"Ok, so let me get this straight," Gus said, "There are two different Alien species in the Human realm."
"Yep."
"And one exterminated most of the other."
"Yeah."
"And now, you, along with the other Loric, are hiding from the Mogadorians until you get your powers, called legacies, at which point you will try and fight their entire species."
Luz sighed. "When you put it like that, it doesn't sound like a great plan, does it?"
Willow and Gus shook their heads at the same time.
Willow looked at her with curiosity mixed with pity. "Why? Why would the Mogadorians do that?"
Luz shrugged. "Me and my Cepan had a lot of theories as to why. The main one was resources. The Mogadorians have killed their planet, and it is not really capable of supporting life anymore. They needed the resources, and Lorien was the most resource rich planet in the galaxy."
Willow just seemed to grow more confused, "But if they were just after resources, why did they exterminate the Loric, and why are they so hellbent on killing you and the other Loric Garde?"
Luz opened her mouth, but she didn't know how to answer that. "I-I don't know. Maybe they're just Mogadorians and the Loric have always had what one could call a rocky relationship. Maybe they just want to exterminate the last of their old enemy? Sorry Willow, I have no clue."
Willow gave her a comforting smile. "Don't worry about it Luz."
Gus threw the 'They Walk Among Us' onto the table. "I guess this is just fiction." Gus sighed. "Alas, I shall have to search for a new source of information on the human realm."
Luz had an idea. "Hey Gus, do you get these regularly?" She pointed towards the magazine.
Gus nodded. "I did. I actually have been paying Eda for magazines from the Human
Realm for years."
Luz smiled. "Can you keep getting the new version of these? The likelihood of there being anything about the Loric is not high, I know, but I want to keep an eye out for my fellow Loric. If you want, I can answer any question you have about the human realm you have."
Her phone didn't have the ability to see the news, and she no longer had her laptop, so she was cut off from the news that she would usually use to keep an eye out for the other Loric. Maybe this magazine could tell her the status of the other Garde. A far shot, absolutely. But one she had to take.
Gus was very excited to have someone to ask all of his questions too. "Absolutely!"
Willow smiled. Then something seemed to occur to her. "Why haven't you and the other Loric children tried to contact each other? It seems like if you were all in contact, it would be easy to coordinate and find each other fast."
Luz winced. "Well, one of us tried." She lifted her pant leg and put her foot onto the table, showing off her Brands. She pointed to the symbol for One. "After One died, a person with the username of Two posted this online: Nine now Eight, are you out there?" Luz pointed to the symbol for two, "About five minutes after that, They were dead. The Mogadorians are keeping such careful watch over anyplace where we might talk to each other that is not worth the risk."
"Fair enough." A circle in the air, and Willow's scroll appeared in the air in front of her. "Oop, sorry Luz, I have to go." She gave her a smile. "Thank you for trusting me with your secret."
Luz smiled. "Of course. It feels amazing to no longer have to keep it a secret." Willow left, and Gus pulled out a notepad, turning to Luz with an excited grin.
"Well, I have a few questions about the human realm, if you are willing to answer?"
"Of course. Ask away."
"Ok, so, there are massive metal birds that carry you everywhere?"
It had been a few days since she had told her new friends about the Loric and the Mogadorians.
Those days had been spent training.
Constant and intense training, figuring out her legacy. Her one Legacy.
She was excited for the next one. According to Camila, it should only take a week between her first legacy and Telekinesis. It had been a week, so she should be getting Telekinesis soon.
She had no idea how she would train it, but Eda probably had ideas. Just like how she had ideas on how to train Externa.
She winced slightly at the reminder of Eda's training. It wasn't that the training was ineffective, it was just… difficult, even with her Garde strength. Swimming as a being made out of solid steel was difficult. So was repeatedly swinging through a forest like spiderman and purposefully ramming into a massive tree while trying to turn to steel at the last moment.
The most difficult however, was her training with Abomination Goo. Although, physically it was the easiest.
It had started out with Eda summoning a bit of Abomination Goo and telling her to use Externa on it.
Then, Eda had spun her staff, and took control of Luz's body.
"Just like I thought." Eda smirked. "When you are made of that goo, any witch with enough knowledge and willpower can take control of you. That may not be a concern in the human realm, but while you are here, it will be a major handicap. No changing out of that form until you can control yourself." Eda smiled sadistically. "Now, Luz, go clean Hooty."
And she had. Her body was completely under Eda's control. She had done a lot of chores that day. And the next, and the day after that. Even today, that part of her training session hadn't gone well. Although the Owl House was cleaner than it ever had been according to King, so that was nice. Even if she still had no idea how to resist Eda's control.
Fortunately, today's session ended early when the clouds gathered on the horizon. Eda had needed to do errands before the rain arrived, so training was cut short. She was rather vague about what she was getting, but, fortunately, because her legacy training ended early, Eda would be teaching her her first spell.
She was so excited!
But right now, Luz watched King tearing apart a sock that had gotten stuck on his nose. She wasn't ashamed to admit she had found the sight too adorable to not record.
"And here, we can see the most powerful and vicious creature in the Boiling Isles, The King of Demons, facing his mortal enemy, the Ducky Sock." She was trying to mimic David Attenborough, and was doing a pretty good job if she said so herself.
He managed to get it off of his nose and shredded it. "Ha! Take that ducky sock!" He stomped on the pieces just to rub it in.
She let him revel in that victory before asking her question. "So, why did you want to talk?"
He seemed excited and surprised that he forgot. "Oh, Right."
He jumped up onto a box next to a board covered by a cloth. "Number Five! You have spent your time here training your powers, but it is high time you learn of my kind, if only so you can avoid a terrible fate should you cross us! Prepare yourself for:" He pulled off the sheet, revealing a variety of pictures of various demons on the board. "Demons 101!"
He adopted a studious tone. "Demons like me are grim tricksters of the twilight, creatures of sulfur and bone!"
"And cute paws!"
King nodded. "And cute paws." He pointed to a picture of a cup of water bathed in light and a picture of two people talking behind a demon's back. "Our only weaknesses are purified water and passive aggressive comments." He shuddered. "Even demons have inner demons."
"The most powerful among us is the Snaggleback!" He rips off the picture of the passive aggressive comments to reveal a drawing of a pink creature with a spiky shell on its back and long, lanky limbs with needle-like teeth. "He is-"
"A bad boy?" She said, holding in her laughter. She couldn't help it. King was just so cute!
"Luz, Listen! This stuff could save your life one day!"
"I am listening! I'm even recording it so I can watch it later." Admittedly, she was recording it for the cuteness and not the knowledge, but King didn't need to know that.
King didn't look convinced, but before he could say anything, thunder rumbled from outside.
Luz looked out the window and saw the first drop of rain hit a flower.
"Do you think Eda will be ok? She's not back yet."
King scoffed. "Don't worry about her. She's an extremely powerful witch. She can protect herself from hot water."
"Are you sure?"
King scoffed "Do you doubt the word of the King of Demons!"
Luz gave an exaggerated bow "Of course not, my sovereign, I am worried is all."
King preened. "Well, you don't have to worry." He pointed out the window. "See"
Sure enough, Eda was heading towards the Owl House at a leisurely pace, a glowing orange shield surrounding her.
Luz let out a relieved sigh.
She walked out of the door, putting her hand into her pocket and using Externa on the steel ball. It felt odd, feeling the boiling rain hitting her skin when it was made of steel. She couldn't feel the temperature, but she could feel each drop evaporate.
"Hey Eda! Did you get what you needed?"
Eda looked at her with a smile while swirling magic in her hands. "Yeah I got what I needed." She patted her satchel, which clinked like glass.
Eda flung the magic gathered in her hands towards the Owl House and it expanded like a net, falling over the house.
Eda slumped over. Leaning on her staff to hold herself up. She walked over to the house, ducking under the barrier, then leaned against the house, breathing deeply.
Luz did the same, although she was a lot less tired. Although she was still a little tired. When she got under the barrier, she let go of her hold on Externa.
As her skin returned to normal, a question entered her head. "Say, why do people call you the Owl Lady?"
Eda preened. "It's because I am so wise."
Hooty spoke with his grating voice, "It's because she throws up owl pellets! Hoot."
King spoke. "Its because she is obsessed with shiny things."
"No I'm not!"
King took a pen out from… somewhere, and clicked it, causing its end to light up.
Eda's pupils widened. "It shines, and sparkles, shimmers and delights, I must have it for my nest!" She lunged for the pen, but King yanked it out of her path at the last moment and turned it off.
Eda groaned on the ground, and slowly got up. Luz heard several pops come from Eda's back and she winced. That… could not feel good.
Eda walked inside and collapsed onto the coach.
Luz approached Eda, knowing she would have to be tactical. "Hey, Eda, did you know
how great you look in that outfit?"
Eda was not convinced. "What do you want?"
Luz winced. That did not work as planned. "So, you said you would start teaching me magic today an-"
"Sorry kiddo. Not yet. All I will be doing tonight is sleeping." She threw a blanket over herself just to emphasize her point.
Ok. It was time to bring out the big guns.
After several minutes of bargaining, she managed to get the pen from King. Sure, she could have just taken it, but that would have been rude. So, with a promise to do the next chore Eda gave him, or help him with a bet between him and Eda, she got the pen.
She held it out, clicking it on and off again right next to Eda's ear.
She heard grumbling from the blank, then a gasp. "Shiny thing."
Eda threw the blanket off, and her eyes immediately focused on the glowing pen.
Luz clicked it a few more times. "Oh, do you want this?"
Eda lunged, but it was easy as pie for Luz to keep the pen out of Eda's hand.
"Nope." She held it firmly in her grasp. Even with Eda desperately clawing at her hand, she couldn't pry the pen away from her. "Not until you teach me my first spell."
Eda growled. "I respect your cunning, but I also hate you for it." She got up.
"Ok," She stretched. "Do you know where magic comes from?"
She didn't, but she had a guess. "From the planet?" That's how legacies worked after all.
"Yes, but that is not how witches cast magic." She pulled out a drawing of a heart, with a large sack attached to it. "We collect magic from the world around us, storing it in a sack of magical bile attached to our hearts." She rolled the picture up, storing it in her hair. "I don't know Loric biology, but I would be willing to bet you have a similar organ to harness the power that Lorien gave you."
"We do. Although mine isn't fully developed. That's why I only have one legacy developed. Although ours are in varying positions. I don't know where mine is. It apparently depends on the legacy."
Eda nodded. "Ok, so, for magic, the bile is expended to create a magic circle in the air, which depending on the intent of the witch, can cause a lot of different effects." She drew a circle in the air. "Today, I shall teach you too make… light." It crumbled into itself, turning into a ball of light.
She drew another bigger circle in the air. "The bigger the circle," She yawned, "The bigger the spell." She completed the circle, and a sun's worth of light flooded the room.
It quickly dispersed. "Any… any questions?"
"Nope! But can I see it one more time?" At Eda's glare, she held up her phone. "I'll record it this time!"
"Fine." She drew a circle in the air, and right as she completed it, she collapsed.
"Oooh, you killed her! I call dibs on her stuff."
Luz gave King a blank look. "She's not dead. Just passed out."
King walked up and slapped Eda. "Seems pretty dead to me."
Luz grabbed King's paw and held it in front of Eda's mouth, letting him feel her breath.
"See, she's just asleep." She picked up Eda, grunting as her sore muscles held Eda up. "Come on, let's take her upstairs." She carried Eda up the stairs, and opened the door to Eda's room, blinking in surprise at what she saw inside.
"Wow, she was not kidding about the nest." It wasn't a nest of blankets or anything remotely comfortable looking, it was made of twigs and small pieces of cloth and fuzz.
She laid Eda down gently and exited the room.
When she got downstairs, she immediately began working on replicating what Eda had done. Drawing a circle repeatedly in the air, hoping to see something, anything.
Alas, nothing happened.
"Now, where were we? Ah yes, the Snaggleback."
Luz kind of tuned him out. She knew it was rude, but she needed to learn this.
"Luz, why aren't you paying attention! Demons are far more interesting than that magic stuff!"
Luz stopped her moving and looked at King. "I'm sorry King, but I need to learn this."
"Why? Demons are so much more interesting! Just think about how many ways they can kill you!"
Luz sighed. "I need to learn this. If I can learn this, so can the other Loric. We need every advantage we can get." Her voice weakened. "I need to know how to do this. I need to be able to do it. If we can learn magic, we can use it to fight the Mogs."
King sighed. "If I help you learn how to use magic, will you listen to my lesson?"
"Yes, of course I will!"
"Ok." King put a claw to his chin, "I see Eda take a yellow potion before she uses magic every morning. That's probably where her magic comes from! I know where she keeps them too!"
Luz hesitated. She knew it wasn't smart to drink something without knowing what it was, but she really wanted to do magic. "Ok."
"Great! I'll go grab one. Wait right here."
It only took about thirty seconds, but the whole time, Luz was fretting. Was this really a good idea? But, then again, she needed to learn how to do magic.
King handed her the golden potion.
Lightning rumbled, startling her, and she almost dropped the potion, but she managed to catch it.
Luz took a deep breath, and lifted the potion to drink it.
As she was about to however, the lights went out, and the sound of Hooty screaming sounded out through the house.
"Hooot! HOOOOT!"
Luz put the potion down and raced to the front door, hand reaching into her pocket to grab the steel ball.
Hooty was knocked over, and a creature shrouded in shadow stood above the fallen door, long claws scratching into the wood.
It looked at her, then turned and ran into the Boiling Rain.
Luz looked between the door and King. She couldn't leave him alone, and she couldn't take him into the Boiling Rain.
She ran back towards King, picking him up.
"Did you see that Luz! It was the Snaggleback!"
"Are you sure?"
"Certain. Nothing else could survive in the Boiling Rain."
"Ok." She nodded. Then, a horrifying thought hit her. "Eda! We need to go make sure she's safe! She's defenseless up there!"
"Yes! Go forth and do battle against my enemies!" King climbed up to her shoulder and pointed his finger forward, directing her to the top of the stairs.
She ran as fast as possible, her muscles screaming at her as she did so.
She burst into Eda's room, immediately going to the nest in the center of the room.
It was empty. That and the broken window told Luz everything she needed to know.
"Oh no." She looked towards King. "You're the demon expert, what do you know about the Snaggleback?"
"Let me get my book!" He jumped off of her shoulder and ran towards the door.
She managed to grab him before he ran through the door. "Don't run off King, we need to stick together. Let's get your book together, ok?"
King nodded. "Alright." He climbed back onto her shoulder. "Forwards minion!"
She ran back down the stairs, heading towards the living room.
Before she got there however, she felt something pounce on her back, sending her and King to the ground.
Luz felt something hit her back again, and a loud yowl emanated, along with a sudden cold feeling on her back. It must have tried scratching her.
She balled her fist, and sent it straight into the demon's face, which looked like… EDA!
Her eyes were black, and she was covered in feathers, but that was definitely Eda.
Luz grabbed King and ran. She didn't know if she could take this creature, but saving King was more important than trying to beat Eda.
The beast chased her, but she eventually managed to hide away from the creature in one of the rooms.
She put King down and huddled close to him. "That's not the Snaggleback, that's Eda!"
King nodded and pulled out two small pieces of paper. "This was around the neck of the bottle I took," He held out one of the pieces of paper, which read 'an Elixir a day' "and I found this one on the ground when Eda attacked us." He gave her the other, which read 'keeps the curse away.' "That potion isn't where Eda gets her magic! It's what keeps her from turning into that! This is all my fault! I just wanted you to care about demons as much as you care about magic."
"Well, we are facing a demon, so what do you know?"
King smiled… at least she thought it was a smile. He looked happy, so… success.
"Ok! She had black eyes." He drew a picture of a pair of black eyes, then a sun. "Demons with black eyes are sensitive to light! Can you make light?"
She nodded and pulled her phone out of her back pocket, and… it was scratched. It had five long claw marks going down the back of the phone.
She turned it on, and that, surprisingly, worked. But when she tried to turn on the flashlight, it didn't work.
"Sorry King, we'll have to do something else."
"Can't you do the light speel Eda showed you? You said that you have a bile sack, so why can't you?"
Luz shook her head. "I think they are incompatible. Eda doesn't have legacies, so why would I be able to do magic." She played the video again, with the volume off, of course. "No matter what I do, it's just waving my hands in the air for me, I'll never be able to do… what's that?"
"What's what?"
"That symbol in the circle." She pointed to it, but he still didn't see it. She looked around and grabbed a leaf, laying it over her phone and tracing the symbol, then, on instinct, she tapped it.
The leaf crumpled, and she watched as it floated into the air as a ball of light.
She gasped, cradling the ball of magic as it floated in her hand.
"I just did magic! I Just Did Magic!"
"Uh, Luz, I hate to burst your bubble, but that light isn't nearly big enough to do anything."
She smiled, "Well, I know how we can beat Eda."
The plan was simple.
King would lure Eda towards Luz, and when they got there, Luz would activate the glyph she had drawn onto the wall, hopefully incapacitating Eda.
It worked like a charm.
Eda was put back into her nest with a straw in her mouth connected to the elixir King had stolen at the beginning of the night.
Then, they cleaned.
They spent the entire rest of the night cleaning the house, in the hopes of not getting grounded for the next few months.
When they finished, they went upstairs and waited for Eda to wake up, with Luz drawing the glyph over and over again until she could draw it in her sleep.
Eventually, Eda woke up, finishing the last of the elixir.
"Uh, What happened? Usually the headache isn't this bad." She vomited up some sort of pink monkey, which just laid on the floor.
She picked up the elixir. "I was looking for this. Where did it go?"
King approached, "Uh, about that…"
Eda froze, and in a voice dripping with barely concealed rage. "Did you steal my elixir!?"
King held up his hands, "And Luz learned magic! It wasn't all bad." He pointed to where Luz sat in the corner, drawing glyphs and making light.
Eda smiled. "I guess not." She looked towards King. "You're helping Luz with whatever chores I give her tonight. And tomorrow. And for the next few months."
"Damnit."