Greetings valued readers. I return to grant you a new chapter. As I said last time, today is Knock, Knock, Knockin' on Hooty's Door. Without further ado, let's get into it.


Chapter 22: Last Stand of the House Demon

"Juice boxes. Hmph." -Asher Mir


Hooty snaked through the Owl House, winding through the twisting halls. He slid into the living room, where Eda, King, and Luz were all waiting.

"How we doin', Hoot House?" He greeted with his typical cheerfully grating voice.

"Can you keep it down!" King barked as his voice cracked, "Gah why does it keep doing that?"

"Aww, sounds like our little Demon is becoming a de-man," Hooty cooed, curling around the diminutive demon.

"That sounds so wrong when you say it," King cringed, growing increasingly frustrated with his voice cracks. Hooty retreated over to Eda, who had her face buried in some papers.

"Teens, am I right?"

She pulled down her paper, revealing bloodshot eyes with dark bags under them. The only thing keeping her eyes open was a set of clips holding her eyelids up. Hooty recoiled in surprise.

"I'm freaking out here Hooty," she muttered madly, "Belos is planning something big and I'm weaker than a newborn Witchling. If I wanna protect you guys, I gotta get stronger than ever. Royal's training isn't enough!"

"But every time you overwork yourself, you turn into the Owl Beast," Hooty tried to argue, but Eda wasn't hearing any of it.

"I don't have time to worry about the curse!" She noticed that she was beginning to nod off and loudly blew into a horn, startling Luz who was cradling the Echo Mouse's cage.

"Can you please be quiet," she snapped, "You're scaring the Echo Mouse! And if he's not happy, then I can't find a way into Amity's heart- I mean find a way back home." Flustered, she picked up the cage and quickly left.

"Alright, tensions are high right now," Hooty nodded, "Time to get the mediator." He retreated upstairs, heading for Royal's room. He pushed open the door but, before he could even get a word out, he saw that the Guardian didn't want to be disturbed.

"WHY! CAN'T! I! FIGURE! THIS! OUT!" Royal shouted, accentuating every word by slamming his face into a wall covered with pictures of Darkness runes, high-ranking Coven agents, and the Vex Sub-Minds.

"What is your game, Synegorus?" he muttered viciously, stepping back from the wall. Hooty backed out of the room with an uneasy look on his face.

"Everything alright, Hootsifer?" Lilith asked from beside him.

"Lulu!" Hooty cheered, "Wait, you're not all weird today, are you?"

"I don't believe so," the Witch replied, "I heard some strange noises coming from the Guardians room. Is he-?"

"Everyone is so cranky right now," Hooty wailed, "They need someone to help them."

"Why don't you help them," Lilith offered, "Who better to help the residents of the Owl House than the Owl House itself?" Hooty's face cracked into a wild smile, he had a genius idea. Or rather, four of them.


King stormed through the halls of the Owl House, trying to keep his voice under control. Unfortunately, it continued to crack, despite his best efforts. While the Demon paced, Hooty snuck up behind him. He towered over King, draping him in shadows. King turned just in time to be swallowed by Hooty's gaping maw. With a mischievous chortle, he carried Demon up to the highest point of the Owl House.

The ride was turbulent. King was tossed and thrown around Hooty's gullet while the House Demon carried him away. He felt the pellet he was trapped in get violently spat out on the ground. It cracked open and King tumbled out.

"Did you just owl-pellet me?" He asked incredulously. He looked around the dark room, unable to make out any details.

"Are you angry and sweaty?" Hooty ignored him, "Hair growing in weird places? Does your voice crack in super embarrassing ways? Worry not, for I have all the answers to your questions." He activated the light, revealing that the room was filled with lab equipment that was no doubt looted from Eda's stash of Human junk. Behind the House Demon was a large whiteboard with 'Demon Puberty 101.5' written on it.

"You're going through Demon puberty!" Hooty cheered.

"The last thing I want from you is a health class," King facepalmed.

"This isn't a health class," Hooty denied, "It's an unholy test to help determine what kind of Demon you are."

"Wait, really?"

"Yup! Besides, I'm the only other Demon here, so what choice do you have?"

"Fair enough," King accepted, "What do I have to lose?"

"That's the spirit!" Hooty cheered again, "Now, as we all know, our ancestors rose from the muck of the decomposing Titan. Demons have three main classifications: Bug, Beast, and Bipedal."

"Yeah I know all this," King said impatiently, "Where are you going with this?"

"Don't interrupt me!" Hooty screeched. King jumped back in shock as Hooty calmed down.

"Now, I'm fairly certain you aren't a bug," Hooty said, ignoring his little mental snap, "But we can't rule anything out just yet. And as a worm-thing myself, I'm something of an expert in this field." He accentuated his word with a wiggle, causing Kind to shudder. He picked King up and dragged him across the room. Off to the side, a pair of bug Demons were waiting for them.

"Bug types usually communicate through dance," Hooty explained, "If you would please demonstrate." The two bugs acquiesced, beginning a perfectly coordinated ballet. They floated gracefully through the air and finally concluded their dance, bowing to each other.

"Beautiful!" Hooty praised with tears in his eyes while King just awkwardly shuffled, "Inspired! I cried at the end! Now, let's see what you've got little buddy."

King stepped around for a second, trying to find his footing. He began to dance, trying to mimic the grace shown earlier. He ended the display with a quick kick and finger snap.

"How was that?" He asked. The three bugs stared at him with a mixture of shock, revulsion, and offense. Hooty coiled up, his hair bristling with hostility.

"DON'T YOU TALK ABOUT MY MOTHER LIKE THAT!" He lunged at King, who screamed in fear.


Sturme snuck through Odalia's office, searching for something that his master had tasked him with finding. His mind calculated all the potential locations it could be hiding in. Soon, his search was rewarded. He opened a small, hidden compartment in the Blight matriarch's desk and pulled out her Crystal Ball. Unlike most Witches, Odalia had refrained from upgrading her Crystal Ball to the new model pushed out by the Emperor's Coven, electing instead to keep the one she had personally constructed.

Sturme slipped it away and pulled out one of his own. The sphere was filled with mind fluid that bore the illusion of a normal ball. It would still display the future, in fact, it would do it far more accurately than standard Oracle magic. However, it would only show exactly what Synegorus wished to show, be they future or fabrication.

Sturme heard footsteps approaching the door. He quickly inserted the new ball and closed the compartment. As the doorknob began to twist, he teleported away. Odalia opened the door to her office, looking around suspiciously. She shook her heard, muttering to herself.

"Keep it together, you're a Blight," she reminded herself. She took a seat at her desk and pulled out her Crystal Ball, none the wiser to the Vex's trickery. She channeled her magic and began to pierce the veil that was the future.

The first vision was an unpleasant one. She saw the Guardian standing alone against a massive Vex structure. He raised his Dawnblade only for a colossal clawed hand to crush him flat. Vex machines marched past him through a barren world. Wherever the Vex walked, she saw only the scorched remains of Witches and Demons.

She pushed that vision aside, moving to the next one. It was hardly any better. The Guardian was butchering everyone in sight. The Emperor's mask lay on the ground, shattered into pieces. He spun, decapitating Alador while her tried to protect their children. Despite herself, Odalia felt something twinge in her heart.

Shaking her head to clear her worries, she opened the next vision. Unlike the ones before it, this was far less destructive. Vex marched through the streets of Bonesborough, conducting whatever business they were up too. Massive machines stretched into the air. As she looked around, she noticed that there weren't any Witches.

She continued to browse through the futures she could see. Every time, she saw the same outcome. The Guardian laying waste to the Isles, in turn being defeated by the Vex. However, she still had questions that weren't being answered. If the Guardian was such a threat, then why hadn't he already tried to kill them all yet? As if the visions could hear her, they shifted again. She saw how the Guardian manipulated the Owl Lady to aid him, styling himself as a grand savior. She saw how they fought to imprison the Vex, even defeating one of their greatest agents. And finally, she saw how they failed. In every timeline, the Vex prevailed.

Unbeknownst to Odalia, Synegorus was watching her. It wove fate into a more suitable shape, twisting realities into a more suitable form. What she saw were possibilities, not certainties. But if they were all she saw, then she would come to believe that the Vex were not only undefeatable but that they were the only possible choice.


King rocked in place, nursing a bruise on his arm with an ice pack. Hooty waited nearby, inspecting the whiteboard. They had ruled out him being a bug Demon. Now, it was time for the next test.

"Well, your dance was offensive and your attempt at spinning a cocoon was just sad," Hooty reported.

"Can we not talk about the cocoon please."

"Time to see if you're a biped Demon. Now, as you can obviously tell by the name, bipeds walk on two legs. They also have bile sacs like Witches. So, for this test, we're going to have a little duel to try and coax out your magical power."

"Didn't you just finish beating me?" King asked in a hollow voice, "If magic was going to come out it already would have." Hooty furrowed his brow.

"Alright, fair enough," he acquiesced, "Sounds like we can rule out biped. That just leaves beast."

"I've got the body for it," King said, rustling his fur.

"There's only one way to test for it," Hooty said, pulling out a comedically large syringe, "A blood test!" King's eyes widened as Hooty pointed the needle at him. He attempted to escape but to no avail. He yelped in pain as Hooty poked him, drawing out murky, blue blood. Hooty immediately got to work testing it while King nursed his sore body. Hooty prepared the samples before snaking his way downstairs. He quickly returned with Lilith not far behind.

"Give me a few minutes," she said, preparing to test the blood sample. King and Hooty sat to the side, waiting anxiously. After a fairly short amount of time, she finished, holding up a filled vial. Hooty crawled over as she discussed the results with a whispered tone. Hooty grimaced before nodding. He turned back to King and slithered over.

"So, what does the result say?" King asked.

"The result says that you're… You!" Hooty announced. Behind him, Lilith flashed two thumbs-up.

"What?"

"Yeah, the results are inconclusive," Hooty said, "We don't know what you are. It doesn't match anything we've ever seen before. But that's all ok because you're still our friend."

"I thought you had answers," King sniffed.

"The answer is within your heart," Hooty said while Lilith seemed a bit more concerned.

"Hootsifer, I don't think-"

"I don't need to be told to love myself!" King shouted, "I want to know where I came from! What my dad was like! What I'll be when I grow up!" Hooty and Lilith both shrank back while the Demon ranted.

"I don't have any responses to my video yet!" He continued, "Or my wanted posters! Maybe he's not out there! Maybe I'm the last of my kind! I'll never know because he left me ALONE!" With that last word, a massive shockwave erupted from his mouth, shattering most of the objects in the room. Hooty backed up, sorrow written on his face. He had failed his friend and didn't know what to do. While he left, Lilith moved to comfort the Demon.


Hooty snaked downstairs where Eda was pacing through the halls. His first plan had backfired, fortunately, he still had three more. He snuck through a window, setting a plate of cookies on a nearby table that he knew Eda would pass. Hearing her come around the corner, he quickly hid.

"Sleep? Ha! I don't have time for sleep!" Eda muttered, "I need to be sharp, focused!" She passed the table, doubling back as she saw the offering. Picking up a note on the plate, she read it aloud.

"A reward for all your hard work. Love, Hooty," she recited, "I guess I could use the fuel." She quickly snatched up a cookie and began to devour it. She froze, noticing that something about it tasted funny.

"What's in this?" She pondered, inspecting a few crumbs. She sniffed them, drinking in their tangy scent.

"Wait… are these?"

"Yup! They're Sleeping Nettles!" Hooty confirmed, bursting through the window, "One bite will knock you out for hours. Now you have no choice but to get some rest."

"Hooty, Sleeping Nettles don't just put you to sleep," Eda panicked, "They enhance your dreams. Do you realize who you just locked me in with?" She tried to grab Hooty, only for his body to snap under her grip. The world around her dulled, losing saturation as her dreams shifted.

"You know what, maybe this is an opportunity," she said, drawing in a deep breath, "I can really let out some stress. The Owl Beast is the reason I ran away from home. It's the reason I live on the edge of civilization." She heard a growling sound from behind her. Her ears perked as the sound of talons clacking on the ground reached them.

"The Owl Beast is the reason I don't have any magic!" She spun, facing the massive beast. It filled the hall with its wings spread, blocking off any escape. Its monstrous face was twisted into a menacing snarl.

"You've haunted me for long enough," Eda threatened, "It's my turn to hunt you." She lunged at the Owl Beast, trying to punch it. Just before her fist made contact, the dreamscape morphed. Eda dropped to the ground, looking around uncertainly. She was in her old childhood bedroom. Her own body had been transformed as well, transitioning back to her teenage years.

"Edalyn, would you please come downstairs for dinner!" Her mother shouted from downstairs. Eda cautiously walked out of her room, slowly moving downstairs where her mother and sister were already waiting.

"Mother, do you like my napkin folding?" Lilith asked, holding up an origami crane.

"That's nice, Sweet-Flea," Gwendolyn ignored her eldest daughter, "Edalyn, could you help us set the table?"

"Sorry dream mom, I don't have time for whatever's going on here," Eda said, "I'm on a mission."

"Oh, are you sure you don't want to be here on your father's last night before he leaves for the Mandible?" her mother replied. Eda's gaze snapped to her. Before she could say anything, the front door swung open.

"Hey Pumpkin," her father greeted, stepping through the door, "Did you miss me?"

"Dad?" Eda questioned, backing up in fear.

"The one and only," he responded, "Come on, give your old man a hug."

"No! Stay back!" Eda panicked, "I don't want to hurt you again!"

"That's no way to talk to you old man," her dad grinned, "Here, I got a gift for you." He reached into his sack and pulled out a small firework. Eda's eyes widened and she tried to lunge forward and stop her father. However, she was a second and a century too slow, just like she had been the first time. The firework went off, releasing a loud flash of magical light. A bang echoed through the house. Eda's pupils shrunk as her eyes turned black. She let out a loud growl as the Owl Beast took over. Her father tried to back up as the Owl Beast slashed at him. He fell to the ground, trying desperately to stem the bleeding that covered half his face.

Eda transformed back into herself as the rest of her family panicked. Gwendolyn moved to comfort her husband, ordering Lilith to contact the nearest Healers. Eda stood in shock as the world faded into black and white around her. She heard the Owl Beast stalking behind her.

"It wasn't my fault," she said, trying to hold down her emotions, "It was yours!" She spun with a curled fist, ready to strike the Owl Beast. However, instead of the curse, she was met with the confused face of Raine.

"Eda, what are you doing?" They panicked. Eda quickly stood down, looking at her surroundings. The two were sitting in a field of bright flowers, with a picnic basket between them.

"Sorry," she quickly apologized, "It's nothing, I'm fine."

"You're lying again," Raine said sorrowfully, "You keep doing this. I feel like I don't even know you. So… I've had to make a hard decision."

"Alright Owl Lady, you've already gone through this," Eda muttered to herself, "I'm ready this time."

"It's clear we're going in vastly different directions," Raine continued, "I don't think we can continue like this."

"Please," Eda begged, "Don't do this."

"I think we should see other people."

Eda felt a spike drive itself through her heart. It was just as painful as the first time she had been here. Already, she could feel the curse overtaking her. Feathers sprouted over her skin and her fingers lengthened into claws.

"Eda, are you ok?" Raine asked with deep concern, "Is this the curse?" Eda's perspective shifted, returning to her normal body looking at the ordeal from the outside. She gripped her younger self's shoulders.

"Come on, don't push them away," she pleaded. However, try as she might, she couldn't change the past. Not even the Vex had that power.

"I'm fine," past-Eda said, "You can leave now." Raine reached out one last time, before relenting and walking away. As they left, the dreamscape fell away, leaving Eda alone in the empty void. She could feel the Owl Beast somewhere nearby.

"It was you," she growled, standing up, "It was always you." She turned and faced the creature, staring into its abyssal eyes.

"Stop ruining my life!"

She lashed out at the creature, only for it to fade away yet again. She blinked, looking at her new surroundings. She found herself on an abandoned beach. Everything was dark and the air felt cold. Looking down, she realized that she was the Owl Beast. She paced down the shore, noticing how the shadows seemed to writhe and snap out at her. Suddenly, she felt a wave of power sweep the beach, causing her to buckle.

"I found you," a childish voice called in a sing-song manner, "You can't hide from me." Eda tried to turn, to run, to do anything, but her limbs wouldn't obey.

"Rejoice! For salvation is at hand," the voice continued, "The Deep shall soon claim this land."

Eda looked to the sky, searching for anything that could help her. Instead, she saw a large white orb, to close to be the moon. She tried to call for help, but instead of aiding her, it began to recede. As it did, colossal obsidian pyramids rose from the waters to give chase.

"Lie down, give up, accept your fate," the child continued to rhyme, "We all must serve the Final Shape."

The world began to tremble. In the distance, Eda saw massive, horned Demons trying to fight against the black ships. They each fell to the waters below with a mighty thud, shaking the planet as they did. The Darkness crept in on Eda and everything faded away.

She woke up on the same beach. The pyramids were gone and she was back to her normal self. Standing up, she tried to walk down the shoreline, only to feel something tug at her ankle. Looking down, she saw a shackle fasted around her lower leg, with the chain leading away from her. She followed it, only to gasp as she saw the Owl Beast, struggling on the other end.

It tried to fly away, over the water, but the chain connected to Eda held it down. The beast crawled over the sands, panting with exhaustion. Before Eda could do anything, the sand near her parted, revealing a bottle of elixir. Picking it up, she approached the chained curse. It cried out in fear as she drew closer, but didn't have the strength to escape. Eventually, it collapsed to the ground, resigning itself to its fate. Eda knelt beside the source of all her troubles and held up the elixir. The beast growled at the sight of it.

"It's ok," she soothed, "I'm not going to hurt you." She picked up the chain binding them, running it through her hands.

"You don't want to be here either," she realized, "Neither of us wanted this. Yet, here we are." The Owl Beast fixed the elixir with an apprehensive gaze, but it didn't try to crawl away. Eda set the elixir down and placed a hand on the beast's back. It rumbled under her soothing touch.

"You don't like me," she began, "And I definitely don't like you. But we're stuck with each other. So we may as well try and make the most of it. So what do you say." She held out a hand to the beast's head, palm facing outwards and with the fingers pointing to the sky.

"Truce?"

The Owl beast accepted, closing its eyes and pushing its head into her hand. All around Eda, the dreamscape began to collapse. The two stood up, looking around in panic. A chunk of the heavens broke off and plummeted toward them. Eda pulled the Owl Beast close and shielded it with her body. She closed her eyes tight, waiting for the impact.

When the pain didn't come, she opened an eye again. The familiar hall of the Owl House stretched out before her. Letting out a whoop of joy, she stood up, only to bang her head on the ceiling.

"Son of a-" she began to curse, only to freeze as she heard her voice. It sounded different; stronger, more potent. Looking down at herself, she saw that she had been transformed. Her body was massive, covered in feathers that were colored in soothing cream and violent crimson. Her hands ended in mighty talons. Feeling a strange itch on her back, she reached around to scratch it only for her hands to brush up against a pair of wings.

"Sweet mama," she whistled, "This, this is a fierce look." Unfortunately, Hooty didn't share the sentiment.

"I made it worse!" He cried, retreating through his window. Eda tried to stop him, but her movements felt sluggish as she grew accustomed to her new body.

"Hooty, wait!"


The House Demon streaked through the confines of the house, panicking all the way. His first two plans had been massive failures. So far, he had only succeeded at making King angry and turning Eda into some kind of monster. Maybe he would have better luck with Royal. Said Guardian hadn't left the confines of his room. He paced madly as Hooty watched from the door.

"The symbols spell a warning of some kind," he muttered, "It references the Flower Game, played at the beginning of time. Deep and Sky are obvious. Pyramid must be some kind of Darkness artifact or structure, with Disciple being its protector. Or, maybe it's a resident? Hell, might even be an idol of worship." He stopped, looking back at his wall.

"But how do the Vex fit into all this?" He asked the uncaring Universe. The Universe, rather inconsiderately, remained silent.

"Heya Royal," Hooty announced, pushing the door open all the way, "Just wanted to check in on my favorite Lightbearer." The Guardian jumped in shock, tripping over himself as he did. He fell to the ground with a painful thud, optics flickering dimly as he glared at Hooty.

"What do you want!" He barked, "Can't you see I'm busy!"

"How long has it been since you last slept?" Hooty asked, concerned by Royal's current state.

"Let's see, it's been a few days since the race… then there was the Abomination display… carry the two… It's been about three-and-a-half weeks since I've last slept."

"How are you still awake?" Hooty asked, dumbfounded. Royal waved his hand dismissively.

"I've been sacrificing non-essential functions to maintain my consciousness," he said, "Your concern is appreciated, Luz, but I am far to busy to worry about sleep."

"I'm Hooty," the House Demon said awkwardly. Royal blinked, focusing in on his face.

"Are you sure?" He questioned. Hooty nodded.

"It appears facial and voice recognition are non-essential systems," he said, "Regardless, I can't stop now, the fate of the world hangs in the balance."

"Oh, maybe I can help!" Before Royal could object, Hooty pushed him aside and began picking at the pictures on the wall.

"Hooty, you blithering idiot, I need to foc-" Royal's voice died in his throat as his eyes turned dark. The Guardian stood as still as a statue. Hooty gave him an experimental nudge, causing the Warlock to tip over.

"I killed him!" Hooty panicked, forgetting about Royal's immortality. He instantly fled the room, wailing all the way.

While Royal's body lay on the ground, his mind remained ever-active. He pushed himself onto his feet and looked around at the flowery field before him.

"Hello there Deep Stone," he said, "It's been a hot minute."

He began his journey to the crypt as he always did. For once, no one appeared to stop him. The walk was quiet, leaving Royal to return to his thoughts. As he pushed forward, he saw two people standing just before him. He recognized them; a Titan clad in black plate and a Hunter with silver armor. Neither of them paid him any mind, blankly staring ahead. Royal walked past them, continuing to work.

"Come on, think," he forcefully whispered, "You're supposed to be a Warlock. Ikora would have already figured this out. Osiris would be mocking you for your ignorance. What does it mean?"

"Perhaps I could be of assistance?"

Royal's gaze snapped to the source of the disturbance. Floating just above the flowers was a figure wrapped in a ragged cloak. A thin chord hung around their neck, with the shells of dead ghosts hanging from it. Their entire body was a deep scarlet, with dark energy churning within them. As Royal peered under their hood, he recognized their face. It was a perfect mirror of his own, minus the fins.

"Hello, Brother," the newcomer greeted.

Royal responded by firing his rocket launcher, destroying the field, and kicking up a massive plume of debris. When the dust settled, the figure was still floating there, seeming more amused than anything.

"It's good to see you too."

"You lost the right to call me your brother a long time ago, Outcast," Royal spat. Outcast sighed.

"Fine, then what would you prefer?" He asked, "Oh wait, I know. How about… Scholar?" Royal reloaded his rocket launcher.

"How are you here?" he interrogated, "I destroyed you in the Vex Domain."

"I was banished," Outcast replied mirthfully, "Not destroyed. You should know that a Vex Mind is never truly beaten. But none of that matters, Outcast isn't here right now. I am just a shadow. A Nightmare."

"So you're not real," Royal said, "Just a voice in my head." He turned to leave.

"Maybe I am," Outcast acquiesced, "But then, what does that say about you? We may draw from different timelines, but our fates are intertwined."

"Guardians make their own fate," Royal rebuffed. Outcast grinned.

"Then it's not fate, is it?"

"Is there a reason you're here?" Royal pushed.

"I told you I could help, and I will," Outcast replied smoothly, "No strings attached. You're trying to complete a puzzle. What if I told you that I knew where to find the missing piece?"

"I would say that you're full of shit and out of your mind if you think I'd listen to a single thing you say."

"Still have that temper I see," Outcast shrugged, "Seek the edge of the world. There, you shall find the missing piece. There, Salvation is waiting for you."

"If this is your idea of Salvation," Royal gestured to the Nightmare, "Then I'll pass."

"Accept it, reject it," Outcast said smugly, "It will find you in time."

"Whatever," Royal dismissed, "Where can I find this 'Edge of the World'? Last time I checked, this planet isn't flat."

"Follow the little furry thing that you call a friend," Outcast spat, "It will lead you there."

"King? What does he have to do with this?"

"More than you think, Brother," Outcast answered, "More than you think." Before Royal could object or question the Nightmare further, he felt the dream begin to fade. He glared at Outcast one last time, dragging a finger across his throat. Outcast offered a cheeky wave in response. Royal's optics flickered to life as he shot up. Lancer floated next to him, running a few checks on his wellbeing.

"Oh good, you're awake," The Ghost greeted.

"I've figured it out," Royal said. Lancer chirped in surprise.

"Really?"

"Well… not exactly," he admitted, "But I know where we need to go to find the answer. We need to seek the edge of the world."

"And where is that?"

"That's a good question."


"Come on, Hooty," The House demon hyped himself up, "You can do this. All of your other attempts may have been failures, but you won't let Luz down." He crept along the wall, listening in on the Human as she tried to convince the Echo Mouse to assist her.

"Okay, little mouse," she pleaded, "If you won't tell me about Phillip or how to build a new portal, then can you at least tell me how to ask out a cotton-candy-haired goddess?" The mouse let out an unimpressed squeak and turned away. While Luz struggled with the rodent, Hooty backed away. He began to rearrange the contents of the basement. It was easy, considering that they were essentially a part of him. Within her room, Luz continued to talk to the mouse.

"Amity's smart, cool, and classy," she said, pacing around the room, "Asking her out should be breathtaking, emotional, and real." She cast her mind back to her previous ventures in the Human Realm.

"Everyone back home said I was cheesy. I can't let Amity think the same," she resolved. A knock on her door pulled her from her monologue. Pulling it open, she didn't see anyone waiting for her. Looking down, she saw a slip of paper lying on the ground. Snatching it up, she gave it a quick read.

"As we stumble through life, gloom knows no bounds," she read, "You'll only find love when you're in the ground. What does that mean?" She turned over the paper.

"P.S. I mean the basement. Hooty, this isn't the time!" She groaned before coming to a realization, "Wait, we have a basement?"

Sure enough, they absolutely did have a basement that Luz didn't know about. It wouldn't surprise her if Eda didn't even know they had it, considering the thick layers of dust that covered everything. She pulled out a light glyph and tapped it, filling the room ahead of her with light. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the outline of a familiar Witch.

"Amity!" She turned to get a better look, shining her light on the Witch, only to reveal a disheveled pile of assorted junk.

"Right, why would Amity be here," Luz said sheepishly. A loud, muffled sound reached her ears. Turning to face it, she saw a large owl pellet on the ground. She could make out the shape of someone struggling against the confines of their prison. They finally won out, cracking the pellet open. Amity dropped to the ground, gasping for air.

"Amity!" Luz shouted, quickly moving to ensure that her friend was unharmed.

"Luz?" Amity questioned, holding a hand to her head, "Where are we? I think I saw Hooty, then everything got all dark and cold." She shivered in disgust.

"Well, we're in the Owl House's basement," Luz began.

"You guys have a basement?"

"It's news to me too. But I am so sorry about this. Hooty's been acting weird all day." Luz helped Amity back to her feet, causing them both to blush.

"House Demons tend to get like that after a few thousand years," Amity said awkwardly, "Look, about what happened at my house. If we could just forget abou-"

"All I'm interested in right now is getting you out of this basement," Luz interjected quickly. She tried to open the door to the basement, only to find it locked. She let out a curse directed at Hooty under her breath. She turned back to tell Amity the bad news. As she did, the floor let out a click.

"Did you hear that?"

Before Luz could answer, the floor fell out from under them. The two tumbled through the darkness, falling over each other as they plummeted downward. Luz landed on a large stack of pillows that broke her fall and, quite fortunately, nothing else.

"You alright?" Amity asked wearily.

"I'm fine," Luz said, thankful that the darkness hid her blush. Pushing herself up, she tried her best to ignore her beating heart. As she raised herself, she came face to face with a heart-shaped pillow. Squinting, she could make out a cherub winking at her. She instantly panicked and incinerated the pillow with a fire glyph.

"What was that?" Amity jumped. Luz rolled out of the pillows as a note fell out of the air. She flipped it over, whispering as she read it.

"To return to the world above, make your way through the tunnel of…" her voice trailed off as she finished the note. As soon as she did, the lights flickered on, momentarily blinding the two girls. Blinking to recover, Luz stared at the room in horror. Directly before her, a swan boat floated in the water. At the other end was a large, heart-shaped door. Large flowers curled up the walls. To say that Luz was mildly freaking out would be the understatement of the millennium.

"No, no," she whispered aloud, "If Amity sees this, she'll think I'm such a loser." Said Witch walked up behind her, looking around the room in confusion and a small amount of intrigue. Before Luz could explain, the head of the swan boat curled over to them. A white replica of Hooty pulled the two into the boat. Once they were secured in the seats, it set off. The doors swung open, revealing a large tunnel. Cheesy romantic music began to play from unseen loudspeakers. It wouldn't surprise Luz if Hooty was just singing it himself.

The tunnel was everything Luz feared and, somehow, so much more. More large flowers stretched over the girls. Cutesy animatronic animals waved at the two as they passed. Luz buried her face in her hands, mortified by the display around her. Meanwhile, Amity was watching with curious intent. She looked to the side and saw a large heart with the words 'I think you're smart, cool, and classy' written on it. Flustered, she smiled and tried to smooth out her hair.

"I'm gonna get made fun of again," Luz groaned.

"Did you say something?" Amity asked, turning to her. Before Luz could answer, she saw an upcoming attraction behind the Witch. A massive heart that was encircled by Fire Bees, with the inscription 'Amity Bee Mine'. Luz screamed and dove at the sign, crushing it under herself. Amity watched uncomfortably as the Human tore it apart.

As soon as Luz stepped back on the boat, cherubs descended from the ceiling. They fired arrows with romantic messages on them. Luz desperately tried to swat as many of the out of the air as she could.

"I am so sorry Amity," Luz apologized, deflecting more arrows with a severed antenna from one of the bees, "This was not supposed to happen." She continued to battle for her own dignity, unaware of Amity's falling expression.

The two finally concluded the ride, with Luz leaving a trail of destruction in her wake. The two stepped off the boat, each devastated for very different reasons.

"This was a nightmare," Luz huffed, exhausted from her rampage. Amity walked past, a downcast look on her face.

"Yeah, it was," she agreed despondently, "I'll just… get out of your hair."

"No, Amity. This was all Hooty's stupid idea."

"Yeah. This was stupid," Amity let out a hollow laugh, "I mean, us? Dating? That's crazy." She turned, wiping away a tear. Watching the two from above, Hooty gasped.

"No!" He wailed, "I did it again!" He pulled away, returning to the front door.

"I can't help anyone!" He continued, completely enwrapped in grief. He began to pull at the door, trying to tear himself free.

"Out! Out vile owl!" He screamed, "Rid this house of thyself!" He pulled again, shaking the house as he did. Up in the tower, King pushed open the window.

"Hooty, you big ding-dong! Knock it off!" Unfortunately, another tug caused the tower to rumble, flinging the furry Demon out of the window. He was saved from a colossal fall by Lilith quickly diving after him. Unfortunately, she was unable to pull herself back up. She let out a cry as she began to slip out of the windowsill.

While they struggled against gravity, Eda flew out of a second-story window. Her wings beat with rhythmic power, holding her aloft with ease. She caught sight of King and Lilith's plight and quickly sprang into action. She flew up, right as her sister lost her grip, catching both of them in her arms.

"Eda?" King asked, "Is that you?"

"You know it," she smirked. Lilith blinked behind her glasses.

"What happened to you?"

"I must've made some kind of peace with the curse," she shrugged.

"Can I do that too?" Lilith pondered.

"We can find out later," Eda said, "Have either of you seen Luz or the Tincan?"

Beneath the three, Luz and Amity pushed open the cellar doors just in time to see Hooty dive into the ground, trying to dig himself out of the Owl House.

"What's going on?" The youngest Blight asked in a panic.

"I don't know," Luz admitted, "But wherever Hooty gets upset, things get weird, fast." While they were talking, the tower continued to collapse. Several large chunks of stone broke off, falling toward the two girls. King's eyes widened and he let out a cry of warning. However, instead of words, a powerful sonic blast emerged from his throat. Most of the stones shattered, leaving only a few shards to plummet toward the ground. Unfortunately, these shards were still set to collide with the girls.

Before they could react, a flaming mass slammed into them, dragging the two out of harms way. Luz hesitantly opened one eye, seeing that they were unharmed. Royal let out a relieved sigh, relinquishing his iron-tight grip on the two girls. Eda landed next to the three, letting her passengers down.

"King, how did you do that?" Luz instantly asked.

"I don't know," he replied, dumbfounded, "It just happened."

"She nearly gets crushed by falling rocks, and the first thing she does is ask about someone else's cool powers," Royal mumbled, smiling a little, "Typical Luz." He turned to acknowledge Eda, only to take a step back as he took in her new appearance for the first time.

"Looks like I'm taller than you now," She taunted. Royal looked her up and down several times before responding.

"I am filled with emotions that scare and confuse me."

Oblivious to his surroundings, Hooty continued to writhe through the ground. With each movement, he tore up more and more. He heard the others shouting for him to calm down. Unfortunately, it wasn't having any effect.

"I failed you! I failed you all!"

"Hootsifer, that's not true," Lilith was the first to speak up, "You were the first friend I had when I needed one most."

"And you helped me learn more about myself," King continued, "In a way that still makes me a little uncomfortable, but still!"

"I managed to come to peace with my curse," Eda said, "I mean, just look at me."

"I don't really feel like I got helped much," Royal said before getting elbowed by Eda, "Uhh, I mean, I finally have a lead on the Darkness runes. If you hadn't… uhh, caused my systems to crash, that never would've happened."

"Did he actually do that?" Eda asked. Royal just shrugged in response.

"But I didn't help Luz" Hooty wailed. Eda groaned and turned to the Human.

"Quick, what was he trying to help you with?" Luz looked back at Amity, still watching the House Demon's tantrum.

"He tried to help me ask out Amity," she whispered. Eda's eyebrows shot up.

"Oh, whoa. Do you want to?" She asked. Luz nodded, biting her lip in embarrassment.

"Then just go for it," she encouraged. Royal peeked over her shoulder, flashing Luz two thumbs-up.

"You got this kid," he cheered, "You faced down the Vex, this is nothing." Luz took in a deep breath and turn to ask out her crush. She stepped over slowly, cautious to avoid Hooty's destruction. The others got to work, trying to bring him under control. As soon as Luz got close, the ground beneath her and Amity collapsed, dropping them into a crater.

"Amity! Are you alright?" Luz asked instantly, helping the girl back to her feet.

"I'm all right," she confirmed, "This has been an absolutely crazy day, even by your standards."

"Yeah…" Luz's voice trailed off. She gathered her courage and looked Amity dead in the eye, "I've been wanting to ask you something for a while. But I wanted to do it in the best way possible. And back in the tunnel of love, I thought 'Amity's way to cool for this'."

"I'm really not as cool as you think," Amity denied with a blush.

"Everything is just so crazy right now," Luz continued, "And I don't know what my future holds. But what I do know is that I want you to be in it. So, will you-"

"Do you wanna go out with me?" Amity cut her off. Luz deflated a little, smiling as did.

"I was gonna ask you that," she giggled.

"Sorry, sorry, I got excited," Amity said, giggling as well, "You go ahead."

"Amity Blight, would you like to go out with me?"

"Yes!" The Witch said, smiling from ear to ear. Luz reached out, taking the Witches hand in her own. The two blushed once more, the rest of the world fading away into nothing as the got lost in each other's presence.

"Why does this still feel so scary?" Luz asked.

"I don't know," Amity said, "But we'll figure it out, together."

Above the two, Eda and Royal had finally gotten Hooty under control. The Witch and Exo both floated in the air, happily watching the display before them. Quite fittingly, they had managed to carve a heart into the ground, which the two girls were unknowingly standing in. Positioned between the two, Hooty continued to cry. However, now they were tears of joy.

"Hooty," Royal began, turning to the House Demon, "Please, for the love of the Traveler, never try to help us again."


The night had come and gone. Now, the sun crept over the horizon, bathing the Isles in its warmth. A large figure wearing a heavy cloak pushed through the forest. Their head had the visage of a rather familiar skull, with long horns curling off it. They walked up to a lone mailbox, only for the ground to shatter before him.

"Hello!" Hooty greeted, still incredibly cheery from last night's adventures, "Are you the mailman?"

"Could you please see to it that this letter makes it to King Clawthorne?" The figure ignored him, placing an envelope on a stone. He turned and left without another word. Hooty gaped at the letter in shock.

"Oh my Titan! A bug!"

He swooped down, gobbling up whatever poor bug had been in his path, along with the letter and the rock it had been resting on.

"Oops, hope that was junk mail."


Season three, episode two. As I already mentioned, kinda threw a wrench into my plans. But it's fine, I'm retooling things. Really looking forward to getting there. But it won't be for a while. But enough of that, onto the reviews.

mmmplays27: Man you uploaded your review five minutes before I posted this chapter. Cutting it close, aren't you? But to answer your question, I don't have any sort of anime power-up planned for Luz. I have ideas, but, at the risk of sounding like a broken record, they're for way down the line.

Trials sweat: Yeah, I wanted to incorporate some of the other coven heads and give them a little life. It sucks that the team doesn't have the time to do that themselves. And if Luz were to become a Guardian, she'd be a Warlock, hands down (definitely no bias). I've actually thought about what class each member of the Hex-squad would be: Willow is a Striker Titan, Gus is a Nightstalker Hunter, Amity is a Sentinel Titan, and Hunter is an Arcstrider... well, Hunter. Luz wouldn't get tied down to any one subclass, in my opinion, what with her taking every magic track.

OMAC001: I had a lot of fun writing the fight. It's probably my best one so far. Not that I would say the competition is very stiff.

GodzillaMaster: All I can say is stay tuned.


Royal stood at the top of the stair, looking down at them in apprehension. He slowly began to step off, only to instantly pull his foot back. He tried again, only to be met with a similar result. This dance continued for a minute or two until Luz walked up behind him.

"Are you alright?" She asked. Royal stepped back from the staircase, not looking away from it.

"There's something off about the stairs today," he said, narrowing his optics, "It's giving off a malicious energy that I can't quite explain." Luz looked at him curiously.

"Are you sure?" She asked. The Warlock nodded and Luz walked up to the stairs herself.

"Here, allow me." She slowly walked forward, lowering herself down to the next step. She spread out her arms, showing the Guardian that she was safe. Royal hesitantly moved to join her. He looked down uncertainly. Luz offered him an encouraging nod.

"Here goes nothing."

He slowly took a step down, settling down beside the young girl.

"There, that wasn't so bad." Her words were instantly contradicted when Royal went flying, slamming into the wall and dropping to the ground with a pained groan. Luz ran down to check on him.

"What just happened?"

"The greatest foe any Guardian has ever faced," Royal said with a grim look on his face, "The Architects."