[Episode opens with King reading from a book focused on the history of the Boiling Isles.]

King: The Boiling Isles, born from the flesh and bones of a fallen Titan.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Camila shouted. "We are not just going to charge ahead and pretend nothing happened, Luz! You are not a freak. You are not responsible for anything that happened to Eda. And your lot in life is certainly not to suffer."

Luz just stared at her. "You're just saying that cause you're my mom. You're obligated to say that."

"I am saying that because I love you, Luz," Camila retorted. "I am willing to bet everyone in this room does too." Everyone nodded. Even Hunter didn't hesitate for an instant. "You are a good person. You are an incredible person. Luz, I envy you. Your creativity, your zest for life, the way you never give up, I wish I was more like you."

"Yeah, Luz!" Amity said. "You think you've just brought pain to the Isles, but you've made all of our lives better. You helped me stop being a bully and helped me see what Mom was doing to me was wrong."

"And without you, I never would have joined the plant track!" Willow added. "I would have stayed in the abominations track and been utterly miserable."

"You're one of my best friends, Luz," Gus said. "You've made my life so much better just by being in it."

Vee looked her in the eyes, her face earnest. "Luz, you saved me. Without you, I'd have been recaptured and tortured, probably even killed! Instead, I got a home here with a family that loves me."

"If you never came to the Isles, I would still be serving Belos," Hunter pointed out. "I would still be his slave. Or, more likely, dead."

"And I can't even begin to tell you how much better you've made my life, Luz," Camila finished. "Every day, I thank the Lord you are in my life. I know this is tough on you. But we will help you whenever you need it. You need only ask. Now do you believe us?"

Luz was silent for a long while. "I don't know," she said eventually. "But I really, really want to."

"Then that's good enough for now," Camila said. "Let's start."

This original magic was so potent, all life on the Isles evolved to wield magic too. For years, we explored those power freely. Until, a mysterious witch appeared who declared that he, and he alone, could speak to the island.

"Liar," Willow spat. She was so ashamed of her ancestors for falling for Belos's honeyed words. They should have seen through him. But because they didn't, she and so many others had had to pay the price.

He said that we were using magic all wrong. His teachings took hold, his strength grew, and he became... Emperor Belos. Belos said that mixing magic was wrong, that only he had that right.

"Convenient," Camila said, rolling her eyes.

So he created the coven system. And there, our knowledge was restricted, and our potential sealed away. Those who resist are called wild witches, and they face harsh punishment. Emperor Belos has since retreated into his castle. There are whispers that say he's planning something big.

"Oh, they have no idea," Luz said caustically.

[Cut away from the book to King and Luz in the latter's room.]

King: I wonder if catching Eda was part of his big plan. What do you think, Luz? Luz?

[Luz stares at the tag on her cape, reading: "To a young witch from her proud mentor EDA".]

Luz burst into tears. Amity held her tightly. "There, there, Luz," she whispered. "Just let it all out."

"I failed her…"

"No, you didn't, Luz," Amity said. "She's so, so proud of you. You didn't fail her. You didn't fail anyone."

Luz: I don't care what Belos is up to... because today, I'm saving Eda!

Camila clapped. In truth, a part of her yearned to berate her daughter for charging ahead, likely without a plan, but now was decidedly not the time. So instead she decided to indulge the part of her that thirsted for revenge against the horrid man who had tortured one of her daughters and indirectly almost killed the other.

[Cut to Luz opening the door to a room decorated with weapons.]

King: Luz, what are you doing?

Luz: This is serious, King. Eda used her power to save me and got caught by Lilith. Now she's the Owl Beast and is being taken before the Emperor! I don't know what he's planning to do with Eda, but I'm going to rescue her.

King: Haven't you been listening to me? He's the Emperor! He's the most powerful witch alive!

"Not quite," Hunter said with a smirk.

Luz: King, please try to understand. Eda is in this situation because of me. Because of my stupid choice. I have to make up for it.

King: But she's in her Owl Beast form! How will she even recognize you?

Luz: I don't know. But I have to try anyway.

King: Well then, I'm going too.

Luz: King...

King: Me and Eda don't always see eye-to-eye, but I do consider her family. I want her back as much as you do.

Luz: Alright. Then we've got no time to lose! [Runs out of the room.]

King: Nyeh!

[King throws the book on the ground, which opens to the page with Belos on it. Cut to a news broadcast on a crystal ball.]

Perry: Perry Porter coming to you live from outside the Emperor's Castle. Edalyn Clawthorne, known commonly as "Eda the Owl Lady", has been captured and has been brought before the Emperor.

Gus tried to avoid anyone's eyes. He did not like the reminder that his father spewed coven propaganda to the masses on a regular basis. Would he even have believed Gus if he said Belos was plotting to kill them all? Did he believe that now, or had he just plunged headfirst into denial?

Kikimora: For the crime of attacking a coven leader and refusing to join a coven, Edalyn Clawthorne's body shall be petrified in stone! Today, sundown, at the Conformatorium.

Camila let out a gasp. That was a truly barbarous form of execution, in her opinion.

Gus: [Gasps and turns to his scroll.] Willow! Are you watching?

Willow: Yes. We have to do something.

"Aw," Luz said. "My best friend's first act of treason! I love it."

Perry: Today is a grave day for Bonesborough.

[Various demons and witches watching the crystal balls in the street murmur in discussion and walk off, revealing Luz and King.]

Luz: Please tell me that's not as bad as it sounds.

King: Petrification is only done to the worst criminals, and once the spell is complete, it can't be reversed.

"I mean, technically it wasn't as bad as it sounds if it's worse," Hunter, who just adored being pedantic, mused. Luz stuck her tongue out at him.

[The newscast shows several petrified witches in what looks like a graveyard before fading to a picture of Lilith.]

Luz: Lilith. She cursed Eda. She captured her own sister! She is the worst! If I ever see her again!

[Luz tosses the crystal ball displaying the news onto the ground, shattering it.]

King: Luz, calm down. We need to think about saving Eda first!

Luz: [Sighs.] You're right, but how will we get to the Conformatorium in time?

"Nope!" Vee said. "Someone get me when we're done with the Conformatorium!" She quickly slithered out of the room.

[A guard walks by, whistling. King narrows his eyes while looking at the guard.]

King: We'll have to do something so diabolical, so criminally insane, that they'll have to send us to the Conformatorium.

"I'm not sure I'm liking the idea of criminally insane, Luz," Camila said.

Luz gave a shark like grin. "Then you're really not going to like what's coming." Camila gulped.

Luz: Hey!

Guard: Hm?

[Luz and King are standing on grass, directly in front of a DO NOT STEP ON GRASS sign.]

Hunter let out a gasp. If there was one thing the Emperor's Coven hated, it was when people stepped out on grass. Forget about getting sent to the Conformatorium, they were lucky they weren't beheaded on the spot!

Luz and King: Whaaa?

[The coven guard gasps.]

Luz: Yep.

[Doors close, securing Luz and King in a paddy wagon.]

"That's…what, the third time you got arrested so far?" Camila asked.

"That's absolutely right," Luz lied, definitely not mentioning the two other times she'd gotten arrested between her adventures. One of them had been entirely deserved – Eda had been teaching her pickpocketing and she'd gotten caught, but Eda bribed the guards into letting them go with money she had, unbeknownst to them, pickpocketed from them. The second time, however, had been a frame up by one of Eda's many enemies.

Luz: Perfect plan.

[Cut to the sign for the Conformatorium. The paddy wagon passes by petrified wild witches, which Luz and King stare at. Luz and King gasp.]

Hunter shook his head in dismay. So many people dead because of Belos. How many grimwalkers before him had died trying to save these people, he wondered?

[Two guards bring out a pedestal with Eda's name on it.]

King: There's not gonna be a new statue going up today. Right, Luz? Luz?

[The wagon passes a poster of Lilith. Luz growls. The paddy wagon continues on, entering the Conformatorium proper. A gate closes behind it, and the camera pans up to reveal a banner reading "PETRIFICATION TODAY AT SUNDOWN". Cut to inside, where the paddy wagon backs in to a docking station.]

Guard: Sir, the Owl Lady's human student has been apprehended.

"I have a name," Luz spat. "Can't you use it?"

Warden Wrath: Very good. Ah, Luz the Human. How I've waited to see you again. Now I'll have my revenge and you'll have front row seats to Eda's demise.

"Please tell me you kicked this guy's ass, Luz," Camila begged her. Luz just grinned.

[Wrath opens the paddy wagon doors and is bombarded by branches. He screams.]

Emperor's Coven Guard: Huh?

[Luz screams and slams an ice glyph on the ground. A spear of ice pins the Emperor's Guard to the ceiling. Wrath shoves away the branches, then is captured by several ice pillars. Luz walks up to him with King on her shoulder.]

"That bastard had no idea he was dealing with a master of glyph magic," Luz bragged, then looked over at Camila sheepishly. "Uh, sorry, mami."

"I will allow it just this once," Camila said, a warning note in her voice.

Luz: Where's Eda?

Warden Wrath: She's in the holding cell in the dungeon.

Luz: Draw me a map!

[Cut to outside, where an audience is gathered.]

Member 1: Do you really think Eda deserves a petrification?

Camila was pleasantly surprised. She had written off most of the Isles' population as sheep mindlessly following their leader. Perhaps there was hope for them after all.

Member 2: I don't know. This is all happening so fast.

Willow: If we know anything about Luz, she's going to be here trying to save Eda.

Luz laughed nervously. "Am I truly that predictable?"

"YES!" everyone else shouted simultaneously.

Gus: And we'll be here to save her when she needs us!

"Aw, you guys are the best friends!" Luz said with a grin.

Willow: Let's split up and find her!

[Cut to a hallway, where two guards are hanging in vines from the ceiling, another can only be seen by his legs, a fourth is holding his hands in front of a fire, and a fifth is encased in ice. Luz walks away from the scene, running to a padlocked set of double doors.]

"I have the most badass girlfriend ever," Amity said, her voice filled with awe.

"It's a shame Vee isn't here to see this," Luz said. "I bet she'd get a real kick out of this."

Camila nodded, but she certainly wasn't going to drag her daughter into the room to get further traumatized. She'd respect her decision. She definitely was going to tell Vee about all this later. She'd appreciate it a lot.

Luz: King, watch the door.

King: Weh.

[Luz steps forward and places an ice glyph on the lock, freezing and breaking it. She enters the room and pulls out a light glyph. Offscreen, Beast Eda is growling.]

Luz: Eda? Eda!

[Luz runs to her, but bounces off when her wing twitches. Beast Eda turns at the noise and growls, going in for the attack.]

Camila chewed on her fingernails. Was this all that was left of Eda, some bestial creature?

Luz: [Pulls out an activated light glyph.] Eda, wait! It's me! It's me.

Beast Eda: [Closes her eyes, reopens them to reveal them being gold again.] Luz? Oh no. Oh no, no, no, no, no, wh-what are you doing here?

"I helped her come back to herself with the power of love," Luz bragged.

Luz: It's okay Eda, I'm here to save you.

[She activates a fire glyph on the chain keeping Eda in place, but the flame does nothing.]

Beast Eda: Your magic isn't strong enough for this. You need to leave! Now.

Luz: But, but I can't! It's my fault you needed to save me. It's my fault you got captured.

Beast Eda: No. Listen to me. I'm here because of my own actions. I went against Belos's law, and for a while I was able to get away with it. But, [Sighs.] well without magic, I can't do much. I don't regret anything. I lived freely and... I got to meet you.

"You see, Luz?" Camila said. "Even Eda doesn't blame you for what happened. This was Lilith and Belos's fault alone. They chose to do evil, to capture Eda."

"I guess," Luz said, not really believing it in her heart.

Luz: Eda...

Beast Eda: But if you stay here, I won't be able to protect you. You need to leave. Now!

Luz: But we're a family! Us weirdos have to stick together, remember?

Luz let out a sob at that. They weren't sticking together anymore, were they?

[Eda sticks a claw into her hair, pulling out the key for the portal door. She activates it, making the door rise from the floor. It opens as she speaks, revealing the same path that Luz chased Owlbert down at the beginning of the summer.]

Beast Eda: You have a family already. Go back to them. And when you're home, use your fire magic to destroy the portal door. [Places the key around Luz's neck.] I don't know why Belos wants it, but we can't take any chances.

Luz should have listened. She should have returned home and saved herself. But she didn't. and why? Because she thought she was the hero! Little did she know there were no heroes in the universe. Just villains and suckers.

Luz: [Looks at Eda with tears in her eyes before tucking the key under her cloak and hugging her.] I love you, Eda.

Beast Eda: I love you too, kiddo.

[A siren blares as a door in the ceiling opens.]

Beast Eda: Luz, get away!

[Eda pushes Luz away as the chain around her neck glows blue and transforms into a cage. The ground beneath Eda begins to rise.]

Luz: No! [Runs forward and grabs a hold of the bottom of Eda's claw.] Not yet!

Luz desperately wish she could stop herself from crying, from looking weak in front of her family, but the tears fell from her eyes entirely without her consent.

Beast Eda: I'm sorry. [Pushes Luz off.] Goodbye, Luz.

Luz: Eda!

[The platform completely rises into the ceiling with an air of finality. Luz cries into her hand, kneeling between the door to the human realm and where Eda had been just moments before. Cut to the door as it opens suddenly.]

Lilith: Drat!

King: Let me go!

Lilith: I'm too late, at least I found you, human.

"Oh, come on!" Camila shouted. "What the hell is wrong with you, lady? Luz never did anything to you!"

Luz: You. You hurt Eda. You put her in chains. And now, I will take you down! [Yells as she jumps at Lilith, activating spell cards.]

"GET HER, LUZ!" Camila shouted. "KICK HER ASS!"

Lilith: [Drops King to block Luz's spell with her staff.] I just wanna talk!

Luz: Talk to the glyph, witch!

"Nice trash talking, Luz!" Camila said with a thumbs up. "Manny would be so proud!" For the first time in what felt like an eternity, a surge of pure happiness flowed through Luz.

[Luz slams five plant glyphs to the ground at once, summoning several tendrils to trap Lilith. She breaks through them easily with a spin of her staff, but Luz uses the distraction to jump onto Lilith.]

Lilith: Ah, stop! What is wrong with you?

"I've been asking myself that question all my life," Luz muttered.

"And I have the answer for you, Luz," Amity said without missing a beat. "Absolutely nothing."

[The two walk through the still-open portal door.]

King: Luz! [Follows them through the door.]

[Luz and Lilith fall off the porch of the house in the human realm. King follows through a second later. Luz is the first to recover, looking at the forest they landed in as the wind blows her cloak and hair. Lilith stands behind her with her hands glowing blue.]

King: Luz, watch out! [Is pulled to the ground by vines.]

Luz: [Dives out of the way of Lilith's spell and pulls a fire glyph out.] Fire! [The glyph disintegrates in her hands.] What?

Without the ambient magic flowing in from the portal door, the glyphs didn't even disintegrate properly anymore. They were just drawings on paper.

Lilith: [Tackles Luz.] Please, just listen to me!

Luz: No way! You deserve to be petrified! Not Eda!

"Kill her!" Camila urged her. "Rend her bones! Eat her spleen! Make her suffer in agony!"

"Uh…can you tone it down a little, mom?" Luz asked. "You're scaring me!"

Lilith: You're right. [Backs away from Luz.] I deserve to be in Edalyn's place.

Luz: Why did you do all this?

Lilith: When Edalyn and I were younger, we were, the best of friends.

"It was true," Luz confirmed. "When they were just kids, they even invented their own healing spell to share their pain if one of them got hurt."

Being in the Emperor's Coven was my dream. I wanted to work alongside the most powerful witch on the Isles and make the world a better place.

"Oh, and just how were you planning on doing that, Lilith?" Camila spat. "Locking up innocent writers without due process? Branding people without their consent? Torturing children?!"

"I don't think she knew about the basilisks," Luz said, though she was honestly just guessing. Hunter nodded. He hadn't known about the basilisks himself; it made sense Lilith would have similarly been kept in the dark.

Eda wanted to be with me, but there was a problem.

"The problem was that there was only one slot available," Luz explained. "So the two of them were going to duel for it."

I knew Edalyn would beat me. She was younger, but worked twice as hard. She met me at my level.

"So she went to the night market…and she found the curse."

Emperor Belos always said, "To be great, you have to make sacrifices."

"Funny how everyone else seems to be making the sacrifices around Belos," Hunter muttered.

What would he do in my situation?

"He would have killed her," Gus said, knowing that to be completely true. Blood meant absolutely nothing to the emperor.

I found a spell that would take away her powers. I thought it would just be for a day.

"But it turned out to be for nothing," Luz said. "Because when it came time to duel, Eda forfeited. She didn't want to hurt her sister, not for a system she didn't really believe in anyway."

And as Edalyn walked away...

"She turned into the Owl Beast," Luz said with a shiver. "Everyone mocked her. They chased her away. And life just kept on going downhill for Eda. She accidentally hurt her dad, her mom went down a rabbit hole of fake cures, her relationship with Lilith disintegrated, and her partner Raine broke up with her because she wasn't honest about the curse. And then I showed up and made things even worse…"

"No, Luz," Camila said sternly. "You heard Eda herself say it. You made her life so much better."

I made my sacrifice for the emperor, and it was time to receive my reward. I've been pursuing Edalyn because if she joined the Emperor's Coven, Emperor Belos told me he would heal her curse. But he lied to me.

"Wow, Lilith," Camila said sarcastically. "It's almost as if you should have expected that the person who lies to absolutely everyone would have lied to you too." She rolled her eyes. Even if Lilith was sincere about wanting to help, it didn't change Camila's opinion of her. She had tried to murder Luz in cold blood. It would be a cold day in hell before Camila could forgive her for that.

I know how to rescue Edalyn, but I can't do it alone.

Luz: How do I know I can trust you?

[Lilith appears to think for a second before tracing a large spell circle. Owlbert and the rest of Eda's staff appear in her hands. She holds them both out to Luz, who takes them.]

Luz: Owlbert! You're okay.

[Owlbert opens his eyes and coos, nuzzling into Luz. She puts him on her shoulder and uses the staff to stand.]

"Aw, so cute," Willow said. "You two have come a long way."

Luz: All right, Lilith. I don't like your whole, [She points at Lilith and traces a circle with her finger.] deal, but... [Her expression softens.] we need your help to save Eda.

A part of Camila wanted to berate Luz for trusting Lilith so easily – it could have just been a trap to lure her to Belos. But then again, it wasn't as if she was overflowing with other options.

[Luz holds out the door key as Lilith stands.]

Lilith: Thank you.

[The vines around King loosen and let's him go.]

King: Weh?

Lilith: Now, lets head back.

[Lilith heads for the door. Luz starts to follow her, but a breeze makes her look back at the human realm behind them. A nostalgic, mournful tune plays as she stares at the trees. Lilith walks through the door, but King notices Luz lingering.]

"I was so tempted to go back and tell you everything for a second there," Luz said to Camila. "I wanted your help so badly. But…I was scared. Besides, I didn't think you'd believe me, and we didn't have the time anyway."

Camila nodded. In truth, she wasn't sure how she'd have reacted. Naturally, if it had just been Luz, she'd have assumed she'd broken entirely from reality. However, with Lilith present to prove her story by doing magic…well, Camila would have liked to think she'd have gotten out her trusty baseball bat and gone with her to kick some imperial ass. But there was no way to know for sure.

King: Hey Luz, You... need a minute?

Luz: No. I'm coming.

[She walks up the steps as King follows Lilith. Luz pauses just before entering, taking one last look at the human realm, before disappearing in the glowing white.]

"If I'd known that was the last time I'd see it for ages…" Luz said and trailed off, unsure of what to say.

[The glow disappears with her, leaving just a broken down house with a closed door. Cut to an Emperor's Coven guard drumming a beat. Zoom out to reveal several drumming guards in two lines in front of a large crowd.]

Willow: I don't see Luz anywhere.

Gus: Do you think she got caught?

"Gee, so nice of my friends to have faith in me," Luz snarked.

[An alarm sounds, and the cage with Beast Eda in it rises onto a towering platform in front of the crowd.]

Perry: Well folks, Eda the Owl Lady has appeared on stage, which means the petrification process is about to begin.

Gus shuddered. How could his dad be so sanguine over someone getting horribly executed like that? He knew he didn't know any better in his head, but his heart was still disgusted at him.

[Kikimora finishes rising with the cage. She walks forward and pushes a lever, making the three headed statue rise from the ground. Beast Eda visibly looks nervous as the machine crackles to power. Cut to the inside of the Conformatorium, where Lilith, Luz, and King are passing by towering statues covered in what appear to be meaty tendrils. They stop in front of a small platform.]

Lilith: You can take this up to the stage where they're holding Edalyn.

Luz: Thank you, Lilith. What will you do now?

Lilith: I will stay in the Emperor's coven, but I will make sure nothing like this ever happen again.

"And just exactly how was she planning on doing that?" Camila said skeptically.

Luz: That's good to hear. [Looks around.] Wait, why are there no guards around?

[A red tendril wraps itself around Lilith's legs, pulling her down. She screams.]

Luz: Lilith!

[King screams as he also gets taken by a tendril.]

Luz: King!

[Lilith and King are dragged up near the ceiling before being suspended on either side of the far wall. Fires ignite below them, flanking a skull-like throne that Belos is sitting in, his staff in hand.]

Hunter shuddered. Even now, seeing the emperor filled him with a reverential fear.

Emperor Belos: Ah, Lilith. You chose the wrong side.

[Lilith and King are pulled upwards. Luz stares in horror and tries to walk forward, but two arms grab her legs.]

Luz couldn't stop herself from trembling a little. She was just so horrendously outclassed it wasn't even funny. The only reason she had survived her confrontation with Belos was because Belos wanted her to survive. True, she'd gotten in a lucky shot and blown up the portal door, but really, that had only slowed him down a little.

Luz: No!

Emperor Belos: Ah puh-puh. I'd actually like to have a word with you, human.

[Luz glares at Belos. Cut to the crowd. Willow and Gus gasp.]

Willow: We gotta do something.

Perry: And in a shocking turn of events, head Coven leader Lilith is now in the holding cage. Escorted by what appears to be a deranged cat.

[Gus pulls on his sleeve.]

Perry: Augustus? I'm live!

Gus: Dad, you have to stop!

"You know, he was proud of me in the end," Gus said with a wistful smile. "Sure, he was angry for a while. But eventually, he realized I'd done the right thing…and he hadn't."

Willow: [Grabs Perry's microphone.] Yeah. What's happening to Eda isn't right. She might not always follow the rules, but she hasn't done anything worthy of a petrification!

Eye-Eating Prisoner: She helped me escape jail.

Morton: She helps me stay in business!

Principal Bump: She helped me love teaching again... after she left.

Luz couldn't help but laugh.

Willow: The Emperor should let Eda go.

Camila gave Willow a proud grin. She was so proud of her for standing against a regime she'd been indoctrinated her whole life to obey unquestioningly, for the sake of a life that was, well…perhaps innocent was the wrong word, but certainly undeserving of such a fate.

Gus: Let Eda go!

Crowd: [Chanting.] Let Eda go! Let Eda go! Let Eda go! Let Eda go!

"Say, what were you doing during all this?" Camila asked Hunter.

"Well, I was asked to do crowd control," Hunter explained. "It was going well until some jerk knocked me out with a crate to the face." He pointed at his teeth. "That's how I lost this tooth. Oh, if I ever get my hands on them…"

Willow, who had been the one who threw the crate, gave a nervous laugh.

[Camera pans down to the chamber with Luz and Belos.]

Luz: Let my friends go, or else!

"Ugh," Luz said, her head in her hands. "Just look at me. So stupid and naïve!"

"I'd prefer the term reckless, honey," Camila said gently but firmly.

[Owlbert hoots. Luz slams the butt of Eda's staff into the floor, rocketing out of the grip of the hands holding her down. She lands with a flip and slams the staff down, summoning a row of ice spikes that stops inches away from Belos's mask.]

Emperor Belos: Okay. [Melts from the throne, reappearing behind Luz, appearing to be more liquid than solid mass.] I'll play.

"What is he?" Camila wondered. Luz opened her mouth to say something, but then closed it. She'd find out for herself sooner or later.

[Belos lifts a finger and flicks it, sending Luz into the base of a towering statue. A crack travels up the statue, until it frees the giant two-headed axe, which Luz just barely dodges.]

Seeing this, Camila was quite satisfied that Belos was dead. How dare he try to kill a child like that? And for what? For fun? At least, she presumed he was dead. Everyone seemed very certain. But perhaps they were wrong. Maybe it had all been an illusion. If he was alive, though, Camila would be ready for him. She wondered where she could get her hands on a rocket launcher.

[Luz sends a fireblast at spikes of earth. She freezes a giant red hand in a block of ice. She mounts the staff to avoid more earth spikes. She pulls the staff around and aims for Belos, fire glyphs in hand. Belos stands immobile as the intro monster appears around him.

"Oh, so that's where that guy came from," Luz said. She must have dreamed it chasing Eda and her and incorporated it into the title sequence.

[Luz screams as the intro monster swallows her. It explodes a second later, and Luz lands on the ground on her feet.]

Emperor Belos: [Screen pulsing with his words.] What's wrong, human? I thought you wanted to fight.

[The shadow of Belos passes, and Luz turns to face it. More arms grab her legs and arms, pulling her back down to the ground.]

Luz: Huh? Ah!

Emperor Belos: [Appearing from the shadows.] Had enough?

"Oh, he is so getting the chancla," Camila said. "Even if he's dead, I'm gonna gather all the pieces and chancla them."

Luz: [Smirks.] Not even close. [Moves her hand to reveal an ice glyph.]

[The ice pillar hits Belos's mask, chipping a piece off.]

"WHOO!" Camila shouted. "THAT'S MY GIRL!" Luz felt a surge of pride.

[Luz looks at the shard before looking back up at Belos.]

Emperor Belos: [Chuckles.] I like your spirit. [Turns around to reveal a glowing blue eye shining out of the broken half of his mask.] But try that again and things won't end well for you.

[The arms retreat off of Luz.]

Emperor Belos: Now, I'm just a humble messenger for the Titan.

"Sure, humble," Camila snarked. "That's why you live in a castle and have a throne and that really ostentatious mask."

In the grand scheme of things, the Owl Lady's life is inconsequential. [Steps directly in front of Luz.]

Gus scoffed. Everyone's life was inconsequential to Belos in the grand scheme of things, even his own brother.

But then you showed up. If you want to save your mentor, give me the portal to the human realm.

Luz: But... my home.

"Do it, Luz," Camila urged her, forgetting momentarily she was just watching a memory of what had already happened. "Saving a life is more important than getting back to me."

[Luz looks up.]

Emperor Belos: You probably think we want to invade the human realm, but the Titan's will is not so boorish.

Camila scoffed. Like Luz would fall for such a transparent lie. Still, she really hoped there wouldn't be an invasion. That would not end well at all for the Demon Realm. The Demon Realm was a terrifying place with powerful monsters, but in a fight between the Demon and Human Realms, humanity would utterly pulverize them.

You'll understand soon. Tick tock, human. The Owl Lady doesn't have much time left.

[Beast Eda distantly screeches.]

Luz: [Reaches for the ceiling, for Eda.] No! [Grabs the clasp of her cloak as a tear runs down her cheek.] Fine! [Reaches under her cloak and activates the portal door, keeping the key out of sight of Belos. She hugs the door to her chest.] Lo siento, Mamá. [Grabs Eda's staff and stands, reluctantly walking towards Belos and holding out the door.] Here, it's yours.

"I had to do it!" Luz shouted suddenly. "I had to. He was going to kill her otherwise." Camila hastened to nod vigorously in agreement. As much as Camila hated the idea of Belos achieving a victory, she hated the idea of Luz abandoning Eda to her fate even more.

Emperor Belos: The Titan will be pleased.

"Actually, I have it under good authority he was really pissed," Luz said wryly.

[Belos takes the door. Luz's hand lingers on it, not dropping until a few seconds after it's completely out of her grasp. She finally steps on the platform that Lilith had brought her to, pulling the hood of the cloak up.]

Emperor Belos: Go on then. [He taps his staff against the ground, making the platform rise.] Go be a hero.

Luz: I may have lost, but so have you.

[Luz turns around and taps Eda's staff against the platform. Owlbert's eyes glow, as do the fire glyphs on the door before the latter ignite, making the portal to the human realm explode.]

Luz burst into tears. "I'm so sorry, mami," she babbled. "It was my fault! I just wanted to stop him."

"Luz, you absolutely did the right thing," Camila assured her. "You couldn't let that monster have the portal. Who knows what awful things he could do in the human realm?"

Hunter held Flapjack instinctively closer to him. If Belos was in the Human Realm, he'd go after the palismen first. Flapjack would likely be the first to die.

[Belos backs away from the flaming eye, the only substantial part of the door that remains. He glares at Luz through the smoke, who glares right back as the platform carries her out of the chamber. Cut to Beast Eda, whose legs begin turning to stone. Luz and the platform rise in between the cage and the petrification machine. Luz grabs a plant glyph and throws it to the base of the machine. Vines burst out of the glyph and rock the machine to the side, stopping it. Beast Eda screeches and falls to the ground, nearly completely stone.]

King: Wh—what do we do?!

Lilith: The spell wasn't completed! Maybe I can help her fight it! [Puts her hands on Eda's wing.]

Kikimora: No! What is happening?

Luz: [Activates a fire glyph as she walks behind Kikimora.] Free them, now!

[Kikimora shrinks in on herself and traces a spell circle. The cage disappears, and Luz runs to Eda.]

"Not so smug anymore, is she?" Hunter smirked. He really did not like Kikimora due to her trying to kill him, hurting innocent people in the service of Belos, and worst of all, insulting his voice, which was very lovely, thank you very much! Well, he still didn't like it very much, truth be told. But Willow liked it, and if the captain liked it, there had to be some merit to it.

Luz: Eda! Are you okay?

[The stone recedes from Eda's body. Her eyes open.]

Beast Eda: As good as I'll ever be.

[Emperor's Coven guards, holding spears, close in on them. Luz prepares herself for a fight, but Eda flings her and King onto her back.]

Beast Eda: Let's fly.

[Lilith gets on in front of Luz and King, and Eda takes off. The coven guards take aim with their spears, but none hit them. The crowd cheers as Eda flies away. Cut to Kikimora glaring after them, until Emperor Belos walks out, his mask still broken.]

Kikimora: My liege!

Emperor Belos: [Walks to the edge of the roof.] Children of the Isles. The Titan has told me to spare the Owl Lady's life, but in return, her curse will strip away all her powers. Let her monstrous form be a lesson about the dangers of wild magic.

Despite herself, Camila was reluctantly impressed. The man knew how to improvise and roll with the punches. The only solution was, of course, to just punch twice as hard.

[Cut to the Owl House, which Beast Eda lands in front of, panting heavily. Luz, Lilith, and King dismount.]

Camila walked out of the room and brought Vee back in. After explaining what had transpired to her, she resumed the episode.

Luz: Don't worry, Eda. I'll run and get you some elixir and—

Lilith: No, human. No amount of elixir can heal her now. Oh, sister. [Cups Eda's face.] I should have done this a long time ago. [Puts their foreheads together.] With this spell declared, let the pain be shared.

[Lilith and Beast Eda glow blue and float. Their gems glow, and Eda returns back to her usual witch form. Luz shields King from the light, and they both turn when it fades to see Eda, back to normal, and Lilith land softly.]

"You mean it was that simple all along?!" Camila shouted. "She could have shared the curse, but she was too busy kissing up to Belos to do it?!"

"Mom, Lilith's a good person!" Luz protested. "She's, like, my cool aunt now. She's better now! She's repented for her sins."

Camila spat on the floor. "No amount of repentance can get me to forgive her for her crimes." Hunter stiffened. What would Camila do to him when she found out the truth? Right now, Camila believed him to be just another guard. How would she hurt him when she learned he was Belos's "nephew" and enforcer? "She tried to murder you! No good mother would just cast that aside, even at her daughter's insistence."

"You'll see," Luz promised. "You'll see how much she's changed, and you'll change your mind."

Luz: Eda!

[Lilith and Eda turn their heads to reveal that one of each of their eyes has turned gray, and Lilith now has a streak of gray hair while Eda has a streak of white and her gem is still black. Eda laughs as Luz and King run and hug her.]

Luz: Can you still do magic?

Eda: [Traces a spell circle, which disintegrates.] That's a no. It'll take some time to get used to this.

Lilith: I feel that I've been weakened as well.

Hunter shifted uncomfortably and Willow spotted it immediately. "Not having magic doesn't make you weak, Hunter," Willow assured him. "It's made you stronger. You've had to improvise, become creative. I don't mind it, not one bit."

"Thanks, Willow. That means a lot to me."

Luz: It's okay. I can teach you what I know, and what we don't know, we can learn together.

[Luz puts a light glyph in Eda's hand. Eda activates it, looking shocked that it worked. The ball of light floats into the night sky. Lilith walks closer to the others.]

"I bet you're gonna be a great teacher, Luz," Camila said, feeling absolutely no doubt. She'd actually always suspected Luz would do good at teaching in general.

Eda: [Ruffling Luz's hair.] Thanks, kid. [Pulls Luz into a hug.] I look forward to that.

[Camera focuses on the ball of light, which rises until it gets lost among the stars.]

Luz: [Voiceover.] And that's how we escaped from the Emperor.

[Cut to Luz's room, where she's laying on her stomach in her sleeping bag. King is asleep at her feet.]

Luz: Everyone told me he was the most powerful witch alive.

[Cut to the view of Luz's phone, where she's recording a video.]

Luz: But look at this, Mom. [Holds up the chip of Belos's mask.] I chipped off a piece of his mask! I know he's not invincible now. [Her expression falls.] It's a strange feeling, having gone through so much and, not having you here to share it with.

"I was so worried about you," Luz admitted. "I thought…I thought you'd be so afraid. I had no idea Vee was there." She started crying. "When you found out I never went to camp, you'd think I was missing. That I was dead! And you'd blame yourself…"

"Oh, Luz…"

"When…when the real person to blame was me!" she shouted. "It's always been me! I've made your life miserable since the very day I was born."

Camila's eyes widened in horror. "No, Luz! Not at all. It's not like that!"

"Isn't it?" Luz spat, venom flavoring her voice. "If I'd been born normal, you wouldn't have had to go to the principal's office so often. You wouldn't have had to lay awake at night worrying if I'd ever lead the life you wanted from me! You wouldn't have had to spend weeks frightened I would never return home from the Demon Realm!"

"Luz…" Camila began, but Luz wasn't even listening.

"I'm just a goddamn stupid retard," Luz sobbed. "I shouldn't even have been born! I should have died instead of my dad! You'd have been happy then!" She started shaking, the sheer depth of the emotional pain she was experiencing feeling almost as if it was a physical presence attacking her.

Camila didn't even know where to begin to correct Luz or to make her feel better. But Amity did. She wasn't sure if what she was doing would work, but even trying would help. She pressed her hand against Luz's chest and said, "With this spell declared, let the pain be shared."

Instantly, Luz felt a lessening of her pain, while Amity's mood plummeted and she felt an insistent but quiet hatred towards herself. But Amity had been in pain before, both physical and emotional. She could endure it. "I love you, Luz," she said. "You're everything to me."

Luz's first ever friend walked over to Luz and put her hand on her chest next. "With this spell declared, let the pain be shared." She felt the same thing Amity felt, but she pushed it aside. She'd stopped hating herself a long time ago. And now she was going to help Luz do the same. "I love you, Luz," Willow said without hesitation. "You're the best friend I ever had."

"With this spell declared, let the pain be shared," Gus said. "I love you, Luz. I'm honored I even got a chance to know you." The pain hurt so badly. He had no idea how Luz could even function lagging around so much of it. But it would get better. Gus wouldn't permit it to be otherwise.

Hunter may not have had a bile sac, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to stand by while his friend was suffering. "I love you, Luz," he said, not hesitating to say the words he wouldn't have been caught dead saying to anyone not all that long ago. "You saved me, and I'm gonna save you."

Vee hesitated for a long while and then she shapeshifted into the form of Manny, based on the pictures she'd seen of him. Camila nodded at her. Normally, she wouldn't tolerate such a thing, but now it felt right.

Luz knew it wasn't real, but she leapt into the facsimile of her father's arms once more, willing to indulge the fantasy it was real for just a few seconds. "I love you, Luz," Vee said. Camila's mouth dropped open. Her voice even sounded like Manny's. How did she even do that? "We both love you," she added, referring to both herself and Manny, who she hoped would forgive her for acting as his proxy.

"I miss you," Luz said softly, forgetting momentarily it wasn't real. "I miss you so much."

"Me too," Vee said. As much as Vee knew she was choosing the words, a part of her really did think they were coming from somewhere else. Somewhere above them. "But I want you to be happy. To love yourself as much as I love you."

"I…I'll try," Luz promised.

Vee shifted back into her own form. "I love you, Luz," she said, now speaking solely for herself. "Thank you for letting me be your sister. Thank you for letting me share your life."

Camila looked deep into Luz's eyes. "I love you, Luz," she said earnestly. "I am privileged to know you. We are all privileged to bask in the light you were named for. I love you, I love you, I love you! And I am asking you, I am begging you to love yourself too. What happened to Eda wasn't your fault. What happened to your father wasn't your fault. Without you, I'd have just broken after Manny died. You helped me put the pieces of myself back together, and I'll always be grateful for that."

Luz was crying again, but this time, the tears were of joy. "You are…you're all the best. You're the best family anyone could ever have. Thank you so much." She looked over at Camila. "You really don't hate me?"

"Of course not."

"I…okay. I'm gonna try. I can't make any promises, but by God, I'm gonna try."

"That's all I ask," Camila said, and planted a kiss on Luz's forehead.

And I don't know when or how I'm gonna see you again. [Puts her phone down and looks at a picture of her and Camila, then at the ball of light hovering in front of her.] But I will find my way home to you. I promise. Deja una luz puesta para mí. Te quiero.

"Te quiero, Luz," Camila said. "I'm sorry I said you chose to stay there. I should have known better."

[Luz pokes the ball of light, putting it out. Several balls of light hovering outside of her window float away when it goes dark.]

"And this is what was going on after this," Hunter said and downloaded a memory.

[Cut to a staircase in the Emperor's Castle, which Belos is standing in front of and Kikimora is walking down.]

Kikimora: Sire, those miscreants are still at large. Please, allow me to capture them.

Emperor Belos: Worry not, Kiki. We'll be keeping an eye on the inhabitants of the Owl House.

[Belos nods to a robed figure wearing a mask that resembles an owl. They nod back before walking away.]

Luz tried to put on a happy grin. She was a master at pretending to be happy, after all. "Okay! So the next episode begins several weeks later. We –"

"Oh, no!" Camila said. "After going through all of that, there is no way we are going through another one of these today. We are done for the day. We'll come back to this tomorrow at the very earliest. Perhaps even later than that if I deem it necessary. This was clearly too much to ask of you, and that's on me."

"But –"

"No buts!" Camila snapped. "I have spoken." She gave a much gentler smile at Luz. "Now, why don't you all take some time to relax? I know I'm gonna try to take a nap. Maybe you should do the same, Luz."

Luz slowly nodded and walked out of the room. She took her pajamas out of her closet and prepared herself to change into them. Her hand went to her jacket, but then she hesitated. Would she dishonor Eda by taking it off or would it be a further dishonor of her to keep wearing it?

No. That was a false dichotomy. She hadn't dishonored Eda. Eda was proud of her. She'd said it with her own words. Eda would want her to be comfortable. So for the first time since she'd gotten to earth, she unzipped the jacket and she heard a rattling sound as she took it off.

There was something in one of the pockets.