Luz awoke from her dream with a start. She looked around. She was still in the Owl House and King was still sleeping at the foot of her sleeping bag. "It wasn't a dream!" she cheered. "Good morning, terrifying fantasy world."

A sea monster waved back to her. "Good morning!"

Luz walked over to King, gave him a hug and kissed his cheek. "Good morning, you little cutie‐pie."

"I AM NOT YOUR CUTIE PIE!" snapped the diminutive demon.

"Yes, you are," she cooed before setting him down and walking out.

"I know," King groaned.

After gathering her day clothes, she went to the bathroom to freshen up. She was surprised by two things, however. There were owls living in the bathroom. And the house's front door's knocker, Hooty, somehow stretched his way into the bathroom window. "Hi, Luz-"

"WAUGH!" A startled Luz karate chopped him.

"Ow! I'm just wishing you a good morning. Jeez! Hoot! Ow!" He retreated back to his usual spot.

"Sorry, Hooty," Luz called out.

After her shower and after changing into her daytime clothes, she smiled as she picked up her Good Witch Azura book. "This is it, old girl. Your first day on the Boiling Isles as a Witch Apprentice. Hyah!" She went to the supply closet, praying, "Please have witchy clothes. Please have witchy clothes. Please have witchy clothes." She opened and her excitement only increased when she saw potions, robes, pointy hats and brooms. She was in witchy heaven. "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!"

She put on a black robe and pointed hat and stuck a nametag on her shirt that said, "Hi! My name is Witch Apprentice Luz!" She met a very sleepy and pajama clad Eda coming down the stairs. "Good morning, Eda the Owl Lady. I am ready for my first day of Witch Apprenticeship."

Eda blinked at her very slowly before asking drowsily, "Who are you again?"

"Huh?"

Luz followed Eda into the kitchen. "Remember me? Luz?" The Owl Lady summoned a coffee mug off a wall, not caring it just accidentally hit Luz on the back of the head in the process. "We freed the oppressed and defeated the evil warden together? Yesterday?"

"Kid, lay off the details. I haven't even had my cup of apple blood yet," Eda grumbled as she took an apple from the fridge.

"You mean apple juice?"

"No." Eda squeezed the apple and a red liquid poured into the mug which she drank from.

But Luz wasn't going to take no for an answer. "Teach me some spells. When do I get a magic staff? Was I supposed to bring my own runes? Do you have a dangerous magical quest for me?"

Suddenly, they heard a loud scream. Strix ran into the house, panting heavily. He was covered in dirt and his clothes were singed. "YOU!" he pointed to Luz. "You took over my room!"

"I didn't take it over! Eda offered it to me!"

"And look at what that led to! I got third degree burns on my butt because of you, Mom! Also, Luz, you do realize you're wearing an old bathrobe and a very dirty traffic cone on your head, don't you?"

Luz removed the bathrobe and took off the "hat" and blew the black dust from it, revealing the orange with a white stripe underneath. King laughed at her while he ate breakfast.

"A magic staff, huh? You really want one?" Eda asked with a raised eyebrow.

"More than anything," said Luz.

Eda held out her hand. "Magic staff, come to me!" There were sounds of crashing and clattering before Eda's owl-headed staff flew toward her and smacked her in the face. "Ouch!" She picked it up with a twirl. "It's early," she muttered. She cleared her throat and went into explaining mode. "Now, witches are awarded their staffs from school. With me as your teacher, you'll be taking a different approach." She handed Luz a bag of potion bottles. "You'll have to work for it. I run a few businesses. On weekends, I offer rare human treasures that Owlbert drags over from your side of the realm."

Eda picked up a toy sword and pressed a button on it. "I shall smite my enemies! Ages six to eleven," it said in a deep, commanding voice.

"But most days I sell only the finest homemade elixirs and potions."

Luz looked at one of the bottles that had a picture of a snake bitting its own tail on it. "Snake oil."

"No one wants an un‐oiled snake. Follow me. You too, Strix." Eda led the two kids to the balcony and pointed forward to the city Luz saw yesterday. "Today you and Strix will deliver packages and sell potions to that town over there, Bonesborough. You'll have to be careful. I have rivals everywhere who'd love to take my business down and you along with it. You wanted a dangerous magical quest? Sister, you've got one."

"I do this all the time, Luz," said Strix. "Just stick with me and I'll show you the ropes."

"I won't let you down, Miss Eda," Luz said with a salute. And accidentally dropped the bag over the balcony in the process.

"I'm sure you will," said Strix.

"Remember," Eda said as she shoved the kids out with a new bag of potions. "Never befriend a man in sandals and always measure twice, cut once."

"Uh..." was all Luz said before Eda slammed the door in their faces.

"Good luck!" She nudged King awake. "I hate to interrupt your power nap, but you have to go with them."

"What? But I just found the perfect spot. Why do I have to go? Besides, she's got Strix with her!"

"You and I know she's either going to get lost or eaten, probably both."

"No, I won't!" Luz said through the window.

Eda shut it closed with a spell circle. "And Strix isn't all that strong, you know that." King folded his arms. "And because you work for me, too, unless you want to start paying rent." King made a whiny grunt before conceding and stomping out of the house to join Luz and Strix. "Be back by nightfall or risk mortal peril," Eda called out before slamming the door again.

"Have a nice trip," Hooty said.

King groaned in annoyance. "Let's get this over with."

Luz went, "Wow!" at the sight of the city they entered. She thought it was spectacular before, but actually going into the city, seeing all the strange denizens up close, it was breathtaking. Suddenly, Strix slapped her in the face. "Ow!"

"It's rude to stare, Luzer."

"Don't call me that. And besides, how can't I? I've only seen places like this in my dreams. It's incredible. And I'm the only human here?"

"Haven't seen any others," said King.

"Wow! There must be a reason for that, right? Why am I here? What if I, Luz Noceda, average teen, actually had..." She gasped. "...a predetermined path of greatness? Just like Azura!"

King and Strix starred at her before the former handed her a bottle from the bag. "Yeah. Did Azura's path to greatness involve her delivering boil cream?"

"Today I'm delivering packages, but tomorrow I'll be earning the respect of everyone on the Boiling Isles with my magical prowess."

Strix only laughed at her. "Ha! Good luck. The Boiling Isles is nothing but a cesspool of despair."

"More like a cesspool of delight."

Strix sighed. "Just take this potion and sell it to that guy," he pointed to a centaur buying fruit from a vendor.

Luz did what she was told and approached the centaur with a smile on her face. "What has four hooves and wants to buy a potion? This guy."

To Luz's surprise, the centaur had no face. Well, he did, but on his chest. "My eyes are down here," he said with exasperation.

The next house they went to, the doorbell tried to eat Luz if Strix hadn't punched it.

It was actually pretty mundane if Luz thought of it, delivering all these potions to all these weird and strange civilians. Heck, the only exciting thing she'd done was nearly get eaten by a snake man. She might as well be Eda's go-fer instead of an apprentice. Strix stopped to get everyone hot dogs. "I know I've had enough delight for one day," King said as he munched down on his sausage.

Luz sighed in disappointment. "I thought being the only human in a magical world would make me special. But apparently, it just makes everyone want to scream at me or..." She flicked a butterfly-leech thing off her elbow. "...eat me. At this point, Azura had already been sent on an enchanted quest. Where's my quest‐granting wizard?" she asked as she pointed to an illustration of Azura meeting a wizard in her book.

Strix stuffed the book back into the bag. "That's not how real life works, kid."

"This has been a rough day." Luz slugged the sack over her shoulder. "Let's just deliver this last package and go home. Maybe this world isn't what I thought it wa‐‐" Luz gasped. The client's house was a giant castle straight out of the Azura books. "Pretty!" She rung the doorbell. It didn't eat her like the other ones. Instead, it rung and the door slowly opened.

"Big houses always belong to big whackjobs," said King. "Let's kick the package inside and get outta here."

Luz ignored him and stepped inside. "Hello?"

"Luzer, wait!" Strix called out, chasing after her.

"I‐I'm delivering a package from Miss Eda, the Owl Lady," Luz called out. Suddenly, the lights turned on and the room revealed itself to be a huge castle library. Stepping forward to greet her was a wizard in a purple robe and hat and sandals. Luz gasped with excitement. "Today just got good. Magical wizard!"

Strix grabbed her arm. "Don't talk to him! Mom says to beware of guys with sandals."

"Oh, come on, she's just exaggerating. Look at him! He just reeks of magical greatness!"

"He reeks of mold."

"I was in my oscillarium, reading the stars," said the wizard. "And who might you be, with eyes full of curiosity?"

"Uh, I‐I'm‐‐"

"Young lady, dareth I say, I sense something unique about you." The wizard spun a circle in the air and it magicked two chairs and a tea table. "Please, won't you join me for tea?"

"Okay!" said Luz. She wanted to sit with him but Strix grabbed her arm again.

"We're not here to mingle with wizards," he said sternly. "We're just here to drop a package."

"Besides," said King. "Wizards are just old people with glitter in their pockets." Indeed, the wizard pulled some glitter out of his pocket. "I don't trust him."

"But the stars on his robe are sparkling," said Luz. "And look, there's a baby fox in his beard." Said fox giggled at her. "Plus, I see scones on the table."

"Where?!" King jumped onto the table and began stuffing his face with scones.

"We'd love to join you for tea," said Luz as she dragged Strix by the arm and toward the table. As Luz sat down to drink, she noticed a tray of potions sitting nearby. "Do you sell potions, Sir Wizard?"

"Please, call me Adegast. Ma'am, yes, I run a small business."

"You should run a small business of more scones into my mouth," King laughed at his own lame joke. "Yes!"

"I'm surprised to see you here. It was my understanding that Eda only sent Strix to deliver the packages," said Adegast.

"Well, I'm kinda, sorta, her apprentice," said Luz with glee.

"Oh! And how are you finding the experience so far?"

Luz's smile turned into a look of disappointment. "Can I be honest, Mr. Adegast? When I decided to stay in this magical world, I thought I was meant for something special. But Eda thinks I'm meant for chores and I'm afraid I came to the wrong place."

"Luz," said Strix. "Why are you trying to take the easy way instead of doing hard work like you said?"

"Oh, come on! Delivering potions? This is go-fer stuff! I might as well be at that Reality Check Camp, learning how to fix laptops or doing office work!"

"Well, I have a quest‐‐"

Luz interrupted the wizard and jumped to her feet. "A quest?"

"You didn't let me finish. I have a question."

"Oh."

"Would you like to go on a quest?"

"YES!"

Adegast pulled a scroll out of his beard. "I might have just the thing." He unrolled it and showed her a map of the Boiling Isles. "The prophecy speaks of a young human girl who will claim the Celestial Staff and free this world from an ancient evil. Perhaps you have come here for a reason."

"Perhaps I have," Luz said with awe.

"Should you believe yourself worthy to attempt this quest..."

"So worthy."

"...you need to know the road is dark and perilous."

"Love peril. Big fan of peril."

"And only the Chosen One can pull the staff from its post."

"Chosen One!"

Strix snatched the map from the wizard's hand. "That's the biggest load of dung since I cleaned Selwyn's garage! Luz, you got to see this is all a scam, right?"

"Oh, let her on her quest," said Adegast. "Just because you can't do magic doesn't mean she can't!"

King stopped eating a scone midway. Strix's cheeks turned red. "Wait," said Luz, shocked. "You can't do magic?" King tried to shush her.

Strix grabbed Luz and King by the arms and dragged them out. "We're going home, now."

"But, my scones!" protested King.

"So, King, what kind of Chosen One should I be?" Luz asked when they returned to the Owl House.

King muttered, paying more attention to the huge bag of money, "Huh? What?"

"Should I be full of optimism and goodness, like the Good Witch Azura? Or should I be like a bad girl Chosen One with black nail polish and a mysteriously withdrawn attitude? 'I act like I don't care, but I secretly do.'"

Eda poked her head in through the door, holding a severed monster's arm. "Oh, you guys talking about bad girls? Wait, what's going on?"

"Eda, tell Luz how dumb wizards are."

"Ugh! Wizards are the worst. Never trust a man in casual drapery. Why?"

"Your wizard client told Luz..." King started laughing. "She was a‐‐" He laughed even harder. "Was a Chosen One!"

"Wait, wait, Luz?" Eda burst out laughing with him. Luz hid her reddened face behind her book.

"He even gave her a map," said King.

"Let me see this map." Luz handed her the map. She gave it a quick inspection and said, "You didn't think this was real, did you?"

"Told you!" Strix called out from the garage.

"What?!" Luz asked, hurt.

"This map is bunk. There's no lake with a Celestial Staff on the Boiling Isles. I would have stolen it ages ago. Ah, don't worry. Couple more months here and you won't look like such a mark."

"Eda, why can't Strix use magic?"

Eda's eyes widened. "How-How do you know about that?"

"The wizard told me. Does it have something to do with that Mask?"

Eda frowned before sighing. "That's a story for another time."

Luz frowned. "Can I have some time alone?" Eda shrugged her shoulders and left with King following her. Luz sat down and sighed in disappointment. "Maybe they were right. Huh?" She saw that there were words glowed whenever she held the map in the sunlight. "'The path will only appear to the worthy.' That's why Eda couldn't see it. But am... I really worthy?" As if to respond to her question, the wind blew the map out of her hand and next to the Good Witch Azura book. She stared at the illustration in it, depicting Azura standing tall and proud with her friends admiring her. "I'll never know unless I try."

Eda kicked open the garage door. "Strix, wake up. We need to have a talk." The red dragon growled at her. "Oh, grr yourself. Where's my son?" Selwyn lifted her tail to show Strix, lying on his side with his back facing her. He did not even turn to look at her as he said in a dull tone, "What is it, Mom?"

"We need to talk. I don't like how that wizard was tempting Luz. I have a feeling she might walk right into danger."

"Why should I care?"

Eda sighed. "Is this about what he said? That you can't use magic?" Strix flinched. "Luz told me." Eda sat next to him. "Look, how many times do I have to say it? I'm sorry you can't use magic, but..."

"You know what?" Strix stood up. "It's just a broken record now. Someone taunts me for not having magic, you apologize, I ask to wear the Mask and you say no. Honestly, I'm done listening to your apologies." He turned from her, arms folding. "What was that about Luz?"

The witches and demon entered Luz's room only to find it empty. "Yep, saw it coming," said Strix.

"Hooty, where'd she go?" Eda called out.

The door knocker stretched out and into Luz's room's window. "Hoot, hoot. If you want the answer that you seek, solve my riddle within a week‐‐" Eda poked him in the eye. "Ow! Okay, okay. She went into the forest towards Bonesborough. Sheesh!"

Luz stood next to a sign that read, "Leaving Bonesborough. City Limits." She had nothing but the toy sword Eda showed her from before. She inhaled and exhaled with exhilaration. She slid down the hill and toward a path covered in fog. "My first mythical quest. Ha! Okay. Got my scroll, got my youthful optimism, got my trusty weapon." She held up the toy sword and pressed its button.

"By the power of Skullgar, I am out of batteries..."

Oh, well. That's life. Luz moved forward, cutting vines in her way. "You know, I wonder if I made the right choice by coming here." Her doubt vanished when the fog cleared and she found herself in a village of little cat people. A teenage boy around Strix's age wearing a green tunic, grey pants, black boots and wearing an eyepatch over his right eye appeared out of the fountain in the town center and ringed his long dark hair. Strapped to his side was a large sword. "I see," he said in a gruff voice. "So you're the Chosen One." The boy scoffed. "The Celestial Staff should've picked me, Nevareth Bladestrife, Teen Prince of Angstmore."

Luz's eyes lit up with excitement. "Yes. Yes, I did make the right choice."

Strix and King led Eda to the wizard's castle, only there was no castle, just an abandoned ruin. "Mom, last time we were here," he said. "It wasn't like this."

"I don't like this," said Eda as she entered what was left of the castle's library. The books were all blank and on a table was a pile of maps identical to the one Luz had. They had glowing words written over them, "The path will only appear to the worthy." Eda crumpled up the papers. "I really don't like this."

Luz walked by Nevareth's side as they strolled down the woods toward the Celestial Lake. Floating around the boy was a little leek with a face and wings. Luz swooned, "Nevareth, your vengeful backstory is so compelling. And I'm lovin' your animal sidekick." The leek smiled at her.

"After my village was consumed, my heart has known nothing but vengeance," Nevareth said nonchalantly.

"Nevareth!" Luz gasped with sympathy.

"Lady Luz, do you think love can bloom on the battlefield?"

Luz giggled gleefully. "This quest is questing in all the right ways."

The group was about to cross a bridge when suddenly, an ugly cat with a pointed hat jumped out from under the bridge and laughed.

"Ew," said Nevareth.

"Hum‐di‐diddle, to pass the bridge, you must first solve my riddle," said the cat.

"Hit me, little furry man," challenged Luz.

"Your quest shall stop if you fail this game. So tell me, my dear, what is my name?"

Luz took one look at the creature's name tag. "Uh...Chris?"

"That's it. You may cross the bridge. And please take this, Chosen One." He put a blue ring on Luz's left middle finger. "It shall help you on your journey."

"Wow. This is amazing. Thank you."

"Do you need a cape?" Nevareth asked.

"Nah, I think I'm goo‐‐"

Navareth tore his shirt off and wrapped it around Luz's neck. "You can use my shirt!"

Luz stared at his washboard abs. "Yes. I need a cape," she said stupidly.

King, following Luz's scent, led the witch mother and son to the cat village. Or rather, what was left of it. There weren't even any people there anymore. "Are you sure she came here?" Eda asked King.

"Can't mistake her smell. Like lemons and young, naïve confidence."

Strix saw a cat person lying next to the broken fountain. He thought it was dead, upon closer inspection, he realized it was just a puppet. He walked up to it and shook it violently. "Where is the human, you walking, talking piece of firewood?"

The puppet sneered at him. "To find your friend and still your wrath, look ahead and follow the path." The puppet laughed at him before he smashed its head on the fountain.

"You made the cat man melt," exclaimed King.

"It's a trap," said Strix. "And Luz is the bait."

"And I'm their target," said Eda.

"So, what do we do?" asked King.

"Thank you for inviting me to your feast, Princess," Luz said to the party's newest member, a fairy princess whom she saved from a giant piranha flower. "All your food was so tiny and cute."

"For you, Chosen One," the fairy said as it placed a bracelet around Luz's left wrist.

"Thank you. You've all been so kind and thoughtful. I hope this quest never ends."

"Your quest will soon come to an end, for the staff you seek is around the bend."

Luz frowned. "Thanks for ruining the mood, Chris."

"Go on, Chosen One. The Celestial Staff is yours," said Nevareth. "You've earned it. Farewell, Lady Luz."

"Farewell. We love you, Chosen One," said the fairy princess.

Luz smiled and bid her friends goodbye. She walked down the path Chris showed her and saw a shrine in the middle of a lake. Stone platforms rose from the lake and allowed Luz to cross it. Luz gasped at what was in the shrine: a white staff with a blue jewel headpiece. "I knew this world wasn't all gloom and doom like Eda, Strix and King said," Luz said as she walked toward the shrine. "There is wonder here. And I... I think I came here for a reason." She stopped in front of the staff. "Okay, this is it. Moment of truth." She picked the staff up and light began to radiate from it. "Yes! I am the Chosen One! I knew it! I always suspected there was a reason nobody understood my wacky antics back at home. Now I have concrete proof. Ha, ha!"

And then, to her shock and confusion, the staff turned to ashes. "No!" And that wasn't all. The lake suddenly dried up and the forest surrounding them suddenly became a dreary wasteland. "What?"

"I know this guy," said Eda as she, King and Strix rode on her staff. "He's no wizard. He's what you'd call a puppeteer, a demon who specializes in scamming and manipulating people. He's trying to use Luz to get to me."

"And we're flying straight into the trap," said Strix. "How smart is that?"

"But if you can think of a better plan, I'd love to hear it. Hey, faster, you," she snapped at her staff, giving it a slap.

Luz trembled as fog swirled around her, clutching the toy sword like her life depended on it. In this case, it was. Suddenly, she heard a familiar voice. "Luz the Human."

She turned around to see the wizard. "Magical wizard?" She looked again and realized it was a puppet.

"Your hubris has failed you, Witch Apprentice." Then she saw what was controlling the puppet, a huge octopus-like creature with black and yellow eyes. Then more puppets popped out from the ground: the cat people, the friends she made on her quest. All of them held by the creature's tentacles like they were ventriloquist dummies.

"Okay, Luz. Don't panic. This is classic Chosen One biz. You just have to rescue everybody and defeat the final boss."

"I AM everybody," Adegast, the puppeteer laughed. "You fool, don't you see? I'm no wizard. And you're no Chosen One. I've tricked you."

Luz's face showed hurt and betrayal. "What?!" Suddenly, her accessories turned into chains and bound her. "No! Betrayed by my own cool accessories. Why are you doing this?"

"Your mentor and her powerless son have been stealing customers from my potions business for years. They must be destroyed."

"Does everybody have a beef with Eda here?"

"Yeah, pretty much. Yeah." Luz sighed. If she had just listened to Strix. "And you lured them right into my trap, all because you wanted to think you were special," the puppeteer sneered at her.

"No. Joke's on you, 'cause Eda and Strix aren't stupid enough to fall for your trap."

"ADEGAST!"

Spoke too soon, Luz. "Aw, heck!"

The Owl Lady and her Chick and King landed on the ground and glared at the giant cephalopod who made a very uncomfortable laugh. "Eda, Strix, I have you now!" His tentacles grabbed the three and hoisted them up into the air.

"That's right. You have us," shouted Eda defiantly. "Now release Luz."

"I didn't have to be a part of this," shouted King.

"Oh, she can leave if she wants to," Adegast said, eyeing the disillusioned Luz. "But I sense she wants a real fantasy." More fog swirled around her and she found herself in a black void, surrounded by the puppets.

"Stay with us, Luz. Stay with Adegast. We need you here. You could be our Chosen One," they said. "Yeah, you can eat our tiny foods forever. Luz, why would you want to live in a world where people laugh at you?"

"It is beautiful here," said Luz.

"LUZER!" Strix called out. Luz looked like she was in some kind of trance.

"And you guys think I'm special."

"No!" shouted Eda.

Then Luz frowned, breaking out of the trance. "But it's not real! I am a Witch's Apprentice," she declared, grabbing the toy sword. "And I'm gonna earn my magic staff the hard way. I believed you, Magic Man. Now feel my wrath!" She stabbed the wizard puppet, making it poof. Adegast let out a scream of pain and he began to shrink, letting go of Eda, Strix and King.

"Alright!" Strix said, pulling out a whistle. "Time for my ultimate weapon to show up!" He blew into it, bringing the battle to a halt. There was a moment's silence. Then Selwyn flew over the trees and roared loudly before crashing down in front of Adegast. She snarled at him and he whimpered, "St-Stay back!" In response, Selwyn breathed fire on him and didn't stop until he was a crisp. "Who wants calamari?" Strix called out.

Eda took a bite out of the burnt corpse. "Well, that's the last time I take an outside referral." She took another bite. "Mmm. Oh, did you want some of that?" She handed some to Luz.

"No. I'm just confused."

"Luz, I get it," said Strix, sitting down next to her. "When something seems too good to be true, it probably means it is."

"This place is nothing like I imagined."

Eda thought on that. "Hmm. Maybe not here," she said, taking Luz's hand and walking over to Selwyn. "But come with me. I got something to show you." Selwyn growled softly at her. Eda slapped her on the nose. "Behave, dragon."

Luz clung to Eda as they soared into the sky upon Selwyn's back. She was also wearing a blindfold, which didn't really help. "Okay, you can look," Eda said. Luz took off the blindfold and gasped in awe at the view. She was looking at the Boiling Isles as a whole: a settlement made from the skeleton of a giant. And a very prosperous settlement at that. "The bones of the isles. Up close, the isles can be slimy‐‐"

"And very stinky," added King.

"And gross," said Strix.

"But if you look at it from a different perspective..."

"It's beautiful," Luz finished Eda's sentence. "Eda, how did you know that wizard was lying?"

Eda smiled a motherly smile and patted her shoulder. "Look, kid, everyone wants to believe they're 'chosen'. But if we all waited around for a prophecy to make us special, we'd die waiting," she said with a laugh. "And that's why you need to choose yourself."

"Does that mean you'll give me a magic staff of my own?"

"Not yet. But... someday."