Hey, what's up gamers? Semesters over and man I am glad for it. Chapters might slow down, due to me shifting my focus onto a few other things. I'm not ditching the story, far from it. I just have time to do things other than writing. Now, onto today's chapter. Hope you all enjoy it.
Does anyone even read these?
Chapter 17: Entropy Consumes All
"It's god in there. It can simulate our torment. Forever." -Sundaresh
-]Conflux is 84% ready for minor activation[-
Ignosi's report was received by Synegorus. Its servant was performing admirably. The sub-Mind was a genius and remarkably efficient. Still, one could never have too many hands. The Guardians' assault on the coven facilities had been an unfortunate setback. Now, the Vex needed a way to get back on schedule.
Synegorus moved the main bulk of its focus from that topic, continuing to dedicate a minor amount of processing power to Ignosi's report and the new Conflux. Most of the Minds focus was scattered across dozens of projects. Right now, the highest percentage was dealing with its newest sub-Mind. Sarkarae was proving to be an interesting creation and it wasn't even finished yet.
-]Analysis: Sarkarae's frame features several curious additions[-
\Subnote: This unit did not add those
-]Theoretical: A Vex frame does not need a mouth[-
-]Practical: Addition adds a potential psychological effect[-
Indeed, Sarkarae seemed to be altering itself without Synegorus' input. Every time the Mind changed the frame, it would simply change itself back. The Mind rationalized that its own hatred must be so potent, that the frame was being subconsciously sculpted by it. Synegorus continued to work on the frame, shifting its attention again to a new topic. Sturme believed that he knew exactly where the Vex could find more capable hands. And if they played things right, maybe they could acquire a few more pawns.
"Welcome, valued investors, to our annual Blight Industries Sales!"
Odalia Blight, the matriarch of the Blight family, threw off the cloak she had been wearing. Behind her, her husband Alador struggled to do the same. She always had a flair for dramatics, it was part of what made her so good at running a business. That, and her cut-throat ruthlessness. The pair were currently standing on a stage with a bright light shining down upon them. Gathered in the large auditorium was a crowd of potential investors, wealthy ones at that. If she could pluck the right strings, she would go to bed this night a wealthy woman. Well, an even more wealthy woman.
"If you're interested in reliable home security, we're here for you," she said, hyping the crowd masterfully, "And if you've got an enemy or two… well, who are we to judge?" The investors laughed at that. Let it never be said that Odalia couldn't work a crowd. She gestured to her husband, still standing behind her.
"This is my husband, Alador Blight, the greatest Abomination creator of the era," she introduced, "My name is Odalia, and as an Oracle, I predict that you'll love what we've got in store for you tonight. We are proud to present the first glimpse of our crowning achievement!" The two stepped aside as a platform rose behind them. Standing on the platform was their newest product and a very bored-looking Amity.
"Introducing the Abomiton Soldier!" Odalia presented. The Abomiton was a large amalgamation of magical ooze and engineering. The brass-colored metal shone brilliantly under the lights as the core in its chest glowed with power.
Amity helped to showcase some of the Abomitons' capabilities for the crowd. They cheered as it poured her a drink, styled her hair, helped to balance her payments, and carried some heavy objects across the stage.
"But that's not all it can do," Odalia said as the Abomiton assumed a combat stance, "It's more than capable of eliminating any opponent. Given how uncertain the current times are, you can never be too safe." The crowd murmured as she said that. The Guardian had been all over the news for the last week. According to the official report, he had attacked the castle itself, destroying the Emperor's property and killing dozens of coven members.
Odalia saw that she had them captivated. Smirking, she cupped the gem on her necklace. It glowed, linking to a matching gem on her daughter.
Mama to Mittens, she thought, knowing that Amity could hear the message in her mind, Remember our deal: Make this look good and we'll forgive your recent lackluster performance in school. She received an affirmation from Amity as the young girl prepared to duel the Abomiton. The construct slammed its fists into the ground as Amity dodged.
"Wow, it's so fast and strong," she deadpanned in a monotone voice, "Order now." It wrapped its hands around her and lifted her.
"Oh no, it's undefeatable," she continued in the same uninterested tone, "How ever will I escape?" As the Abomiton lifted her, a picture fell out of her sleeve. Her eyes widened in shock as she recognized it as the picture of herself with Luz, Gus, and Willow at Grom. The Abomiton shifted, almost stepping on the photo. Amity gasped before spinning a spell circle. Using her skills in Abomination magic, she tore the golem apart. Dropping to her feet, she quickly recovered the photo and clutched it tightly. All around her, the crowd groaned and muttered in disappointment. Most of them began to depart, unimpressed with what they had seen.
Odalia watched them leave, trying to assure them that it was just a beta test. Regrettably, they didn't seem to care. She furiously turned to Amity, preparing to lecture her, only to catch sight of the photo clasped in her hands. She gained a sly look as a more effective punishment formed in her mind.
"Light in the darkness!" Luz proclaimed, casting an orb of light into the air.
"A glittering bridge of ice!" She persisted, firing a spear of ice from her other hand.
"The mightiest tree in the forest!" She concluded as vines flew skyward.
"Welcome to day three of Luz's magic boot camp!"
Luz struck a pose as she finished her display. Before her were the assembled residents of the Owl House. Lilith and Eda both sat at desks. The former clapped in awe while the latter carved something into the table in front of her. Off to the side, Royal watched absent-mindedly, dragging a whetstone made of Light along the edge of his Dawnblade. Normally he'd be training with Luz, but they had altered their schedule slightly as of late. He would instruct her in the morning, then alternate to the evening on the next day while she taught glyphs in the morning. Rinse, repeat, Ad nauseam.
"Okay, we have covered every glyph I've learned up until now," Luz said, "So today, we'll be learning something new."
"Are we about to learn a never-before-seen glyph?" Lilith asked eagerly. Luz squirmed a little.
"Well… no," she admitted, "These four came from nature. I've been looking around, but I haven't been able to find any more. So instead, we'll be learning how to alter glyphs to do specific things." Lilith reached down to her table, grabbing a small sheet of paper. She held it up for Luz to judge.
"Miss teacher, did I do it right?" The paper had a series of ice glyphs inscribed on it, connected in a circular pattern. Luz nodded in approval.
"Yeah, that's really good," she praised. Lilith pumped her fist, causing Royal to mutter something under his breath and return to his current busy work.
"Let's see how you're doing Eda," Luz pivoted, looking down at the Witches carving. To her shock, Eda had chiseled an ice and fire glyph into the wood. The two symbols were jagged and crude, haphazardly overlaid atop each other.
"I don't think that's such a good idea," Luz tried to reason with Eda.
"Double glyph combo go!" The Owl Lady shouted, ignoring her ward. She slapped the glyphs, causing them to flash. Sparks began to fly as they reacted with each other. A small burst of energy exploded outward, causing the two to flinch. Royal looked up at the noise. Seeing that no one was in danger, he shook his head and once more resumed his pointless grinding.
"I was hoping for more of an ice-blast situation," Eda remarked, unbothered by the result.
"I know you're eager to get your powers back," Luz cautioned, "But you should try mastering the basics before you experiment."
"She's right," Royal commented for the first time, "You'll never cast a Nova Bomb if you can't throw a Scatter Grenade."
"You both sound like Lily," Eda complained. Hooty snaked his way over to the group, informing Luz that it was time for her to depart for Hexside. She quickly put Royal in charge before being dragged away by the House Demon.
"Now that the teacher is gone, I wonder what other combos I can create," Eda schemed. Royal dropped his blade and walked over, spinning a Void orb between his hands.
"You will do no such thing," he said, "It's clear that you lack discipline. I shall rectify this." Eda rolled her eyes as he crushed the orb.
"I'm undisciplined?" she objected, "I was slinging around spells long before you were even born Bolt-Brain."
"The Guardian is right," Lilith said, "If you want to be powerful again, then you need to be disciplined enough to learn the basics. And the best way to do that is by memorization, repetition, and following the rules."
"Don't agree with me," Royal muttered. Eda scoffed at her sister's words.
"I'm more interested in experimentation, innovation, and laughing at tools. Like you two." She laughed as she said that and stood up from her seat. She waltzed off, not dignifying either of them with a glance.
"She's going to do something stupid," Lilith deadpanned.
"Obviously," Royal concurred coldly. Lilith shot him a weary glance, fiddling with her thumbs nervously.
"You don't like me, do you?"
He let out a harsh laugh, "What could have possibly given you that impression?"
"I know that I made several severe lapses in judgment," she said, "But I'm trying to make up for it. I nearly died to save Eda."
"Maybe the others accept that," he said, "But for me, you have not been absolved of the damage you have done."
Luz anxiously walked up the steps to Hexside, stopping just outside the entrance. She took a deep breath, placing her hands on the door.
"First day back since the petrification ceremony and Vex invasion," she hyped herself up, "Be chill, be cool." She pushed, swinging open the doors to reveal the familiar and welcoming halls of Hexside. Gus and Willow were waiting for her. The two perked up, grinning widely as they saw their friend. The three friends embraced, cheering loudly. Fortunately, the halls were mostly empty.
"Luz! You're ok!" Gus rejoiced. Luz did a double take as she heard him. His voice was noticeably deeper. Now that she thought about it, he seemed quite a bit taller too.
"Did I miss a birthday?" She asked in a joking manner.
"Witch puberty," Gus shrugged as if that explained everything. A new arrival joined the friends. Luz turned, greeted by the welcome sight of Amity.
"Hello Luz," she said with forced calmness, "In celebration of your return, I have prepared a homemade fairy pie." She held out a small pastry. Luz eagerly leaned forward.
"Wow, that sounds-" her voice died in her throat as she caught sight of the still-living fairies writhing in the pie.
"...good," she forced out, not wanting to seem ungrateful. She accepted the gift from Amity, who looked away, blushing furiously.
You know," Luz said, trying to ignore the muffled screams coming from the fairies, "I'm just glad things can finally return to some sense of normalcy." Once again, she tempted fate, and once again, fate objected rather strongly. The PA speaker on the wall screeched to life.
"You can't just barge in here!" Principal Bump shouted, sounding as though he was struggling with someone else.
"Yes we can," another voice argued, "We are the Parent-Creature Association. Luz Noceda, Willow Park, and Agustus Porter, report to the principal's office immediately. Oh, and you too Amity."
"Mom?" The aforementioned Blight asked in shock. The speaker didn't respond. Confused and not seeing any other option, the four made their way through the halls to Principal Bump's office. They entered, seeing the slumped form of their principal sitting in his chair. Flanking him were two Witches, one triumphant and the other distracted by something on the wall.
"Please, take a seat," Bump offered. The children obliged as Odalia cleared her throat.
"It has come to the attention of the Parent-Creature Association that these three students have repeatedly been the cause of havoc and disturbance to this school," she said, gesturing to Gus, Luz, and Willow, "The Abomination situation, the destruction of detention, the Grom incident. These are but a few of the incidents that have endangered the students of this school, including our daughter. That is not to mention that you allow the Human to carry a lethal weapon with her while she attends class." Bump sighed, rubbing his face.
"Luz has been permitted to carry her weapon on herself for self-defense. It's not like our other students aren't similarly armed with magic at all times," he explained in a tired voice. Odalia huffed but was unable to argue against the logic.
"Regardless, these students have continually proven to be a destabilizing factor," she continued, "So, the PCA has decided to…" She let her voice trail off, waiting for her husband to pick up. After being met with silence, she audibly cleared her throat. Alador looked up from Bumps' head covering. Quickly reading the room, he finished his wife's sentence.
"These three are bad influences and must be executed," he stated. Luz, Willow, and Gus gasped in fear before Alador realized his mistake.
"Apologies, I mean expelled," he corrected. The three accused instantly began to voice their objections while Amity glared at her mother. Rather than respond verbally, Odalia sent another mental message to her daughter.
Take this as a lesson, Mittens. A Blight always upholds their end of the deal.
Her daughter relented, reverting to the obedient girl Odalia had cultivated. Bump sighed again.
"I'm sorry, but I have no choice in the matter," he said dejectedly, "Luz, Willow, Agustus. Effective immediately, you three are no longer students of Hexside."
"No, this isn't right," Luz argued, "Tell them they've got it all wrong Amity." To her disappointment, her friend stayed silent, looking down in shame.
"Good, now you'll be taking double the classes to make up for lost time," Odalia commanded, "Actually, I'm appalled that you're not in class right now. What are you thinking?" Her daughter mumbled a half-hearted apology as the door swung open. Two guards entered the room, hooking the ex-students and dragging them away. Luz called for her friend to help, only to be met with silence.
The three were dragged through the halls of Hexside, struggling to escape the guards' captivity. Reaching the front entrance, the trio were carelessly thrown outside. The doors slammed shut as they picked themselves up.
"It finally happened," Gus cried, "Our memorable adventures finally caught up with us."
"I guess this is goodbye forever," Willow mourned, hugging one of the trees to the side of the path. The doors swung open again and Luz looked up hopefully. Said hopes were instantly dashed as Odalia and Alador exited. The two adults ignored Luz and her friends as they departed.
"Hey!" Luz shouted, finally catching Odalia's attention. She turned to the Human as though she hadn't just ruined her first day back.
"How dare you mess with my friends' lives," Luz berated, "What have we ever done to you?"
"Luz, was it?" The Blight matriarch said disdainfully, "This isn't personal. In fact, I appreciate your tenacity. We're just trying to teach our daughter a valuable lesson in business."
"How does this teach anything? I'm calling applesauce on this business baloney!" Odalia regarded Luz curiously.
"You're Human linguistics are hard to understand, but I think I see your point," she said, "If you're interested in talking things through, then I'm sure we can come to some sort of agreement." She reached into her suit and pulled out a card, offering it to Luz. She accepted it as the two left. She looked down at the card, a sneaking suspicion that she knew exactly what Odalia was talking about.
"Discipline is a warrior's finest virtue," Royal lectured, pacing before the two Witches, "From discipline comes restraint, from restraint comes nobility, from nobility comes discipline." Lilith watched him pace, drinking his words in. Beside her, Eda fiddled with the rifle in her hands, ignoring the Warlock. Royal was giving the Witches his own lesson. He had set up a firing range and was now instructing the sisters on how to use his weaponry. Until they managed to master glyphs, they would need something else to protect themselves.
"Hey teach," Eda began, holding her scope up to her eye, "What's any of this got to do with shooting a gun?" Royal snatched the rifle from her.
"There is more to this than simple technical skill," he explained, "You must grasp the philosophical component to combat. I understand that warfare is not common in the history of the Demon Realm. However, Humans have spent hundreds of thousands of years finding new and inventive ways to kill each other. We have hardened the theory through trial and error, now you shall learn it. The Universe is not kind to those who are unprepared."
"I still don't get it," Eda said. Royal sighed, holding the rifle up.
"This isn't like some magic wand or staff," he elaborated, "This is a finely crafted death-delivery-device. When you hold this weapon, you decide who lives and who dies. That is a very dangerous kind of power to hold. You need to know the proper discipline. And discipline in one field expands to discipline in life."
"I think I understand," she said slowly, "So when do we get to fire it?"
Royal sighed again, "Once you prove to me that you understand the danger of what you wield. We'll start with the basic rules of gun safety. What do you think they are?" Of the two, only Lilith seemed to be seriously pondering the question.
"Drink some liquor and tape down the trigger," Eda said with a grin.
"First rule of gun safety: Treat every gun as if it is loaded, even and especially if you know it isn't. Second rule: Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to fire. Third rule: Never point the weapon at anything you are not prepared to permanently disconnect from this mortal coil. Do you understand?" The two nodded and Royal handed the pulse back to Eda. Lilith shifted her grip on her weapon, removing her finger from the trigger.
"Now, you are ready to fire," Royal said, gesturing to the targets across the way, "Show me what you can do." The two opened fire on their targets. The bullets flew through the air wildly, with most of them missing the targets entirely. After a moment, Royal held up his hand, signaling for them to stop.
"Now that was a fine piece of work," he said dryly, "If you aimed to disappoint."
"We're still learning," Eda rebuffed, "And these guns keep kicking and jumping around like they've got a mind of their own." Lilith nodded in agreement as Royal pulled out his hand cannon. He snapped his fingers, causing the targets to begin moving around. Without looking, he fired five shots into each target, all of them hitting directly in the center.
"It's like I told you, these aren't like wands or staves," he lectured, "But technique will come with time. For now, we'll move to maintenance."
"We gotta clean these things?" Eda asked, already tired of this.
"Did you think it would just clean itself?" Royal replied. Her face told him that, yes, she did.
"This is a delicate piece of equipment," Royal said, "Treat it with respect. Do right by your gear and your gear will do right by you." He showed them how to disassemble their weapons and check the components to see if they required cleaning. It was a fairly simple procedure, but Eda hardly seemed to be paying attention. Lilith was an attentive student, not that he would give her the satisfaction of admitting it.
"Alright, that'll be enough for today," he said, checking the time, "I need to run another sweep of the Knee, make sure the Vex aren't trying anything funny." The two watched as he left, tearing through the air on his sparrow. Once he vanished from sight, Eda's face broke out in a dangerous grin.
"What are you planning?" Lilith asked as Eda pulled out a small slip of paper.
"Nothing," she replied easily, "Just a little experimentation." Lilith noticed an ice glyph inscribed on the paper.
"Please tell me you're not going to do what I think you're going to do," she begged.
"If you don't get off my case, I'll make you start paying rent," Eda threatened. Lilith shut up, shaking her head in defeat.
Luz nervously walked up the steps to Blight manor. She had tried to convince Principal Bump to let her and her friends back into Hexside only to be metaphorically, and in one case literally, shot down. Now she was pursuing the only option she had left, swallowing her pride and begging. Her fist tapped the door, producing a loud knocking sound. The door was swung open by a large Abomination butler that stared at Luz with its hollow gaze.
The butler lead her through the mansion. Despite herself, Luz couldn't help but be impressed by what she saw. The two finally arrived at an unassuming door. The butler offered her a cup of tea, which she declined. Seeing an opportunity, she squished and molded the golem's face. Once she was done, she stepped back. The Abomination's goo has been sculpted into a cat-like face with whiskers and ears. Unfortunately, the face sagged under its weight.
"Well, I tried," Luz said with a shrug. She opened the door and entered, walking down a flight of stairs. She opened her mouth to call out and see if anyone was there, only to be cut off when an Abomination hand was thrown into the wall beside her. Luz jumped a little in shock, letting out a startled cry.
"Oh, don't mind him, dear," Odalia said while lounging on a table, "He's getting ready for our big demonstration tonight." She turned to her husband, offering a few words of encouragement before taking a sip of her tea. He offered a grunt in return, far more focused on his work. Luz took in a deep breath, mentally preparing herself.
"I'm here to appeal to your hearts, Blights!" She boldly declared.
"That's sweet," Odalia said, not intimidated in the slightest, "But let's get to the deal. We have a rather important presentation tonight showing off some new products."
"Like, Abominations?" Luz asked, taking the bait.
"Something like that," Odalia said noncommittally, "Normally Amity helps us with these things, but she's busy catching up on schoolwork."
"I'm picking up what you're putting down," Luz nodded, "I'll help you showcase your weird Abomination gunk if you promise to let me and my friends back into Hexside."
"I'm not putting anything down," Odalia said, momentarily thrown off balance by Luz's words.
"Not important, just promise me that you'll let us back into Hexside."
"Don't worry Human," Odalia said sweetly, though Luz could hear the condescension dripping from her tone, "A Blight always upholds their end of the deal."
"When do we start?" Luz questioned, crossing her arms. Odalia took another sip of her tea before smiling. She may appear hospitable, but that was the grin of a predator that had its prey cornered.
"Yup," Eda said, "I'm a genius." She held her rifle proudly, pressing the magazine back in place. She had replaced one of the bullets with a perfectly shaped replica inscribed with ice glyphs. Lilith, not wanting to be caught up in her madness, had departed. King sat just beside her, watching intently.
"Human science meets Witch magic," she said proudly, aiming at the target before her.
"Maybe this isn't a good idea," King said hesitantly, "Royal was pretty adamant on these things being delicate machines."
"Yeah, whatever," she dismissed, "I think I know what I'm doing." She squeezed the trigger. Rather than the usual burst of arc rounds or some ice shards like she'd hoped for, the gun just made a pathetic click. Eda looked down at it, disappointed.
"That was anticlimactic."
Then, the gun exploded. Eda and King were flung back, kicking up dirt as they slid across the ground. Eda sat up, rubbing her head. To her shock, a chunk of ice had dropped to the ground where she had been standing. She gently poked it, only to recoil as it shocked her.
"Great, now we got this to deal with," Eda huffed.
"That's the least of your problems," King chimed in, "Royal is gonna be mad when he learns you blew up his rifle."
"One problem at a time," the Witch said, "First, we hide the evidence. Then, we blame Lily. Easy as cake."
"That might work," King pondered, scratching his chin, "He does hate her."
Eda pulled out a fire glyph and slapped it on the ice chunk. Ignoring the shock, she activated the glyph. It ignited, but the ice refused to melt. Instead, it slowly began to expand. Eda took a hesitant step back.
"Alright, maybe this won't be quite so easy."
As it turns out, the presentation was starting very soon. Luz stood on stage next to Alador while Odalia greeted the crowd. She shielded her eyes from the bright overhead lights, doing her best to pay attention to what Odalia was saying.
"Welcome back valued investors," she announced, "We have a long night ahead of us, so I won't keep you for too long. Let's get this show started!"
"So, Alador," Luz started nervously, "What am I testing anyway?"
"We specialize in producing a wide variety of Abomination-based accessories for home security," he recited. Luz sighed in relief.
"That sounds safe," she relaxed, only for Alador to dash her hopes.
"But we specialize in weapons," he said plainly, walking off the stage, "You might want to duck." As soon as he left, a massive ball of Abomination goop was fired directly at Luz. She narrowly side-stepped, struggling to regain her balance. The crowd cheered as the projectile impacted the wall behind her.
"Yes, our sticky launcher can peacefully subdue any foe," Odalia said, "And if peaceful isn't your thing…" She flipped a switch on the weapon and fired a massive jet of flame. The crowd cheered once more while Luz gulped nervously. What had she gotten herself into?
The situation at the Owl House was rapidly spiraling out of control. Despite Eda and King's best efforts, the blob of ice continued to expand outward. They had tried everything they could think of; shooting it, melting it, asking it nicely. Alas, nothing had worked.
"I am your mother," Eda threatened, brandishing a mace, "You will obey me and die!" She swung her weapon into the ice. Rather than shatter, it absorbed the head of the mace. She tried to pull it free but the ice wouldn't give. An electric shock caused her to relinquish her grip. Soon, the entire weapon had been engulfed by the ice.
"Eda! Help me!" King cried, having been caught by the growing blob. He desperately struggled to free himself to no avail. Soon, he too was consumed by the mass. Eda slumped her shoulders, swallowing her pride.
"Lilith!" She shouted, "We have an emergency!" Her sister poked her head out of the front door, shocked by what she saw.
"Did you do this?" She asked, more confused than anything.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm ready to follow the rules now or whatever," Eda grumbled, "Just help me clean this up before Royal gets back."
"Actually," Lilith said, gaining an inquisitive grin, "I'd like to try some experimentation of my own." She pulled out a new sheet of paper, with a set of glyphs interlocked by a ring. She slapped it on the ice blob. To Eda's relief, the ice finally began to melt. Arc power danced across the area as it did so. Finally, the amalgamation of glyphs died.
"Fascinating," Lilith remarked, jotting down a few notes on the reaction. King stood up, shivering from his time spent in that icy prison.
"How did you do that?" Eda asked. Lilith smirked.
"Do you want me to explain the basics?"
Eda shot a deadpan look at her sister, "Yes."
"Well, it's fairly simple. These glyphs act like basic elements, drawing magic from the world around them," Lilith explained, "They're like words to an ancient language. And when you lay the glyphs on top of each other…"
"It's like shouting a bunch of different words at once," Eda realized, "The spell gets confused."
"Exactly," Lilith confirmed, "If you structure them as I did, you can create a kind of glyph sentence allowing for more complex spells to be made." Eda placed a hand on her chin as she thought about what Lilith had said.
"Maybe the reason Luz can't find any more glyphs is because there aren't any others to find," she theorized.
"It's possible," Lilith agreed before turning to the mess before them, "Now, what exactly happened out here?" Eda was about to offer a justification when she heard the familiar sounds of Royal's sparrow.
"Crap."
Amity opened the door, stepping into the manor. It may technically be where she lived, but it was certainly far from being something she would call home.
"Mom," she called, "I'm ready for the show tonight." A note resting on a nearby table caught her eye and she picked it up. Unfurling it, she read the message.
"We found a replacement," she recited, not understanding what that meant. Hearing the Abomination butler approaching behind her, she turned to it.
"Did anyone come to the house today?" She asked. Instantly, she had her answer. The Abominations' face, though sagging, clearly showed signs of being altered into a cat-like state. Amity only knew one person who would do that.
"Dang it, Luz!"
Moving quickly, she made her way over to the building where her parents would be displaying their products. Looking up, she saw hooded figures walking through the entrance. Loud cheers and terrified screams emanated from behind the doorway.
"How am I going to get in there?" Amity wondered aloud. She should've brought backup. Fortunately, a solution was soon to present itself.
"I have an idea," Edric said from behind her, "Why don't you just walk in?" Amity turned, seeing the twins watching her. Emira threw her a cloak, which Amity caught.
"Just don't tell mom," she said. Amity nodded and donned the cloak. Once she entered, she was greeted by the sight of Luz fighting for her life. The Human ducked, rolled, and dodged her way across the stage, narrowly avoiding crossbow bolts that were being fired at her. She activated a quick ice glyph, raising a wall to shield herself as the weapon finally ran dry. Odalia stepped onto the stage as the crowd applauded.
"And they said we couldn't make crossbows more fun," she bragged, "Now, we're very excited to show you our last product from this line." Luz sighed in relief as Odalia stepped aside. The ground opened, raising a familiar metal-clad Abomination.
"Introducing the Abomiton 2.0!" The crowd gasped at the sight, with Amity joining in, albeit for different reasons. Thinking quickly, she navigated to the side of the building and began to scale one of the maintenance ladders while the crowd was distracted.
"It's bigger," Odalia continued as Luz struggled to her feet, "It's better. The Abomiton 2.0 is the perfect soldier. It won't rest until its enemy is completely eliminated." Luz backed up slightly as the construct turned to her. Its green eyes glowed with magic as its hands morphed into weapons.
"I've seen worse," Luz quipped, not impressed. The Abomiton objected to this, lunging at the Human. Luz managed to throw herself out of the way, pulling out a fire glyph as she did. She activated it, engulfing the Abomiton in flame. The golem didn't seem to mind, wading through the inferno with ease. She continued to back up, using ice and plant glyphs to attack the Abomiton. None of it was having an effect. Finally, it cornered her and grabbed her by the leg. The crowd cheered as it threw her across the stage. Luz managed to throw a plant glyph beneath herself, creating a large flower to cushion her fall.
"Alright, I think they get it!" She shouted to Odalia, "It's super strong! You can call it off now!"
"She has a point," Alador commented, only for his wife to ignore him.
"Didn't you hear me?" Odalia asked rhetorically, "I said that it won't rest until its enemy is completely eliminated!" The Abomiton advanced on Luz once more. Not seeing any other option, she pulled out her revolver and fired on it. Unfortunately, the bullets either bounced off the metal plates or sank harmlessly into the Abomination goo. The magical machine grabbed her once again and threw her into the air. Luz summoned a vine and lassoed one of the support beams. She pulled herself up, out of the Abomiton's reach.
"Ok," she panted, hanging on the beam, "We're safe up here."
Fate seemed to have it out for her today as the Abomiton leaped into the air and landed on the beam behind her.
"Luz! You fool!" She cursed. The Abomiton and Luz resumed their duel as Amity finally scaled the ladder behind them. She watched in horror as the two plummeted back down to the ground. Luz groaned as she tried to stand back up. The Abomiton, suffering from no such weaknesses, raised an axe hand over the Human.
Welp, this is it, she relented, I had a good life. Kinda impressive that I'll have died twice, most people only manage to do that once. Clearly, she had grown somewhat addled in her exhausted state. The axe descended and Luz closed her eyes, waiting for death to claim her again. After a few seconds of nothing, she cracked open a single eyelid. To her relief, the Abomitons hand was stuck in midair, struggling against some unseen force. Suddenly, the hand exploded. A few stray droplets of Abomination goo splashed Luz, though she was too tired to care.
"Hey!" Amity shouted from the rafters, drawing all eyes to herself, "Stay away from my Luz!"
"Is that an angel?" Luz muttered deliriously, blushing a little at the sight. Amity jumped off the rafter, landing next to her crush. On the side, Odalia watched furiously. She gripped her Oracle gem, preparing to give her daughter a verbal lashing she would never forget. Before she could even get a single word out, Amity crushed her gem.
The Abomiton tried to punch Amity. She held it back with a spell, barely containing the creature's strength. Say what you want about her father, but he knew how to make a powerful Abomination.
"Amity, get away from that Human," her mother ordered.
"No, you're going to listen to me for once," Amity spat, still struggling to hold the construct back, "If you don't let my friends back into Hexside, I will tear this thing apart right in front of your precious investors."
"Can you actually do that?" Luz asked wearily. Amity shushed her, not certain if she actually could. The crowd, unable to hear the conversation, booed the display. Odalia watched their discontent before relenting.
"Fine, it's a deal," she acquiesced, "Just stop with the theatrics!"
Amity looked down at Luz, offering a slight wink. She let her spell fade, releasing the Abomiton. It morphed its remaining hand into a hammer and brought it down on the girls. It raised its fist, revealing the two spread out on the ground, defeated. Unknown to the investors, they each opened an eye and smiled at each other. The Abomiton, satisfied that its prey was neutralized, returned to Alador and powered off.
"As if I'd let them back in," Odalia ranted, "I'll call every authority I know, I'll make sure they can never-"
"Odalia!" Her husband interrupted, "You made a deal with your daughter. And a Blight always upholds their end of the deal." Odalia huffed, still not convinced.
"She's getting stronger," Alador said softly, playing to his wife's business side, "Strong enough to become a coven head one day." Odalia finally conceded.
"Wise words, dear. We have to consider what's best for the family." She turned to see her husband distracted by a butterfly that had wandered into the building. Rather than shout, she just let out an exasperated sigh.
"You did what?"
Eda let out a nervous laugh at the Guardian's words, "Now let me explain, I promise it's a good one."
"No," Royal said, rubbing what would be the bridge of his nose if he had a nose, "I don't wanna hear it. It's been a long day and I am not interested in whatever bullshit you have cooked up for me."
"So, you forgive me?" Eda asked nervously.
"Absolutely not," Royal shot her down, "I'll deal with you later. Now, where's Luz?"
"Oh right," Eda realized, "She should be back by now."
Right on cue, Luz walked up the path to the Owl House. She mumbled a greeting, passing the two and walking through the door. Royal and Eda looked at each other and shared a shrug before following her in. Luz fell onto the couch, wiping Abomination goo out of her hair.
"You seem tired," Royal commented. Luzs' only response was to groan. Royal nodded in complete understanding, offering her a healing orb. She accepted it gratefully, absorbing the ball of Light. She sat up, now reinvigorated.
"Thanks," she said, stretching her arms, "Man today was something else. Amity's mom got me, Gus, and Willow expelled so I helped them with a presentation to get back into Hexside. Nearly died, but hey, it's all good now. Anyways, how was your day?"
"Did some experimenting with glyphs," Eda said while Royal just stared at Luz blankly, "May or may not have accidentally blown up one of Royal's guns. Oh, Lilith has something she wants to show you." She turned, hollering for her sister to join them. Lilith poked her head into the room, raising her eyebrows when she saw Luz.
"Good you're back," she said, pulling out one of her glyph combos. She offered it to Luz, who inspected it curiously.
"If you combine different glyphs in patterns like these, you can create theoretically any spell imaginable," Lilith explained excitedly. Luz whistled in approval.
"That's incredible," she complimented. Lilith held up a finger.
"That's not all," she said, "Behold." She pulled out an ice sculpture from the room behind her. It was a statue of Lilith kneeling before a scholarly recreation of Luz, holding a large scroll.
"Oh, wow," Luz said, unable to form a full sentence.
"I can do that too," Eda scoffed, slapping down an ice glyph. The spell produced a small ball of ice that rolled off the table. Unfettered, Eda gestured to her creation.
"That's great, extra credit for everybody!" Luz cheered, giving both of them a gold star. Lilith held it close to herself, cherishing it like it was her firstborn child.
"So are we just ignoring the fact that Luz almost got killed?" Royal asked, looking around the room.
"We all almost die every day," Eda said, waving him off. He crossed his arms, not accepting that explanation.
"Well, Mrs. Blight had better hope that I never catch her alone."
Said Blight lounged on the stage, sipping a cup of tea before handing it over to an Abomination butler. Her husband stood nearby, running some basic checks on the Abomitons systems.
"Despite the spectacle, that was quite a successful sale," she said, "Excellent job on the 2.0 dear."
"Yes," a new voice from the darkness agreed, "Your Abomitons are quite extraordinary." The Golden Guard stepped out of the shadows, flanked by two coven scouts.
"It's too bad that nobody will be receiving any," he finished. Odalia instantly dropped to one knee, pulling Alador down as well.
"The Emperor will be buying every one of your Abomitons," the Guard said, "And will personally continue to fund research into making them stronger."
"That's great news," Odalia accepted, "We are honored to-"
"You should be," the Golden Guard cut her off, "Emperor Belos doesn't take kindly to citizens making a private army."
"I see," Odalia said, understanding exactly what the Guard was implying, "We shall provide the Emperor with the finest products we can provide."
"Actually, we believe that the Emperor's Coven may be able to offer you a few… advantages."
"And what would those be?" Odalia asked, her curiosity peaked. Rather than answer, the Golden Guard stepped aside. In the shadows behind him, three glowing red orbs lit up. Another hidden figure stepped forward, their mechanical feet clanking on the ground.
"A gifted man brings you gifts galore," the newcomer greeted. His mechanical voice rolled through their ears smoothly. Alador gaped at the machine before him, enthralled by its design.
"I believe that our head researcher should be able to offer you some special insight," the Golden Guard said smugly.
"Sturme Medrengard?" Alador began hesitantly, "The news said that you had been killed when the Guardian attacked the castle?"
"Reports of my demise were rather… premature," he replied coldly, "It is thanks to the boons of my research that I still live. Boons which I have come to share with you. Together, we shall make history."
"Then it's settled, Sturme shall assist you with improving your Abomitons," the Golden Guard said, leaving no room for argument, "I'll leave you to sort out the details." He departed with his scouts not far behind. Sturme watched him go before turning to Alador.
"We can discuss the nature of my research at another time," he proposed, "For now, I wish to discuss a more personal matter with your wife. Alone, if you don't mind." Alador began to object, only for Odalia to hold up a hand.
"It's alright Alador," she placated, "I won't be long." Alador hesitated before complying, leaving the two alone.
"Now, what do you wish to discuss?" Odalia asked.
"My benefactor has an offer for you," Sturme said, tucking his mechanical digits behind his back, "We shall make you an offer that you are incapable of refusing." He began to shift as his eyes glowed with new intensity. Odalia had to shield her gaze as the air grew cold and heavy around her. She let out a shocked gasp, barely keeping herself upright.
"Odalia Blight," the imposing voice of Synegorus echoed, "I have come to speak with you."
"And you would be?" She asked with practiced ease. Despite her calm, she felt an unsettling cold crawl over her skin.
"I am the benefactor," the Mind said, easing the pressure in the room slightly, "I have already simulated every word that will come out of your mouth. But I shall allow you to speak them anyway."
"What are you talking about?"
"The goal of the physical sciences is to predict the future, is it not? I am familiar with your paltry Oracle magic. You seek to glimpse at possibilities. I command them. Through my simulations, the future is chosen and altered."
"That's impossible," Odalia scoffed, "The future cannot be commanded. It is always in flux."
"Your primitive mind cannot begin to comprehend what I am capable of," Synegorus boasted, "Cause and effect, I am its master. I know you better than you know yourself."
"Then who am I?" Odalia challenged, a slight shiver running down her spine.
"You fear that which you cannot control," Synegorus stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, "And I control everything. Every mechanical twitch. Every chemical reaction. Every electrical discharge." Odalia let out a slight whimper as the Mind stared through her soul.
"All power is finite, yours very much so."
"Then what could you possibly want from me?" She forced out, "What is there that I can offer?"
"Resources, production, all manner of things. But that is not the question you should be asking." Instantly, she knew what the Mind meant.
"What do I receive in return?"
Synegorus laughed harshly, "I was waiting for that. You shall receive access to our gifts and a place in the new, perfected world."
"And?" She baited, trying to see if there was anything else on offer. This proved to be a mistake.
"And nothing!" The Mind snapped at her, "You shall serve my will and be honored that I do not simply erase you from history."
"I do not submit to you," she said, meeting its cruel gaze with a fierce look of her own. She forced her unease down. She was a Blight, not to be cowed by some impudent upstart.
"You shall serve," Synegorus said slowly. Suddenly, the pressure in the room increased exponentially. Odalia let out a cry as she dropped to her knees. She coughed, spitting out blood as the Mind wracked her body in agony with a mere thought.
"Because that is all your kind is fit to do."
Welp, season 18 is over. I hate it when they put Darkness in the tea that makes the freakin Warlock gay. (FR glad to have Osiris back) Season 19 has kicked off as well. It's time for hot takes with Penguin. Seasons fun, simple as. I enjoy the seasonal activity, the new guns are dope, and the story focuses on the second sexiest Bray. And no, I'm not talking about Ana. wink wink
New dungeon is also out. Hot damn it's a lot of fun. That final boss does not fuck around. I like it better than Duality so far, but I need to sink some more time into it.
Also, some story talk. Once I finished chapter 15, I got right to work on starting the next season. As of right now, chapters 18, 19, and 20 have been finished for around a week, though they still need some editing. Hell, this chapter has been ready since before season 16 dropped.
"But Penguin," I heard you think, "If these chapters have been ready, why has it been two weeks since you last uploaded?"
Laziness. That's it.
Ok, it wasn't just laziness, maybe about 65%. I have also been busy with work and other nonsense.
SolarisHez: You come into MY story! Point out MY spelling mistake! And have a laugh at MY expense! This will not stand. And it's quite comedic that I'm ripping ideas from your mind. What did I unknowingly steal, if you don't mind sharing?
davisjustus99: Nice to know the jokes are landing. I'm not much of a comedian.
mysticalex: I wouldn't keep you guys waiting that long. You know, unless I felt like it. I wasn't originally gonna upload the chapter until December, but I got bored and rolled a die. And hey, one does not disobey the dice gods. But no, Royal will not be building a jumpship for multiple reasons; he doesn't have the resources, he doesn't have the required tools, and he doesn't have anywhere to go because he has no idea where he is.
OMAC001: Man I literally killed a puppy last chapter, didn't I? Who lets me get away with this stuff?
GodzillaMaster: There's Escaping Expulsion for you. Royal vs Jean Luc... well, stay tuned.
Amity closed the door to her room and walked downstairs, trying her best to avoid making too much noise. Her mother was already on edge, something must have happened after the sale yesterday that bothered her. Amity had already pushed her luck once, she didn't want to do it again.
Walking through the house, she caught sight of Emira setting up a crystal ball. She had pulled up a seat, had a few snacks ready, and even had a notepad on a nearby table. Amity watched curiously as her sister continued to set up her area.
"Yeah, weird isn't it?" Edric suddenly said. Amity jumped in shock, before turning to face her laughing older brother.
"What's she doing in there?" Amity asked.
"She found some cooking show that she really likes," Edric shrugged, "She's been obsessed with it."
"This man is a culinary genius," Emira said, "And yes, I can hear you two." Amity pushed the door open all the way. Emira took her seat and turned on the crystal ball.
"Now be quiet," she ordered, "It's starting." The crystal ball sparked to life. Cheap-sounding music began to play as a strange-looking man appeared on the screen. He wore a foreign-looking tunic with large padded shoulders and a small jade pendant. With a mischievous look in his eye, he opened his mouth and began to speak.
"Welcome back, Mavericks, to Cooking with the Drifter," he greeted, "Your one-stop-shop for authentic recipes from the Dark Ages. Today, I got something special planned for you."
"Who is this guy?" Amity asked, only to be shushed by Emira.
"I'm going to show you how to prepare a nice Cabal War Beast steak, sautéed with a controlled strain of Vex mind fluid, seasoned with Fallen Ether, and served with a side of grilled Knight eyeballs."
"That sounds disgusting," Edric commented, getting shushed once again.
"Now, step one," the Drifter continued, pulling out a revolver, "Kill the War Beast."
