Summary: After the defeat of Belos at the hands of Luz herself. The boiling isles are in shambles and Reminant's of The emperor's power remained. However Luz was forced to take a back seat to that and watch…Watch as they failed…as she had to move on…and have another go around. Perhaps she could stop Phillip sooner this time.
Inspired by The second time around by GothamDark90
Luz looked around the Old Emperor's throne room now corrupted by Belos's sludge form, King, Eda, and Raine we're doing there best while Luz was gripping and pulling Belos off the Titans heart.
"Give up Luz…you cannot beat me." Belos boomed
"Fear me Belos, For I am the good witch Luz, child of the human realm, Student of the demon realm, warrior of peace!" She yelled as she pulled feeling more and more strands of Belos's connections to the heart sever.
She was so close… so…close…
She felt her vision go blurry and she saw why…
Belos was trying to corrupt her…and unfortunately…it was working
Her magic from the Titan was fighting a losing battle against the parasite…
But she wasn't going down without a fight.
"NOW EAT THIS SUCKER!" Luz roared as she gave a great heave and ripped him off the Titans heart.
"Nooooooo!" Belos screamed as the last of his power was drained from his body…
Luz landed on her back as Belos crawled away the architecture of the throne room crumbling without the support of Belos's plague flesh holding the room up
Luz tried to keep an eye on Belos knowing that he wasn't dead. The fucker refused to die.
However the dust kicked up from the crumbling pillars made it impossible to follow him.
With a heavy curse Luz abandoned the search in lue of getting Eda, King and Raine to safety.
Or more clearly herself onto Eda in her owl beast form as they flew out of the crumbling castle.
Luz looked back at the ruins and found a small area of land where a puddle of Belos remained
The last mass to be destroyed…
"Eda…" Luz said to her mentor
Her mentor and Pseudo-mother figure nodded as she cut into a deep bank and swung around allowing Luz to slide off and land In a superhero pose in front of Belos
'Damn that really takes a lot on my knees…' Luz thought as she stood up overlooking the puddle
"It's over Phillip, your empire, your castle, your evil, it's gone…you got any last words to say?" Luz said
Belos looked at Luz and suddenly transformed to his human appearance, 1600's jacket, lean, light-skinned man with a pointed nose and long, shoulder-length brown hair, kept in a ponytail, with several strands kept loose atop his scalp. He had a small chin and pale-blue eyes.
"Luz…Luz Luz I'm-I'm free… thank goodness you saved me from… from that horrible curse."
Luz didn't look amused as she just stared at Belos impassively
"Yes I was I was cursed with that terrible terrible sickness by, by dark magic, just like your mentor. It forced me to do all those horrible things but now I'm free." Belos said reaching his hand out to her
However a drop of boiling rain landed on his hand making him reel it back hissing at the pain while his burn had a green stain around it…
As more rain fell Belos fell to his knees as he attempted to crawl over to Luz
"Q-quickly now. d-don't you want to-to make peace Luz?"
Rain landed on Luz but the power of the Titan made it so she didn't feel the boiling rain…it was apart of her…it was her.
The isles were the Titan, how he felt, the weather reflected this.
With Luz being part Titan now… she too controlled the weather. So while her face she reflected onto Belos was Stoney and cold. The rain told a completely different story.
For the rain were her tears…she pitied Belos…a man who lost his way into bigotry, felt betrayed, and lashed out at anything and anyone, his own brother, his own species, his family ties…only hiding away from the truth of the world.
And she pitied him…
Belos's face was beginning to peel off
"Don't just stand there." He said no longer able to keep his form.
"You'll be just as bad, just as conniving, just as evil, and just as unforgivable as those, witches!" Belos screamed as he dragged himself to Luz's feet and pawed at her grabbing around her ankle
"We're human…we're better than this!" He yelled as Luz pulled away as Eda, King and Raine stepped forward looking down at him Raine holding up a leaf to protect the three of them.
"well we ain't!" Eda yelled as the three began to stomp him out
however the last look belos gave to Eda would be drilled into her the entire time…
'don't think this is over.'
Luz turned around and fell to her knees as the others turned around to look at her.
"Luz?" Eda asked seeing her charge on her knees. Hand over her mouth
Luz pulled her hand away and waved it at Eda to show her she was ok.
But Eda knew she wasn't
Her hand was blue…
Luz was coughing up blood….
Eda gasped and held her mouth
Luz sighed she felt so tired all of a sudden, she groaned as she rolled onto her butt and sat down to catch her breath.
She felt like she had just ran a marathon,
Which to be fair she kinda did…like 5 times over.
"I'm…I'm fine Eda…I just…I just need to breathe." Luz said before falling into a coughing fit.
All three were at her side instantly supporting her
"Kid…hang on we just got you back don't go dying on me now kid. Kid. Luz?!" Eda yelled as Luz felt her vision go in and out.
"Raine, please get a healer Quick!" Eda said frantic.
Raine was already running by the time she turned to him.
Luz put a hand on Eda's shoulder
"Listen…" Luz croaked her voice felt parched her throat was closing up
"The time I've spent here, in the boiling Isle's…had been some of the best times in my entire life."
King shook his head and hugged Luz tightly
"King…my baby brother… I have something to tell you… both from me…and your father…" Luz said as she began to whisper into his ear.
King shook his head "no…no no no! I won't accept it! I won't accept not until your better Luz. And you will get better! Please Luz…" king said looking at Her with tears in his eyes
Luz however couldn't see it; her eyes had shut a calming look over her as she slowly laid down.
"Tell my mother, tell Amity, tell them…oh they'll know…" she said as she gave off a breath…
Never to breathe again.
Eda bent her head down silent tears rolled down her face… king wasn't much better as he hugged Eda bawling into her shirt.
Eda looked up to see Raine in the doorway, the healer right behind him… on his knees.
The story of Liz's death spread quickly across the boiling isles.
Everyone was devastated none more so than Amity and Camilla,
The statue of Emperor Belos in the middle of Boonesborough was replaced with a statue of Luz in memorial of her; it read simply as such.
"To honor, the great witch Luz, first human Witch of the demon Realm savior of the isles, our hero."
Amity, Gus, and Willow were there every day since the statue went up. Always to lay a wreath of flowers by never saying anything. Never needing to…
Luz opened her eyes and found herself in the world between worlds again. The cubes floated in the air around her.
"Here I am again…alone." Luz said
"Not just." A voice said behind her she looked back to see King's father standing there.
"How are you here?" She asked sadly
"Residual magic…my residual magic." Papa Titan said
Luz nodded and turned back to the cube and looked inside to see the inhabitants of Boonesborough holding a funeral for Luz.
"How long will you be staying?" She asked
"As long as you need…" Papa Titan said
"…thank you…" Luz said her voice cracking
"You know this wasn't supposed to happen?" Papa Titan said
Luz looked back at him
"Oh, was Belos supposed to win?" Luz said Cynically
Papa Titan shook his head "No…you were supposed to live…" he said regret filling his voice.
Luz turned back to the cube to find that it was focused on everyone in the Owl house. Eda, King, Raine, Amity, Willow, Gus, Hunter, and Camilla have a sort of after party. Each one celebrating her happy life. The memories they shared with Luz.
Exactly how she wanted them to remember her. Not the extreme fuckup that she was…
"Would you change it?" Papa Titan asked
Luz looked back.
"Huh?" She asked
"If you could, would you go back and change your fate?"
Luz sighed
"Not like there is any point… can't now I'm dead." Luz said
"Well…" papa Titan said, making Luz look back.
"It's not exactly time travel. But you forget. Magic on the isles originates from me…including Time pools, I could if you wanted…make you one…send you back…" Papa Titan said
Luz gasped and looked at the cube again
'I could go back and stop it all, stop Belos, stop Eda from losing her magic, I could tell Amity I loved her sooner. I could take her to Grom. I could stop Phillip from ever finding the collector.'
"Of course like before I can only give you this power if you choose to accept it…"
"Can I… can I tell them?" Luz asked
"It would be your life, kid… same body…new "old memories."" Papa Titan said
Luz smiled "I think I'd like that." Luz said
Papa Titan nodded "listen… a few things to warn you before you go, when you do this. I will not be here. Meaning I will not be able to give you the power boost that you had this time. Meaning belos must be defeated before this comes too past."
Luz nodded
"Other than that…you've got free reign…" papa Titan said as he waved his hand and a shimmer formed between them.
"Tell me when do you want to go?" Papa Titan said
Luz didn't hesitate "First day I came here." She said
Papa Titan boomed a laugh "Oh Kid, you don't do things by halves do you?" He asked
"If I am capable of saving anyone, I need to save everyone, which means that I need to go when I first came here." Luz said
Papa Titan nodded and the shimmer changed to a memorable inside of a tent and Owlbert dragging by a large sack a book of The good witch Azura sticking out of the sack.
She looked at Papa Titan with a warm smile on her face
"You step through this…and a new life will be before you but I can guarantee that I've thrown in something a little extra for you." Papa Titan said as he waved his finger into the air
Luz watched as the lines stayed in the air forming a sigil. It was all 4 of the glyphs in a circle fire on top. Ice below, plant off to the left and in the middle was light. Plant and Ice had several circles attached to each other and fire and Light had the same.
After reading glyphs for so long Liz had began to be able to translate them
So far she was only able to understand the Light and fire glyph meaning speeding up. It was a speed booster glyph something Luz would remember for later.
The ice and plant glyphs she had no idea.
"This is a remember glyph show this to someone and activate it and it will return there memories they had with you in this life into your new one…a way to make you feel less lonely." Papa Titan said
"Thank you." Luz said commiting the glyph to memory as she walked into the portal and vanished
"Good luck…Luz the human…" Papa Titan said the realm faded to white.
Luz groaned as she felt incredibly dizzy swaying on her legs as she felt herself hit the ground in the tent looking at the opening her ears were ringing.
"What the-?" Luz could barely hear the voice but the bright gentle sun of the boiling Isles beamed down her face as she looked to see Eda the Owl lady looking at her
"Who the hell are you? How'd you get in my tent?" Eda ranted
Luz sat up trying to punch the migrate down
"Well answer me?!" Eda ranted
"Ow please Eda not now." Luz groaned as she massaged her temple's
Eda who was about to pummel Luz for being an intruder froze.
The kid knew her name… who the fuck was this kid? She's never seen this kid in her life.
Luz groaned as she began to draw an ice Glyph on the ground. She needed to cool down… fast.
She tapped the Glyph and put the ice cube on her head immediately feeling the pressure in her head fade away.
Luz sat up groaning.
"Ok…I'm better…" Luz said as she looked at Eda who was looking at Luz stunned.
Luz blinked before looking at the ice cube in her hand then back at Eda.
"I Um…I have a lot to explain don't I?" Luz asked
Eda crossed her arms.
"That doesn't give you half of it human." Eda said
It took Eda about five minutes to pack up her stand and then they flew off to the owl house.
"So I'm going to ask. How much of the boiling isles do you know?" Eda asked
"Let's just simply say all of it and leave it at that for now we'll wait till we land then I will explain." Luz said
Eda turned around "kid who's to say I'm not just gonna drop you off the cliff the first sign I get?" She asked Luz
Luz just smirked smugly "because I know you Eda the owl lady…more so than you can possibly know." Luz said
Eda huffed and kept flying. She hated to admit it but the kid was right. It was as if she knew exactly how to address her. And all her triggers. It freaked her out.
Very soon however they arrived at the owl house and Luz smiled looking at her old home.
Luz smiled and waved "hey hooty." Luz said without being prompted by Eda
"Um who are you?" Hooty asked as Eda looked at him "that's exactly what we're about to find out now let us in." Eda said
"Ok ok jeez I
"Welcome kid…to the owl house…" Eda said before going on a about its uses. Sometimes Luz quoted word for word back to her
"Where I hide away from the pressures of modern life, also the cops.l, and also Ex-boyfriends."
Eda looked at Eda "yeah…exactly." Eda narrowed her eyes at Luz
"Look I told you I know you more than you know yourself… trust me I'm friendly." Luz said sitting down on the couch. Eda who had her arms crossed.
"We'll see, my roommate will sus you out." Eda said as loud stomping could be heard Luz grew a happy grin as she knew exactly who it was.
A grin that completely unnerved Eda.
"Who dares intrude upon I? The King of demons?!" As King rounded the corner with two towels on him one around his head the other around his waist with a rubber ducky in his claw.
"Hello." Luz said with a gentle wave.
King gasped "who are you?!" He yelled
"I'm Luz Noceda, a friend. And well you could say im here to help your little problem." She said
That got Kings attention "oh yay!" He said
Eda huffed "you don't even know her and your willing to jump right into her open arms?" She asked
"But Eda…she's cuddly." King wined
Eda shrugged "ok fair enough." She said as she sat on the couch
"So before we get going tell us about yourself Luz the human… why should we trust you?" Eda asked
here it was if she stuck this it would be as if she had never left…if she failed this…this new life would be hell.
Luz sighed.
"It's um… it's a long story let me explain." Luz said as she began to draw a circle in the air and became the glyph Papa Titan showed Luz. on the whiteboard which just appeared out of nowhere. As she put her hand on it the glyph began to glow and the house was invelope in a bright light
"A long long time ago… a girl found herself wandering after a cute owl that stole her book and she found herself on the boiling isles. The girl was an outcast at home, bullied by her peers, misunderstood by most adults, and only believed to be a hindrance to her own mother, sent away to be "fix." To conform to society, but she rebelled. She found her way to the boiling isles where she found that she fit more here than she did ever at home. She found a family. Found friends. Found people that cared for her, found love.
However the girl still was always a fuckup. So when the evil emperor reeled his ugly head. The pressure got to her. She made stupid mistake after mistake, lost her family, friends, the people that mattered most to her. She always seemed to hurt. So she took the fight right to the evil emperor. To put a stop to his evil schemes,
She even gave her life to fulfill that dream. Hoping that her sacrifice would be enough to secure the happy ending everyone deserved.
Luz began to cry now as tears hit her shorts
"But once again like the fuck up she is, the kind gesture she gave to her firends only seemed to hurt them in the end.
Everything that mattered to her hurt from her loss. She didn't mean to hurt them. But she just felt so useless she gave her life to kill Emperor belos… only to die in the process. I… everything I ever did, just hurt people." Luz said crying to herself as she began to hug her legs.
"And so…when she was given a second chance… to go back and do the right thing. To make it work… she took it without hesitation. If only to see the smile upon her friends faces one last time."
Eda and king looked at each other
"Luz…" Eda said
Luz wiped her eyes "I'm sorry… I don't mean to force this all upon you at once, I just."
She was cut off by a hand landing on her shoulder. She looked up to see Eda there looking at her
One eye Grey the other gold. And her chest gem still gold as well.
"E-Eda?" Luz asked
"It's me kid… and king too." She said looking over
Luz followed and sure enough King now had a look that screamed he missed her.
"It's me sister." King said patting her.
Luz teared up and threw herself at them.
"Eda! King" Luz cried as they hugged each other
"Hey hey it's okay…us weirdos have to stick together…" Eda said Luz paused allowing herself to calm down.
"So Luz…what happened?" King asked her pulling away
Luz sighed "well you see in the battle against Belos. I used up too much of the Titans power to quickly. Thus I was forced to supplement the power with my own lifeforce to maintain form."
"And that cost you your life at the end." Eda said
Luz nodded
"Ok cool but I have to ask how did we get here?" King asked
Luz sighed "it was something your father showed me king, I'm able to bring other people's memories of the old timeline to here. At least so as he called it I wasn't lonely." Luz said
Eda nodded "I can understand that I mean if I knew about what happened to my friends and couldn't tell anyone it would drive me insane." Eda said
"So your thinking of telling Amity first?" King asked
Luz shook her head "no as much as I'd like to no I can't." She said
"Then what's the plan kid?" Eda asked looking at King concerned. If Luz wasn't going straight after Amity then there must be a reason.
"The fact is we have the advantage in the fact we know future events. Belos is defeated and we know we can do it. All we need to put the pieces in place before hand." Luz said and she stood up clenching her fist
"Belos is out there and I'm -no we're not going to let him win. We won't let him find the collector, we will get him first. We won't let the day of Unity happen, he will fall first." Luz said
"That's a tall order, are you sure we're able to do all that?" Eda asked
"Not alone we won't so that's where the plan comes into play." Luz said before she returned to the whiteboard and plotted out all the major events in order.
From her arrival to Belos's defeat. And all steps in the middle.
They went like this.
-1) Luz arrives on Isles, saves Kings crown, free prisoners.
-2) meet Willow and Gus by sneaking into Hexside (remind them both of the past.)
-3) go to the convention, perhaps remind Amity if not put the seeds in place for later.
-4) moonlight conjureation (protect hooty at all cost)
-5) go to the library and befriend Amity (Eda and king take care of the Bat queens babies)
-6) go back to Hexside (Eda enrolls me)
-7) Owlbert and bat queen.
-8) adventures at the knee
-9) school (protect the school at all costs and slowly reform it to dismantle the coven system)
-10) Grom ask amity out first
-11) if all goes according to plan defeat Belos early and awaken Lilith and Hunter (try for both)
"That's all I have for right now that's everyone in the major gang. If you have anything else to add tell me now." Luz said
Eda cupped her chin in her hand "ok I only ask Why not get the Rats/Cats involved immediately?" She said
"Because we don't want to spring out too early not while belos has so much control." Luz said
Luz sighed "until the gang's back together the timeline must be maintained." Luz said
"So that means?" Eda asked
Luz nodded "we're getting Kings crown back!" Luz said circling the first bullet in the timeline.
"Yay!" King cheered.
Eda smiled and cracked her back "gotta say kid you're ballsy do you think this will work?" Eda asked
"It has too, I'm not sure I can go back a third time." Luz said as they walked out.
"We shall drink the fear of those who mocked us!" King chanted as he headed toward the door.
"Alright well then… let's go to the Conformitorium." Eda said as they all got on Owlbert and flew off.
Eda and king looked to Luz before looking at each other knowing what the other was thinking.
'If Luz dies again we're busting into hell and pulling her out.' The acknowledgement of them both was secured as they flew off to the Conformitorium.
"Luz just a warning last time we had a wacky adventure here however this time I seem to remember the guards are not playing around. I don't know why but they're executing prisoners I can't tell which set of memories are the new ones or the old ones." Eda said
Luz shivered and red flags were raised in her head. Something was very wrong here. But what was it.
She remembered the look on Belos's face when she first defeated him.
'don't think this is over.'
Did Belos come back to the past? If he did this was going be a lot harder than expected.
"We'll deal with it when it happens." Luz said
'I need confirmation that it's actually Belos's first…' Luz thought.
Eda nodded as they flew faster.
Luz noticed the Conformitorium had a lot more search lights than last time, fortunately she had her invisibility Glyph. As they vanished right as a light passed over them.
Outside the Conformitorium's main keep Luz, Eda and King looked inside to see Emperor Coven's scouts manning the walls.
"Same plan as last time?" Luz asked
"Indeed. I think you should only use your glyphs if it's an absolute emergency Luz ok?" Eda said
Luz was confused but nodded it's a better way to preserve the timeline until they are ready she nodded
"With the amount of guards this time it's going to be a lot harder if you get spotted do not stop moving I'll come and find you." Eda said
Luz nodded and grabbed king "we're ready Eda." She said
"Hang on kid… and Luz… good luck" Eda said. As she drew a circle and made a platform raising Luz and King up to the window where the prisoners were being held.
Luz jumped onto the window before the platform fell away as King scrambled inside
Luz landed silently and pressed herself against the wall.
"King, go and look around, see if you can spot the guards and their rotations."
King nodded "good luck sister."
Luz nodded "you too brother."
Once King was out of sight Luz moved into the hallway to the prison cells.
She was about to free one of the prisoners and start a riot when a voice drove her to freeze.
"I expect you to understand exactly what this role is for Warden."
Luz pinned herself to the ground and slowly crawled over the edge and peered down.
There on the ground floor stood Emperor Belos himself flanked by what appeared to be Imperial Guards. Having the same outfit as Hunter did as the Golden Guard, were they grimwalker's or was Belos more willing to give up pieces of command to subordinate's?
These questions would have to wait as she eavesdropped on the conversation between the Emperor and Warden Wrath.
"Of course your excellents. I will not fail you." The warden said
"Insure that you don't, I'm leaving you a full detachment of my personal guard to assist you in this endeavor. Do. Not. Fail." Belos said as he spun away with 2 members of following the Emperor out of the building, the rest stood still before Warden Wrath.
"I want you to scour the premises. If you find any guards slacking off, bring them to me." The warden said
"Yes sir!" The Imperial guard said snapping to a Salute before dispersing.
Luz hissed 'Shit this is gonna make it a lot harder to get that crown.' She thought as she looked over to see King running towards her.
"King, you need to get to Eda right away." Luz hissed looking down past the landing.
King was confused "wha-? Luz what's wrong?" King asked
"Belos is here." She said
King gasped "the Emperor? But how? Why is he here?" King asked
"I don't know, he dropped off extra guards and left. We gotta get out of here we're a aborting the mission Sorry King we'll get your crown back another time, go warn Eda." Luz said as King Scurried off
'Now we need an exit strategy…' Luz thought before she crept towards several cells
"Do you think you can free the other prisoners if I free you?" Luz asked
"Kid you do that and we'll completely dismantle this place for you." The prisoner said. A girl who just liked to write fanfic's of food in love.
"Deal now stand back." Luz said as she put 3 ice glyphs on the ground and tapped them making the pillars shoot up and push the levels up.
"Wooo where free!" A demon yelled
"We won't accept the Simulation!" Tinella Nosa said
"Now don't die." Luz said
The prisoners nodded as they began there rebellion.
Outside the Conformitorium. Emperor Belos felt a sense in the back of his head that something was wrong…and inexplicably turned back around.
Luz back in the prison got up and began to sneak around trying to find Eda.
She was fortunate that Eda found her first as she made her way to the door holding Kings crown.
"Listen kid good job back there now let's get this crown and get."
"Where not getting the crown." Luz said as King ran up behind them.
"What what do you mean?" Eda asked
"Eda it's what I was trying to tell you!" King said
"The Emperor is here." Luz said
Eda was stunned "what?! Shit…this didn't happen last time." She said
"Exactly so until we figure out what changed we're leaving." Luz said
"Um guys?" King said
"Yeah well the problem is the amount of guards will make that impossible to do unseen. And the empire will be on our tail and will not stop hunting us." Eda said
"We need to do something." Luz said
"Unfortunately the options you have are not good ones…" a voice said behind them revealing it to be Warden Wrath holding king so he couldn't scream.
"Shit" Luz cursed.
"You know I'm starting to believe we're not actually good at sneaking around." Eda said to Luz
"YOU THINK?!" Luz yelled
"Enough. Prepare to die!" The Warden announced as he inveloped Eda and Luz in his tentacle arms. With his other arm was a Axe blade
"Wait Warden… before you kill us…there's something i need to tell you." Eda said
You see…the reason I go about causing havoc and making a pain around the empire is…well…you intregued me. I don't know why but you do…I think I'm in love with you…" Eda said
Luz looked at her mentor stunned 'wow if I didn't know her better I would say that was genuine.' Luz thought.
The warden lowered Eda and Luz to the ground
"Eda…Eda, Eda, Eda… you have no idea how long I've waited to hear those words."
Luz smiled 'it was working…'
"But why did you have to say it on a day like today? Tomorrow would've been fine…" the warden said as he stood to his full hight.
'Oh no that's not good.' Luz thought.
"Emperor Belos has strict orders with his arrival…I'm sorry Eda. I have to turn you in… I will mourn for you Eda the owl lady goodbye." Warden wrath said as he raised his ace once again and brought it down.
However before he could he was frozen in a block of ice by Luz.
"RUN!" She yelled as the three of them made a break for the exit. Getting on Owlbert and flying away. As they flew they noticed the Conforimatorium was in practically a civil war as prisoners ransacked the guards while those who remained resorted to lethal force to subdue them, which only fed into the loop more.
"Holy shit Luz…" Eda said
"Think of it as a good standing army. The Emperor has changed this place into a military dictatorship. We have to resort to anything to gain an advantage." Luz said
Back at the top of the tower The warden's ice block began to break as he shattered it and roared. He stomped over to the wall and slammed his fist into a buttion.
Suddenly red flashing lights were blazing around the compound
"What the hell is that?" Luz asked
"Lockdown/ prisoner escape seems their intent to catch us this time." Eda said as they gunned it down the hall.
As they exited out a window they saw that several of the Imperial Guard were holding Palisman pikes and using them as rifles while the Scouts just resorted to pure magic.
"Eda fly us back to the wall." Luz said holding the large bundle of fireworks.
Eda did so and just as they got to the wall Luz threw it and the wall exploded.
Suddenly the prisoners flooded out. And Luz spotted the three she talked to.
"Thanks kid, we owe you one." The fanfic writer said
"You guys should probably go underground. The Emperor is wrong about this. Find like minded people. Form a rebellion. Do not give up hope. Help us here." Luz said
The three nodded and ran into the night.
"Come on kid let's go." Eda said as they flew back to the owl house.
Unaware to them, Emperor Belos watched them fly away with another contingent of the Imperial guard. He turned to his second in command. "Kikimora take a detachment and restore order…kill any who resist." The emperor said
Kikimora a red-skinned demon of diminutive stature and child-like proportions. She stands several heads shorter than her subordinates, with three-toed, talon-clad arms and legs similar to those of a bird's. Her talons are colored dark brown. Her left eye has yellow sclera and a brownish red iris; inversely, her right eye has red sclera and a yellow iris. her ears are pointed and witch-like. Her mouth, usually hidden from view by her collar, features sharp yellowish teeth and a single upturned tusk. She nodded and turned to several imperial guards "you with me."
"No Kikimora, these are my guards… you will use what is left in the prison." He said as he turned away and stepped into an airship. Not a transport zeppelin from blight industries but an honest to goodness warship it's sleek Golden Trim on white cast a elegant shadow while it's stabilizing fin's on the back we're shaped like the horn's on Belos's helmet.
Belos walked to the bridge alone and sat down on his moveable throne "bring us back to the Castle." He ordered as the ship flew off.
Kikimora growled as she stood alone across the conformatiruim.
She began her long trek to the prison…
Hopefully she would be able to do something when she got there.
Luz, Eda and King arrived outside the owl house and ran inside slamming the door.
"Hooty no one is to disturb us, kill anyone who approaches." Eda ordered
If Hooty was confused or concerned about the order hearing Eda giving him the ability to kill silenced it. She only did that when something was wrong.
In the house Luz grabbed a Crystal ball and activated it showing her the Conformitorium
Luz watched as each prisoner escaped she counted 50… while more prisoners were either rounded back up and thrown back into there cells or more likely. Executed on the spot.
Eda had wanted to turn the ball off and have them talk about what happened back but Luz was adamant she at least watch it all something about remembering the fallen…
Eda and king knew what it really was though. Luz was kicking herself for not saving more people.
They would need to have a talk about that later.
After 30 minutes Luz finally pull away from the ball.
Luz panted "That…that did not go according to plan." She said
"Belos was there…he was there! Damn it!" King ranted.
"Yeah…fuck that changes things…with the Emperor being more observant than before we're going to have to be very careful." Eda warned
Luz nodded "tomorrow we will focus entirely on our new plan, I won't feel comfortable until Willow Gus, and Amity are with us again but they need to be safe too." Luz said
Eda nodded
"I know, take care of your friends… I'll connect with Rainestorm- I mean Raine…" Eda said, trying and failing to hide her blush.
"I know that you miss him too Eda…it's probably the same thing I feel about Amity…" luz said wincing whenever she said her name.
In her head she was completely overwhelmed about how there first meeting will go. She knows it will happen with being Willows abomination, but she didn't know how she would react to seeing her love again especially when she wouldn't recognize her.
'Do I try to remind her like I did with Eda…or do I wait and have it come back naturally?' Luz thought 'what if she doesn't love me the same way as before?' What if-?'
Suddenly Luz was knocked out of her mental spiral by King
"You ok Luz you looked lost in thought there?" He asked
Luz just nodded "y-yeah I'm fine…I'm gonna turn in and try to come up with a plan tomorrow I'll tell you what I come up with then. Goodnight." Luz said as she headed to bed
"Night Luz." Eda said
After she was out of earshot King and Eda turned to each other "so did you see her face back there?" Eda asked
" you mean the raging depression or the overwhelming trauma?" King asked
"Yes." Eda said simply.
Kikimora arrived at the Conformitorium and found the last of the fighting had died down much to her dismay as one of the Imperal guards threw a dead prisoner into a pile of burning bodies.
"Report!?" Kiki snapped she was aggravated at missing the action. But also the fact that this happened in the first place.
One of the imperial guards turned to her calmly.
"We counted 50 escaped Prisoners the rest are either back in containment or died in the riots." He said
"And our losses?" Kiki asked
"75 wounded and 3 dead none of them Imperial guards." He said
Kiki nodded "Good…I want to see the Warden immediately. I want to know what the fuck went wrong!" Kikimora said
The imperial guard nodded and walked away leaving Kikimora alone.
The Emperor strode into the throne room of the castle while The golden guard and Lilith were conversing in the throne room. Both bowed before him
"Emperor we are glad of your return." The golden guard said
Belos raised his hand.
"I thank you Hunter…however the Titan wishes to communicate with me. You are dismissed, both of you." He said
Hunter and Lilith looked at each other then walked out of the room.
Belos sat in his throne and sighed he took off his helmet to reveal his human scarred face.
He closed his eyes and heard the titans heart beating above him
Thump thump…
Thump thump…
Thump thump…
"What do you have to report?" A waspy voice entered Belos's head
Every time he heard it it sent shiveres down his spine as he spoke to the Titan…
"It's just as you foretold, the human has arrived on the isle's."
"What should we do? We can apprehend them easily." Belos said
"No no, we need them arrogant Belos, while they believe they are doing what they can to overpower us. It is us who are pulling there strings… and once they are arrogant enough…we will strike." The Titan said
Belos nodded "I understand…mistress."
The next day Luz woke up and yawned as she looked around and noticed how empty her room was then it hit her exactly "when" she was.
Luz walked out into the kitchen to see Eda and King talking adamantly. While Eda cooked
"Morning you two." Luz said as she sat at the table.
"Morning Luz." Eda said as she served Her a breakfast of Griffin eggs and bacon. Before she sat down
As Eda and King ate their meal Luz was quiet. Which was strange because she was normally so animated during the meal that Eda had to constantly remind her to keep eating,
After a while it was clear that Luz wasn't going to eat anymore King picked up and cleaned the table while Eda looked at Luz.
"Ok what's on your mind kid?" Eda asked
Luz jolted and snapped to look at The Owl lady
If Luz was trying to feign that nothing was wrong there was no way she could disguised it now.
Luz looked at her plate and moved a her eggs around fidgeting.
"I just…I can't keep the people from last night out of my mind…" Luz said
Eda sighed 'cutting straight to the point then kid.' She thought.
Eda cracked her neck 'well time to be a caretaker.'
She moved over to sit next to Luz and draped her arm around the child's shoulder.
"Listen kid, you've done good. You saved a lot of people." Eda said
"But not everyone." Luz said
"And that's impossible. Listen Luz there's over 1000 wild witches who are petrified in Belos's castle? From way back 50 years ago. Are you sad over them?" Eda asked
Luz looked over at her with puffy eyes and shook her head
"Exactly. You didn't do anything wrong, you did the best and you saved lives. I know you wanted to do more, I know you wanted to jump into the frey and punch as many Emperor coven's scouts as possible back there. But if you did you would be dead." Eda said
"But if I did then maybe-." Luz started to argue.
Eda sighed "no buts Luz. You did all that you could. And if you died you know we'd never be able to stop Belos." Eda said
Luz looked down and nodded. She felt so useless but at the same time she knew Eda was right.
Eda looked to Luz and wrapped a hand around her.
"Come here Luz let it out." Eda said
Luz didn't need any more encouragement as she began to bawl her eyes out.
Eda and Luz just stayed there, comforting the traumatized teen. While King stayed off in the sidelines allowing them to have there moment.
After the good cry Luz pulled away with a more determined look on her face as she stormed up to the whiteboard
"Ok new plan!" She said clearing. Everything away.
"First we need to understand what exactly has changed, why have the guards become more violent, and more importantly why was Belos at the Conformitorium?" Luz said stepping away
"Eda king do you have any guesses from your experience in this version of events?" Luz asked
The owl lady and the Titan looked at each other.
"I'm not quiet sure… all I remember is Belos's rhetoric was a lot more violent when he came to power 50 years ago. Infact as soon as the coven system came to be there were riots." Eda said
Luz gasped "are you sure?"
Eda nodded "yes and they were stamped out brutally as well. There was a entire civil war and once it was over Belos was unquestionably in power." Eda said
"Then we really have to be careful now. Eda as of now you're in charge of finding Allie's you know better how to evade capture as we'll figure out a number of safe houses to go to in case people get followed. Right now we're operating on an insurgency staying mobile, and decentralized is our best asset." Luz said
Eda and King looked toward each other, Luz was throwing herself at the problem with the skills of a war general. And while she fought Belos last time this was a new Luz one that honestly scared the two of them.
We'll need weapons as well Eda we should plan a heist of Blight industries and steal some rifles. If Belos isn't holding back then we aren't either."
Eda nodded "we might be able to get something better than that Luz. With how militant the boiling isles are now we might be able to there might be a company that will sell us weapons and if nothing else we can arm ourselves with human rifles."
Luz sighed with how big this is getting this could very easily blow up in their faces.
"Ok Eda tell me at least 3 different safehouses we can Go to to store these weapons."
Eda nodded and gave them one of the left hand the knee, and around the base of the rib.
Liz nodded "ok our next order of business is to start attacking military targets. We need to encourage the people to rise up against the system." Luz said
"Well…there is a military parade that's happening in boonesborough today around noon if I remember."
Luz nodded "then that's when we'll strike. During the parade I'll use my glyphs to cause an explosion and we'll strike hard causing chaos and if we need to we'll use the portal door for a quick escape."
Eda nodded "this is risky but I'm good for it. Who's the target?"
"The emperor's float himself, if we can destroy it it will give us a moral victory and tell the people he's not untouchable,"
Eda nodded "I hope you know that he'll crack down more on wild magic." She said
Liz nodded "and the disenfranchised will rally to our cause." She said
Eda blinked before smiling the kid through of everything.
"Ok kid I'm in." Eda said
"Then we strike at noon find us some desguised." Luz said
(Parade attack)
By the time moon came around Luz was hidden in the crowd hood up as the parade started
"Remember the plan Luz." King whispered
Luz nodded "I got it king don't worry." Luz passed him off as she thumbed a large firework as well as a bandolier of cherry bombs
This was not an assassination attempt it just had to look like one.
And after the attack then Tollea Nosa and the fanfic writer would broadcast a prerecorded speech to every Crystal ball in the isles denouncing the end of Belos and ousting him as a genocidal maniac.
Luz hid behind the corner where she knew the parade would pass by in the center of town. She noticed that there weren't any Grimmwalkers only Coven scouts
'Why is Belos hiding his military forces? Is he trying to act like a benevolent grandfather instead of evil dictator? Well that's not going to work.
Soon the float passed by luz's location as she rushed out into the street.
Emperor Belos sighed as he sat in the float a throne baised on the one he sat on back at the castle on his flanks were Lilith and The golden guard the only two who were there for Belos's protection.
Lilith and The golden guard were waving while Belos sat more like a statue.
"It's good to see all the happy people here." The golden guard said
Belos said nothing
"Uncle…what's the point of having this every year?" The golden guard asked
"The reason…is due to power. And might. We are not the only community to live on a Titan in fact a recent exposition has discovered a group of several titans on the boiling sea. Either uninhabited or not is yet to be known." Belos said
Lilith and The golden guard looked at each other
"Then the porpuse of the Grimmwalkers wasn't to replace me?" The golden guard asked
Belos looked to the golden guard
"Replace you? Hunter…why would i replace you for an exact clone of yourself? No no no but I'm well aware of your skill set your just the person I need to ensure the exploitation of the new titans remains go smoothly. That is the point of the Grimmwalker program." Belos said
Lilith was unconvinced
"But if you said the titans are uninhabited-."
"I said it's not know if they are Lilith. There is a difference, the world is a cruel place, and like it or not…we are also running out of room we need to expand outwards if we are to keep up with the population." Belos said
"All in time for the day of unity?" Hunter asked
"That will come later, but first one crisis at a time." Belos said.
Suddenly there was a loud explosion and a jolt sent Belos forward as Lilith and The golden guard looked around
"What was that?" They asked
Belos was unphased on the outside however inside he was raging 'how dare these parasites attack him'
"It doesn't matter we will continue with the parade, we will not show weakness." Belos said
On the roof of a building overlooking the parade Eda and King watched the events play out. They were to remain in reserve in case something happened and Luz needed help to escape. They were stressed this could go very bad very quickly especially with Luz alone. But they had to trust her and so they did.
"Looks like they reached the box." King said
Eda nodded tense "now it's up to Luz." She said
She hated this plan. She should be the one to face Belos. Luz is her charge… Eda needed to protect her.
On the streets Luz sighed now it was time to move.
Luz sprinted forward and ran to the parade float
However there was one thing they didn't account for.
Luz hate and anger towards Belos ran very very deep.
"Belos!" Luz yelled using magic to disguise her voice
"Your rule of tyranny is over! Step down and give us control of the isles!" She yelled
Everyone parted as they revealed Luz in a black cloak
Belos turned to Luz.
"Who are you?" He asked
"Someone you wronged very badly." She said as she pulled out a knife.
Up above Eda and King were in a panic, This was not the plan. What was Luz thinking?
Back on the ground Luz threw the knife at Belos which he swatted away only for another to appear out of nowhere and jab Belos in the eye
"Argh!" The Emperor cried in pain.
Luz took the opportunity and threw down a smokescreen glyph and fled
At the same time Lillith was at the Emperor's side.
"My lord are you ok?" She asked
However the golden guard looked at Lillith "I want you to take a several men and track that assassin down." He said
"But what about the Emperor?" Lillith asked
Suddenly another series of explosions was heard rocking the float
"There's no time I'll get the emperor to safety." The golden guard said
Lillith nodded and hopped off the float grabbing two scouts who looked around the chaos confused
"You two with me were going after the perpetrator!" She said as they charged after Luz,
At the same time Hunter and Belos took a secret hidden vehicle stored under the parade float back to the castle.
Eda huffed "that was dangerous but now it's time for part 2." Eda said as she cast a spell circle
Suddenly a large projection was shown above the square.
"Hello everyone, people of the boiling isles I come to you today to reveal to you, our emperor's prized secret. What he wants. And what his plans are for the future.
You see people of the boiling isles. You've all been deceived, Belos is a charmer, a puppeteer, a control freak. But most of all, he is evil. The wild witch's he hunts have done nothing wrong and only the fact that Belos wanted to limit witches powers was the reason he implemented the coven system. Wild magic is ment to be free. The Titan gave us magic to be used freely a dream that was corrupted by Belos, for one reason alone…
The destruction of the boiling isels, Belos is planning an event to drain everyone's magic and kill everyone at the same time. Your emperor is a genocidal maniac.
However there is hope. There are a small few that are putting a resistance against Belos, to prevent this plan to be carried out. But we need Allie's. We are everywhere we are watching and we will protect you. We are small now but we are growing. Throw off the shackles of tyranny and let magic be free. The choice is yours either die in ignorance, or live and rise againt the oppressors!"
And with that the message faded leaving everyone stunned.
In blight manor the family watched the message stunned.
All across the boiling isles people had felt the wool being pulled away from their eyes.
There lives would never be the same again.