Owl House: Devil's Cry
Chapter 4
The Intruder
In the forest of the Boiling Isles, it was pouring down rain, but it wasn't normal rain. No, that'll be too normal. It felt like acid, stinging anything it touches from each drop of rain.
Everyone was stuck inside all day due to not wanting to get burns all over their bodies. But not everyone was as lucky to stay inside.
In the forest, a few demons were running scampering through trees trying to get away from something.
Demon: Robbie! You just had to cause a ruckus! This is why you're never the one to choose where we gain our food!
Robbie: Well I'm sorry! I didn't know demon hunters were gonna–
He wasn't able to finish when Rebellion flew down from above and stabbed him through the chest. His friend screamed seeing his friend drop dead in front of him.
Demon: You piece of–
He cut off from Dayton landing in front of him wearing a raincoat to keep him from the rain. Dayton grabbed the hilt of the sword and pulled it out of the former alive Robbie.
Dayton: Want to finish that or…
The demon squealed, booking it down the forest on all fours to get away from the young demon hunter.
Demon: I'll be back for you one day and I'll have your head to show for it!
He kept on running making sure to get as far away from him as possible. He didn't have yet to see a scope aiming at him from above the trees.
???: Annnnd. Got him.
A missile fired at his feet, sending him into a tree. He growls in pain as he looks up to the tree where the person who shot middle at him jumped out the tree wearing a protective lab coat.
Dayton ran up to them, holding Rebellion on his shoulder.
???: Ten points off for having one of them get away.
Dayton: Aw, what! No fair, mom! I would've gotten him if I got both of them at the same time!
They both looked towards where the lone demon stood… the only problem, that it wasn't there anymore.
Dayton grumbled to himself as Lady smugly smiled.
Dayton: I hate it when they run…
He pulls out his whips and swings himself through the forest to find the demon. Lady chuckles to herself seeing her son run off.
Lady: I love these mother, son missions.
From behind, she jumps from tree to tree to catch up to her son.
Luz started recording the camera zooms into the eye of King which pulsed with anger. She spoke in a typical historian guide you would find off tv.
Luz: And here we have the most fearsome creature in the world, the King of Demons.
She zooms out to show King trying and failing to get a sock off his nose.
Luz: Facing its natural enemy, the ducky sock.
Using his clawed feet, he was finally able to rip it from the end and tear it to shreds. He pounds the remaining shaving on the ground, triumphantly.
King: Where are you now ducky sock?!
Luz lowered her phone, chuckling a little from the little guy's antics.
Luz: So, why'd you call me here again?
King: Oh, yeah.
He climbed up onto the coffee table and stood in front of a tarp.
King: Human Luz, you've been so obsessed with witchcraft that you haven't had the time to learn about me kind. Prepare for…
Grabbing the tarp behind him, he dramatically pulls hit off unveiling a board with all types of demons. He puts on a violet cap to look more professional.
King: Demon 101! Demons like me are grim tricksters of the twilight, creatures of sulfat and bone.
Luz: And cute little paws.
King sighed.
King: And cute little paws. True.
He continues on with his teachings, showing off some pictures of demons.
King: We live to create chaos and misery. Our only weaknesses are purified water and passive aggressive comments. Sometimes.
Luz: Aw~ you guys are sensitive.
King: Even demons have inner demons.
Luz raised her hand to get King's attention.
King: Yes, human!
Luz: What about Dayton? He's like a half of a demon. With his other half being human.
King sighed into a bag and inside he grabbed a picture of Dante, Dayton's dad.
King: Dayton is a weird case. He has the same traits as his father, Dante. White hair, pale skin, insanely skilled, half human, half demon. They're insane!
Luz was amazed to see how similar Dayton is with his dad. He actually looked pretty strong to her.
Luz: I hope I can meet him someday. Maybe ask about his demon adventures!
King: Oh, if you want to see something strong, then you should check out the… Snaggleback!
He shows off a sinister creature that its body was protected by a thick, hard and spiky shell.
King: It's a–
Luz: Bad boy!
Multiple stickers and emojis appeared on Luz's phone all around King. The professor didn't seem impressed by his student's antics.
King: Luz, pay attention! This information can save your life someday.
Luz: No, no, I am so paying attention. This is my paying attention face.
She grabbed her chin and hummed to herself acting like she's paying attention. The thunder roared outside as the rain got closer towards the owl house.
King: Uh oh. Looks like it's going to rain.
Luz gasped, getting up excited to run run outside.
Luz: I love the rain!
King: Hey, wait–
Before he could stop her she was already outside the door, looking up at the dark clouds to soon drop on her.
Luz: I just love feeling the first drops in my hair.
She crouched down to a beautiful purple flower, gently touching its little petals.
Luz: I bet you do too.
When the rain started to come down in sprinkles at first, it immediately welted the flower with one single drop, surprising Luz.
Luz: What?!
Eda came running out from the forest, getting pricked a few times by the rain sprinkling rain.
Eda: Boiling rain! Everyone inside!
She grabbed Luz by the wrist and quickly dragged her inside. Due to how briskly the save was they both tumbled into the house leading into a crash.
Eda sits herself up, wiping the sweat off of her face.
Eda: Phew, that was close, by the good thing is you're ok.
Over with Luz she had crashed into the board that King worked on, causing a mess into living room. She was also sprawled out on the ground, feeling every pain rise in her body.
Luz: Yup…
A cup fell on her head.
Luz: …Not hurt…
A few moments later, the crew were all outside. Eda was conjuring a spell to protect the house from the boiling rain while the others sat at the door.
King put a bandaid onto Luz's elbow and then onto his skull nose.
Luz squealed in cuteness, falling onto the ground.
Luz: I love you so much.
Eda, out in the rain, had a shield over to keep the boiling rain from hitting her. A ball of light floated in her hand as she concentrated on the magic.
Luz: Boiling rain on the Boiling Isles. The weather here is so much fun!
Eda: Yeah, we don't have wether here. Plagues, gorenados, shail hail, painbows.
King: It's like a rainbow, but looking at it turns you inside out.
Luz cringed, putting her hood on tighter.
Eda: So until the boiling rain stops, no one is allowed outside.
King: And if the rain doesn't get you, the Snaggleback will.
He shows his demon book with the Snaggleback.
King: They wander the rain feeding on boiling tourist.
Eda: Well, whatever the case, this force field spell should protect the house from boiling rains and made-up demons.
Hooty: Hoot! Well, hurry it up with that force field. That rain is getting closer to my precious stucco.
Eda: Yeah, yeah. I got it.
She uses her staff to grab the light ball and stamps the staff down to the ground. A round orange force field engulfs the house, then shrinks to shape closely around it.
Luz: Wow! Someday I'd like to be as cool as Eda the Owl Lady. Magical, sassy, surprisingly foxy for her age.
Eda walked towards the house, practically showering in all the praise she was given.
Luz: Hey, why do they call you the Owl Lady, anyway?
Eda: 'Cause I'm so wide.
Hooty: 'Cause she coughs up rat bones.
King: Or because she gets distracted by shiny things.
Eda scoffs.
Eda: No I don't.
King pulls out a pen from his hat and clicks it to light up. Eda's pupils went big when seeing the fascinating, shiny object.
Eda: It sparkles and shimmers. It shines and delights. I must have it for my nest!
Eda jumps for it, but King quickly wretches back causing her to tumble onto the ground.
Luz: You have a nest? I want a nest! Best party!
Luz her Eda back up onto her feet. Eda seemed to be a lot more sluggish. Slouching from the spell she had casted to protect the house.
Eda: That force field took a lot out of me.
King: Uh oh. Moving a little slow. Age finally catching up to ya?
He snickers from his insult, even making Luz chuckle a little. Eda, not amused, pulled down his cap he was wearing covering his eyes.
King: Aaah! Darkness!
Eda opens the door and walked into the house, feeling tired from each step. On the other foot, Luz actually felt excited seeing it as a perfect time for Eda to finally teach her some spells.
Luz: This is perfect! Since we're gonna be stuck in the house all night, Eda won't have an excuse not to teach me a spell.
Feeling forgotten, King didn't want her to go just yet.
King: But, don't you want to finish our lesson? I was gonna let you scratch a demon's tummy. Me.
Luz: Oh sorry, King, but… magic!
She ran off towards Eda leaving a frustrated little demon at the door.
Eda yawned as she walked past a privacy screen, snapping her fingers to dress herself up in her pajamas. She plops onto the couch starting to doze off to the dream world.
A shadow of Luz soon loomed over her causing her to open an eye to find Luz smiling at her.
Luz: Oh, Eda. Have I ever told you how rad your fang looks today?
Seeing through her ploy to get something from her, Eda slouched her eyes.
Eda: Whatever it is, no.
Luz: Uh, and your hair is like… girl.
Eda still wasn't budging as she put a blanket over herself.
Eda: I'm not teaching you any magic. I'm sleepy. I'm a sleepy little owl.
Luz was starting to get desperate, clasping her hands to beg for Eda to teach her a spell.
Luz: Please, Eda! How am I going to earn my witch's staff if I don't know any spells?
Eda: No. Sleep.
Eda covers her head to abstract Luz from her view. Luz sighs defeated knowing she won't get Eda to change her mind.
Things seemed to change when they heard King yell behind them.
King: Help! Please help!
Luz: King?!
Waking up from her non-existent nap, Eda groaned.
Eda: Can't someone get a lick up shut eye around here or…
Turning to the door, the demon that Dayton and Lady were chasing had its claws around King's neck. It hissed back towards a wall to keep a distance from everyone.
Demon: Don't… move or the dog gets it!
King: I. Am not. A dog.
The demon puts sharp talons to King's face.
Demon: Shut it! Now…
It points its claws at the two people in front of him, trying to threaten them into submission.
Demon: There are two demon slayers coming for my head. Hide me or it'll all be your life!
Eda didn't seem threatened as she just leaned back into the couch. Luz didn't know what was going on and seeing Eda not care about King dumbfounded her.
Luz: Eda! Aren't you going to do something?! King's life is in danger!
Eda: Kid. It'll be fine. Just give it a few seconds.
Luz looked at her confused.
Luz: What…
The demon, seeing that they aren't taking him seriously, roared in anger. His grip clenched on King's neck as his talons got further towards his skull face.
Demon: I will not take this insolent! Grovel to me or see your friend perish!
?: Ok.
A thunder sound led through the house as the demon screeched in agony. It let go of King and held its leg, the pain spreading like wildfire through its leg.
Dayton comes into the house, spinning Pain in his right hand while it smoked from the barrel.
Dayton: So trying to get the jump on my friends? Might as well been the worst decision of your life.
The demon hissed at him, it leverages all its strength to leap at him barring its claws only for Dayton to duck and rocket to blast into his face and blow em to ashes.
Lady's heels clicked on the ground as she entered the house. She held Karina Ann, her rocket launcher/bayonet, pulling off her hood to push her brunette hair out of the way.
Lady: Sorry for the interruption. Just had to deal with a bounty we've been chasing for all day. We would've had it before, but someone let it get away.
Dayton rolls his eyes, not wanting to hear it from her nagging, again.
Dayton: I heard about forty times now! I get it, mom.
Luz's jaw dropped. This was Dayton's mom? And she's human just like her!
She walked up to Lady and gives her a handshake, fangirling the whole way.
Luz: Omg! It is so nice to meet you Ms. Alighieri. I'm Luz Noceda, Dayton's human friend.
Lady smiled, shaking the younger girl's hand.
Lady: Just call me Lady. So you're the human I heard a lot about.
Luz: Yup, that's me, normal teenager soon to be witch.
Now that she finally got a good look at the girl, Lady actually liked the girl's spunk and energy. She reminds Luz of her when she was younger.
Eda lays on the couch lazily as she brings up a hand to greet Lady.
Eda: How's it going, Lady. Been keeping that showoff whipped.
Lady laughs.
Lady: You know the usual. Demon hunting, eating pizza, being lazy. Probably doing the exact thing you're doing back at home right now.
Eda chortles, she leans her head deeper into the armchair.
Eda: That's Dante for ya. The strongest person I know, but also a lazy sloth. Can't say anything about me. Welp night!
Eda bundles herself back up into the blanket like a burrito to the displeasure of Luz who wanted her to learn at least one spell tonight.
Luz: Eda! Come on, just teach me one spell at the least.
She tried pulling on Eda's blanket, but was only pushed away by Eda's foot that disembodied from her leg. Luz jumps aways as the foot goes back under the blanket and onto Eda's leg.
Luz: Oh…
Eda snuggled into her soon to be slumber when Lady's shadow loomed over her making her groan.
Eda: Why does everyone want to ruin my beauty sleep. You know I don't look good without it!
Lady: Kid seems pretty enthusiastic about wanting to be a witch. Still haven't taught her a spell yet!
Eda: Haven't had the time. I have potions to sell and people to pickpocket.
Lady walks in front of the couch, moves Eda's legs and sits beside her.
Lady: You agreed to teach her magic, also being the perfect time to since the boiling rain isn't gonna end any time soon.
Eda: Shouldn't you be going home. You have those raincoats or something to get past the rain without having to cause any harm to yourselves.
Lady points her thumb outside the window. The sky was pouring down boiling rain when the sky pulsed with light. Thunder soon came crashing down onto a nearby tree, burning it to ash in an instant.
Eda slowly turns her head from outside to Lady.
Lady: I respect your cunning, but I also hate you for it.
Eda gets up and grabs her staff, walking towards Luz who was talking to Dayton.
Dayton: And that's why I'm not allowed to ride the bike anymore.
Looking into Luz's eyes, she seemed quite deserving of what she heard and would rather for it to be bleached from her memories.
Eda: Kid, come on. I'm going to teach you a spell so I hit the sack faster.
Hitting a whole 360, Luz gasped.
Luz: Really?!
Eda: Yes, now pay attention because I don't want to repeat myself again.
Her head leans forward, almost falling asleep when she stretches forward to try to get herself to wake up.
Eda: Witch's staffs have power embedded into them.
Luz: Gimme!
Eda: But before one is earned, every witch needs to know how to cast spells on their own. Now…
She throws her staff away and turns away from Luz.
Eda: Tonight I will show you how to create... light.
She draws a circle in the air which sparkles a white hue. The center soon turns into a small ball of light, floating down towards Luz and poofs away.
Dayton: Basic light spell. It's pretty easy to create and practical when trying to read in the dark.
He draws a circle in the air creating his own ball of light. He made it dance around him, awning Luz.
Luz: So cool…
King: Yawn! Who needs another boring spell lesson when you could be learning all the fun ways a demon could kill you.
He shows them a drawing of someone being eaten by a demon with huge teeth.
King: Look how teethy. Bite, bite.
Luz: Be quiet. I'm trying to focus.
King grumbled to himself as he saw that he wasn't getting any of the attention he deserves.
Eda: Now, humans think magic is made out of thin air, but that's stupid.
Lady: Ahem.
She crossed her arms while lifting an eyebrow.
Eda: Some humans are stupid. Everything comes from something. Let me ask you, kid. Where do you think magic comes from?
Luz: Uh, from the heart?
Eda: Actually, yes.
Luz gasped in joy and blushed thinking she actually got it right.
Eda: No, really.
Pulling out a diagram of viscera from her hair and showing it to Luz. A disgusting sack was attached to the heart.
Eda: It comes from a sac of magic bile attached to a witch's heart.
The two teen both cringe in disgust.
Dayton: Yeah, not the prettiest sight to have. Good thing I don't have one of those.
Luz: You don't?
Dayton: Half demon, remember. Demons usually carry some kind of power inside of them. I inherited power from my dad in which he inherited from his dad.
Luz thought for a second, trying to build this family tree together.
Luz: So… what was your grandpa like?
Dayton just shrugs.
Dayton: Don't know. Dad never spoke about him or about even when he was a kid in fact.
Eda: Demon, witch, they are both powerful and both can use some type of magic. The bigger the circle, the bigger the spell.
She draws a circle above her, bigger than the small one before and a big ball of light floated in the air. Soon it popped a moment later, little sparks floating down on the three.
Luz: But how can I, little ol' Luz, do magic if I don't have a magic bile... sac?
Eda: You know, I'm not actually sure.
Luz: What?
Eda: I know witches did magic differently in the past, but I never bothered to figure out how.
She laughs a little, snorting in the midst.
Luz: Eda!
Bending down, she rubs Luz's hair into a mess of hair, reassuring her that she'll find a way to become a witch.
Eda: Don't worry. You'll figure it out. Now—
She cracks her back, wanting to go back to bed that was rudely interrupted.
Eda: I need to lie down.
Luz: That's it? Wait! I need to see you do the circle thingy again. I'll record it on my phone this time.
Eda: Just let Dayton… do it…
Before she could take another step, she fell smack dab onto her face having used up all of her energy.
Luz's screams had alerted Lady to which she grabbed Karina Anne, ready for a fight.
Lady: What happened?! Another demon attacking?
Luz rolls over Eda to show that's she was knocked out.
Luz: I killed her!
Lady crouches to Eda and put her hand on her neck to check for a pulse. Feeling for a few seconds her pulse was pretty normal.
Lady: She's fine. Just passed out from exhaustion. Must've pushed herself a little to hard with that force field spell. I'll take her too her room to let her rest. You three stay out of trouble. That goes for you two especially.
She motions towards Dayton and King who both held their hands to the chest. She picks up Eda over her shoulder and carried her upstairs towards her up to the bedroom leaving the two teens and King of demons to their lonesome.
Taking Eda into her room, she layed her down into her nest on a bed. She put a blanket over which seemed to make her snuggle inside of it.
Lady: Rest up, Eda.
She was about to leave when she saw something on Eda's neck. Looking at it closely it seemed like a… feather, several feathers on her neck.
Lady: What?
Back downstairs, King was drawing in his demon book while Dayton showed Luz how to do a spell circle. She recorded on her phone while he swirled his finger in the air creating a small ball of light which popped into tiny fragments of light.
Luz: That's all you need to do, but why isn't it possible for me to do it? Why do you gotta be so cryptic owl lady?
Dayton: Eda has her ways of teaching. For the better… and worse.
He cringes thinking back to a past moment, but he shakes it off.
Dayton: But anyway. She knows what she's doing, you just gotta find a way.
Luz: Then what do you think?
Dayton shrugs.
Dayton: I don't know, never saw a human do magic.
Luz: Not even your mom?
Dayton: Nope. She solves problems the old fashion way. Who needs spells when you have guns.
Luz chuckles a little. Lady looked so cool and her personality really vibed with Luz of being such a level headed figure.
She went back to study the spell Dayton used, but was interrupted by King putting his notebook in front of her phone trying to get her to pay attention to him.
King: Hey, you know what's really cryptish? Let me tell you about the most spine-chilling demon.
He lifts up his notepad to show her a fish-like demon.
King: Smoochy-pie the Sweetie Baby! He's... Well, he's a lot more threatening than his name implies.
Luz: Not now, King. I want to figure out this spell. But if I don't have a magic sac or some weird demon heritage, what's the point? I'll just be twirling my fingers around un-magically forever.
King felt down casted to being sidelined again for Luz's studies on my magic.
King: Why do you want to learn magic so badly anyway?
Luz: I was a nobody back home. But becoming a witch is my chance to be someone. Do you know what it's like to have no one take you seriously?
King sighs as the thunder booms outside. He didn't show it, but he did understand.
King: If I help you learn that spell, could we finish our lesson?
Luz: Oh, yes, yes. You can teach me about demons all week if you help me learn this spell.
King: Well, she said witches used to do magic differently, so there has to be a way, right? Well I have a theory.
King draws some kind of potions that could grant you some kind of magical ability.
King: Every day I notice Eda sneaking drinks of this special elixir, see? Then she always gets a boost of energy, see? I think that's where she gets her powers. And I know where to get some.
Luz: Really?
King: Sí.
Dayton takes the notepad and looks into it skeptically.
Dayton: Never really heard of elixir that grants you magic powers. You think it could be anything else?
King: It has to! What else is it going to be?
Dayton: Medicine.
King rubbed under his chin, knowing Dayton can be right about these sorts of things and how he usually is right about these sorta things.
Luz: Well we can't find out until we try.
Dayton didn't seem convinced as he crossed his arms.
Dayton: This is either going to be very good or very bad. I'm expecting the ladder.
Lady was still inside of Eda's bedroom. She crouched beside her nest, getting a deeper look on the feathers on her neck. More popped up on her arms, making Eda scratch her arm in her sleep.
Lady: What happened, Eda…
She didn't notice the door slowly opening and King peeking his head in. He saw Lady crouches beside Eda, but didn't think a mind to it. He scampered on all fours, trying to not alert Lady of his presence as he slowly came to the bedside table that the elixir stood on.
Quickly grabbing it from above, the elixir had a tag on the top.
King: "An Elixir a day–" Cryptic.
He tears the tag off and puts it in his collar. Slowly crawling out of the room, he escapes through the door. Lady soon turned around having played like she didn't know the scamp was in the room.
Lady: Should go check on those kids…
She turns around to Eda seeing that she was sound asleep. She sighs and leaves the room.
Soon as she closes the doors, more feathers appear on Eda's skin. Infesting all over her until she opens her eyes and there's only darkness.
Downstairs, King showed off the elixir to Dayton and Luz.
King: Got it.
Dayton takes the elixir and takes a good look into it.
Dayton: You sure this will be able to give Luz powers. All I see is this as some kind of herbal medicine.
He takes a sniff and smells a tingle in his nose .
Dayton: I also smell mint.
He gives it to Luz who was to excited to think of the cons that could happen to her if she drinks the elixir.
Luz: But maybe it can actually give me some magical power. Real magic. This is historic.
Before she could take a drink, Lady took the bottle from her hand.
Lady: And also dangerous.
Luz: Lady, please! I have to find out if I can learn magic with that or not.
Luz then felt her forehead being flicked by Lady and held it as it slightly stung.
Lady: There's no shortcuts when wanting to get something. It takes hard work and focus. You have to have the drive to get what you want.
Luz looks away regretfully and Lady sighs, putting a hand on the younger girl's shoulder.
Lady: Look kid. I'm not trying to discourage you from following your dreams. I'm telling you that there are other ways to become a witch than taking risks that aren't just not worth it. Just gotta find it your own way.
Luz looked up to Lady like light had started shining down on her. She has always been the weird girl around, vut finding someone that actually understands her and actually trying to teach her to better herself was actually… heartful.
The moment was soon interrupted by the house lights soon turned off on their own.
Dayton: Dang it, Hooty! Can't you just keep the lights on while your sleeping?!
Hooty hooting in pain gaining everyone's immediate attention.
Dayton: Actually never mind.
They all ran into the living room to find Hooty broken off his hinges. A shadow beast was seen outside clawing at the Hooty before it spot the four looking at it. It snars at them before quickly escaping in the boiling rain
The four of them went to check on Hooty. Dayton checked the clawed marks on him, seeing that it wasn't too deep to kill him.
Dayton: He's fine. Just have to put him back on the frame and he'll be better.
Luz: But whatever did this to Hooty escaped into the rain. What could survive that?
King: Oh my gosh. The Snaggleback! It feeds during the rains. It must have stumbled across our house and seen us inside.
Lady puts a hand on her chin.
Lady: That can be it. The boiling rain has no effect on demons so it can peer inside and out of the rain whenever it pleases.
A howl echoed from the roof and they all looked up to see the monster jump into the upper floor window.
Dayton: Now it's inside. Probably stalking inside ready to pick us off.
Luz: This is terrifying. So why do you look so happy?
King squealed like a demon child getting its first victim.
King: Because this could be a lesson. This would be a great way for you to see a wild demon up close and personal.
Lady: That lesson of yours is also terrorizing your home. We have to get in there and get rid of it.
Luz: You actually want to go towards those creepy sounds?
Lady: Luz. Eda is still in there knocked unconscious from trying to teach you the light spell. Anything can happen there if we don't act now.
Luz looks up to to hear more prowling growls from the window. She gulped down her fear and stepped up.
Luz: F-For Eda.
Lady smiles as she comes up with a game plan.
Lady: You two stay behind us and grab something to protect yourselves. Dayton, keep them protected.
They all saluted and went inside to grab some gear.
Dayton summoned Rebellion and holstered it on his back. Lady checks her gun for any ammo and cocks her shotgun. Dayton also summons his duel whips, Adegus, and puts them in his hips with Pain and Gain.
Luz pulls on rubber gloves. King tapes a pillow to his chest. Luz puts bandages under her eyes like eye black, then grins. Luz grabs a hockey stick, which King runs past in favor of grabbing his stuffed bunny, Francois.
The four approach the stairway and with Lady leading the way they head upstairs into the unknown. Luz used the light from her phone to guide them through the dark hallway when the door to Eda's room opened.
The four looked at each other with worry and slowly approached the door. Lady pushed open the door to reveal an empty room and a shattered window, through which we can again see a lightning strike.
Luz: Oh my gosh, Eda!
King: She got Snagglebacked!
Luz checks inside the nest to find more slash marks across a pillow. The whole nest seems to be filled with them.
Dayton: Did she try to fight it. It seems like there was a struggle.
Lady takes a knee and looks through the nest. After a moment she found something that intrigued her. Picking up a few shedded feathers that she had found on Eda.
Lady: The same exact feathers….
Lady thought for a second and started to piece everything together.
Lady: That thing isn't a Snaggleback, its–
A screech hollered outside the door as the door started to rattle. Dayton pulls out the Rebellion, ready for the worse to come.
Dayton: If it gets in, strike it down.
Luz gulped holding up her hockey stick.
Luz: Oh boy…
Lady holds Karina Ann while King hides behind his stuffed bunny. The door knob kept rattling until it was soon busted open by a small entity running in screaming.
Dayton swung towards it, but it crouched into its spiky shell to avoid being decapitated. The small thing peaked it's eyes as it begged to be spared.
???: Please! Don't kill me! I was just trying to hide from that monster!
Everyone finally realized that the monster they were looking at was the actual Snaggleback. The exact distraction to one of King's drawings.
Dayton: Wait, so that's a Snaggleback?
The king of demons inspected the Snaggleback's shell. It was not as pointy as his drawing, but it matched the same description of his notes. He was kinda disappointed.
King: You are a lot shorter in person.
Snaggleback: I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I-I just needed a place to hide from the rains.
Luz: Then he must've not been able to break in. He looks a little too small to be like the one we just saw. N-No offense!
Snaggleback: It's fine.
Just then on the back of the Snaggleback, King saw a rip piece of paper stuck in his shell.
King: What the?
He grabs it and reads "Keeps the curse at bay."
He gasped and pulls the the other tag from his collar, sticking the two together to form the full sentence.
King: "An elixir a day, keeps the curse at bay."
Luz: Curse?
Dayton: Wait so that monster we just saw is…
Thunder boomed outside as the silhouette of the monster appeared outside. It jumping into the window, making them all jump away to escape from its raging path.
Lady: Eda…
Eda stayed in all fours with her whole body was covered in feathers and wings growing out of her back. Her eyes pure back, pure darkness with no pupils.
Dayton then turns to Luz with the most "I told you so" look of all time.
Dayton: So do you want that I told you so in the mail or...
Luz: Stop talking.
Crawling around she growled at everyone that she deemed a threat. The first thing she did was immediately lunge for Luz making her scream in panic. The strike was quickly blocked by Dayton jumping in front of her with Rebellion.
Dayton: She's… kinda stronger than I expected… gonna wanna move. Now!
He pushed her out of the way making her phone fell out of her pocket, and the camera went off when it hit the floor. The flash blinds Eda, making her scream.
Dayton, using Eda's blindness to his advantage, tackled the owl lady to ground and tried to pin her to ground, but was more difficult than he thought with her moving around.
Dayton: Stop moving! I'm trying to help!
He felt himself being picked up as Eda stood back on her feet. She rammed the yound demon hunter into the wall causing him lose his grip on her.
Lady fired a wire shot at Eda from Karina Ann, wrapping it around her legs to keep her immobilized. She put a knee to her back to keep her from squirming away, but she was soon using her clawed feet to snap out of the wire.
Meanwhile with the others, Luz and King had picked up Dayton.
Luz: Oh, man. Did you see her eyes? They were like— What happened to her?
King: Don't you see? The elixir I gave you doesn't give Eda powers. It prevents her from turning into that thing. She's turned into a nightmare and it's all my fault. I'm so sorry, Luz. I-I just wanted you to be into demons like you're into magic. I don't have many friends, and no one even pays that much attention to me. I thought maybe if I taught you, finally someone would care about creatures like me.
Dayton puts a hand on his shoulder.
Dayton: Now don't get all sappy with me. We make mistakes sometimes and that's ok. We just got find a way to get back up from it.
King: But how?
Luz: Let's finish the lesson.
King: Huh?
Luz: Eda's turned into some kind of demon, and we need to save her. So who knows more about demons than the best teacher in the world?
He points to himself and she gives him a nod. She gives him the pen that Eda was attracted to and he gives the two a hug, giggling in excitement.
Grabbing some leaves to roughly draw up Eda.
King: She was bigger, covered in feathers and has giant black eyes. Demon witch black eyes are sensitive to light.
Dayton cracks his knuckles, already knowing exactly what he has to do.
Dayton: I'll just whip a light spell to blind her and take her down.
Before he could enact on his plan, his eyes swirled purple and he quickly caught Lady into his arms. Not without getting pushed into the wall from the force she was coming in.
Dayton: …Maybe not…
Eda came lunging at them, making Luz and King jump back as the two demon hunters were met to deal with Eda.
King: Luz! Can you use your human wonder rectangle?
Luz: I can't. My camera is all blasted.
King: Then... What about that light spell?
Luz: You saw me. I can't draw circles in the air. I'm not like Eda.
She plays the video of Dayton showing her the spell, doing the full circle like he was supposed to, but her phone soon glitch revealing some kind of pattern in his spell circle.
Luz: There's a pattern in the spell circle!
King: What? Where?
Luz: It looked something like this.
She grabs a pen and leaf to trace the pattern. Once finished she tapped it and the leaf crumbled up, evaporating into a ball of light.
Luz looks memorized, cupping the small ball of light in her hand. She made magic. She, the human, just made magic.
Luz: Oh, my gosh. I just did magic. I just did magic! I just did magic!
Dayton looked away from his fight with Eda to see Luz standing beside a ball of magic.
Dayton: Holy crap. She actually did it.
He was brought back into a fight when Lady pushed him out of the way to avoid getting his head chopped off.
Lady: Focus. You don't want to end up like thanksgiving chicken.
Lady fired an AT missile at Eda, hitting her directly and blinding her with smoke. This gave Luz an idea as she yelled out the two.
Luz: Dayton, Lady! Do you think you can distract her for a little while?
Dayton: What do you think we've been doing?
Lady: Don't worry kid. Just do what you gotta do. Well protect you.
Luz nods as she grabs King and runs off to a corner.
Lady: Ok, Dayton. You know what we gotta do.
Dayton smirks as he pulls out his two whips from his waist. Striking them to the ground, he became a puppet of Nevarth and Laxon.
Nevarth: Sir Dayton, it's an honor to be fighting on your side again.
Dayton: Yeah, yeah, Angstmore. Let's just subdue Eda.
Laxon flew beside the four letting out a battle cry screech and they all charged at Eda. Dayton predicted a strike down at him, dodging the strike by going under her leg. She turned to Dayton only to get bitten by Laxon on her neck, making cry in pain
She was blind sighted by Lady, ramming her with the end of Karina Ann, sending her into a bullet barrage fired by Dayton. She was kept in the air long enough for Nevarth to pin her down by the wings.
It didn't last for long as she pushed Neverth off of her and stabbed him through the stomach.
Neverth: It's a good thing I'm not real or that would be bad.
He pooped into smoke, blinding Eda once again giving Lady a shot to use her hookshot to on her and slam down on the ground.
Dayton: Luz, anytime now!
Luz: Hurry and bring her over here!
Lady releases Eda which makes her immediately go for the hunt for Lady head, but is blocked with Karina Ann.
Her eyes where then guided to the lights shining behind her. Turning around, Dayton had multiple balls of lights circling around him.
Dayton: So shiny, wish I had someone to share them with.
Eda stares at the lights, cooing. She screeches and lunges for them, but Dayton runs and Eda follows. Eda slides on a pile of books and papers King has ready for, giving a chance for Dayton to back flip over her as she crashes into a wall, and gasps when Luz tosses a blanket over her head.
Luz: I'm sorry, Eda. But it's for your own good.
She finishes drawing a giant light glyph on the wall. With a grunt, she slams it to activate it. Blinding light is produced and cover the room causing Eda screams.
Eda had jumped back awake back in witch form, laying in her nest with a straw in her mouth. She sits up, to find that her right eye was still partly transformed.
Eda: Ahh!
She slurps the remaining elixir that reverses the rest of the curse. She sighs feeling a big headache bring pain to her brain.
Eda: W-What happened? Oh, I have the worst headache.
She grabs the empty bottle she drunk from.
Eda: Hmm? I was looking for that.
King: Actually, we found an extra one in your closet.
Eda: King? King! You stole my elixir? I ought to break every bone in your—
King: Shh! Over there.
Luz shows off how she made the drawing to Lady and Dayton. She is surrounded by balls of light floating along side them. She draws out another glyph and activates the glyph, grinning as the ball of light joins the others.
Eda: Wow. How is she doing that?
King: I don't know, but she did it all on her own. Hey, I, uh, kind of messed a bunch of things up back there. And I just wanted to say I'm sorry.
Eda: Well, you better be. I got a long list of disgusting chores with your name on it. But it's not entirely your fault.
The rest of the group walked over.
Eda: I haven't been completely honest with you guys. Too many of you. When I was younger, I was cursed. I don't know exactly how it happened, all I know is that if I don't take my elixir... Well, that's why people call me the Owl Lady. No one likes having a curse, but if you take the right steps, it's manageable.
Lady sighs.
Lady: Well I'm just thankful that you're ok.
Eda: It's nothing. I got it all under control. As long as no one steals my elixir— King — everything should be fine.
Dayton: But back to great news. A human can finally do some magic. Without a summoning circle.
Eda: I know and I'm proud. Good on you, kid.
Luz: I had some encouragement from a great teacher.
King: Oh, you.
From downstairs called up to them still broken from his frame and rain pouring from outside.
Hooty: Hey, hey! Is anyone there? Hello? Hoot? I'm on the floor. It's cold!
Covering his ear, King irritatingly went downstairs to help him out to get him to shut up.
King: That voice. That horrific voice!
Dayton: Might as well go help, so King scratched Hooty off the door.
Luz: We'll take care of him. You stay in bed.
She walks out the room right behind Dayton and King. The Snaggleback, popping out his shell, waving at her.
Snaggleback: How's it going? You tried to eat, but you're normal so we're cool.
He follows after the rest leaving a confused Eda to face palm. The only one left was Lady bending down towards her.
Lady: So when were you going to tell me or Dante?
Eda: …Eventually. It looks like it finally came.
Lady: Yeah, it did.
Lady sighs, brushing her hair out of her face. She knew Eda ever since they moved into the Boiling Ilies. Now knowing about this, wasn't even the biggest surprise to her.
Lady: I've been through worse, but you have to promise me that there won't be any more secrets to one another. Ok?
Understandably, Eda nods.
Eda: Yeah, promise, but you also have to help me through this too.
Lady: Promise. Now get some rest. I'll deal with these demons.
She gets back to her feet and exits the bedroom leaving Eda to finally be able to get some rest through the storm.
In the dreams of Eda, she was invited to a dark void with nothing, but a lone door.
Eda: No, not this memory again.
The door opens. On the other side is a wavering shadow, two circles of light near the top, back-lit by pure white light.
Eda: You! You're the one who cursed me, aren't you? Who are you? Who are you?!
Waking up, she exhales holding her chest to realize herself from that same dream she's been having. She turns over to her frame and dogs in it to find a picture frame of Dante, Lady, her and little Dayton all smiling.
Lady: I really do need help…
Downstairs, Dayton had put Hooty back on the door frame, restoring his rightful place. Luz puts some bandages on the marks that Eda cut him from.
Dayton: They're good as new Hooty.
Luz: Welcome to the boo-boo buddy club.
Hooty: Finally, I get to be a part of something.
On the couch, Snaggleback and King are having a small interview while Lady sat on the other side leaning her head on the cushion since they couldn't leave due to the rain still pouring.
King: And you're saying you don't eat people's souls?
Snaggleback: No, just eat basic berries and leaves. I'm a vegetarian.
A ring of disappointment stung from King as he practically went on an editing trip on the Snaggleback.
King: Gonna have to edit so many pages of this.
A laugh escaped from Lady's mouth seeing King have to rewrite entire pages of that guy. She's going to have to tell Dante about this.
The End
So another chapter out for Devil's Cry! Lady got to meet Luz and got to learn the light spell.
I wanted Lady to be like she's been through this before because she kinda did. A young teen that was still growing up. Sooner or later Lady will have an even bigger role, but for now to the preview!
The boiling Ilies convention has arrived and Dayton is pretty excited to hang out with his friends. Even bringing Luz along to enjoy her first convention. But soon good things can never last when Luz is challenged by Amity that can either make or break her dream.
Wait? What do you mean is a duo team up?
Well you're gonna have to find out in…
The Convention!
Later Speedsters!
