The next morning
Early in the morning, Tyla groans out of her bed. She slips off her night mask and looked around
the room they were in: a storage room with 2 beds, Luz and her stuff to the sides, and an adorable demon between them, closer to her. That whole trip they did was no dream. It was real!
She got up carefully and took her clothes quietly out of the room to a door labeled 'girls (+King's) bathroom'. After getting dressed, she heard Luz shout something in the other room.
"It wasn't a dream! Good morning, terrifying fantasy world." She proclaimed proudly. There seemed to be a deep voice coming from the ocean along with some splashing. She wasn't sure if she'd get an answer for that. She decided to check in with Luz who appeared to be nuzzling King.
"I'll take care of him while you get dressed, Luz.'' Tyla suggested. Luz agreed and she took King down to the kitchen. Tyla wanted to make King some breakfast, but she didn't know the layout of the place. King simply had some squid tentacles. He offered one to Tyla, and against her initial expectations, it tasted delicious, though it did come with some rejection that she was able to stomach.
After having a simple glass of milk to wash it down, Eda walks in in her PJs while like is behind her wearing a black dressing gown and what appeared to be a solid witch hat? Sounded like luz was trying to get Eda to remember the events of the previous day.
"Kid, lay off the details. I haven't even had my cup of apple blood yet." Eda requested. Luz was slightly confused.
"You mean apple juice?" Luz asked Eda to which she simply responded 'no'. Eda sits on the kitchen table and drinks from her mug. She looked to see King eating tentacles and eyes, looking at Tyla with morbid curiosity. "Why haven't you thrown up yet? Surprised you could stomach demon realm food" She pointed at her.
"Well, I almost threw up, but I think my body is slowly adjusting to it, plus the human realm has its fair share of consumable oddities." Tyla explained.
Luz stared slightly jealous before turning back to Eda. "Oookayy. Well anyway, Teach me some spells. When do I get a magic staff? Was I supposed to bring my own runes?" Luz excitedly asked the tired witch before she gasped. "Do you have a dangerous magical quest for me?"
Eda held her hands out "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down, kid. Being a witch doesn't happen overnight. Also, you're wrapped in a bathrobe and wearing the dirtiest traffic cone I've ever seen." Luz took her hat off and blows on it, revealing that it was, in fact, a traffic cone with a severe layer of dust on it. King laughs. Tyla was tempted to laugh, but decided not to, and nudged King to stop.
"But a magic staff, huh? You really want one?" Eda asked.
"More than anything/ Honestly, I'd want one." Luz and Tyla both responded.
Eda huffed and held out her arm. "Magic staff, come to me!" She beckoned. For a second, nothing happened. Then, several things broke in the distance. Everyone turned slowly to the sound, until Eda's staff appeared and smacked her in the face, clattering to the ground. Ok, that was a little funny.
Eda grunts and picks the staff up, spinning it before tapping it on the ground. "It's early. Now, witches are awarded their staffs from school. With me as your teacher, ye'll be taking a different approach." She dropped a bag of potions onto the floor. "You'll have to work for it." Luz and Tyla follow Eda through the living room. "I run a few businesses. On weekends, I offer rare human treasures that Owlbert drags over from your side of the realm."
Eda grabbed a toy sword and pressed a button on it "I shall smite my enemies! Ages six to eleven." A voice came out. She tossed the fake sword over Luz's head. "But most days I sell only the finest homemade elixirs and potions."
Luz pulled a bottle from the bag and read the label. "Snake oil." She blankly read.
"No one wants an un-oiled snake." Eda said. Tyla wondered the difference. "Now follow me."
The three of them walked onto the owl house balcony, which overlooked the nearby landscape and was in faint sight of a town.
"Today you two will deliver packages and sell potions to that town over there, Bonesborough. You'll have to be careful. I have rivals everywhere who'd love to take my business down and you along with it. You wanted a dangerous magical quest? Sisters, you've got one."
"I won't let you down, Miss Eda. "Luz turns to salute Eda, dropping the sack of potions off the balcony in the process. Tyla tried to grab it, but she fell with it. The good news was they didn't crack. The bad news was the reason being that it fell on her, which made Luz wince.
"I'm sure." Eda grimaced. "Meet me in the living room, gonna get her back up.
In the living room, Luz took her half of the day's potions with another for Tyla, after suggesting it to save time. Tyla herself had been given a healing potion. Eda pushed them out the door. "Remember, never befriend a man in sandals and always measure twice, cut once." She advised, which confused the girls. But Eda just wished them good luck and slammed the door. She dusted off her hands, then looked at King. "I hate to interrupt your power nap, but you have to go with them." She says.
"What? But I just found the perfect spot. Why do I have to go?" King balks
"You and I know they're either going to get lost or eaten, probably both." Eda says
"No, I won't." Luz says while looking through the window. "Honestly, she may have a point for both of us." Tyla said. Eda closed the blinds with a spell. "And because you work for me, too, unless you want to start paying rent." King threw a short tantrum before he stomped out the door. Be back by nightfall or risk mortal peril. Eda told them before she slammed the door again.
"Have a nice trip." Hooty told them. "Hope we do hooty". Tyla said to him. "Huh! Let's get this over with." King grumbled walking out.
Bonesborough.
"Woah!"
Eventually they make it to the town. The walls had plenty of wanted posters on them. With Various types of demons passing by, It's no wonder Luz and Tyla were staring at in amazement.
"Hey, it's rude to stare." King complained.
"Sorry King, but what might be ordinary to you and others who live here are extraordinary for me and Luz" Tyla told him. "Yeah! I've only seen places like this in my dreams. It's incredible. And we're the only humans here?" Luz wonders
"Haven't seen any others." He shrugged
"Wow! There must be a reason for that, right? Why am I here? What if I, Luz Noceda, average teen, actually had … a predetermined path of greatness? Just like Azura!" She gasps twice when imagining
"Yeah. Did Azura's path to greatness involve her delivering boil cream?" King Took a potion labeled "Boil B' Gone" from Luz's sack and held it up.
"Well, some great heroes don't start from grand beginnings. For example, the dragonborn I aspire to be like started out as a criminal awaiting execution. Later he managed to slay a dragon" Tyla pointed out. "Anyway, I'll split off with my half of the potions. I found a map of Boonesborough In the room we were sleeping. King, you keep an eye on Luz. See ye back at the owl house!" She said, with King seeming annoyed but determined, and Luz waving goodbye and hoping to be like Azura.
Bonesborough area in front of library
It didn't take as long as expected thanks to the map and a corresponding list of names and addresses. After she emptied her bag aside from coins (which this land called snails) and one more potion, she decided to head to the library. It was massive, certainly bigger than what Gravesfield had to offer. She made her way in. Apparently, the last customer was the head librianian.
"Excuse me sir?" She loudly whispered "I have your order." The librarian's eyes widened but he took the bottle from her hands, inspected it and gave the price that he usually paid.
"Make sure Eda gets the snails back". She nodded. "Now are you here to take out any books?"
"I am curious to take some books about dragons but I don't think I have a library card if that's necessary." She requested. "It is but if you get the books I can make you one quickly. They are in the Creature section" He explained. This seemed fair. So she heads off to pick em' up.
15 minutes later, Tyla had half a dozen books about the creatures, along with one or two about magic, just so she and Luz could understand it, and one for a 'personal' reason. Halfway to the front desk, she bumps into someone, falling backside. Before she could apologize, she heard the other person speak out.
"Could you please look beyond your book pile!" The girl asked
"Sorry, just taking a few books to take home." She apologized and held out her left hand "I'm Tyla, and you are?.."
"Amity Blight, and I'm surprised you didn't know that." She huffed
"Well, I've only been allowed out recently and was curious about dragons." Tyla lied. Amity eyed her suspiciously before helping to get Tyla's books - though she was sure to pick up her own personal book.
"Kinda surprised by that. Most people avoid them pretty hard unless they become beast keepers, and even then, people fear them like with basilisks. I mean, I don't think I'll ever forget the bedtime stories I've been told." Tyla looked on but made sure to hide her confusion. "Well, good luck on learning about them." She walked off but before she turned her head back to say one last thing;
"Most people don't survive dealing with dragons". Tyla wondered what she meant, but she could always ask eda when she came back. She got a library card and left with her new book collection that she hoped to take advantage of.
The Owl House
Back at the owl house, Tyla walked through the hooty door with a sack holding the books, and both pockets full of snails.
"I'm back!" She proclaimed. Eda came by dragging what appeared to be a fake human corpse. They stared at each other for a few seconds.
"...Don't ask." Eda said bluntly. "Well, how did your delivery go?"
"Great. Got the change right here" Tyla answered, handing the snails gathered. Eda counts it.
"Glad to see the profit made! Just to note, next time feel free to use some of the money for lunch. King and luz seemed to have done that themselves." Eda clarified.
"Speaking of which, where are they?" Tyla asked
"Oh, they're up in your room. Luz seemed to be interested in something." She said
Tyla nodded and took her books out of the sack before walking upstairs. Walking into the room she sees Luz sheathing the toy sword from earlier. Around her are various potions, food, the quest scroll, and her Azura book.
"So, King, what kind of Chosen One should I be?" She asked him. He yawned trying to get a good sleeping position on Luz's sleeping bag "Huh? What?" He grumbles. Tyla wasn't there for what got luz so excited so she simply listened as luz picked up her book. "Should I be full of optimism and goodness, like the Good Witch Azura? Or should I be like a bad girl Chosen One with black nail polish and a mysteriously withdrawn attitude?" She used the book as a mouth. For the following moment. "I act like I don't care, but I secretly do."
"Nah, you're too innocent to be a Bad girl" Tyla comments on her decision, surprising luz. Just then Eda waltzed in with a fake severed arm.
"you guys talking about bad girls? Wait, what's going on?" She asked
"Not exactly" Tyla said
"Eda, tell Luz how dumb wizards are." King demanded. Eda seemed annoyed
Ugh! Wizards are the worst. Never trust a man in casual drapery." She gestured with the severed arm and almost hit King several times before she laced her fingers with the severed arms. "Why?"
"Your wizard client told Luz…" king snickered. "she was a—" a giggle escaped "was a Chosen One!" He laughed
"Wait, wait, Luz?" Eda snickered before she laughed so hard she fell back onto the floor.
"He even gave her a map." King added before he and Eda continued to laugh, with Luz hidden behind her book, and an embarrassed blush on her face. Tyla meanwhile was miffed, if amused for some reason. She fake coughed and at least got Eda to calm down.
"Let me see this map." She requested, to which Luz handed her the map. She inspected it for a few seconds.
"You didn't think this was real, did you?" Eda said to which Luz was aghast, while Tyla looked in confusion
"This map is bunk. There's no lake with a Celestial Staff on the Boiling Isles. I would have stolen it ages ago." Eda finally notices Luz's down face and hands her the map back." Ah, don't worry. Couple more months here and you won't look like such a mark." She reassured, rubbing her head.
"Can I have some time alone?" Eda shrugged and left the room. King hopped off of Luz's sleeping bag and followed Eda. He sees Tyla staying behind. "You coming along?" King asked. "No, I want to better understand the whole thing." King understood and walked off
"Maybe they were right." Luz leaned against the wall before sliding down it to the floor. Just then the light seemed to return with Tyla walking in "Huh?"
Sunlight illuminated a corner of the map, revealing the word "one" in shining blue lettering. Luz holds the entire map up to the light revealing the message: " The chosen one The path will only appear to the worthy ". Tyla was surprised
"The path will only appear to the worthy." Gasped That's why Eda couldn't see it. But am... I really worthy?"
The Wind howled and opened the window. The map flies out of her grasp, landing next to her book. The wind flipped the pages to one whereshow Azura standing loved and triumphant on a small hill, the people around her applauding as she held a staff to the sun. Ok, something was up
"I'll never know unless I try." Luz proclaimed. However, another voice caught her off guard.
"Not without help of course" Luz looked around to see Tyla posing heroically
"Tyla? How long have you been there?" Luz wondered. "I never left. I'm curious about this quest. Besides, the hero has their own sidekick. Tyla pointed. Luz regained her excitement. "All right, Let's Do this!" Luz cheered. And so they head out.
Meanwhile, in the living room, King layed down on the couch, having found a resting spot.
"Finally! All that mean‐spirited laughter made me sleepy." He commented, only for Eda to nudge him.
"Crony, wake up. You said that wizard was one of my clients?" She requested
"Yes. Now go away." He groaned trying to wave her away with a hand before giving up
"I don't know him that well…" She sat on the couch with enough force to send King flying into the air. "... And I don't trust this itch he's scratching in the human, at least her friend wasn't with her." She thought out loud
"Less talky, more nappy." King didn't seem interested in what was going on.
Eda sighed, figuring she might as well ask the one interested in it. She heads up to ask her
"Hey, Luz?" The room was empty, the howling wind pushing open the window. "Aw, nuts." She ran to the window, looking for answers "Hooty, where'd they go?"
Hooty slithered over to the window still being his annoying self "Hoot, hoot. If you want the answer that you seek, solve my riddle within a week—" He started off cryptically but Eda shut it by punching the wall hard enough to shake the whole house and leave cracks in the wall.
"Ow! Okay, okay. They went into the forest towards Bonesborough. Sheesh!" He complained, not happy about the punch. Eda was not happy, letting out an "Ugh!"
Edge of Bonesborough
Outside of Bonesborough's city limit the girls were trekking to where The Quest started. Luz inhaled prepping herself.
"My first mythical quest. Ha!" Luz said. Tyla was a little suspicious, but she was looking forward to a quest herself.
"Yeah, time to show the isles we can handle whatever it wants to throw at us" Tyla followed behind. They jumped and slid down an incline, then got over a fallen log. A thick fog rolled in as they kept walking.
"Okay. Got my scroll, got my youthful optimism, got my trusty weapon. Luz pulled out the sword and hit a button on it. "By the power of Skullgar, I am out of battery." it let out before the lights on the sword dimmed as Luz lowered it. She continues onward, ducking a branch and cutting a rope with the sword. "it can still cut down the threats in the way" Tyla pointed out. Even as a toy, the blade was better than none
"You know, I wonder if we made the right choice by coming here. Before either could comment they gasped at what they saw
A village full of Clothed Biped cats. They walked through the village, beaming as the looked around - Luz moreso. They approached a fountain in the middle of a square, from which a witch with a sword strapped to his waist emerged, flipping wet hair out of his face.
"I see. So you're the Chosen One. He scoffs while looking at Luz "The Celestial Staff should've picked me, Nevareth Bladestrife, Teen Prince of Angstmore.
"Yes. Yes, I did make the right choice." She cheered, staring at his biceps. Tyla felt something was wrong herself.
Random Alley, Bonesborough
King and Eda were trotting down the street, with King sniffing along till they got to the Wizard's castle
"This is where we met the scones- I mean, the wizard. Whoa!" King said before realizing that the preserved castle was far more torn down than last time. Eda pushed aside a patched curtain. "It wasn't like this before." King remembered. It looked more like no one had lived there or even fixed it
"I don't like this." Eda said. She opened the door to the library. It was as torn down as the rest of the tower. Amongst it all, Eda finds a bundle of scrolls, all identical copies of the one Luz had brought home with her
"I really don't like this." The tone was grim.
Central Staff Platform, Middle of the Woods
While this quest had been quite a bit fun, Tyla had been suspicious. Nearly all of the friendly faces they met seemed to be fantasy tropes come to life, one of which was a friendly fairy (when yesterday they seemed to be more like mosquitoes who could talk). Luz also managed to gain items like a cape (albeit from a shirt of all things) and a set of bracelets. Even then, it sometimes felt like the world around them was glitching.
The buildings were worn down, Luz's gifts had lock symbols on them, and the friendly "NPCs" were tentacles with puppets attached to them. Could something be- no she can't think those thoughts. At least the glasses help to see the world as it is.
They eventually split off from their 'party' and head to the staff. The Celestial Staff stands on a platform in the middle of a lake, illuminated by a ray of light. In awe at the staff, they head over. As they approached the edge of the lake, a glow came from the water, followed a few seconds later by a stone walkway rumbling into place, connecting the edge of the lake and the central platform.
"I knew this world wasn't all gloom and doom like Eda and King said. Luz wondered, skipping and twirling down the walkway. There is wonder here. And I... I think I came here for a reason."
Tyla wasn't as excited. "Yeah, surprised Eda never took this thing, if she ever managed to find it." She noted, walking further along, feeling like she was being watched.
They paused upon reaching the platform and stared at the staff in awe. The two looked at each other.
Tyla decided to step back to give Luz a shot. "Hey, you're the chosen one. You probably need it more than me." She gave a hopeful smile. Luz looked back at it and attempted to calm her nerves. "Okay, this is it. Moment of truth." She muttered
She hesitantly grabs the staff. Blue swirls of magic come out of it, creating waves in the lake as the top of the staff glows brightly. She pulls it out of the ground and holds it above her head triumphantly.
"Wow, now that is a staff!" Tyla cheers at Luz being 'worthy'
"Yes! I am the Chosen One! I knew it! I always suspected there was a reason nobody understood my wacky antics back at home." Luz Jumped and twirled in a circle In jubilee, then held the staff with both I have concrete proof. Both laughed, but the feeling quickly went away when the staff disintegrated, with the dust blowing away in the wind.
"No!" The girls panicked, with Luz grabbing at the dust. Around them, the rest of the illusions faded: flowers at her feet wilt, water drained from the lake and retreated up the riverbanks, and the leaves even disappeared in a swirl.
"What?" Luz asked seemingly no one. Tyla meanwhile was wondering if the 'glitches' from earlier was a sign that the quest they'd been on was a facade "Alright, who's been messing with us?" She growled.
For a moment she thought she could hear Eda about something dangerous somehow, but the fog surrounding them seemed to fog up her senses quickly. Luz backs up, holding her sword in front of her and whimpering
"Luz, the human." A voice said, getting their attention to where they came from. It was a close representation of a wizard seen in generic fairy tales.
"Magical wizard?/ A man in jim-jams and sandals? Luz and Tyla asked in confusion
"Your hubris has failed you, Witch Apprentice. He cackled before the wizard lifted, turning into a puppet to reveal an ocotopus-like demon. The ground begins to crack.
"Huh?" The girls looked around in confusion to see the previous travelling companions and cats from the village arose from the stone, a tentacle in each of their backs. They're lifted in the air and surround the girls, who slowly spinned around.
"Okay, Luz. Don't panic. This is classic Chosen One biz. You just have to rescue everybody and defeat the final boss." Luz tried to remain brave while Tyla connected the dots about what she wasn't sure of before. "Wait, you were playing with us throughout the entire quest weren't you?" She accused, pointing at him. This gained a chuckle from.. it.
"Clever girl. I'm no mere Wizard. I am everybody, though you can call me Adegast! And you're no Chosen One. I've tricked you." He laughed evilly
"What?" Luz exclaimed, and as she was distracted by the reveal, her cape floated up around her. It turned into chains, forcing her to her knees. The bracelets became hand cuffs and the ring became chains that locked her hands together, secured with a padlock. This worried Tyla.
"No! Betrayed by my own cool accessories. Why are you doing this?" Luz asked, with Tyla looking at the demon for an explanation
"Your mentor has been stealing customers from my potions business for years. She must be destroyed." He told them.
"Does everybody have a beef with Eda here?" Luz asked in exasperation to which the puppets all agreed. She sighed
"I'm not surprised that she'd find a way to piss off everyone, but I still think she could do a better job then you" Tyla comments.
"Well, your dear friend had lured her right into my trap, all because she wanted to think she was special."
"No. Joke's on you, 'cause Eda isn't stupid enough to fall for your trap." Luz jested, but before Tyla could mention what she heard earlier, a louder voice shouted out to everyone on the ground:
"Adegast!"
"Oh, heck!" Luz said, while Tyla wondered what was to happen. Eda and King land at the end of the walkway.
"Eda, I have you now!" He told her. Two cat puppets erupt from the ground, one grabbing Eda and King.
"That's right. You have me. Now release the girls." Eda demands
"I didn't have to be a part of this!" King squirmed, worrying Tyla as much as Luz did before.
"Oh, she can leave. If she wants to. But I sense she wants a real fantasy." The demon looked on in greed.
Tyla ran to Luz trying to get Luz free, but she was wrapped with one of the tentacles which brought her before adegast.
"Ahh, as for you, I was excited to capture the owl lady, but a dragon is royalty for a puppet demon like myself. Shame you never understood your potential" and so Adegast began to drain her
?
Tyla woke up in a dark void with a tinge of blue. She stood up and looked around.
"Where am I?" Tyla asked. Then a booming voice got her attention
"An extra-dimensional realm" Tyla turned in fear to see a gigantic near-black serpentine dragon. "You seem far from the place you came from"
"Yeah, stabbing will do that to you" Tyla deadpanned. "What is this place, exactly?"
One between other realms. though I usually view other dragons, I can also see your place" a claw pushed a viewing orb over to Tyla.
It showed luz struggling to push off the mental attacks from the puppets. However with some unintentional encouragement from her, luz pushed it back and started slashing against the tentacles. When Eda bruised the one draining tyla, which left her body to fall to the group, her spirit glowed.
"Welp, looks like my time in the spirit realm is over. Maybe I'll see you again when I die…" Tyla spoke to the Mighty dragon, to which he gave a knowing grin. "Give him your version of hell, dear" The dragon responded. She nodded with a determined grin
Abandoned garden, Middle of the woods
It took quite some effort partially due to draining Tyla, but they had slain the puppets. Eda lands nearby
[Eda lands next to Luz, the two sharing a smile.]
"Back off!" Adegast held up King and warned. "Or the dog gets it."
"I am not a—" he was muffled quickly. Eda and Luz quickly dropped their weapons and raised their hands in surrender.
"King, I'm sorry. I should have listened to you and never trusted that wizard. You were right. He isn't mystical or magical. He's just a big, slimy jerk." Luz apologized before she kicked her sword, sending it flying. But before it could hit Adegast's head, the blade was grabbed by the hilt by Tyla. She stood up with the top half of her face covered in darkness. Eda and Luz were worried for her.
"T-Tyla?" Luz asked
"Ahh, Tyla L/N." Adegast seemed satisfied. "Glad to see you come back. Care to stop them for the trouble?" He slithered one of his tentacles around the wrist of the hand that held the blade, but she quickly slices it. He screams and drops King, who is caught by Luz. She quickly moves
"Oh, Adegast. You didn't earn that power. I am in this land to prove I earned this power, and no one can take this away from me, Not even you! Face the flames of Dante's Inferno!" Tyla spoke out with flames in her eyes and launched a barrage of fires. It was torture to suffer.
Adegast's scream changed pitch as he shrank to less than an eighth of his previous size. Eda and Luz walk up to him and Tyla. She picked up a fried version of what had tormented them before, though still alive.
"Can't say my version of heck would be better then yours." She told the fried squid before eating it. The adrenaline from before had worn out by now, though the extra energy gained from eating him rejuvenated her before she fell over. "Woah, that was a rollercoaster."
Eda helped with her stumbling "Well, that's the last time I take an outside referral." She said, with her and Tyla looked over to luz, wallowing on her knees. "You okay, Luz?" Tyla asked
"No. I'm just confused." Luz muttered Tyla stumbled over to hug her
"Thinking of calling it quits, huh?"
"This place is nothing like I imagined./Oh Luz" Luz and Tyla lamented
"Hmm. Maybe not here. But come with me. I got something to show you.
The two looked over and followed her, but not before picking up Tyla's glasses.
Skies above the isles
After some flying, Eda stopped owlbert, with King, Luz and Tyla, the last two wearing blindfold on it, as well
"Okay, you can look." She told the girls. They took it off before staring at the sight in awe "Whoa!" The sight was the whole of the Boiling Isles: the decomposing body of a Titan. It's laying with its arms splayed in the sea, its skull illuminated by the setting sun.
"The bones of the Isles. Up close, the Isles can be slimy—" "And very stinky. "-And gross. But if you look at it from a different perspective…" Eda said with King interrupting in the middle. The four of them look to the sky above the Titan's skull, where stars are beginning to appear. As they watch, a shooting star crosses the sky, there for only a moment.
"It's beautiful." Luz finished. "True that." Tyla followed
"Yeah" King leaned against Luz.
"Eda, how did you know that wizard was lying?" Luz wondered to Eda. Tyla felt like several red flags was up around Adegast, but let Eda say.
"Look, kid, everyone wants to believe they're "chosen". But if we all waited around for a prophecy to make us special," She chuckled. "we'd die waiting. And that's why you need to choose yourself."
"Does that mean you'll give us a magic staff of our own?"
"Not yet. But... someday." Eda responded
"Actually, before I came back, I brought a book or two about magic, so I hope to show some of it to you." Tyla said, getting excited about learning magic with her new best friend.
Luz and Tyla leaned against Eda as they all watched the sun continue to set.
