(Author's Note: Tales Of Light And Blight is being written as part of Lumity Week! This story, and all the other stories featured in this work, are part of an anthology, and unlike my other anthology stories, most of these are loosely connected to each other, with 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 able to be enjoyed in sequential order. They're not, however, connected to any of my other Owl House stories. Thanks for reading!)

O-O-O

Day 5 – Comforting Each Other ("How Could I?")

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The driving rain chilled Amity to the bone, but she kept running, as fast as her legs would carry her. Tears were streaking down her face, and her heart was beating wildly, as the wind and rain continued to punish her skin and soak her body. Her shoes kicked up clumps of mud from the soaked ground as she ran, and her loud sobs were silent against the loud thunder crashing overhead.

It's all my fault... all of it...!

Amity could see the forest off in the distance, the tall trees battered by the storm. She knew that once she entered the forest, there was no going back, and she couldn't help but look behind her... hoping there weren't any pursuers, not after what Edric and Emira had done to enable her escape.

They're probably dead, and it's all because of me! All because I joined the Emperor's Coven... all because I trusted Lilith instead of the girl I love!

The Emperor's palace had to be at least two miles behind her by now. Amity had been running for half an hour, and her legs and chest were burning from exertion. She was sopping wet and nearly out of breath, and she could see lightning strike the ground just a few hundred feet away. She shrieked and pulled her cloak over her already rain-drenched head, hoping the next strike wouldn't fell one of the huge trees surrounding her.

Luz will never forgive me. How could she, after everything I've done?

Amity looked all around for any sign of the rebellion's hideout... but if the Emperor and his trackers hadn't found it, what chance would she have?

What am I even doing? Running into the forest, making myself a target for the rebels? I'll never find Luz, and even if I did...

Amity remembered everything that had happened in the past few weeks. Her falling out with Luz, their breakup over Eda's capture and torture in the Conformatorium... the battle for Hexside, her attack on a rebel camp that had led to Willow and Gus both getting hurt... and of course, her duel with Luz when the rebels came to rescue Eda. Amity had fought with everything she had to keep Eda imprisoned... she'd wanted to impress Lilith, who'd already made her a full-fledged member of the Coven (the youngest ever, in fact). The words they'd exchanged, the spells they threw at each other... Luz's skills had improved dramatically, but she was still no match for Amity... who, despite her hesitation, her holding back, had won the duel...

I hurt Luz. That's unforgivable.

Amity could still see the look of betrayal on Luz's face as the bruised, burned girl fled from the Conformatorium... having successfully covered Eda's escape. Fortunately for Amity, Lilith forgave her for allowing such a defeat... but in the wake of the raid, the Emperor cracked down on the entire Boiling Isles. Entire settlements were burned, the Conformatorium was packed with new prisoners, and a shiny new prison tower was under construction... and in the wake of everything, Amity realized just how far Lilith and the coven were willing to go to establish their control.

Lilith kept telling me it was all necessary... the jailings, the burnings, the raids...

And Amity had believed her. As shameful as she knew it to be, she believed every word that came out of Lilith's mouth.

And now, stumbling through the forest, soaked with rain, shivering from the cold, and reeling from her siblings' act of sacrifice, Amity could run no longer. She found a single tree in the middle of a clearing and collapsed next to it, her weary legs barely able to stand, let alone run.

I'm sorry, Luz. I'm sorry, Eda.

I don't deserve forgiveness.

But I'm still sorry.

Amity convulsed with sorrow, weeping until tears could no longer form in her eyes, replaced by the rain still battering her face.

O-O-O

The rebels had watched Amity from the moment she'd entered the forest. Through a looking portal, they tracked her every step, her every movement, and now that she'd collapsed and could no longer walk, she was a prime target for capture.

"We need to bring her in, preferably unharmed," said (former) Hexside Principal Bump, now one of the leaders of the rebellion against Emperor Bellows and his coven. "She was my best student, and even though she's done some terrible things, I don't want her to get hurt."

"No problem," said a young wizard, stepping forward with a crew of five others. "We'll bring Amity back here and see what she knows about the Coven."

As the wizard squad prepared for their mission, Luz watched the looking portal, her eyes focused on her former friend. She watched as Amity continued to sob, the rain still drenching her, and though the scars of their recent battles were still fresh, she couldn't leave Amity alone out there... and couldn't let any of the rebels bring her in.

"I'm going to Amity," said Luz. "Alone."

"Absolutely not!" shouted Bump. "Out of the question, you're too important to the rebellion and there's no way you could possibly apprehend her on your own!"

"I'm not going to apprehend her," said Luz. "I'm going to talk to her."

"Whoa, Luz, I hate to say this... honestly, I really hate to say this, I'm about to throw up in my mouth just thinking about saying it, but Principal Bump is... ugh... right. Luz, you've got no business going after Amity alone, remember what happened last time?"

"Yeah," said Luz, looking at her hand, on which a faint burn mark was still visible. "I remember."

"This could be a trap," said Eda. "I mean, why would the Emperor's Coven send Amity out there by herself?"

"It looks to me like she was running away," Luz replied. "Like... she was defecting!"

"Sounds too good to be true, and if something sounds too good to be true, it's not true. Trust me, I know from experience."

"Even if it is a trap, I'm going!" said Luz, turning to Bump. "And I don't care what you or anybody has to say about it!"

"Luz, listen to me..." Eda put her hand on Luz's shoulder. "I know... I know it still hurts that Amity betrayed you and joined forces with the Emperor. I know you still want to see the good in her, just like I still want to see the good in my sister. But you saw what the Emperor's been doing."

"I... I know they hurt you, Eda. But Amity had nothing to do with-"

"I'm fine, trust me," said Eda with a smirk. "Living under the same roof with Lilith for eighteen years was way worse torture than anything those coven amateurs did to me. But still, Amity was all in on the Emperor's nonsense... this really does feel like a trap, kiddo."

I know that's what it seems like... thought Luz, as memories of Amity's acts since her betrayal flashed back through her mind. But I know Amity... even after all this, I KNOW Amity. This isn't a trap. She came here, risking capture or worse, for our help... and I'm going to help her!

"Eda, I'm going," said Luz. "You can try to stop me... and you're way stronger than me so you'll probably succeed, but I'm still going!"

Eda looked at Luz for a moment, seeing the determination in her eyes, and seeing something more... the love she still had for Amity, even after everything that had happened. She knew Luz was putting herself in danger, but when she was this determined to do something, it was impossible to stop her... and she didn't want to try. She trusted Luz, and she trusted that Luz would be okay, no matter what happened. She still had her doubts, but she couldn't say no to this girl who'd become like a daughter to her in such a short amount of time.

"Then I won't stop you," said Eda, glaring at Bump and the other rebels gathered in the room. "And neither will any of you!"

"But Edalyn-" Bump began, before Eda raised her hand and pointed at him.

"No buts!" shouted Eda authoritatively, before looking down at Luz. "Go help her, Luz. If anyone can get Amity back on our side, it's you."

Luz smiled, and then wrapped her arms tightly around Eda. She put on her cloak and ran for the exit, hoping it wasn't too late to reach Amity. As she left, Eda looked on... heart full of worry, but also full of hope.

Maybe if it's not too late for Amity... it's not too late for Lilith, either.

Luz dashed out into the storm, which had subsided somewhat since Amity's collapse but was still roaring, the wind howling and rain coming down at a steady pace. She ran through the forest, calling Amity's name but getting no answer.

No... I hope she hasn't passed out, she could get hypothermia in this weather!

But just as Luz began to fear the worst, she saw Amity, still sitting next to that tree, still sobbing softly.

"Amity...?" Luz said quietly, walking toward her. Amity looked up and saw Luz, and immediately shrunk away in shame. "Amity...!"

Luz ran toward her, as Amity buried her face into her shoulder and continued to shiver and sob. Luz approached her and knelt down. Her guard was down completely... though this might be a trap, her faith in Amity was steadfast, and she didn't hesitate to extend her hand. Amity looked at it and saw the small burn scar still there, and let out a loud gasp and a quiet sob.

"Luz... I'm so sorry... you were right... you were right about everything... the coven... Lilith... Emperor Bellows..."

Luz should've been feeling triumphant, but her heart was hurting for Amity, and this was no time for 'I told you so'. She should've been angry, but there wasn't an ounce of malice in her soul, and even as memories of Amity hurting her and her friends reverberated through her, she felt an overwhelming sense of forgiveness wash over her. She placed her hand on Amity's shoulder, her eyes wide with concern.

"Amity, it's okay..."

"No, Luz, it's not okay!" snapped Amity, turning to face Luz with tear-swollen eyes. "It'll never be okay, not after what I did! I hurt you! I hurt Willow, and Gus, and Eda...! I hurt a lot of people!"

"You didn't lead those capture squads. You didn't burn down those houses. You didn't torture Eda. That was the Emperor and his coven..."

"But I helped them, Luz! I helped Lilith attack Hexside! I fought my friends! I fought you!"

Amity tried to speak further, but was overwhelmed with grief, and fell toward Luz. In an instant, Luz held Amity tightly, letting the girl bury her face in her chest and sob freely.

"Why did you leave?" asked Luz, lifting Amity's face up to look into her eyes. "I mean, something must've happened to make you defect from the Coven, right? What did Lilith do...? Or what did the Emperor do?"

Amity sniffled, and Luz wiped a tear away from her face. She looked away from Luz, trying to compose herself enough to speak.

"I saw the new spire they're building... it's worse than the Conformatorium. It's where they're taking people that the Conformatorium can't break. I saw them rounding up hundreds of villagers. I saw Lilith... interrogating one of the rebels. I'd never seen Lilith like that before, she was cold... cruel... emotionless. Even when she was at her most stern, she'd always have a bit of regret about what she was doing, but now, she... it's like she's a whole different person. I confronted her about it... I told her I couldn't accept what she was doing, and she..."

"Did she hurt you?" asked Luz immediately after Amity paused. "Tell me Amity, did Lilith hurt you?"

"No... Lilith would never hurt me," said Amity. "That's the thing, she... said she admired my dedication. She said I was her favorite student and that she knew I was having doubts and that it was okay... I stood my ground with her, I told her I couldn't accept what she was doing, and she... she just smiled and said I'd come around, and that I reminded her of herself when she was my age! And then I went to my room and thought about it and... Luz, she's right... everything she said, she's right...!"

Amity sobbed again, and Luz held her even tighter, not saying anything, just listening to what Amity had to tell her.

"If I had stayed in the Coven... I know I'd have turned out just like her... that's when I knew I had to leave. I'm ashamed it took this long, but I decided to leave... and that's when Lilith stopped me."

"And... what happened then?"

"She said she was going to lock me in my room... for my own safety, but I insisted on leaving and tried to use a spell on her...!"

"Good for you, Amity!"

"I hated attacking her, I felt... I felt like I was attacking my own mother...! I'm still ashamed about it even though I know it was the right thing to do... it didn't work, of course... then she tried to use her powers to lift me up toward my room... and that's when... that's when..."

Amity began to explain how Edric and Emira had come... they hadn't been part of the rebellion or the coven, and Lilith had only tolerated their presence because of their status as Blights... but when they saw Lilith trying to restrain Amity, they both attacked her at once and pushed her back.

"They... they told me to go... to get out while they kept Lilith busy... then... they... told me how proud of me they were... and that... I... I was a better witch than both of them put together... I... I... I..."

Amity couldn't speak another word, and sobbed into Luz's chest again, her entire body heaving as she wept with all the grief and sadness that had built up inside of her. Luz held Amity as tightly as she could, stroking her hair softly with her hand and nuzzling her chin against her forehead.

"Amity, I forgive you," said Luz quietly. Amity looked up at Luz in shock and disbelief, pushing away from her and scooting back toward the tree.

"How could you forgive me, after everything I've done?!" screamed Amity. "I'm a monster! I helped the Emperor hurt thousands of people! I betrayed all my friends! I betrayed you, after I promised I'd never hurt you! Look at your hand, Luz!"

"It'll heal, just a few days and-"

"IT DOESN'T MATTER!" sobbed Amity, her face contorted in despair. "How could you ever forgive me? How could I even think about asking for forgiveness?!"

"You didn't ask, but-"

"I don't deserve-"

"AMITY, STOP IT!" Luz shouted, grabbing Amity's shoulders and forcing the witch to look at her. "Stop interrupting me! Yes, you hurt me... you hurt me a lot... I loved you and you turned on me... but I know why you did it and I know that isn't you! Not the real you, not the kind, compassionate, brave Amity I fell in love with... the one who reads to kids, and fights to save her siblings, and tries her best to protect people... and that's why you joined the Coven, because you thought they were protecting people. You thought they were doing the right thing, and the second you realized they weren't, you left!"

"Luz... I realized they weren't doing the right thing the moment they made me fight you," said Amity. She'd calmed down from before, but her voice was still shaking with grief. "I hurt you, and I stayed."

"You stayed because you care about Lilith," said Luz.

"Maybe," Amity replied. "I guess... I guess I thought you were fighting me because you cared about Eda..."

"You thought this was going to happen and you were right," said Luz, whose voice was now starting to shake as well. "I promised I wouldn't fight you... and I did. If anyone should be apologizing, it's me."

"What?" said Amity, in absolute disbelief. "Luz, no...!"

"I should've tried harder to make you understand... I should've talked more instead of threatening you... or fighting you."

"You were trying to save Eda," said Amity, taking Luz's hand in hers. "You did absolutely nothing wrong."

"I broke my promise."

As tears started to fall down the human girl's face, Amity realized that Luz felt just as bad about fighting her as she did about fighting Luz. She gripped Luz's hand tighter, reached up and wiped away one of her tears, and let Luz continue to speak.

"I should've tried to pull you out of there instead of you having to break out... whatever happened to Ed and Em, it's on me."

"Luz, don't ever blame yourself for what happened to them," said Amity. "Besides... I think they'll be okay. Lilith wouldn't do anything too terrible to them... they're probably locked up in the Conformatorium... she'll probably use them to try and get me to come back, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

"We'll save them, Amity. I promise we will, just like we'll save everyone else that's locked up."

Amity sniffled again, and Luz continued to stroke and squeeze her hands, hoping that whatever guilt and grief Amity was feeling had subsided. Amity bowed her head slightly, and Luz could tell that it would take at least a little while longer for her to shake off the guilt.

"They'll never take me back," said Amity.

"Who?"

"The rebels. Gus... and Willow. Just when I'd patched things up with her, all this happens... I still remember fighting her... she's never been that angry."

"I heard that entire rebel camp is one giant flower now," said Luz.

"With dozens of spiked vines the size of trees," Amity replied. "I'm lucky I didn't get skewered... not that I wouldn't have deserved it."

"Hey, don't be so down on yourself... just apologize to Willow like you did to me. Apologize to everyone... I mean, I can't speak for the others, but I know you're sincere and I think they'll see that. It might take some time for everyone to trust you, but I'll make sure nobody says anything bad to you in the meantime."

"Luz... you have no idea what it means to me that you'd forgive me so quickly..." said Amity, looking back up into Luz's eyes. "The others... I know it'll take time with them, but knowing you forgive me, I think I'll be okay... at least as okay as I can be, considering everything that's happened."

"Amity, there's something else... I don't know if it's too soon to ask this, but... I'd like to be your girlfriend again, if you'd have me."

Amity looked surprised again, seeing so much love and warmth in Luz's eyes... seeing how unsure she was, even as she smiled longingly, and feeling how tightly Luz's hands were gripping hers now. The idea of resuming their relationship, as if nothing had ever happened... it seemed like a dream, and now that Luz had broached the idea, Amity felt unsure... not because she didn't want to be Luz's girlfriend, but because she didn't feel good enough for Luz... not yet, anyway.

"Even after... everything? After I hurt you?"

"I still love you, and I know you still love me," said Luz. "But if you're not okay with it, I understand. We can still be friends... I just hope one day you can forgive yourself like I forgive you."

"Luz..." whispered Amity, her entire body shivering from both the cold and from a sudden rush of joy and regret, both flooding into her mind. "I do still love you... but I'm scared I might hurt you again."

"I'm not," said Luz, smiling. "Do I look scared to you?"

Amity choked back a sob, and didn't say anything else... she couldn't move, or think of anything else to say to Luz to discourage her from falling in love with her again. She wanted Luz so much... she wanted things to go back to the way they were... but every time she wanted it, she couldn't help but think back on what she'd done... couldn't help but worry that she was still a monster.

Luz leaned in, looking into Amity's eyes, waiting for any sign that Amity might still be unsure. She leaned in further, until their lips were just an inch apart. She leaned in one more time... and as her lips touched Amity's, Amity finally leaned back in. Luz wrapped her arms around Amity, and Amity responded in kind, and the two held each other close, and Luz could feel Amity still weeping as they kissed and embraced, her fists clenched tight as her arms remained wrapped around Luz's back.

"It's gonna be okay..." Luz whispered the second their lips parted. "I'm here and I always will be."

"Will you stop me if I ever try to turn again?"

"I won't have to," said Luz. "I know I won't have to."

"Promise me you'll stop me. Promise me-"

Luz kissed Amity again, and Amity unclenched her hands and placed them on Luz's back, caressing it as she continued to sob, as both girls held each other and cried until the rain finally stopped and a soft breeze brushed past their soaked bodies. The kiss ended, and the two stayed there and held each other until the clouds parted and a sliver of moonlight hit them. They held each other close and let all the hate and fear and rage and despair leave them, and though Amity continued to replay her betrayal and all her terrible deeds within her mind, in Luz's arms, she felt like everything truly would be okay.

And after several more minutes of sitting there by that tree, holding each other tightly, the two girls stood up and smiled, looking into each other's eyes and imagining, if only for a moment, that this terrible war was over.

"C'mon," said Luz, taking Amity's hand. "Let's go back to the rebel base."

"I'm sure they'll want to interrogate me," said Amity. "I promise, I'll tell them everything."

"You don't have to tell anyone anything, not tonight. Or even tomorrow."

"...they're going to be mad at me."

"I won't let them," Luz reassured her, as the two walked back into the forest, back toward the rebel base... back toward home. "You're safe with me."

Amity smiled, and her hands gripped Luz's arm tightly. Luz leaned against her and nuzzled her. It was cold, and Amity was soaked, but Luz was warm, and it felt so good to be near her... she missed this feeling so much.

There would be more tears... more battles, and more pain.

But now, Amity and Luz would endure them together.

And they would never be on opposite sides of the battlefield again.