Present time at the Owl House…
Eda woke up from her owl nest, shaved her legs, and inserted her golden fang to add a bit of flare.
She looked at herself in the mirror for one last check-up before heading downstairs, hearing Belos and the chuckles of his underlings.
"It was at that moment, I understood that any door can become a Portal Door to anywhere for the In-Between is some wort of spaces between the carpet of reality. So far, my research has only seen other worlds, but not yet interacted with them. Still haven't cracked that nut, yet." He happily informed his daughter.
"So, the doors could take us to more than just two and from the Demon Realm and the Human Realm?" Luz asked him.
"Right, but it must align to the right algorithm for each world. Anything slight can leave you trapped- good morning, Edalyn." Belos answered.
"Why are you in my house?" She questioned as she hated how the emperor comes and goes as he pleases in her house.
"I came to deliver the findings to your strange and intriguing information collected so far," Belos answered as he pointed to King, who was doing his best to read the complex wording of the notes.
"Then I asked Dad about your door repairs and was kind of interested in where it came from," Luz explained.
"Kid, door-carving and magical carving, in general, started with our family." Eda deadpanned.
"Indeed, for generations, we have expanded, explored, and improved as mystical carvers beyond the confines of our limits." Belos proudly spoke of their history, "We pushed the boundaries of palisman, Doors, mystical objects of great power. Even the constructions in the Demon Realm were based on the dedication and hard work of our family, Luzura. Even before I rose as a ruler, within our bloodline, we have shaped the realm."
"Woah…" Luz uttered as her father chuckled.
"One day, when it's time, I will pass on that legacy to you just as I have your cousins." Belos proudly told his daughter.
Luz grinned at him, feeling pride in her family.
"So… Eda's door was the first one?" Luz wondered.
"Yep, made from an ancestor of mine, long ago. She had it with her statue so only a true decedent of her bloodline could take it." Eda answered, "Still surprised that the old man let me keep it, giving I stole it from the family."
"Eda stole the door?" Luz gasped.
"Yes, but… I understood why she did it. Ugh… I still can't believe her…" Belos sighed with frustration as one of the guards gave the emperor some gum, which was a big red flag.
Whenever Belos was too stressed and wanted to smoke (hasn't smoked at all since the war was over and he had his nephews and nieces) he needed some gum.
Suddenly, there was a scream from the room! Belos and the others moved from the kitchen to the living room to see Lilith changing!
"Help… me!" Lilith pleaded as Belos looked puzzled at the sight.
"A new beast? Hmm… A mutation from the splitting of the Owl Beast. Intriguing…" The emperor muttered with intrigue as Eda got her a potion.
"Easy, easy, stress will only make the curse stronger," Eda advised and then gave her some of the elixirs.
After her arm was restored, the talons and feathers are done.
"It seemed that the curse was split, the soul that transferred into Lilith individualized and transformed into a separate entity, mutated into a new breed of Beast." Belos analyzed as the scouts wrote it down, then were handed the chewed gum in a napkin to throw away.
When the smartest witch in the demon realm is analyzing something. Many would kill to hear even a minute lecture of Belos's thoughts and research into… anything really. Lilith then soon learned an err… side effect of the curse. For the emperor he uses it as a blessing like say, removing his ears from the constant babbles of mouthy lords and ladies or ambassadors who are vain as they are prideful.
"Is this what I put you through…? I had no idea the suffering you've endured." Lilith muttered to herself.
"You haven't even scratched the surface of this type of suffering, my dear. Take it from one who has been for decades upon decades." Belos coldly informed, "Though it is nice to walk around in your sister's talons after what you have done."
"Dad." Luz scolded her father.
"I will not be forgiving her anytime soon, my Princess. She lied to her family, put you in danger, and broke the trust she had with the coven. She has a long way to go to regain that trust."
Lilith flinched at his cold words.
"But hey, you're getting better, and you got me to help you get through it, and nothing to worry about! I've stacked it all over the house. If you need one, just chug it down." Eda declared.
"You are fortunate to have a beast not so…. Picky…" Belos sighed as his eyes turned amber and his head jerked away suddenly, "I didn't say pompous! …I thought you were going to leave my thoughts be. …Yes, yes, I know tea is delightful for a pairing with the elixir but just once you can have it-. Forget I ask."
"That's still creepy when you do that. Forgot you can talk to it." Eda mentioned.
"How do you think I feel? He is an occupant of my body and mind, we still have to get along, no matter how much we argue…?" Belos sighed as his eyes turned amber again, "Speaking of elixirs…"
A scout presented a starlight truffle laced with elixir and Belos ate one.
"I don't know how you guzzle yours without something to pair it with. Both my beast and I need something to stomach it." He sighed.
"Eh… You get used to it." Eda admitted as she opened the door to give Lilith some space.
"Why did you take the door?" Luz wondered to her mentor as the three were going outside.
"I was actually… trying to hide from someone. That's the only reason the Old Fart allowed me to keep the door." Eda admitted.
"Who?" Luz wondered.
"She speaks of me~!" A chipper voice sang.
"Ugh…" Belos groaned in anguish, "I need more."
The guard brought out two pieces of gum.
"Lemon or strawberry?"
"Both!"
Belos then shoved them into his mouth out of pure stress.
"Great, she's here…" Eda moaned as the tornado appeared and then dispersed to reveal an old woman witch with a hawk palisman.
"Gwendolyn…" They both groaned.
