"Alright, peoples, we're here." Eda said.
"Huh?" Luz let out, looking around to notice she and her mother were in Eda's staff and the stairway up to the nostrils were in front of them.
'How long was I thinking?!' Luz thought in surprise.
"Yikes, the stairs look worse than I thought." Skara said, looking at the steps.
"Oh, it's not the steps that will kill you." Eda said, "This is the easy part, that hard part is the fifty foot climb straight up."
"Climb?" Camila asked her.
"Don't worry, I've got climbing gear for all of us." Eda said to her, "Now, let's get up there."
The group began their climb of the steps, watching their steps as they were falling apart so they had to watch their feet or else something bad would happen. This could go wrong very quickly.
"Are we sure we can't use magic? At least to make a more stable walkway?" Willow asked.
"We could but it will only last so long before we exhaust ourselves and our magic. Trust me, this isn't my first time going up the nostrils." Eda said to them.
"It's the one place of the Titan that effect's magic, making it hard to keep it under control." Eda said, "When we get inside the nostril, we'll be fine, but going up, that causes problems."
Luz gripped her concealment stone.
"But it won't be TOO big a problem, will it?" Luz asked her, worried about her concealment stone.
If it stopped working, Willow and Skara will see her true appearance! Luz wasn't ready for anyone to see her true self yet!
"Oh, don't worry Kid, your concealment stone should be fine… I think… I'm 60/40 sure." Eda said.
'60/40?!' Luz thought.
'Concealment stone?' Willow and Skara thought.
"Alright, follow me!" Eda said.
They continued up the steps, putting their worries/curiosity aside to focus on getting to the top to find their objective. The fossilized stone mucus of the Titan.
"Alright, we're getting close."
"Meaning it will get harder?" Camila asked.
"Yep. Now just let me get in these harnesses." Eda said, drawing a spell circle to put them in everyone.
"Alright, who wants to go first?"
"You mean lead the climb up to the nostrils since we reached the top of the steps?" Skara asked.
"Yep." Eda said with a nod.
"I will!" Luz said.
"No, you won't!" Camila argued.
"But mom! I can handle it!" Luz said to her, "I HAVE to do it."
"But Luz-"
"Please, mom….." Luz said, giving Camila a firm yet pleading expression, "If I can help these two find someone that's missing, maybe there's hope for me."
Eda did her best to hide her smile.
'I have a feeling that we're going to kill two giraffes with a one spell here.' Eda thought, putting the pieces together, 'But who am I to ruin a surprise? I want to see this play out too.'
"…Okay, Mija. But please be careful." Camila said to her.
"I always am." Luz said.
'No you're not.' Camila thought in worry.
Luz began climbing. Behind her was Eda and Camila while Willow and Skara were the last ones in climbing.
"Slow and steady kid." Eda said to Luz, watching her climb from below.
"Got it!" Luz said to her "other mother."
Luz moved slowly, making sure that she didn't miss a rock to grab.
'Slow and steady, thinking of it like a rock climbing wall at the youth center.' Luz thought, taking calming breaths as she climbed.
Luz heard a crack and suddenly she was falling.
"AAAHHHHH!"
Luz fell for a few feet before her hood was grabbed.
"Don't worry, Kid, I gotcha!" Eda said.
"I told you this was dangerous!" Camila said as Luz was moved to climb next to her.
"And If I didn't go up first, then no one would've been able to catch me." Luz said.
"That is not a good point." Camila said with a tiny glare.
"And we're kind of tied together." Willow said to her.
"We're almost there." Luz said, "We need to keep going."
"I'll take the lead this time, kid. Just stay close to your mom. " Eda said.
"Great idea." Camila said in agreement.
"Okay." Luz said.
"Great, now try not to drop your concealment stone, I have a feeling you aren't ready to have that conversation with your new friends yet." Eda said.
'So she is wearing a concealment stone!' Willow and Skara thought as Luz gulped and gazed down to them.
The group climbed up the cliff more. As they did, the witches could fell their magic actually getting weaker without even using it. Like their bile sacks were being sucked dry from the inside. Camila was the only one that wasn't feeling the effects.
"Keep going! We're almost there!" Eda shouted, even if she was groaning from her bile sack weakening.
'This is even worse than last time!' Eda thought.
"This stone snot better be worth it!" Skara shouted.
"For Boscha, Skara... for Boscha." Willow said.
Luz groaned with each climb, she was feeling the effects worse than the others, being new when it comes to the magic realm.
'Keep it together. Keep it together.' Luz thought, trying to ignore the small pain in her chest.
"Mija, are you okay?" Camila asked, noticing her groans.
"I'm fine, mom." Luz lied.
Luz climbed to the top, breathing heavily.
"Made…it!" Luz said, huffing and puffing
"Luz, are you sure you're okay?" Camila asked, climbing up next to Luz.
"I…..I'm fine." Luz said, holding her chest a bit.
Camila wasn't stupid, she had to be the one that checked on Luz because they could never bring her to a hospital, she knew her daughter's bile sac felt like it was going to explode out of her chest.
"We should rest since we're here. All that climbing has exhausted all of us." Eda said, reaching into her hair and pulling out a canteen of water. "Here, let's drink up. I've got about 3 canteens in my hair."
She tossed one to Camila, knowing she would use it on Luz first before herself.
"Here Luz, drink."
Luz didn't have the strength to say anything as she grabbed the canteen and drink from it. The water helped more than Luz thought as she felt her chest cooling down as she sighed in relief.
"Thanks." Luz said as she handed the canteen back to Camila.
Luz sat up with a groan, holding her chest.
"Here's one for you two as well." Eda said, tossing a canteen to Skara and Willow as well.
"Thanks." Willow said, catching it and drinking some before offering it to Skara.
"Oh thank Titan!" Skara said, drinking it deeply.
"Thankfully, the hard part is over." Eda said.
"Good. Now where is this fossilized snot?" Camila asked, looking around the LARGE nostril cave.
"It should be just a bit inside. The deeper you go, the more fossilized the mucus is, so it's better to get some of the least hard stuff so it's easy to chip." Eda said, pulling out her third canteen and drinking from it, "Still, this stuff is like gold, because it's so hard to get up here, this stuff is rare in the Isles."
"Then how do you know it's here?" Skara asked.
"I told you, I've been up here before." Eda said, slowly getting up and walking into the nostril, "Now, let's get inside this old god's nose."
"That feels so wrong somehow." Skara said as she and Willow got up to follow Eda.
Luz tried to do the same but Camila suddenly picked her up, carrying her daughter on her back.
"Mom?" Luz asked.
"You think I don't notice how you're more hurt than the others?" Camila asked, "I'm not letting you strain yourself."
"Mom, I said-"
"You CANNOT lie to me, Luz. I raised you, so I know you're in pain. So until we get back to normal ground, you are not leaving my side." Camila said firmly.
Luz closed her eyes, knowing she can't argue with her mom.
'At least I can just rest for a moment.' Luz thought before she doses off to sleep.
Skara and Willow looked worried, Luz didn't live in a world of magic, so who knows how bad this trip was on her magic. They may not have known her long but they didn't want anything bad to happen to Luz just for helping them.
'We need to find the mucus fast.' They thought.
They entered the nostril, it was pitch black. Eda made a spell circle and made a large light spell.
"I thought you said your bile sacks would be weakened?" Camila said.
"I did but I've been here before, so I know just how much to use without straining myself." Eda explained, "Besides, I'm older, so my Bile sac is more developed than these kids, especially Three Eyes. How you holding up, Kid?"
Luz's arm shook as she gave a thumbs up.
"Good." Luz said/groaned out.
"Don't worry, we'll be out of here soon." Camila said to Luz.
"Kid, you can sit this one out if-"
"No! I need to be a part of this!" Luz said.
"You can't even stand! That's why I'm carrying you!" Camila reminded Luz, carrying Luz inside the nostril.
"Please mom. I need to be here." Luz said.
"Why?!" Camila asked.
"Because if I help someone find their relative, then there's hope for me to do that as well!"
Once again, Luz had to remind her adopted mother she still needed to find her birth family here.
"I'm not saying you should give up but you should know when to stop and rest before you exhaust yourself!" Camila said.
"I... I know, but this is important."
"Not as important as your well-being." Camila said.
"As heartfelt as this is, I think we should focus on getting the mucus and leaving." Skara said.
"Yeah, the sooner we leave, the sooner Luz will be better." Willow said.
"The same for all of us. I feel like I'm having a stroke." Skara said before looking at Eda. "So what does the mucus look like? Gold, emerald? What?"
"It depends on when it was fossilized, the stuff in the way back was fossilized a lot later, which makes it fresher, but the stuff closer to the entrance is older, exposed to the elements and all that." Eda said, "What we're looking for is somewhere in between, because if we go in the way back, there's a good chance your bile sacs will actually explode."
"So, is the rest of the skull like that, is that why no one comes here?" Willow asked.
"No, it's only the nostrils." Eda said, "Lots of theories about why, some say that it's because the Titan doesn't want anyone going through his nose, others say it's because of how strong the mucus is."
"Well can we hurry up now? Because I don't want my daughter's heart EXPLODING." Camila said firmly.
"Don't worry, that won't happen." Eda said, "We're looking for the green colored one."
"Green mucus rock, got it." Willow said, quickly looking around for it since she didn't want Luz's heart to explode either.
"Hey, I think I found it." Skara said.
Eda pulled a pickaxe out of her hair.
"Perfect! Let's to work." Eda said as she walked to Skara. "Step aside, I'll show you how to mine for snot."
"Now it takes steady hands."
Eda walked it with all her strength. She took a deep breath as she raised the pick axe up and slammed it down, creating sparks in the cave.
"This is safe, right?" Camila asked.
"Perfectly fine. Just a few more swings." Eda said.
More sparks came from it, enough for Willow to put herself between Skara and the sparks.
"Better keep our distance." Willow said.
After several minutes, Eda got enough. Eda pulled out a sack and loaded it with all the stone mucus she chipped away.
"Alright, that should be enough for 5 doses if we use it right. Let's go." Eda said, "Luckily, if we go up towards the sky, the staff won't be affected, I can carry two at a time, and it will take five minutes for me to get them out and back. So who first?"
"I think Luz should go first, she's clearly in the worst state." Skara said, "And I'll go with her while... Mrs. Noceda was it? She can stay here with Willow, because at least one adult should be here with the other."
"Woah, that is a very mature idea." Willow said, "You're usually the cuddly one, I'm the mature one, and Boscha is... well Boscha."
"I'm technically the oldest, how am I not the most mature?" Skara asked, crossing her arms. "Is it because I'm short?"
"No, it's because most of the time you're scared of your own shadow and you tend to egg Boscha on when she thinks of something stupid." Willow said, "Also because you like to cuddle the most out of the three of us."
"That proves nothing!" Skara said.
"Simp." Luz said, till groaning yet smiling.
"Simp? What is that? Is that an insult?" Skara asked Luz.
"That doesn't matter." Camila said, "Edalyn, would you please take Luz and Skara away from here?"
"Gladly." Eda said, summoning her staff as she walked back to the entrance. "Come on, let's go."
Skara helped lead Luz to the exit.
"Seriously, what's a simp?"
That was the last thing that Willow and Camila heard Skara say as Eda flew away.
"So, Willow was it?" Camila asked.
"Yes, it is." Willow said.
"So, you and Skara are dating someone else?" Camila asked.
"Yes, her name is Boscha Triplet." Willow said with a smile.
"She sounds nice." Camila said.
"She used to bully me." Willow said.
"O-o-oh."
"Yeah, I used to wonder what her problem was, but then I learned there was a fire when she was very young, and she lost her sister in it." Willow said, "She broke down one day while trying to bully me because it was the anniversary of the fire and she couldn't hold it anymore. Ever since then, I've been helping her with her feelings and one thing led to another... and here we are, having a Polyamorous relationship."
"That's quite the romantic story." Camila said with a smile.
'A bit strange but still very romantic none the less.' Camila thought.
"Yeah, and I'm hoping that helping Boscha get closure can help her finally become the kind hearted person I've seen." Willow said.
"You're a kind person." Camila said.
"Thank you but Skara's got a bigger heart then mine. She stayed by Boscha's side a lot longer than I did." Willow said.
"That may be, but you decided to help a girl that you had no reason to." Camila said, "I think that's just as kind, if not better than staying by someone."
Willow blushed at her praise, nodding to Camila. It didn't take long for Eda to return.
"Well, Luz threw up, didn't think she would get so sick from this trip, but I didn't really account on her living in a world without magic, her Bile Sac is a bit underdeveloped and she is a bit more susceptible to this place." Eda said, "Which means, Camila, mind taking care of her while me and the academy twerps get the last ingredient we need to get, I have the more abundant ingredients at my house. Luz is way too ill to go with us and probably will be a bit sick for a day or two until her magic is stable."
"Of course I'll take care of her, she's my daughter after all. Blood or not." Camila said without question.
"Good, let's go." Eda said.
She positioned her staff in front of the two and allowed Camila to get in first before Willow did the same.
"And off we go."
Eda flew them towards her home, allowing Willow to feel great relief at her bile sack returning to normal on her heart as Camila felt the breeze with her eyes shut.
'I don't think I'll ever be used to this!' Camila thought, slightly scared of flying.
"Okay, we're back, Luz is in her room." Eda said.
Camila nodded as she rushed off the staff and up to her daughter.
"Hi, Camila!" Hooty said with a smile.
"Hola, Hooty!" Camila greeted quickly.
She rushed upstairs and into Luz's room, where Skara was playing peaceful music on her Violin to keep Luz calm while she slept.
"Shhhhhhh." Skara shushed quietly, wanting Luz to sleep peacefully.
Camila nodded as she slowly walked in and kneeled down next to her daughter.
"Thank you, Skara." Camila whispered.
"Hey, Luz has already done so much to help Willow and I, I figured I'd return the favor." Skara whispered.
Camila smiled with a nod as she decided to sing a Spanish nursery, something she always sang to Luz when she was sick. Skara made her violin disappear and headed out of Luz's room and downstairs. With Luz being looking over by Camila now, Skara could check on Willow and Eda about the progress of the potion.
"Well… good news, we just need one more ingredient, bad news, this is the most dangerous one." Eda said, "Many have tried, and very few have succeeded in getting it."
I don't want to, but I think I'm taking a break this week. Follow, Favorite, and Review for more.