In a Cave somewhere…
A small group was hiding in the darkness as they were stealthily hiding behind rocks.
Among them was someone in snow owl attire with duel artificial staffs. She signaled the Coven scouts as the biggest one sat close to her. Everyone was preparing for the attack as they heard cackling from the firelit cave.
"Okay, Garlog the Giant is inside. Be prepared for anything. You got this." Guard Captain advised the young woman, who nodded.
They crept into the cave as they saw the shadow of Garlog. His shadow was massive, and his teeth were giant! The girl steadied herself and then pounced with the rest of the scouts!
"Foolish Covens, groveling at the feet of that old coot, Belos! Leave this place or suffer the wrath of-!"
They were prepared with staffs ready as Garlog the Giant appeared as a tiny thing with a potion in his hand.
"That's… Garlog?" She questioned as the other Coven Scouts laughed at the tiny creature.
"Do not mock the Great Garlog the Giant! For I can grow before your very-!"
The girl grabbed him as she took away the bottle and handed it to the captain.
"Well, that was easy. How can a little guy rob twenty-seven village treasuries?" One of the scouts questioned then handed a bottle to the girl.
The captain sniffed the potion.
"Contraband Growth Potion, no wonder you hit it big with that look you stole." The captain answered as the demon chuckled nervously.
"Officer, I think there has been some sort of misunderstanding… If you could give that back…" He chuckled nervously.
"You might wanna check this out." One of the scouts informed then everyone gathered around to see the stolen snails and treasures.
"Every last stolen cent." The captain uttered, "Alright, your highness, let's complete the arrest. Bottle him."
She nodded and then stuffed Garlog into a bottle.
"Garlog the Giant, you are under arrest for illegal use of Contraband Growth Potions, Larceny, and damage to government property." She announced to the sealed-up demon.
"I got caught by one of the emperor's brats?" He whined but then faced an angered captain.
"You will refer to her as Princess Luzura of the Boiling Isles." He snarled then smiled at the girl, "Alright, your highness, one last thing."
The princess smiled behind her mask as she removed it so her face could be seen, then held the jar up high with a smile.
The captain then pulled out a flying camera.
"Alright, your highness, say cheese!"
"Cheese!"
Screech!
CLICK!
"Perfect." The captain grinned as he took the picture, "You know how sentimental your father gets and this is the best picture so far."
"And that makes that what? Twenty-seven criminals collected… ready for his scrapbook."
"Well, we got our required quota, let's head back to the Boiling Isles and get some rest. The emperor and the Owl Lady will kill us if you are late for bedtime."
"Sounds good. I hope we get enough." Luz grinned as she rubbed the back of her head.
"Money? But you don't need more money. You're a princess. I'm sure he can give you some."
"I want to earn it, after what happened a week ago…"
At the mural halls…
"It was during the Era of Kings when the war began, the Nun in Red, the infamous monstress spider woman, Demona Occide Magam caused horror and chaos to the land. Many lives perished and villages were lost. But it was the hard work and struggle of the emperor and the first coven that we were able to fight back and win our home again." Kikimora declared, "The titan chose Belos as his champion of the lands and showed him the powers to counteract Demona's evil magic, thus creating the coven system today, for we may fight alone or together, we are all united as one with the power of the Sigil."
The students were in awe as Luz looked at the Demona depiction and shivered. So, this was the bad guy witch her dad fought.
"What happened to Demona after they lost?" Gus wondered.
"The emperor killed her and dunk her body into the boiling sea so no one could resurrect her." She smoothly answered.
"Woah," Luz uttered, still a little bit nervous around the Nun in Red pictures in the stained glass.
"Now in this hall where the artifacts of the First Coven are held, including the great Hat of Healing, which could undo any wound, any disease, and any curse."
Wait, heal curses?
That's it.
Luz snuck inside while Kikimora continued the tour, Lilith, not too far behind.
Luz was about to take the hat when Lilith soon appeared behind her.
"It will not work. It is only an old relic from the past, your highness." Lilith formally informed.
"Lilith." Luz gasped.
"But I know of a way to heal Edalyn. I need your help though."
"Me?"
"Yes, if you want to help her, come with me, right now."
Near the abandoned Docks…
"Lilith, are you sure about this…?" Luz questioned.
"Yes, your highness, this is the only way to help Eda."
"But-but shouldn't my dad be here or Blue?"
"No! I mean, no, no, we can do this on our own, they can give us the cure."
"Lilith, I really think my dad should know this."
"No, he does not!"
"But-!"
"ENOUGH!"
Lilith then cast a spell to trap her in a bubble!
"YOU NOT RUIN THIS! I AM GOING TO FIX THINGS AND YOU WON'T STOP ME!" Lilith growled at her with her magic glowing threateningly.
But soon Eda arrived, and the witch's duel began.
Luz was scared, for Eda's magic was getting worse with every spell but she was capable of facing off against Lilith, even when she tried to threaten her life!
"Face it, Lilith! I am better than you!"
That is when the truth came out!
"IF YOU WERE SO GREAT, THEN WHY WAS IT SO EASY TO CURSE YOU!?"
Luz gasped, Eda was stunned, and Lilith covered her mouth.
Everything fell into place.
Who else could have gotten into her house?
Who else could have known about the Beast Scrolls?
Who else benefited from her curse?
"It. Was. You?" Eda growled.
"E-Eda, I-I can fix this… Just-!"
But Eda was blinded with rage as Lilith was overwhelmed and soon became the Owl Beast.
"Looks like everything is in place…" A voice smirked as Eda was sealed into a bubble, howling with rage.
"You're here," Lilith uttered as the monks appeared.
"We are, now to the ship."
Luz and Eda were taken away onto the ship and down into the boiling seas.
On the Ship…
The look on Luz's face was that of rage and grief as Lilith forced her hand out.
The monks came out with a knife and cut the princess's hand, allowing her blood to be filled into a jar. Once enough, she was back into a bubble.
"Now, we have everything we need."
"Good, good now everything can be how it was." Lilith declared happily then saw the princess's face, "Your Highness, please understand. This will fix everything-."
"I'm going to tell my dad."
Lilith gasped.
"I'll tell my dad everything. I'll tell everyone. You are going to pay for this." She gritted her teeth.
"Oh, then you are an eligibility."
Before Lilith or Luz could respond, the head monk tossed the bubble with Luz inside into the boiling sea!
"None of this is your fault, Luz." Blue assured her as the scout wrote down everything she said, "Lilith… I can't believe she did this, that she, a member of the royal family would do this to another."
The feeling of betrayal would soon turn into rage.
"She's not getting away with this. Luz, we will rescue Edalyn. Your father is already planning a rescue mission to the Eye of the Storm." Blue promised.
"Great, what are waiting for-."
"Luz, you can't go."
Luz was stunned by her words.
"What?"
"Luz, these people tried to kill you. We're not going to let them anywhere near you. Our mistake was trusting Lilith and you almost died. The only hope Eda has is for you to trust us to rescue her. You have to stay here."
"I'm not staying here while Eda is in danger!" Luz angrily told her.
"I'm not giving you a choice. Hooty!"
"Yeah? Hoot, Hoot." Hooty uttered.
"Make sure Luz stays here and tell the guards to keep her from leaving."
"Yes, Ma'am."
Blue presented the door Eda had to the human realm and gave Luz the key.
"Luz, if things get rough and they make their way into the house, go to the human realm and destroy the door."
"Blue, I have to help-."
"Then stay here! You are not to leave this house." She ordered then made her way to the door, "I promise, Eda will be saved, and Lilith will pay for her crimes."
Then she was gone.
At the Private quarters…
Luz fought with the Head Cultist.
"Oh, I should have chopped you into pieces before throwing you into the sea. But thank you for the door. My master will need it." He grinned.
"Your master?"
"Why, she was the one who brought you here." He sneered.
"Well, she needs to get a new door!" Luz declared, pinned by his arm!
Then, suddenly the door burst into flames as it was shattered.
"NO!" He howled as Luz stuck her tongue.
He snarled as he took out a blade, ready to slit her throat!
"I let you live. I won't make that mistake."
SLICE!
But it wasn't her throat.
It was his arm!
Belos hand was covered in blood as it returned to its original state.
"I suggest you beg for mercy." He snarled.
"Daddy!" Luz gasped as the cultist glared.
"Oh, but it will be you who will beg, soon enough…" He sneered, "FOR THE BLOOD CRUSADERS!"
He then turned into crows as Belos tried to blast them all, but they got away. After they were gone, he went to his daughter and hugged her.
"My sweet little princess."
"Daddy…"
Late at night at the Castle….
The Coronation Party was postponed for another week even though everyone knew that Luz was his daughter now, it would have to wait a week or so to deal with the issues of Lilith and the return of the Blood Crusaders.
Luz was taken to a bedroom custom-made just for her for King and her to sleep in, while Eda, now returned to normal thanks to Lilith, who shared her curse but is still in chains.
"Edalyn Clawthorne, you saved my child, came to her aid from a devious peril. For that, I thank you as her father." Belos thanked with a bow as everyone who watched was stunned.
This was a rare thing to do.
"For my graduated, I will grant any wish you desire." He announced.
"Any wish?"
Eda thought about it for a moment then looked to Lilith.
"So, you will grant any wish I want?"
Belos looked at Lilith and sighed. He knew what she wanted. Luz wanted the same thing and Lilith cooperated with information about the Blood Crusaders and the Beast Scrolls they had.
"Lilith Clawthorne shall be pardoned for her crimes and placed in your custody for the time being. She will be your responsibility until otherwise. However, she will be stripped of her status, title, riches, prestige, and…"
With the wave of a hand, her sigil came off and it was crushed into his hands.
"Removed from my coven until she proves herself worthy to be in it again. I trust you will help her set her straight?"
Kikimora could not believe the irony and neither did the Coven Heads.
"You have my word."
"Right… You, my daughter, and your companion can leave with Lilith in a few days. I will also take brief custody of your door to have it repaired. You will have the full hospitality of my castle and always be welcomed here."
"Thanks, Old man. Just remember to throw a makeup party for your kid. We were all too tired to celebrate her."
"That I will do. Dismiss."
Everyone soon dispersed as Lilith was de-shackled but pushed to Eda's side.
"Eda, you didn't have to-."
"You're my sister. Besides, you share my curse and became completely humiliated by the entire Boiling Isles, it's the least I could do." Eda grinned as Belos couldn't help but remember his own sibling.
Luz frowned as she felt the guilt in her chest, especially since Eda can no longer do magic.
"Do not blame yourself for the actions of others, your highness. Everything turned out alright and no one on our side was killed."
"Yeah, still can't believe the Owl Lady used her one free wish from the emperor to pardon her sister, which is rarer than Titan's Blood. She just used it on that traitor."
"Well… she is her sister. What can you do?"
"At least she's out. Serves her right after what she did. Heard Kikimora is taking charge until the Golden Guard is old enough."
"Yeah, heard he and the other two will be schooling somewhere close by after the Saint Palistrum disaster."
Luz then zoned out as the boat took her back to the Owl House, still thinking about what happened. Thinking about how to help Eda and learn more about this world and her strange powers.
At the Emperor's Palace….
The Healer Coven Hettie Cutburn kneeled before the emperor with her new.
"It seems that your theory is true. We have found the essence of Titan's Blood within the samples you provided. Though not as potent as yours, there is an alarming amount." She reported as she could tell Belos was concerned, "It is probably nothing to worry about, but we should keep an eye on her in the meantime, maybe schedule appointments."
"But how did her power manifest now and not when she was younger?" Kikimora wondered as she was greatly intrigued by this development.
"Possibly the environment of the isles has caused a chain reaction in her system, but it is a theory. We will need to do a bit more tests to see." Hettie informed, "So far, it is not negatively affecting her health."
"Good, I will arrange appointments and have her watched."
"Sounds good."