The Asmodean
By
Neztro
Chapter 6: Bones Borough
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. Alright everyone I am planning on introducing a few more girls in the harme including an Oc who will be introduced in a later arc. In fact I plan on introducing another girl. You know her you love her, her death caused me to have nightmares when I was thirteen and watching akame ga kill… Esdeath. Let me know what you think of my story on the reviews… please don't be a creep.
The wagon rocked and bobbed on the dirt road into Bonesborough. Both Luca and his sister Luz hid under the tarp, only peeking out every now and then.
"Luca, this is just like my books. What if we have a magical destiny?" Luz asked, smiling as she once again opened the tarp flap.
"This is so cool!" she squealed.
I'm happy that she is excited but how can she just ignore the fact that mom is gone. Luca knew that Luz loved fantasy and this would be a chance of the lifetime for her. But, the woman who gave them everything was gone… forever.
Luca didn't like to think about the fact that he would never see his mom again. Never be able to help her make cookies, go to that sub shop she and Luz loved, or watch nature documentaries which always made her tear up.
"Lulu, do you think we are going to be okay?" Luca asked, his tone saddened.
"Of course Luca, we have Eda, and she is a powerful witch." Luz replied, confidence clear in her tones. "and when we're fully trained we'll be powerful witches too."
"Yeah…" Luca said, his voice trailing off. lo siento mami Luca thought with a tear in his eyes.
"oh look it's the town! Oh it's so quaint." Luz exclaimed looking out from the under the tarp. "Luca you gotta come look at this."
The boy crawled toward the tarps edge and looked. He saw a beautiful city full of people. The strangest thing is… the town seemed content. Luca expected either forced happiness or doom and gloom but no... these people were going about their lives as if nothing happened.
What's the deal? Don't they care that they live under a tyrant? Luca thought, Scowling at the people. Don't they care they live under a murderer?
"Alright kids, from here on out… heads down until I get back." Eda said, the cart came to a grinidng halt. "I'm going into the store for some clothes, foodstuffs, and a couple beds." she instructed. "Lilly watch the cart and the kids." Eda said then pulling Lilith to her and whispered. "If anyone tries to check the cart come get me."
Luca heard that and remained still as a board.
"Very well sister, I shall do as you say." Lilith replied in an ordered tone.
"i'm going with you for Cyclops jerky." King exclaimed hopping from the back of the wagon.
"Okay, but you're only getting one bag." Eda replied, in a maternal tone.
"and a bottle of Ecto-cola?" King asked, using big puppy dog eyes.
Eda sighed "fine, but no more snacks after that young man." she replied.
"Hooray!" the demon exclaimed dashing into the shop.
The two humans waited in silence behind the tarp.
Luca's heart quickened everytime he thought of what would happen if they were caught.
Luz meanwhile fidgeted from boredom, "Ugh, how long until we can see the city by ourselves." she groaned.
"Lulu, shush, we don't know if anyone is listening." Luca instructed.
"But we're in this fantasy world and there is so much adventure to be had. How can you be so content to just sit here and wait for Eda." she replied peeking out from under the tarp once again.
"because, we are being hunted by crazy magic women who want you dead and me to be some kinda prophecised conqueror." Luca replied.
Luz slumped back down and curled into a ball.
"Look Lulu, I know this seems fun to you. But remember, they took mom from us and they are going to try and do the same to you. As your big brother I will never let that happen." Luca stated daring to take a peek out from under the tarp.
Once again all he saw was demonic creatures traveling around and having normal conversations. There were no guards, no imposing watchtowers, and no aura of dread. It was just a normal town.
"How can they just be living a normal life. Don't they know who their leader is and what she's done." Luca knew that Eda wasn't the only one who was aware of the empress's misdeeds. Why then aren't there more people up in arms about it?
Lilith humphed in reply. "I know what you mean child. The emperor was a great ruler and these people accept this pretenders rule too easily for my liking." she said, her tone snotty. "when I was head of the emperor's coven there was order and justice. Now this empress let's anyone get away with anything and as evidenced by you… she's a duplicitous hag."
"I know, I swear the next time I see her I'll.."
"Lilith is that you?" a voice shouted from the distance.
"Oh no, it's Esdeath." Lilith groaned. "Just stay quiet children, and hopefully she'll get bored and leave us be."
Luca peeked out to where Lilith was looking to see a tall well endowed woman dressed in a military uniform, her skin fair and her hair long and blue as a sapphire. She walked with a confident strut.
"Ah, Lilith, I see you are still alive. How charming." The woman said, smirking at the witch.
"Esdeath, still working as the empress's lapdog I see." Lilith replied with the same cordial tone.
"I wonder how you've managed since you were banished to the outskirts of society. Your smell is so refreshing… what is that shampoo you're using… swamp muck?"
"oh what about you Esdeath, I see you are sporting some brown on your nose. How is our glorious empress by the way?"
Esdeath flinched at that. "snappy as always, I would have thought after I broke your arm during your little resistance with your coven that you'd learn to not make me upset." She said, implying that she was upset.
Luca could swear the area was getting colder.
"If you don't mind Esdeath I am watching my sister's wagon while she shops for groceries. I need to get back to that."
"Where is Edalyn by the way?" Esdeath asked, the blue aura around her leaving and the chill in air calming down.
"inside the shop, why?"
"I have some questions for her. In fact I better ask you as well, just to be safe." Esdeath replied revealing from her satchel a wanted poster. "have you seen this young man around your house?"
"humph, there are no young men at my house unfortunately. Why would you think that?"
"One of our agents was told by the boy he was looking for Edalyn clawthorne and was carrying a girl on his back." Esdeath explained. "so are you sure that you haven't seen him?"
"I am telling you Esdeath. There is no boy in my house." Lilith replied, gritting her teeth.
"uh huh, well if you do see him, her excellency is offering a substantial reward for his safe return." Esdeath stated, turning her head to the cart where the tarp had returned to its flat position.
"oh, I never took you for a mercenary type Esdeath. Considering all the rhetoric you spout on behave of her excellency." Lilith said the last word with her face twisted in disgust.
"Mind your tongue Lilith, lest I cut it out." Esdeath threatened reaching for her rapier.
Meanwhile Luz and Luca were hiding under the tarp listening to everything.
"Luca, Luca." Luz whispered, grabbing her brother's sleeves.
"what is it Luz?"
"My leg's asleep and I need to move it." she said, trying to rub feeling back into her leg.
"right now? Can't it wait?" Luca replied looking up.
"Who's that in the back of your cart, Lilith?" Esdeaths voice asked.
"No one Esdeath and what do you get from retrieving this boy if not money?" Lilith's voice replied.
"oh that's simple… love." Esdeath replied, her voice trembling.
"Esdeath, the boy on this poster looks like he's a teenager… isn't that going a little too far even for the empress's lapdog?" Lilith replied, a cocky edge on her tone.
"he's eighteen!" Esdeath exclaimed, "the empress has waited for fourteen years to retrieve him it took that long for his damn fool of a father's spell to wear off."
"you know nothing about burton, he was a good man and better servant then you'll ever be." Lilith sneered at the woman.
"Enough of this trading of barbs. I think it's time I see what's under the tarp." Esdeath said making her way to the edge.
"You can't do that! Eda is immune to imperial searches." Lilith replied shaking.
"I don't care, personally I think the empress's softness toward The Owl Lady is her only flaw and we'll see if she keeps it when she finds out you were hiding the Asmodean." As Esdeath was about to lift the tarp, a voice rung out.
"Hey! What are you doing near my cart!" Eda yelled holding a bag of groceries in her hand and a couple grocer boys behind her with more bags.
"ah, Eda the owl lady. How… invigorating." Esdeath said, raising her eyebrow with a cocky grin on her face.
"Esdeath, it's a pleasure as always but would you mind telling me why you're pestering my sister?" Eda held her arms at her waist.
"I was just looking for contraband. You realize that the boy has stated he was looking for you. This young man hasn't been seen near your hose, has he?" Esdeath asked lifting the poster to Eda's face.
"huh, he's a real cutie isn't he? Nope haven't seen him. But I'll keep and eye out, especially since there is a reward." Eda said scrutinizing the poster.
"Mind if I have a look at your cart?" Esdeath asked.
"Now, see that makes me uncomfortable. Because you are the one who most hates me and my sister. So, I'm going to say no… and the best part is you can't legally look it over due to me having immunity from imperial searches." Eda replied, snorting. "see ya Esdeath, please, don't be a stranger."
"you think you're so smart, just because the empress allows you leeway in all the things you do. Well someday her kindness will be retracted and I'll be the one to bring you down."
"Uh huh, someday maybe, but not today."
"Mark my words Edalyn clawthorne, if I find out you are hiding the boy and not willing to hand him over to the empress, I will personally rip your–"
Eda stuck her hand up. "as much as I'd love to exchange pleasantries, I need to get this appleblood home before it spoils… byeee." Eda waved Esdeath off and seated herself in the wagon. She clicked the reigns and the cart rolled out of bonesborough with Esdeath glaring at them.
"That was close Edalyn, you know I wouldn't be able to stop her." Lilith said, grasping the edge of her seat tightly.
"I know, she's gotta stronger with her ice magic. I could fill the chill all the way in the shop." Eda confirmed.
"I hear the empress has been running her champions through an intensive training exercise in order to prepare for the day of unity."
"that just means we'll need to get these kids trained faster than the empress can find them."
"excuse me?" Luca piped up, peeking out from under the tarp.
"what is it Luca?" Eda asked, never taking her eyes off the road.
"who is this Esdeath woman?"
Eda's face distorted into a horrified grimace. "That is a complicated question."
"should I answer Edalyn?" Lilith asked.
"No, I'll tell him." Eda said rubbing her temples. "kid, Esdeath is one of the strongest combatants in the empress's army. Her and erza are both the greatest warrior mages in the Boiling Isles. She is also the one who took out the coven leaders… single-handedly."
"is she that strong?"
"Oh yes Luca, and the empress is the only one who can control her. She broke Lilith's arm when the emperor's coven fought against the empress's forces. If it wasn't for my loyalty to the empress Lilith would be dead… or worse"
"is the empress really as strong as they say. Do you think there is a chance she can be dethroned?"
"Kid, the answer to your questions are… yes and Maybe."
Luca looked at the owl lady and saw her face full of despair.
"though I wouldn't try it as she is a force to be a reckoned with."
the rest of the wagon ride to the owl house was done in silence.
Luca and Luz contemplated who this empress was and how they could take revenge for their mother… but they realized that it could be a hopeless battle.