Hello you lovely people. I am pleased to welcome you all back to Witches and Warlock, your favorite Owl House x Destiny crossover that was written by a Penguin. Today is a special day, as we have crossed five thousand viewers. To celebrate, and because some people have been asking me about Royal's appearance, I have prepared a proper cover using my incredibly shoddy photo editing skills. Seriously, I made it in Google Slides. Do you think I can afford Photoshop? Unfortunately, the site won't let me actually upload it. Tragic, I know, but I'll get it sorted out as soon as I can. I have some nice stuff planned for you all with this entry. We'll be having a nice little adventure in the elements.

Before we do begin, I just want to let you know that I've been using Google Translate, a hilariously terrible tool, for Luz's Spanish. If I'm getting anything wrong then I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me. Now, without further ado; Old Foe, New War.


Chapter 9: Old Foe, New War

"Did you hear? I ran into the Guardian out in the market a few days ago," Boscha bragged.

Amity looked up from her locker. The school day was over and she was preparing to head out to the market with the twins. She was going to meet up with Luz so she could return her book. Unfortunately, Boscha wouldn't leave her alone.

"Yes, I heard," she said emotionlessly. She wanted to spend as little time as possible thinking about the Guardian. She had already gotten too close for comfort and had no desire to do so again.

"Nobody's actually seen his face," Boscha continued, either oblivious to Amity's disinterest or just ignoring it, "What do you think he looks like under the helmet? I bet he's super cute."

Amity hummed in absentminded agreement as Boscha continued to gossip. Why she couldn't go bother someone else was a mystery to her.

"You saw him up close, right?"

Amity snapped out of her haze, looking at Boscha in confusion. The Triclops sighed and elaborated.

"At the Covention, when he showed up and crashed your duel with the Human. What was he like then?"

"Yes, I remember. But I didn't interact with him much," Amity said reluctantly, "He was more interested in chewing out Lilith."

"How about his voice," Boscha continued unfettered, "Did he sound cute? I didn't get to hear him much."

"No," Amity replied, her voice wavering a little at the memory, "He sounded like metal being scrapped together." She paused for a second as Boscha waited for her to continue.

"Look, I gotta go," she said quickly, running off through the school. Boscha watched her leave, a perplexed look on her face.

"What's gotten into her?"


Royal, Luz, and King were all currently in their favorite place, the living room. Luz was eagerly flipping through a Hexside pamphlet while King watched. Eda, in a rare display of initiative, had managed to enroll Luz at the school. As such, she spent most of her time reading about the schools' history and qualifications. Royal, on the other hand, was reviewing a recording Lancer had taken of their last encounter with the Vex. For the life of him, he couldn't figure out why the Vex had tried to take Luz alive. So far Lancer had theorized that Synegorus may want to use her as bait. It wasn't much, but it was all they had to go off at the moment. As for the Ghost, he was currently in Royal's room, conducting 'private maintenance' as he called it.

"Hey Royal, do Guardians have a school they go to?" Luz asked suddenly, scratching King's belly as she did.

"Nope," he replied, "It's more of a trial by fire kind of deal."

Luz shrugged and was about to return to her reading when the front door swung open. Eda stepped through, holding a small bag of potion ingredients she had gathered from the market.

"Hey, freeloaders! Guess what today is?" She announced loudly. Luz sat up excitedly.

"Is it your birthday?" She asked with stars in her eyes.

Is it my birthday?" King inquired as well.

"It's my birthday," Hooty said, only to be ignored by everyone.

"Wish I knew my birthday," Royal said dejectedly.

"No," Eda shot them all down with a wide grin, "It's Human trash day." With that, she opened her portal and Owlbert flew through with a large sack in his talons. He dropped it and the contents spilled out over the floor. King began rummaging through the pile as the door closed. While King continued to hunt for new loot and Luz remained on her perch, Eda slipped over to Royal and held up her bag.

"I got the last ingredients I need," she said, "Cost me a good bit too, so you better be grateful."

"Aren't you a master thief?" Royal asked, "Couldn't you just steal it?"

"It's helpful to buy a little bit and steal the rest," Eda explained, "You draw less suspicion that way." Royal nodded in understanding. Eda turned to Luz who hadn't left her seat on the couch.

"Hey kid, your trash is getting cold," she said, reaching into the pile and pulling out a pair of coat hangers. She hooked them on her ears and pulled out a mirror, inspecting her appearance.

"You can have my trash," Luz said, not looking away from her pamphlet, "Did you know that Hexside was built atop the bones of a rival school that they conquered?"

"Sounds like something the Cabal would do," Royal remarked as Eda rolled her eyes.

"Yes, I know. I used to go there, remember? Worst years of my life."

"Can you imagine me going there," Luz continued undeterred, "Studying in the halls of Hexside with Willow and Gus. Oh, and maybe Amity too." She quickly sat up in a panic.

"Amity! Oh, cramity! I'm supposed to meet up with her to get my book back." With that, she raced out the door, giving only a quick farewell. Eda and Royal watched her go while King played with some stuffed toy he had found. Royal sent a signal to Lancer, telling him to follow Luz. His better judgment told him that she probably shouldn't be left to roam the Isles alone.

"Who needs her anyways," Eda said as the door closed, "More trash for me."


Lilith strode through the dimly lit halls quickly and with purpose. As she walked, she passed the Radiolaria tanks, paying them no mind. She was here for one Witch, Sturme. She was going to be speaking with the Emperor about her concerns with the Vex and she wanted Sturme to be on the same page.

She swung open the door to the laboratory. Through the one-way glass, she could see the Harpy resting in its usual spot. A few other researchers looked up from their work, watching as the Head of the Coven walked over to Sturme's office. She knocked on the door, receiving a muffled acknowledgment. Without hesitation, she forced her way in.

Sturme looked as tired as she felt. There were dark rings under all three of his eyes, his hair was somehow even more disheveled than usual, and his clothes looked like he hadn't changed them in a week. Yet he seemed more energetic than ever as he moved between his boards. They were covered in schematics and equations that Lilith didn't understand. He muttered frantically, ignoring Lilith's presence. She tapped her foot loudly, causing the Witch to spin around madly.

"Yes? What do you need?" He whispered hoarsely.

Lilith eyed him for a second before speaking, "I wish to inform you that I will be petitioning the Emperor about shutting down this operation. I believe that the Vex are not to be trusted." Sturme twitched, scratching a spot on the back of his neck. He looked away from her, as though he was listening to a nonexistent voice.

"You want to shut down our research?" He asked incredulously, before laughing manically, "No no no no no. There is still so much information to uncover. Just earlier today, the Harpy revealed more to us. Apparently, there are dozens of chemical elements we have yet to discover."

"Sturme, look at yourself," Lilith ordered, "You are working yourself to death. The Vex has been messing with your mind and you are not thinking clearly."

"On the contrary, I have never been more lucid," he objected, "The Vex has shown me a glimpse of truth. With its help, our civilization shall reach new heights we cannot even dream of." He paused, rubbing his hands together, "Did you know that Humans have walked across the surface of their own moon?"

Lilith paused, "You must be lying, that's impossible."

"They have," Sturme said, "I have seen it with my own eyes. With the Vex's help, we shall achieve even greater feats. You are afraid of the future. I shall not be cowed, I will lead us forward to glory!" He slammed his fist into the table as he finished, an insane look in his eyes. Lilith shook her head.

"I see that you are set in your path," she lamented, "Very well, I shall do this without you." She departed, with Sturme burning a hole into the back of her head with his gaze as she did. Once she left, he scratched the back of his neck again. His fingers grazed the implant he had attached but a few days before.

"She will not give up so easily," he whispered. He felt a series of beeps and chirps in his mind as the Harpy spoke back to him.

"You wish for me to speak with… your master?" The Harpy confirmed, providing the With with the location where he would be able to meet the Mind.

"We shall redouble our efforts," Sturme promised, "I guarantee it."


Luz wandered through the stalls of the market, with Lancer floating just behind her. He had caught up with her quickly, as per Royal's instructions. The two were now scanning the area for the mint-haired Witch.

"Amity, Amity, Amity, Amity," Luz thought aloud, "Gotta find that-" She cut herself off when she saw her friend standing a short way out. Luz began to run over, only to be intercepted by a pair of familiar faces.

"Hi Luz," the twins greeted in unison, appearing right in front of the Human girl. She yelped, falling on her back. The twins laughed as Amity noticed and walked over.

"Edric! Emira! stop bothering her," she berated before turning to Luz, "Sorry, Luz. They insisted on coming for some reason."

"Because we love you," her sister said, squeezing Amity's face. For her troubles, she was shoved away.

"They've been extra protective and nice towards me to make up for the library incident."

"We still apologize every day," Edric added. He looked around uncertainly, "The little floating dude isn't here, is he? I don't think he likes us."

"Oh really," Lancer said from behind them, causing the three the jump back, "What could have possibly given you that impression?"

"Easy there, little buddy," Luz chided playfully. Lancer floated back over to her, not breaking eye contact with the twins as he did. Amity reached into her bag and pulled out the book.

"In any case, here's your book."

"So," Luz prompted, accepting her book, "what'd you think?"

"It was… fine," Amity said, careful not to reveal too much. Luz opened the book, finding a small piece of paper in the pages.

"So fine you drew yourself with Malingale the Mysterious Soothsayer," she said in a mildly humorous tone, holding up a doodle of Amity and a character from the book. Lancer scanned it, saving a copy. Blushing furiously, Amity snatched the doodle from her friend.

"This is great," Luz continued as Lancer transmatted the book, "We could start our own Azura book club at school when we're classmates!"

"When we're what?" Amity asked, not sure that she heard correctly. Luz pulled out her pamphlet.

"Surprise, I'm enrolling at Hexside!"

Amity frowned slightly, "Sorry, but to be in my class, you need to take a placement exam and prove that you've mastered at least two spells. I know you have your light thing, but do you have anything else?"

"Placement exam? Spells?"

"Quit giving her a hard time, Mittens," Emira said.

"Yeah, of course she knows two spells," Edric concurred, "Right, Luz?"

"Ummm, yeah," she said unconvincingly, "I totally know two spells."

"Wait do you?" Lancer asked. Luz shook her head as he continued, "Pretty sure Eda hasn't taught you anything else yet." Amity narrowed her eyes, looking between Luz and the Ghost suspiciously.

"Alright fine," Luz admitted, "I don't know any other spells."

"Well, you better learn," Amity said seriously, "Otherwise they'll put you in the baby class." She tapped the back of the pamphlet. Luz flipped it over, reading the section detailing the baby class.

"Oh, brain idea," Edric spoke up. He crouched down in front of Amity as Emira leaned on her back, trapping the younger Witch between them. "What if we all trained together?"

"I actually have other training plans," Luz said nervously, already backing away, "Yeah, something like that. I need to go. Bye!" With that, she ran off, heading back for the Owl House. The three Blights looked at Lancer curiously, who just sighed.

"I better go make sure she doesn't get herself killed. Again."

He didn't give them any time to process that before flying off.


The cauldron bubbled with magical energy as Eda stirred it. Royal stood nearby, handing her the ingredients she needed. Eventually, the concoction was complete. A bright blue mixture glowed with power as Royal grabbed the container of Radiolaria. Eda nodded and he cracked it open, letting the liquids mix.

The reaction was instant. Sparks flew out of the cauldron as a high-pitched whine emanated from the brew. It sounded like a deathly scream. Eventually, it died down and a long trail of smoke snaked through the air, circling Royal.

"This little cloud here will lead you straight to the Vex. Though I don't expect it to be able to track down whatever the Emperor's Coven has stored away, they'll be warded against magic like this," Eda said as Royal waved his hand through the smoke.

"How accurate is it?" He asked.

"Most Witches would be able to get it within a couple hundred feet. Me? Closer to fifty," she boasted. Royal whistled, mildly impressed.

"Just need to wait for Lancer to get back and I'll be on my way to exterminate some Vex." As if on cue, the door swung open.

"EDA!" Luz shouted through the house. She ran to the kitchen, not even stopping to acknowledge the scene before her. "You have to teach me a new spell now!"

"What do you need a new spell for?" Eda asked as Lancer flew in behind Luz.

"I need to know two to pass Hexside's entrance exam," she explained, "I have my light glyphs, but that's it."

"And who's fault is that?" Eda asked snarkily.

"Yours," Luz deadpanned, not having any of it.

"Got me there," Eda said, not missing a beat.

"You have to teach me a spell now," Luz pleaded, "Any spell. Even the darkest evil."

"Sorry kid, not now," Eda said, "Wonderbot here had me cook up a potion for him so now I'm behind on dinner. I'll teach you something later."

"Do you really want word to get out that your apprentice ended up in the baby class," Luz shot back. Royal caught on to what she was doing and joined in.

"It would most certainly reflect poorly on you, the most powerful Witch on the Boiling Isles, wouldn't it."

Eda looked between the two with narrowed eyes. "Using my own pride against me? I can respect that. I know just the place for a special magical boot camp."

"Did someone say boot camp?" King made his presence known as he joined the others, "I agree to run it. We'll rise at dawn. You'll carry me on your back as I say hateful things."

"Just like the Crucible," Royal said wistfully, "I'd rather kill Lancer than go back there." Said Ghost drifted away from his Guardian slightly.

"Nope, you'll have no part of this," Eda said to King, "Luz needs to focus and I can't have her going all weird when you do something adorable."

"I am not adorable!" King objected fiercely, stomping with all his might.

"Awwww," Luz cooed, "He stamped his little foot."

"Now, there's no time to waste. You'll have to follow my instructions to the letter. We'll need to go somewhere special. And I know just the place."


Amity took a deep breath, focusing as she channeled her magic through her training wand. She felt her hand grow warm before flicking her wand. The energy surged through her, before suddenly stopping short. Rather than the fireball she wanted, a small puff of smoke manifested from the end of her wand. She looked at it, feeling a sting of disappointment.

"That was a letdown," Edric commented, receiving a fierce jab in the ribs from his twin. The three were currently at the Knee, with the twins helping Amity learn a fireball spell.

"Maybe it's the wand," Emira weighed in, taking the training wand from her sister. With a quick flick, she effortlessly cast a fireball. Amity watched it fly away, feeling a pit form in her stomach.

"It's not the wand," she said, "It's me. It's like I'm pulling my punches."

"What do you mean?" Edric asked, joining the other two.

"Every time the spell is about to manifest, I panic and let it fall apart."

Emira cast the spell again, summoning another flame, "Well, we need to find out why." She threw the fireball into the woods. This time, the three heard someone yell loudly. Running over to the sound, Amity saw Luz picking herself up off the ground and wiping the snow from her coat while Eda stood nearby. The two had their backs to Amity.

"Luz? What are you doing here?" She asked. Instead of replying, the Human seemed to shrink away. She whispered something to Eda. As Amity began to walk over to them, she could hear what Luz was saying.

"It's a good thing Royal isn't here," she said.

"Who's Royal?" Amity asked, now much closer to the two. Luz spun around.

"Hey Amity, fancy meeting you here. Don't worry about what we were talking about, it's not important." Amity was about to inquire further before a loud rumbling noise cut through the air. Looking past Eda, she could see that a strange shape was drawing near. Amity had never seen anything like it before. It was an angular, geometric construct that glowed in the snowy light. Riding atop it was a familiar armored figure. Amity felt her breath hitch as the Guardian came to a stop. He hopped off the mount and it vanished into thin air. Above his head, a small cloud of smoke poofed out of existence.

"Fancy meeting you guys here. Gotta tell you, weather like this does not make me miss my organics. Sucks to be you two," he said not noticing Amity. Eda stepped aside, letting Royal see the Witch standing behind her. He tilted his head, clearly thrown off.

"Oh… that complicates things."


Eda, Luz, and the Guardian, who Luz had introduced as Royal, joined the three Blights at their campsite. They all sat around a small unlit fire pit. Edric stepped forward to light it, only for Royal to raise his hand.

"Here, let me." His voice sent a chill down Amity's spine. He snapped his fingers, casting a spark into the kindling. It was instantly engulfed in flame. While her siblings were in awe, Amity tried to distance herself from the Guardian. She vividly remembered what had happened at the Covention. To take her mind off the Guardian, she turned to Luz.

"So," she began awkwardly, "What are you doing here?"

Luz sighed heavily, "I need to learn another spell so I don't end up in the baby class." She hung her head in shame.

"And I'm here to help her learn," Eda said. She gave Royal a playful punch on the shoulder as she continued, "Don't worry about tall, purple, and sparky here, he'll be heading off to do his own thing." Amity felt the tension inside her loosen a little as Eda said that. The less time she had to spend around the Guardian, the better.

"But what is he doing with you two?" Emira asked, "You guys forming some kind of outlaw gang?"

"It's an arrangement of convenience," Royal explained, "They give me a base of operations and access to greater resources. In return, I give them… actually what are you getting from me?"

"You're hired muscle," Eda joked. Luz turned to the Blights.

"Don't let his practical outlook fool you, he's a big old softy and he loves us."

"No comment."

"So wait," Edric began, "Is he related to the floating lightbulb?"

"My name is Lancer," the Ghost said, appearing next to Royal, "And yes, we're partners."

"If we're all caught up with each other's life stories," Royal said, rising from his seat, "I have important business to attend to." He turned to face his companions, "In fact, I think it would be best if you all went home until I'm done."

"We don't have time," Eda rebuffed, "Luz needs to learn a new spell now and this is the best place for her to do it."

The Guardian shook his head, "Just don't do anything… I would say 'don't do anything reckless' but considering who you are, I doubt it would stop you." Eda smirked as she leaned back in her seat.

"Good, you're learning."

"Just stick together and send up a signal if you see anything. I doubt there are many out here anyway." The Guardian departed, his form disappearing into the treeline. Amity watched him go, letting out a heavy breath once he was gone.

"We won't keep you any longer," Eda said, also rising from her seat, "We have our own training to get to. Toodles." She left with Luz in tow, leaving the Blights alone around the fire. Amity looked into the crackling flames, seeing glimpses of her encounter with him at the Covention. Amity shuddered, despite the heat emanating from the flames.


"So we know the Vex are in the area," Lancer said, "We just don't know exactly where."

Royal nodded, marching through the trees with his shotgun in hand. The Vex were many things, subtle was not usually one of them. Now that he knew where they were, he was going to end this.

"Did you notice how that one Witch was acting?" Lancer asked suddenly.

"Which one?" Royal asked.

"Amity."

"Again, which one?"

Lancer sighed, "The youngest one."

"Ah. No, I didn't."

"I think she remembers your last encounter at the Covention. She was eyeing you up like you were about to rip her head off."

Royal nodded slowly. He would be lying if he said he didn't feel a little guilty. Human or not, she was still a child.

"I'll try and smooth things over I guess," he said, "But first, the Vex."

Lancer beeped in agreement and the two resumed their search. The woods were abandoned and quiet. There was no life to be found, not even the smallest creatures. The eerie silence seeped into every facet of their surroundings, broken only by the crunching of snow beneath Royals boots and the occasional beep from Lancer.

Without warning, Royal held up his hand and the two stopped in place. Listening closely, they could just barely make out a small metallic sound, like plates clanking together. Moving slowly, as to remain undetected, the two crept closer. Royal dropped to a crawl as the sound grew louder. Eventually, he finally found the source of the disturbance. A small group of Goblins was gathering materials from the mountain, converting wood and stone into metal by rearranging their atomic structure. They were all composed of silver metal and each looked to be partially frozen over, though the frost didn't seem to affect their function. A quick search around the immediate area revealed nothing.

"Props to you Eda," Royal muttered so that only his Ghost could hear him.

"What do we do now?" Lancer whispered.

"Wait until they lead us to the rest."


Luz wasn't having the best luck learning a new spell. She thought Eda would show her some special ancient technique. Instead, her mentor wanted her to smell moss and eat snow. The only thing she had learned was that she hated moss.

"Alright, I admit, maybe the snow thing wasn't my finest idea," Eda remarked, "but it's still important. If you want to learn magic from the Isles, then you need to connect with the Isles. And this is the best way to do it."

"I feel like you aren't taking this seriously," Luz accused.

"And I don't think you're taking me seriously," Eda retaliated, "If you want to go taste snow without my expert guidance, then be my guest." Luz looked down, feeling despondent. Eda placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Look kid, I know this isn't the most appealing method of learning. But if you stick with me, you'll be doing spells like that in no time." She pointed at Amity, who was still trying to cast her fireball. Unfortunately, the spell failed once again, causing the Witch to let out a frustrated groan. Eda grimaced a little, "Ok, maybe not quite like that. Just trust me, kid, if you want to learn from the Isles, you need to connect with the Isles."

Luz sighed and walked off, not appreciating her mentor's empty words. Eda watched her go and shrugged.

"She'll be back," the Owl Lady said to herself before hefting a bundle of moss, "More for me anyway."

Luz walked through the snow-covered trees with a sullen expression. She pulled out a small slip of paper and drew a light glyph on it. Activating the spell, she watched as the orb drifted away from her.


Amity groaned in frustration as the spell failed once again. There was something about the fire, something within herself that prevented her from calling upon it. As she thought, she realized why she couldn't cast the spell. It was the Guardian. Every time she attempted to summon forth the fireball, she what had happened back at the Covention. Most of all, she remembered how terrified she had been. Her fear and her shame were forming a mental barrier, preventing the Witch from succeeding.

"You alright Mitten?" Edric asked. Amity wiped away tears that were forming in her eyes. Blight's couldn't afford to show weakness, not even to each other. Yet, ever since Luz had arrived, Amity could feel her carefully built walls begin to fracture.

"No," she whispered, "I don't know if I have been alright in a long time." Her siblings didn't seem to hear her.


-]The Guardian is nearby[-

=Primary Directive: Prevent all unauthorized lifeforms from making contact with the Conflux=

=Secondary Directive: Capture Human child=

\Subnote: Human child is capable of casting magic, must determine the source of this irregularity

Every Vex on the Knee heard Synegorus' orders. Its voice boomed in all of their minds and they complied without hesitation. A small team of Goblins had reported that the Guardian was observing them. They would keep him from the Conflux. A few other Vex units were spread throughout the Knee, hunting the other intruders. The Vex had been anticipating the Guardian and it would be a lie to say that Synegorus was pleased with this development. But in the midst of chaos, there was opportunity.

A lone Goblin stomped through the forest, its footfalls being muffled by the thick snow. Its gaze swept the environment, scanning every minor detail. A small glowing orb drifted into its path. The Goblins optic followed it as it floated lazily through the cold air. It slowly turned to face the direction it had come from.

-]Secondary target located[-

Sending a signal to the rest of the Vex, it began marching towards the Human.


Luz continued wandering through the woods, wallowing in self-pity. She was never going to learn another spell. She sat down, her back propped up against a tree. It wasn't like she could ask anyone else; Eda was being her usual unhelpful self, Amity and the twins were busy with their own training, and Royal was off hunting for Vex.

A loud snap shook Luz out of her self-pity. She stood up and looked around warily. Maybe she shouldn't have wandered off on her own, there were still rogue Vex roaming the Knee. She pulled out her phone, intending to send a message to Lancer, asking if they had encountered anything yet. Unfortunately, she was getting no reception.

Pocketing her phone, she turned to head back to the campsite. Unfortunately, as she did, she walked right into a tree trunk. She stumbled back, rubbing her head.

"Ay. Tengo que ver por dónde voy," she muttered, opening her eyes. She froze as she realized the obstacle before her was no tree, but rather a Vex Goblin staring her in the eyes. It lunged for her and she screamed. She barely managed to avoid its grasp and ran around it. She could hear the others shouting for her.

The Goblin pursued the Human, unable to keep pace with her. Running out of options, it raised its weapon and fired. It made sure to scale down the power output of the weapon to minimize the potential damage. She needed to be captured alive after all. The bolt streaked through the air and, with precision that only a machine could possess, flew between her legs. She cried out in shock, tripping over herself.

Luz attempted to crawl away as the Goblin drew closer. Tears choked her eyes as she called out for help. She heard Eda shout her name. Looking up, she saw her mentor running as fast as she could. Unfortunately, it was too late. The Goblin grabbed Luz by her leg and teleported away. Eda came to a stop in the space they had occupied as the Blights arrived behind her.

"What's going on?" Amity asked, not seeing Luz anywhere. Eda's grip on her staff tightened as she felt dread within her.

"They took her," she said in disbelief, "The Vex have Luz."


Royal continued to observe his prey, unaware that they were watching him as well. He peered through the scope of his scout rifle, waiting for them to finish their task and return to the Conflux. Then, he would be able to cut loose.

A loud scream cut through the air, drawing Royal's attention from his current fixation. He recognized it as belonging to Luz. He stood, pulling up her current location.

"You don't think…?" Lancer whispered. Royal nodded grimly.

"It must be, she's moving too fast for it to be anything else."

"So the Vex have her, again. What could they possibly want with her?"

"I don't know," Royal responded. As the two planned how to rescue Luz, the nearby Goblins abandoned their current work and turned to where the pair were hiding. In unison, they began to march up the hill. As they drew closer, Royal spun around and cast a wide swathe of fire, incinerating the nearby trees and vaporizing the snow. The Goblins melted into puddles of Radiolaria and molten metal. Not even waiting to see the result, Royal took off, moving to intercept Luz and praying to the Traveler that she was alright.


The Goblin had arrived at the Conflux. It dragged Luz through the crowd of Vex forms as they parted. She looked around in fear as she was surrounded by Vex. There were Goblins and Hobgoblins everywhere, with Harpies flying through the air overhead. A few more Minotaurs could be seen in the crowd, acting as overseers.

The Goblin stopped near the center of the Conflux. It placed Luz against a small pillar that molded itself around her chest, binding her against itself. She pulled at her restraints to no avail as the Goblin stepped back. Luz ended her struggle as the Conflux sparked to life. A vortex opened before her. As she looked into it, she saw the Vex Domain.

It was a vast area filled with harsh, geometric structures. The ground, if it could be called that, glowed with alien light. A few Vex could be seen in the distance, performing some task or another. Luz felt an overwhelming presence wash over her. All of the Vex around her ceased their actions and knelt as three massive glowing red lights appeared in the vortex.

"Human," it spoke. The monster's voice sent a shockwave through the area. Luz flinched under the weight of it, feeling the colossal intelligence bearing down on her. She did not doubt that should this thing desire it, she would be erased from existence.

"Welcome to the Conflux," it continued, "You are the first lifeform to be granted the honor of visiting this most reverent place."

"What do you want?" Luz asked, hoping that she sounded braver than she felt. The Mind laughed and Luz felt her heart nearly stop.

"There are many things I want. My primary function is to ensure the continued survival and dominance of the Vex, over this reality and all others. There shall be no more past. There shall be no more future. There shall only be Vex. But as for right now, I want the same thing as you, little creature. I wish to learn of this world. So tell me," Somehow, its gaze became more intense, "How do you cast your magic? Reveal your secrets unto me and earn my mercy."

"I'll never tell you," Luz said defiantly.

"Resist all you want. I have all the time in the Universe. And together, we shall discover the upper limit of the Human capacity for pain." The metal binding Luz to the pillar began to hum with energy. Luz whimpered as electricity lashed out at her.

"Do your worst, I can take it," she dared with false bravado.

"I assure you," the Mind said cruelly, "You cannot." Luz tensed, waiting for the agony.

"SYNEGORUS!"

The torture stopped before it could begin and Luz looked to the sky, seeing a burning comet descending toward her. As she squinted, she saw that it was Royal, wreathed in flame. He slammed into the ground between herself and the Vortex, planting his Dawnblade in the ground. As he did, a massive wave of Solar Light radiated out from around him. Luz felt the energy flow into her, healing her bruises. Royal drew to his feet, standing with his Well and summoning his Glaive. He pointed it at the Vortex as the Vex closed ranks around him.

"Luz, are you unharmed?" He asked gently as the Vex regarded him coldly. Luz nodded, unable to speak.

"Guardian," Synegorus greeted him, "Your arrival was anticipated in 97.472% of simulations of this encounter."

"Leave this world," Royal spat, "It is under my protection."

"And deny it perfection? No, I have come here to grant this reality a truly wondrous gift."

"And what would that be?" Royal asked. The Mind laughed again.

"Salvation."

With that word, the Vex attacked. Royal retaliated, spinning like a whirlwind of destruction. With each shot of his gun, a Goblin collapsed. With each flick of his hand, a Harpy burst into an explosion of Light. Yet there were far too many for him to face alone. Synegorus watched as the Vex closed in on the Guardian. Royal pulled out his rocket launcher and fired into the encroaching horde. As he did, a Minotaur teleported behind him and raised its arm to strike. Luz cried out in warning and Royal turned, unable to raise a defense in time.

Before the Minotaur could make contact, a magical beam stuck the Vex form, piercing it through its Radiolaria container. It collapsed as Eda, flying atop her staff, raced overhead. Royal offered her a nod before returning to the battle at hand. The Harpies took after the flying Witch while a few Hobgoblins aimed at her. At the edge of the Conflux, the Blights watched over the battle in disbelief.

"What are these things?" Emira asked for all of them. Amity caught sight of Luz, still bound to the pillar. Her eyes widened as she saw the Guardian fighting to protect her, on the verge of being overwhelmed.

"We need to do something," she said. Her siblings looked at her in disbelief.

"What are we supposed to do against this?" Edric questioned, gesturing to the battle before them. As they watched, Royal called forth his Dawnblade and began to cleave through the Vex. Pushing down her fear, Amity pulled out her training wand and checked the charge on it. Seeing that it had enough juice, she responded.

"We do whatever we can," she said, determination filling her voice, "I'm going to save my friend." Not waiting for a response, Amity ran at the Vex horde. She started channeling her magic once again. The fear was still there, but this time something else rose to counter it. She flicked her wand outward and a ball of flame soared into the Vex army. It impacted a Goblin standing near Luz, causing the Vex form to screech as it collapsed. Amity crouched down next to Luz as Eda touched down within the Well and created a barrier around them.

"Amity," she said, relief heavy in her voice, "Am I glad to see you."

"You can thank me once we're out of whatever this is," Amity hushed her, "Now… how do I get you out of this?" Eda summoned a large owl-snake-thing from the ground that began rampaging through the Vex lines. She could see the twins helping in their own way from the sidelines, utilizing illusions to distract and separate the Vex. Sensing someone near her, Amity looked up, seeing the Guardian crouching down beside her as Eda continued to hold off the Vex. She flinched as he placed his hands on Luz's binds. He grabbed them, and with a slight grunt of exertion, tore them clean off. Both Amity and Royal helped Luz to her feet.

"Get Luz out of here," he ordered, "Stay out of the line of fire. Eda and I will be able to handle this." Without another word, he cast a wave of fire over some Harpies and blasted a Minotaur in the chest with his shotgun.

"Wait, I can help," Luz protested as Amity dragged her to where the twins were hiding.

"We are going to stay here," Amity said, "You'll just get yourself hurt." Luz tugged, but Amity's grip was like iron.

"I can help," she said weakly, watching as Royal and Eda continued to fight against the Vex horde. If only she had more magic, she might be able to do something. She watched as her friends fought for their lives, unable to do anything. The snowflakes continued to fall upon the battlefield. Luz looked up to the sky, feeling utterly hopeless.

"Some Witch I turned out to be," she muttered. Suddenly, a glint in the night sky caught her gaze. She squinted in curiosity as the stars twinkled. Something about it seemed familiar. Suddenly, she gasped, drawing Amity's curious eye.

"There's a light glyph in the sky," she whispered, "I need to connect with the Isles." She held out her hand, allowing a snowflake to fall into her waiting hand. She raised the crystal to her face and saw a circular pattern in the flake. She knelt as the Blights watched and traced the symbol on the ground. Once it was finished, she activated the spell. A pillar of ice erupted from the ground. Luz looked at her spell in awe as the Blights all collectively gasped.

"Did you just learn a new spell?" Amity asked. Luz nodded, feeling a new surge of energy.

"I'm not going to sit here while my friends get hurt," she said, taking advantage of Amity's shock to break free and charge back into the fight. Ignoring their distressed calls, she pulled out a fresh slip of paper and scribbled down the glyph.

"Luz? I thought we told you to stay where it's safe?" Eda asked as the young girl drew closer. Rather than respond, Luz placed two of her glyphs on the ground and pressed them. Two thin poles of ice shot forth, skewering a few Goblins who weren't facing her. She whooped, only for her celebration to die in her throat as a Minotaur turned around to face her. It raised its weapon but reeled under an explosion of Void Light before it could fire. As it disintegrated, Royal landed next to Luz, grabbing her by the shoulders and shielding her from fire. Eda fired off a few more spells, destroying the Vex that were attacking the pair. The Vex were nearly depleted, with only a few scattered forms remaining.

"I tire of this," Synegorus said, rattling Luz's bones, "If one wishes for a task to be completed, one must do it themselves." A massive appendage began to manifest within the portal. It was a long arm, forged from multiple overlapping chrome plates. The hand ended in four sharp talons, each honed to a monomolecular edge.

"Oh no you don't!" Royal shouted, "I am ending this, here and now!" He began charging up his Light as the colossal claw descended toward him. Eda grabbed Luz by the arm, dragging her away as Royal fired his Nova Bomb at the Conflux. As he did, the arm of Synegorus crashed down on the Guardian, impaling him with its claws. The Guardian screamed in equal parts pain and defiance as the Nova Bomb soared into the Conflux's main pillar. The structure exploded, collapsing as it was destroyed by the Light. The vortex died, spiraling in on itself as Synegorus laughed.

"Relish in this victory Guardian," it said smugly, "This is the last time you ever will." The vortex exploded as it finally closed, knocking Luz and Eda on their backs. The few remaining Vex teleported away and disappeared into the night.

"Luz! Are you alright?" Amity asked, joining the Human and helping her to her feet. Luz nodded, rubbing her head. Emira helped Eda to her feet as Edric shook Royal's broken body.

"Uhhh, he's not looking too good," Edric panicked. Lancer materialized next to the Blight.

"Back off Grass-head," the Ghost ordered, "I can take care of this." He shot a beam of light into the Guardian, resurrecting him. Royal rose to his feet, staggering slightly. He placed a hand on his head and groaned.

"Great, more headaches," he complained. Ignoring the Blight's shock, he limped over to Luz and removed his helmet, staring at her intensely.

"I told you to stay where it was safe," he said evenly, though there was tension in his voice. Luz gulped and nodded slowly. Royal continued, "I also warned you that there were Vex in the area and that you should avoid doing anything reckless." Luz nodded again and Royal sighed, caressing his face in his hands.

"Alright, that's it," he said, snapping his fingers, "Lancer, I need a hand cannon. Preferably one with lower recoil." Said weapon appeared in his hand and he inspected it. "Seventh Seraph Officer Revolver," he muttered approvingly before flipping it around and holding it out to Luz, grip first. She gingerly accepted the weapon. "You do not leave the Owl House without that, am I understood?"

"Yes Royal," she accepted.

"And you shall be joining me for an hour of firearm training every day," he continued.

"Yes Royal," she said again.

"And you have to polish my shell when we get home," Lancer quickly added on.

"Yes Roy- hey, wait!"

"Too late you already said yes."

Emira coughed into her hand, reminding the Humans of their presence. Royal looked over at them before shaking his head.

"You know what, they're your friends and I have a killer headache right now. You get to explain this to them." The three Blights all turned to Luz expectantly as Royal began to walk back to the campsite.

"Oh, before I forget," he said, turning to look over his shoulder, "Congrats on learning a new spell kid."


Hours had passed since the Guardian had destroyed the Conflux. The few Vex that had escaped were returning to the site, walking through the smoldering wreckage. They were all careful to avoid the debris. Synegorus perceived them all. The Guardian believed the Vex had been bested and that they were on the run. He couldn't be more wrong and he would pay for his arrogance, far more soon than he may think.

Synegorus ended a single program that had been running since the battle. All around the Conflux, an illusion faded, revealing that the machine was still perfectly intact. Synegorus had not wanted to test its newfound magical powers while under fire, but it had worked without a hitch.

-]Magic was estimated to increase Vex effectiveness by 13.70714%[-

-]Analysis: Tests surpass all expectations[-

Synegorus sent an order to the Harpy currently in the company of the Emperor's Coven. It was time for the Witches to meet their benefactor.


Another done and another down. Fun fact, in the original draft for this chapter, Luz was going to get shot right in the leg. But I decided that I'd go a little easy on her. She's had it rough these last few chapters; nearly losing her third dimension, accidentally getting herself killed, and being abducted by murderous robots.

I figured it would be neat to go over how I came up with the characters' names. I named Royal himself after the color he wears, that being a brilliant purple. In universe, he was nicknamed that by a certain someone due to his incredible Poker skills. Lancer is derived from the word Freelancer, which I feel fits him rather well, as he does tend to be something of a loose cannon. Sturme doesn't have anything so fancy, I just took the Sturm hand cannon and slapped an extra letter on the end. Now Synegorus, that's a little more interesting. I derived it from Synígoros, which is the Greek word for "Advocate". Why did I choose that word? I'll let you speculate.

Speaking of the original characters, how are you all liking them? Reception to Royal himself has been positive, which is great to see.

mysticalex: As a Warlock main, I had to speak with some Titans I know. They all confirmed that yes, Code of the Missile does indeed go brrrrr.

GodzillaMaster: Spot on prediction for why the Vex wanted Luz. Look at you, so smart and attractive. But when it comes to Belos and Royal meeting, well, I won't spoil anything.

OMAC001: "I wouldn't really say friends, more just people I tolerate slightly more than others." -Royal

Justus Davis: I agree, Telesto jokes are indeed funny. My favorite is still when Telesto re-enabled itself. But I'm afraid I am not familiar with the term "Desden" and I wasn't able to find anything about it when I looked it up.

Dakka: Glad you enjoyed the chapter and I can promise that the memes shall continue until morale improves. Or until I run out of ideas. Whichever comes sooner.


"Popcorn?"

"Check!"

"Drinks?"

"Check!"

"Blanket?"

"Check!"

"We good to go?"

"You better believe it."

Luz and Lancer were currently in the living room of the Owl House. Luz was sitting on the couch, snuggled up in a blanket while Lance hovered just above her. Hung up before them was a large blank screen for Lancer to project onto. The two were preparing to go on a movie marathon and were going to be up all night.

"Alright then, what's up first?"

"Let's see," Lancer said, browsing through his library, "We could start with the Betrayal at Arkonias Trilogy?"

"Sounds exciting," Luz said, nodding eagerly. Lancer chirped in confirmation and projected the movie onto the screen. On the screen was a large futuristic warrior, holding a two-handed axe with glowing blades.

Before the two could start, Luz felt a strange sensation in her gut. The air around her began to hum. She cried out as both she and Lancer were teleported across the universe. Just as they vanished, Royal poked his head downstairs.

"Lancer? Luz? You guys down here?"

Luz screamed as she was flung through space and time, clutching Lancer tightly as she did so. Eventually, she felt her feet hit solid ground. Opening a single cautious eye, she saw other figures teleporting in around her. Before she could ask them where she was, she dropped to her knees and threw up.

"Yup, still hate teleportation," she groaned. Lancer materialized a suit of armor onto her, no doubt one of Royals' extra sets, scaled down to fit her.

"These are other Guardians," he said, surprised, "Maybe they'll be able to help us."

Luz stood up to ask the Guardian beside her. They were tall, wearing sleek golden armor with a hood over their helmet. As she opened her mouth, a strange voice cut her off.

"Welcome to tonight's Dares of Eternity, where the rules are made up and your repeated deaths do not matter."

Luz looked over to where the voice was coming from, seeing a curious figure wrapped in a cloak with tentacles protruding from his face. Standing across from him was a horse that appeared to be made of starlight.

"We asked viewers what their favorite contestants were," the tentacle man continued, "Survey says: Guardians. Please do not resist."

"And I thought the Boiling Isles were weird," Luz muttered as the tentacle man kept talking.

"We are your hosts, the Horse Beyond Comprehension, and the pathetic Xûr. Let's see what survives tonight's Dares. Of. Eternity." With that, he gestured behind him where a vortex opened. The other Guardians surged forward, sprinting for it. Not seeing any other options, Luz ran as well. She stepped into the vortex and was flung through the air. Fortunately, her momentum stopped just before she hit the ground. They were all in a large arena filled with white stones and strange structures. The area was inhabited by creatures that looked like they were made of smoke and ink. The other Guardians opened fire, slaughtering the creatures as they surged into combat. Lancer materialized a revolver in Luz's hands.

"Shoot now, ask questions later!" He ordered. Luz obliged, opening fire on the Taken. As they died, they collapsed into singularities. As the last one died, a massive wheel appeared in the air.

"Spin the Wheel of Adversity to determine which foe will take to the field," Xûr said. A Warlock slapped a button near the wheel and it began to spin. Eventually, it landed on a symbol that looked like multiple triangles placed atop one another.

"Hailing from downtown Torobatl, put it together for our reigning champions; the Cabal."

Several large spherical objects crashed into the arena, crushing one Guardian who hadn't been paying attention. Large aliens stepped out as the pods disappeared, roaring a challenge. The Guardians eagerly accepted, dealing death to their alien competitors. Eventually, Cabal warriors with flamethrowers and impenetrable shields emerged. Luz saw another Guardian throw a ball at them, calling down a massive orbital strike. She looked around, seeing another ball resting nearby. She grabbed it, surprised by the weight, and carried it to the edge of the arena. She threw it at one of the Cabal, watching him explode as a laser tore the sky apart.

"Well done contestants," Xûr spoke again as the rest of the Cabal faded, "Please continue to our zany Dare of Eternity obstacle course. The majestic Star Horse declares it to be "Utterly Bonkers"."

Luz once again followed the Guardians as they moved to the back of the arena. One by one, they stepped onto a platform that flung them through a small hole in the wall. Floating in the air, just before the hole, was a wheel with cutouts. Lancer quickly measured the distance.

"Alright, when I say go, you go. With luck, you won't get splattered on the wall."

"What was that?"

"Nothing, just be ready."

Luz tensed her legs, getting ready to run. Lancer shouted for her to go and she went, soaring through the air and flying smoothly through the hole. As she touched down, she slipped and fell down a small pit. She looked up, seeing the Guardians jumping through the obstacle course. One of them missed their jump and fell, landing just ahead of her. He cursed and walked the path before them. Luz followed the other Guardian out, though all her attempts to get his attention went unacknowledged.

She emerged into a massive room with another wheel. She ejected the magazine in her weapon, with Lancer materializing a new one in her hand.

Spin the wheel to choose your next foe," Xûr's disembodied voice said. Another Guardian complied and the wheel spun. It eventually stopped on another symbol, a circle with lines above and below it. The wheel faded as new foes began to teleport in.

"The Celestial Equine summons forth Fallen from across the Paraverse, bearing sigils from houses unknown."

New aliens took to the field. They were smaller than the Cabal, though some had four arms. The Guardians scattered as the Fallen closed in. One wielding a spear charged at Luz. She yelped and lept backward, firing at him. The Fallen dodged her shots, raising his spear to stab only for a beam of Solar Light to hit him. He disintegrated as a Hunter wielding a flaming hand cannon rolled past. Luz backed into the corner of the room, only for a strange device to appear above her.

"The Horse demands that you prove yourself with further combat. Dismantle mines, or perish."

Luz looked up at the explosive and then panned around the room. The Guardians were just standing under the mines, so she guessed that was how they were defused. As she stepped over to the mine, she heard something heavy hit the ground behind her. Slowly, she turned and saw a massive bipedal machine stomping toward her. She screamed and ran as a Titan laughed excitedly. He summoned large purple shields and lunged at the Brig, tearing it to pieces. Finally, they defused the last mine. Luz slumped against a pillar, trying to catch her breath. Unfortunately, Xûr had other plans.

"The Star Horse demands that you destroy one final opponent this round."

In the front of the room, opposite from where they had entered, a humongous Brig dropped in. It towered over the Guardians, almost reaching the ceiling. The Guardians all cheered, firing all manner of rockets, lasers, and Light at the war machine. Luz, for her part, just hid under a ramp, wanting this ordeal to be over.

Eventually, the Brig collapsed under the Guardians' fire. It kneeled, explosions erupting all over its body before it finally burst apart like a miniature sun. Three glowing plates appeared before massive doors, each with a symbol. One was the symbol of the Cabal from earlier, another she recognized as the Vex. However, the third was unfamiliar to her.

"Choose the door hiding your next opponent," Xûr commanded. The Guardians quickly separated, each of them standing on a plate. Luz walked over to the Cabal plate, not wanting to face the Vex or whatever the unknown threat might be. Despite her wishes, the door with the foreign symbol swung open as a multicolored arc appeared over the heads of the Guardians who chose it.

"Bad luck contestant," Xûr bemoaned, "The horse is displeased."

The group made their way through another obstacle course, which Luz immediately failed at. Once she reached the end, she stepped into a strange tube that slowly lowered her to the ground. Before them was an empty room, with large arches in the back and off to the sides.

"A time-locked Hive Prince is all that stands between you and going home a winner on tonight's Dares. Of. Eternity."

The Guardians all crowded along the edge of their starting platform, overlooking the rest of the room. Luz joined them, looking around at the empty chamber, before the Warlock beside her shoved her in the back, pushing her forward. She let out a surprised cry as she fell off the small ledge. As she did, strange glowing green runes appeared on the ground as more aliens teleported in. They were tall and muscular, with bone-like armor adorning their body. Each of the clutched a nasty-looking sword. In the center of the room, an even larger warrior rose. His body glowed green as he raised his sword and let out a guttural roar.

Luz screamed and ran for cover as the Hive and Guardians clashed. Smaller Hive pursued her, but were quickly put down by her revolver. She threw herself behind a wall, peeking out to see how the Guardians were doing. The massive Hive Knight, who Lancer told her was named Crota, was kneeling on the ground as the Guardians beat him with Hive swords. He roared defiantly before fading. As he did, three identical duplicates appeared and began terrorizing the Guardians. Luz was forced to run as a sword-wielding Knight charged at her, firing at him as she did. She watched as one duplicate of Crota fell, then another. Eventually, she managed to kill the Knight giving chase to her. He fell, dropping his sword which Luz grabbed. She grunted under the weight but managed to prop it up on her shoulder.

A booming roar caught her attention and she turned around, seeing the last Crota fall to his knees not far away from her. Gripping her sword tightly, she screamed in rage and charged, bringing the blade down on the Son of Oryx. With one last shout, the Hive Prince fell silent. Around her, the Guardians celebrated their victory as Xûr and the Star Horse appeared in a burst of light. Between them was a glowing chest which the Guardians began to eagerly rummage through. Luz reached in and snagged a small coin, with inscriptions that seemed to shift every time she focused on them.

"You have fought well and earned the Star Horses' favor," Xûr said proudly, "Accept these prizes." The Horse neighed, it was a sound that echoed through Luz's soul. Xûr laughed heartily.

"Well said, the true prize is getting to compete on Dares of Eternity. This is Xûr, reminding you to have your Ghost spayed or neutered. Good night." As he finished, Luz felt her gut begin to writhe.

"Not again," she moaned before teleporting across reality once more. She arrived back at the Owl House, falling to the ground with a thud. She jumped to her feet and ran outside. It seemed that teleportation just did not agree with her. As she reentered, she saw Royal conversing with his Ghost.

"You got taken where?"

"Some weird gameshow," Lancer responded incredulously, "Xûr was there and there was a weird horse and we won some prizes."

"At least you two are safe," Royal said, too tired to question his Ghost further. He looked over at Luz, eyeing her curiously.

"Are you wearing my casual robes?"