It was another beautiful morning for Lucia 'Luz' Isadora Noceda. As she stretched before getting out of bed she noticed how sore she felt, specifically her upper back, chest, and forehead, and as she went to massage her head in hopes of relieving it before it could develop into a migraine she felt something odd. Her forehead wasn't just tender; it felt like there were a couple knots there that reminded her of the time she 'tripped' and slammed her head into some lockers at school. With a groan Luz thought, "This sucks. I thought you weren't supposed to wake up sore and achy until you got old. I'm fourteen. This just isn't fair, but what is these days." Putting that unpleasantness out of her mind, Luz got up and headed for the shower to get ready for school. Before she got in though she decided to check herself out in the mirror.
"Well it's official, I'm still boring," Luz sighed to herself as she gave herself a once over. "Hairs getting a bit long. Maybe I should try growing it again… Na that would just give Jen something to get ahold of next time she decides she needs to let out her frustration." As Luz took a closer look at her head she could definitely see where the knots she felt were. "Great, looks like it's going to be 'beanie day' until those clear up. Lord knows I don't need something else to make me a bigger weirdo." Looking over the rest of herself she let out another sigh, "No changes anywhere else though. Still about as mature as an eight year old, and just as fit. Sucks, I'm banned from the gym in town after the 'rower' incident, but I still don't see how that machine breaking or the shattered window was my fault." Giving herself a light slap to chase away the negative thoughts Luz put her usual smile back on and got to work cleaning up for the day.
A half hour later, Luz was dressed for school, and making her way into the kitchen to have breakfast with her mami, Camila. Seeing her frying a few more eggs, Luz snuck up, and gave her a small kiss on the cheek and made her way over to the table. Unbenounced to Luz when she did, Camila's eyes went wide for a moment and her eyes flashed blue for a moment as she froze up, and beads of sweat started to form on her head. It only lasted a couple moments, but when it passed Camila quickly worked to salvage what she could before her eggs burned.
"Morning Mija. Did you sleep well?" Asked Camila as she brought the rest of the eggs to join the bacon and toast already on the table.
"Ya I slept fine mami. Woke up a bit sore though, and… do you know what these are?" Asked Luz as she lifted her beanie a bit to show her mom the knots. "I woke up this morning and they were just there, and I don't remember anyone ringing my bell recently."
Camila took a look and paled a bit, but tried to hide it with a laugh. "I'm sure it's nothing, but I'll take a closer look after you get back from school. Speaking of school, what's on the agenda for today? Nothing too exciting I hope," Camila stated flatly while giving her daughter a stern look.
Luz let out a nervous chuckle, "Not much. Just a book report, but I remember my promise after the spider incident. No bugs, beasts, or living aids this time. In my defense though, those spiders were harmless. How was I supposed to know Mr. Miller was an arachnophobe? He served in Iraq. I didn't think a few spiders would freak him out so bad."
Camila let out a laugh, "Look up Camel Spiders later and you might understand mija, but regardless of if they weren't dangerous you understand it wasn't ok, right?"
"Ya I get it mami, but nothing will go wrong this time. I promise," said Luz with her signature exuberant smile.
Camila smiled back at Luz after letting out a knowing snot. After Luz left to catch her bus Camila thought to herself, "Ugh I knew this day might come, but I always hoped it wouldn't." Camila let out a sad sigh before she got up and grabbed her keys to head to the hospital.
School was never Luz's favorite place to be, but test season was always the worst. Everyone just seemed to get so stressed out, and it never failed that one of the 'alpha pack' would invariably choose to release some of their pent up frustration on one of the school's easy marks, usually Luz. The 'alpha pack' got their title by being made up of exclusively one percenters namely cheer captain Jen, her number two Stacy, Don the quarterback, and whatever cronies they decided to elevate that moment, and their habit of pouncing on those they deemed weaker like a pack of wolves. Luz couldn't stand them, but she never fought back. She just took their abuse and kept moving. After a while it almost turned into a game to see who could cause Luz to break first. Stacy always attacked mentally through rumors, name calling, or manipulation. Jen and Don though went the physical route with ever increasing severity. They had never managed to cause any long term injuries, but that was more due to Luz's durability than their lack of trying. After all, who else could manage to be hit by a car and just walk it off like she did. It frustrated the bullies, but at the same time it only made them more sadistic and inventive. As a result Luz wasn't all that surprised when she felt a hand grab her or when she felt her head bounce off a nearby door frame.
"Morning Luz-er. You should really watch where you're going. Wouldn't want to have to bother anyone cleaning up your broken ass," Don said as he pulled her back and threw her out of his way.
Luz sighed, "Good morning to you too Don. Didn't know you worried so much about my ass. I'm sorry but can we just get this over with already. I'm not really feeling great today so assert your dominance and beat me up already or whatever it is that gets you off. I'm just not in the mood to deal with this right now."
With a roar Don picked up Luz by the front of her hoodie and slammed her back into the lockers behind her, "You think you're cute No-braina, but you're just a pathetic little waste of space. Someone should have turned you into a stain a long time ago." Don pulled her closer again before lifting her up, and slamming her into the floor hard. "I'm sick of your attitude, I'm sick of your face, and I'm sick of you." Don started punching Luz to punctuate every other word. "You think you're special, but you're not. You were born a waste of space, and you'll die a waste of space." Despite a lack of blood, the sound of bones breaking could be heard. "Maybe you should do everyone a favor and just go die… like your dad."
Luz felt her chest get tight, and her eyes flashed black and gold as she shoved Don off of her, and across the hall into the opposite set of lockers, caving them in to the surprise of everyone watching. After a few stumbling steps Luz just got up, grabbed her bag, and made her way to class without a word.
When Camila arrived at the school an hour later she was surprised to see a dejected Luz sitting outside the principal's office looking exhausted and slightly pale, but with no obvious signs of injury. After pulling her daughter into a warm embrace, and reassuring her that everything will be alright before they got let into Pricipale Hale's office. He gestured for the pair to sit down while he finished his call. The duo only hearing him say, "... That's unfortunate. Keep me posted on how he's doing. Don't worry, I'll get to the bottom of this."
After hanging up Hale turned a reproachful glare at Luz as he asked, "Ms. Noceda, mind telling me why our star quarterback had to leave this morning in an ambulance?"
Luz looked at Hale, honestly shocked by that news, "That seems a bit exaggerated Mr. Hale. He couldn't have been…"
Hale interrupted with an angry shout, "This is not a joke Noceda. I just got off the phone with his mother. He has four cracked ribs, his knuckles are busted, and he has a fractured spine. I don't know what you did to him, but I want to know right now or so help me, the next conversation you have will be with the police while you stare down assault charges."
Luz wilted under the older man's yells and began to shake as tears started to form at the corner of her eyes. Seeing Luz in distress Camila jumped to intervene. "Are you telling me you believe my maybe eighty pound teenage daughter managed to overpower and hurt your star quarterback to that extent alone, and without anyone breaking it up. Hale, this is ridiculous. I know you have cameras in the halls. Show us the footage, that should clear this whole thing up. Quick and simple."
Hale sat down at his desk and appeared to start chewing on his tongue before he finally admitted, "Usually that would be the first thing we would do in a situation like this, but the camera's were down for maintenance this morning so we can't. Which seems very suspicious if you ask me. Almost like someone waited until they knew there wouldn't be any evidence before they chose to attack."
With a frustrated groan Camila looked at Luz, and in her most calming voice she asked, "Luz, hunny, can you please tell us what happened. I promise, no estás en problemas mija." (You're not in trouble darling).
After a moment to grab her mothers hand and calm herself a little Luz said, "Don and his friends try to beat me up all the time. This morning wasn't anything special. He snuck up behind me, and slammed my head into a door frame before throwing me against some lockers. I-I tried to do what I usually do, and just let them wail on me until they get tired, but he just kept hitting me… he said I should just die already… like papi." Luz started to cry, "I-I didn't mean to hurt him. I swear I just shoved him off me, grabbed my stuff, and hurried to class thinking he couldn't hurt me if I was literally in front of a teacher."
Hale looked enraged, "That is the most ridiculous story I've ever heard. If you were getting bullied like that I would know. Not to mention there is not a mark on you, while Mr. Jacobs is in the emergency room. How about you stop lying to us, and tell us the truth." With a sneer Hale said, "I find it much more believable that you ambushed the poor boy, and used something to beat him into unconsciousness because he was popular and well liked unlike you, you little freak."
Camila saw red. "Luz, mija, could you wait outside for a moment?" Camila asked her daughter sweetly, but Luz knew the look in her eye and quickly rushed away. Once she was gone, Camila snapped her attention back to Hale, "HOW DEAR YOU TALK ABOUT MY DAUGHTER LIKE THAT IN FRONT OF ME YOU INSUFFERABLE MORONIC… el hijo de perra… Luz was right you really are a bigoted hateful bastardo aren't you? Well this ends now. You can take your backward views and shove them…"
Hale interrupted her tirade, "Ms. Noceda, I would be careful with what you say next, or I might not be inclined to help you anymore." Hale smirked seeing Camila pause, her face painted with her rage. "Now I've spoken to Mr. Jacobs parents and we have reached a compromise. They won't press charges if you agree to send your daughter to "Reality Check" summer camp." Hale pulled out a pamphlet and handed it to Camila. "It's run by some acquaintances of mine and I can guarantee that it can help correct the issues at play in this situation. Otherwise I'm afraid we will have to expel your daughter, and turn this matter over to the authorities."
Camila sat down and looked over the pamphlet while taking in the whole of their situation before she took a steadying breath, and sad calmly, but with fire still in her eyes, "Or we go for option three. I know for a fact that Luz's grades are good enough, and we are close enough to the end of the semester that even if she scored a zero on every test from this point on she would still pass. With that in mind I will be taking my daughter home, and neither of us will be stepping inside this travesty of an institution again. You will never see either of us again unless it is in a courtroom, and I swear to you if you push this matter I will do everything in my power to have you put in jail for criminal neglect. I don't even have to succeed once the board of education hears even the faintest rumor… your career will go up in smoke so this is what's going to happen. Congrats you win, my Luz will never be your problem again, but you are going to pass her for this year, and I'm going to spend the next few weeks looking for a new school to enroll my mija in that is as far away from you and your conversation camp as possible." With one fluid motion Camila stood up and began to stomp away, but before she left Hale's office she stated a flat, "Thank you for your time sir, and have a nice day." Camila carefully put her hand on Luz's shoulder as she tenderly led her daughter to the car.
For the first few minutes of their drive home both Noceda's just sat in silence before Luz started to tear up before melting down into uncontrolled sobs. Camila just kept her eyes on the road until they made it home, and carefully lifted her little girl out of the car while holding her close. Camila had always feared this day might come, but she knew what she needed to do. It was time for her to stop holding her light back. It was time for a change. After carefully placing Luz on their couch Camila got down in front of her so they could see eye to eye as she began to speak. "Mi preciosa luz, I know that you're scared and confused right now, but I think we need to discuss what we are going to do next." Luz whimpers at her mother, but doesn't appear capable of speaking yet. "Luz, I think it would be best if you went to stay with your Aunt Eda for a while…"
Luz's eyes shot open in fear as she stammers, "Your… you're sending me away. Please mami, I promise I'll do better… I'll do anything. Just please don't send me away." As she begged Luz reached out to try and pull her mother closer so she couldn't be sent away.
Camila just wrapped her arms around her daughter and began to tenderly hug her while attempting to reassure her little light. "Te amo, mija. I promise it won't be forever. I just think there are going to be a lot of changes coming up, and I need you to be somewhere safe while I try to figure out things for us. In the meantime you can get to know Eda better." Camila gave Luz a warm smile, "I promise, if you give her a chance you will find the whole experience magical, and we both know how much you love magic mi pequeña bruja buena (my little good witch)." Camila booped Luz's nose, and they both laughed before Camila gave Luz a little kiss on her forehead. "Ok Mija, there should be an old duffle bag in my closet. Grab it and fill it up with the clothes you want to take with you, and any little stuff you think you might need… and yes you can take your Azura collection. Now go get started, I have something I need to finish down here." Luz gave her mother one last hug before she ran off to start packing. Once Luz was out of sight Camila's shoulders dropped in exhaustion, and she went to finish the letter she had been writing for Eda all morning, and wondered to herself for what felt like the hundredth time that morning if she was doing the right thing.
A few hours later Luz and Camila are standing outside the old shack behind their house. Luz looks at her mother confused, but Camila just smiles at her and indicates for her to stay quiet and watch. Luz sees Camila pull out the odd little hand bell that's sat in their china cabinet for as long as Luz can remember. She had always wondered where it came from, but it was such a normal looking bell that Luz always forgot to ask about it, but a minute after Camila started ringing it an ornate door suddenly appeared in the empty frame of the cabin, and out stepped her 'Aunt' Eda.
"Well, well, well, is my sweet cam-cam getting lonely? Just couldn't wait a couple more days to see me?" laughed Eda as she started doing an exaggerated strut toward a blushing Camila, before stopping dead in surprise when she heard Luz's snickering. After taking a second to process the unexpected situation Eda got back into her best attempt at a confident stance, "So I'm guessing this isn't a social call then, guano." Eda sighed, "Is it time for the talk Camila? What have you told her?"
"Nothing yet Eda, but we don't really have time for it on this side. You're going to have to handle it on the other side of the door. I wrote up the details you'll need from this side and a release if you decide she is ready for Hexside," sighed Camila.
Eda just looked at Camila in shock, "You're calling an audible… this wasn't the plan Cammy. Just come with, and help me… I don't think I'm ready for this."
Camila smiled at Eda and grabbed onto her shoulders, "No, I still have things I need to straighten out here, but I promise I'll join you as soon as I can." Then Camila pulled Eda in close for a hug, and whispered into her ear, "Luz is a lot more like you then you realize. Even if she isn't yours, she still has your flair for craziness… consider it a test run for if I ever decide to take you up on your offer, mi amor." With a small kiss hidden by Eda's hair from Luz, Camila separated from Eda, and she gave Luz one last hug and a kiss on her head. "Now try your best not to give Eda too much trouble, carino. Te amo, my little light."
"I love you too, mami," Luz smiled as she took Eda's hand and they walked through the door together.
When Eda and Luz emerged, Luz found herself in an amazing magical place. While yes there were some mundane items present like an old couch, a coffee table, and things she was used to. Luz also saw candles all around the room light themselves around the room, brooms animating themselves as they worked to sweep the floor, a lovingly framed giant wanted poster of Eda 'The Owl Lady', and a mosaic of an unknown owl monster on the ceiling looking down on everyone and giving off the feeling that it could spring to life at any time to eat those below. More than anything Luz could feel an odd warmth on her skin, and with every breath it felt like electricity was running through her veins. It was indescribably comforting and painful at the same time, like stepping into a hot tube after spending hours playing in the snow. At first the heat felt too intense causing every one of her instincts to tell her to run and hide, to escape back into the cold, but soon that heat dispersed and Luz could feel her muscles relax as pains she wasn't even aware she was feeling started to be soothed and disappear. Luz's first few breaths in this new place felt almost spicy and right somehow, like Luz had been holding her breath up until this point, and she could finally breathe.
Eda tenderly guided Luz to the couch, and sat her down. While Luz sat in awe of her surroundings, Eda read Camila's letter before making it evaporate without a trace and started watching Luz with a similar feeling. Luz's features hadn't appeared pale or washed out to anyone who had seen her in the Human realm, but as Eda watched, everything about Luz became more vibrant; her hair seemed to take on a new shine, her skin became more full of life, her eyes almost sparkled and burned with an intense glow, but it was what only someone of Eda's skill could see that truly captured her attention. Eda could see currents of magic flow around the girl, and ripple off her like a heartbeat. Eda had seen the phenomenon before, but only when a witch pushed themselves to their limit, and Luz was accomplishing it subconsciously and with only a fraction of her magic unlocked. Whatever Luz was, she was powerful, and wild in a way that filled Eda with pride and a small amount of fear for the girl that could be, at least in part, her daughter. With that terrifying notion in mind Eda broke the silence. "Ok kiddo, we have a lot of ground to cover, but I promise we will get there eventually. For now we are going to get some of the more basic things out of the way before we dive into some more complicated things starting tomorrow." With a wide smile Eda declared, "Welcome to The Boiling Isles in the Demon Realm. Home of witches, demons, and a lot of the myths and legends that leak into the Human realm." Eda stood up and gave Luz a bow before throwing her hands wide before her poster. "As you may know, I am Edalyn Clawthorne, but what you probably don't know is that I am a witch, and not just any witch, I am the most powerful and wanted witch alive. We can get into why tomorrow, but for now I'm sure you have questions. Ask away, but choose carefully. It's been a long day for both of us so we probably should go get some rest soon." With a smirk Eda added, "Would really suck if you were too tired to learn any magic tomorrow."
For a moment Luz just stared at the older woman in shock and awe before her eyes seemed to dilate and she released a joyous squee of excitement before she asked, "Am I a witch? Is Mami a witch too? Ugh I have so many questions that I can't even keep them straight enough to start asking them."
Eda just gave Luz a small chuckle and ruffled her hair, "Don't worry about it Luz. We have all summer to play 'a thousand and one questions', but for now I can say without a doubt that while Camila is definitely magical in her own right. No, she is not a witch, and has no actual magic at her disposal, not that she needs any since she already wiped me." Eda whispered the last part, but Luz still heard her, and it made Luz feel happy for her Mami. "As for you… we don't know what you are yet, and I am not nearly drunk enough to get into that issue. Suffice it to say you have magic, and for reasons that are both very complicated and probably not our best decisions they have been suppressed until now, and can no longer be so. Leaving Camila and I no other choice, but to get you here. Where I can safely teach you how to control your magic, and give you a choice." Eda reached out her hand to Luz as she asked, "I'm not going to force any of this on you, but if you want… Would you like to be my apprentice?"
Luz practically leapt off of the couch as she wrapped her arms around Eda and began to hug her with tears in her eyes, "Yes. Yes. A thousand times yes. Eda I promise I won't let you down. I won't stop until I'm as powerful as you."
Eda just held Luz close as she whispered, "I know. Someday you're going to be the most powerful witch to ever live."
It was then that they heard a voice as someone else proceeded to make their way down the stairs yelling, "Who dares disturb The King of Demons."
Back in the Human Realm Camila was just getting back home when suddenly she was hit from behind and knocked out. When she awoke Camila found herself bound to a chair opposite her couch where she saw a figure that she hoped she would never see again as he stared at her with his cold silver eyes. "Hello again Camila Isabella Noceda. I sincerely believed that our paths would never cross again after that terrible business with Michael, but it seems that our Father had other plans. Now I will only ask nicely this one time. Where is she? Where is your hybrid abomination Luzael?"
Authors Notes: Well isn't that ominous. Seems like Luz got out of there just in time, and whomever 'silver eyes' is he seems to know exactly what Luz is….
Anyway, lots of fun is coming up in the next chapter. Maybe a few answers, probably a lot more questions, but I can promise this much things are only just beginning for our favorite little hybrid. Tbh I was going to get into the Conformatorium heist this chapter, but I'm saving it for next time. Speaking of next time, I should probably get started on that. See ya next time for "Breaking Free". Bye.