a spell circle which her mother used to free the mind of traumatic thoughts. It would, though only temporarily, allow the person who was affected by it to only have pleasant thoughts. At the completion of the spell Luca stopped struggling and rubbed his head against her hand. "Good night kid, sleep well."