The Chronicles of Sir William

Ch 18

Part of Me

OPEN ON:

INT. CLAWTHORNE FAMILY HOME - NIGHT

Lilith is busy in her study, deciphering the images of the

counter-curse she has gathered. Hooty pops out of his bird-

house backpack to check on her progress.

HOOTY

Anything yet?

She paces over to a chalk-board and draws a complex

arrangement of glyphs.

LILITH

This is my tentative guess at the

glyph formula for the counter-curse.

(frustrated)

But the reference images we've

gathered are still too poor in

quality to know for sure if this is

it.

HOOTY

Well, that's progress at least!

LILITH

(pacing)

Yes, but where to go from here? It's

not as though the Observer is going

to show up on my doorstep to verify

my results.

Lilith stops pacing, looking out from her window into the

stormy night outside.

LILITH (cont'd)

...There's nothing left to do now

except test it.

HOOTY

What?! Buh-but, if you're off even

slightly, who knows what could

happen?! We could just make Eda's

curse even worse!

LILITH

That's why we won't be testing it on

Eda. I'll be the guinea pig.

HOOTY

No!

Hooty coils around Lilith, crushing her in a worried hug.

HOOTY (cont'd)

I won't let my best friend be turned

into a rodent!

LILITH

Please, Hooty. It's the only way. We

might finally be able to cure her!

Lilith wrestles out of Hooty's coils and looks longingly at

a photo of her and Eda together as children.

LILITH (cont'd)

(contrite)

And besides, if I suffer for it...

that's still nothing next to what I

made her endure.

Hooty gives Lilith a puppy-dog whine and shies away as she

approaches the chalkboard. She hesitantly reaches out and

presses the center of the glyph, activating it's power.

It glows blindingly bright, filling the room with an

ominous hum. Lilith shields her eyes, but hopefully pries

them open. She reaches out, letting the golden glow absorb

her hand. Gradually, the pin-feathers on her arm start

disappearing.

LILITH (cont'd)

It's...It's working!

After a moment of steady buildup, the spell starts to waver

and flicker. Arcs of magical energy erupt from it and seize

her in convulsions.

LILITH (cont'd)

AGGHH!

HOOTY

LULU!

Hooty tries to grab her and drag her away, but is shocked as well. As the spell fizzles, they both collapse to the

floor, paralyzed.

A few moments later, Gwendolyn Clawthorne knocks at the

door.

GWENDOLYN

Sweet Flea?! I heard a noise. Are

you alright in there...?

Gwendolyn eases the door open, gasping when she sees their

prone bodies.

GWENDOLYN (cont'd)

NO! LILITH!

She kneels down beside her daughter, checking her pulse.

She then summons her palisman, Hawksley.

GWENDOLYN (cont'd)

Get the Healing Coven. Hurry!

Hawksley flies out the window as Gwendolyn worriedly clasps

Lilith's still-twitching hand.

INT. OWL HOUSE, EDA'S ROOM

Eda is busy at a candle-lit workbench, carving a new

palisman in the shape of a cardinal songbird. As she's

carving, she is seized by convulsions and sees flickering

images of Lilith.

Raine enters her room, carrying up a tray with glasses of

apple-blood. Seeing Eda in convulsions, he discards the

tray and rushes to her side.

RAINE

Eda!

She recovers her senses and looks at him with urgency.

EDA

It's my sister!

INTRO

SEQUENCE:

OPEN ON:

INT. HEALING COVEN HOSPITAL - NIGHT

Lilith is laid out in a hospital bed, being examined by

Head Witch Cutburn. Hooty is spooled out in a bed next to

hers. Gwen and Eda are huddled by Lilith's bedside.

EDA

Oh, Lily. Of all the stunts you've

pulled!

GWENDOLYN

What's the prognosis?

HETTIE CUTBURN

Her case looks familiar...

The Head Witch hangs up a series of x-ray lithographs.

HETTIE CUTBURN (cont'd)

Her bile sack has been almost

completely drained of its natural

reserves of magic. Same for the

house demon.

Whatever spell she was using was

less a counter-curse and more a

powerful dispelling charm.

GWENDOLYN

So how do we treat them...?

INT. WAITING ROOM

Raine, Luz, King and Lord William are all gathered in the

waiting room. Eda and Gwen join them from the medical ward.

LUZ

So? What's going to happen to them?

Gwen chokes back tears.

GWENDOLYN

The doctors...*sniff*...may have to

excise their bile-sacks.

Eda nervously looks for a way to lift the tension.

EDA

Well, it wouldn't be the end of the

world, right?

She gestures to Luz and William.

EDA (cont'd)

You two know what I mean.

LUZ

Well, yeah, but I've been human most

of my life. I'm used to not having

magic.

KING

But for a demon, not having magic is

like not having a soul!

WILLIAM

And I had a suit of Titan-blood

armor to console me.

GWENDOLYN

(wiping her tears)

Ah, Titan's-blood. That's the rub.

The doctor said it was the only

substance that could replenish their

bile-sacks without causing further

damage.

EDA

And we scoured every inch of the

Boiling Isles for the stuff when we

were looking for a way back to the

Human World.

(shaking her head)

Nada.

Eda seems oddly complacent. King gets up from his chair and

paces the room.

KING

Maybe every inch of the Boiling

Isles, but not of the Demon Realms.

There are still places on Leviathan

Island we haven't explored yet. And

there could be other islands in the

Boiling Sea that no one's ever

discovered!

LUZ

And that's not even counting Earth!

We had to have shed some of the

Titan's blood when we fought it in

Gravesfield.

GWENDOLYN

(determined)

Then it's settled. Eda and I will

follow King to Leviathan Island and

search for more blood.

LUZ

And I'll take the portal door home.

Will, I may need your help there.

William nods and joins the others as they form a circle and

join hands.

KING

Hooty. Lilith. Don't worry. We're

here for you.

EDA

(uneasy)

Yeah...Go team.

Again, Eda seems nervous about something, but won't reveal

what. The others are too busy mobilizing to notice.

EXT. OWL HOUSE - EARLY MORNING

They gather outside the palistrom tree growing from the Owl

House's turret. Luz and William stand before the door

carved in its trunk.

LUZ

Gravesfield, the Human World.

The door glows bright and opens into a vortex of energy.

They pass through and the door shuts behind them. Gwendolyn

and King approach it next.

Meanwhile, Eda and Raine deliberate.

EDA

Stay behind and keep tabs on 'em.

Okay?

RAINE

Alright. Be careful. Don't take

unnecessary risks.

EDA

(tired)

Oh, we're long past that part...

King knocks on the door and states his destination.

KING

Leviathan Island.

The portal flares to life. Eda joins King and Gwen as they

step through it.

BEGIN MONTAGE:

EXT. BARGHEST VILLAGE - DAWN

King takes his glaive in hand and leads the pair of witches

out into the wilderness, cutting a swathe through the

undergrowth.

EXT. MONASTERY - DAY

They ask the Sister Superior of the Chantry of Light for

assistance, but she merely shakes her head, knowing nothing

that could help them.

EXT. MOUNTAINTOP - DAY

They pause at a mountain stream and take samples of the

water in test tubes. All the tests come up negative for

Titan's-blood.

INT. DARK CAVE

Eda and King run screaming from the rampaging stone-

sleeper. Gwendolyn holds her ground, using her beast-taming

magic to subdue the beast.

She then offers the creature a leg of mutton. It eagerly

accepts, becoming tame as a puppy.

EXT. TAR PIT - DAY

Eda and Gwen lower King by a rope down over a gooey tar

pit. He takes out a vial and skims off a shimmering magical

liquid from the surface. It sloshes around, proving not to

be Titan's blood but a slime creature.

Other slime creatures emerge from the tar and attack King.

Eda and Gwen frantically reel him back up while he slashes

at the creatures with his weapon.

END MONTAGE:

EXT. CAMPSITE - DUSK

They huddle around a campfire, King cleaning the tar out of

his fur. Meanwhile, Eda consults a crystal ball with a

direct line to Luz and William on Earth.

EDA

(exhausted)

We've searched all day and haven't

turned up squat!

WILLIAM

Not much luck on our end either.

LUZ

Are you sure you've looked

everywhere?

KING

We've covered the whole island by

now.

WILLIAM

Well, we may not be out of options

yet. When I studied under "Philip",

he told me he discovered the

pictoglyph of water on Leviathan

Island...but the ones for wind and

lightning in a desert land to the

south. He called it "Roc's Beak

Canyon".

KING

Then that's our next heading. Good

luck.

LUZ

Be safe. Love you!

King nods as the feed cuts out. Eda then stashes away the

crystal ball and slouches beside the fire.

EDA

(blasé)

Pfft. Great. Who knows what horrors

we'll find there...

GWENDOLYN

Oh, I can't believe you, Edalyne!

You've been nothing but a pessimist

this whole trip! It's like you want

your sister to lose her bile-sack!

EDA

Of course I don't! It's just...This

whole thing started with her nearly

getting herself killed. And for

what...?!

She rises up to her feet and paces to the edge of camp.

EDA (cont'd)

To lift a curse I've already come to

grips with?

GWENDOLYN

So, you're just giving up on finding

a cure?

EDA

I've made peace with it. Heck I'm

thriving with it! Harpy Eda...?

She transforms into her harpy form with a flourish.

EDA (cont'd)

It's my thing now! I am one with the

Owl Beast!

She transforms back just as easily.

EDA (cont'd)

And see? I've even got it listed in

my Bio.

She unfurls her penstagram scroll, showing them the trail

of banners under her screen-name. She/her|Bad Girl

Coven|ADHD|PTSD|Social Anxiety| Owl-Beast Curse

:owl:werewolf:rawr:sparkles:

GWENDOLYN

*scoffs* Really, dear?!

KING

Your Harpy thing is cool and all,

Eda. But before you were cursed, you

were one of the most powerful

witches in the Boiling Isles. We're

going to need that power again to

fight the Observer.

GWENDOLYN

And while I admire how...stoically

you've carried your burden, the

curse isn't some merit badge or

personality quirk! It is a sickness.

We must try to cure it!

EDA

So after this you'll let Lily charge

into the meat-grinder again, and

take someone else with her?

GWENDOLYN

Of course not, but we won't stop-

EDA

No, you won't stop, will you? People

will just keep getting hurt on my

conscience!

Eda transforms into a harpy again and flies off into the

woods.

EDA (cont'd)

Well, I don't need saving!

GWENDOLYN

Witchlet!

Heedless, Eda disappears into the night.

CUT TO:

EXT. GRAVESFIELD, MEADOWS - NIGHT

Luz and William patrol the Gravesfield countryside on their

staffs, landing on a meadow lit by moonlight and fireflies.

WILLIAM

I barely recognize this place. Last

I saw it, it was a war-torn no-man's-

land. Yet look at it now.

A gentle night breeze wafts over the idyllic, Arcadian

vista.

WILLIAM (cont'd)

Do all things in the Human World

change so fast?

LUZ

We have a way of bouncing back.

WILLIAM

(demure)

Now I see where you got it...

Luz gives him a wry look.

WILLIAM (cont'd)

I know. Mission now. Flirting later.

Luz turns and consults a magical device whose indication meter lags

down low for signs of Titan's-blood.

WILLIAM

One would think there'd be some

blood left after the lashing we gave

that beast.

LUZ

Oh, I think there was plenty. It's

just someone else found it first.

She narrows her eyes in suspicion.

INT. THE BIG DONUT - NIGHT

Luz and William walk into a seemingly innocuous Donut store

on Misquat Street. She walks behind the counter and scans

her I.D card on a console, summoning a freight elevator

that takes them below street level.

As they descend into the underground headquarters of the

Department of Inter-Dimensional Affairs, it looks even more

labyrinthine than before. The lab partitions are now

devoted to testing strange machinery and energy weapons

powered by magic.

They walk over the catwalks to where Mr. Wayde is

overseeing one of the tests. Seeing Luz, he excuses himself

and walks over to her.

MR. WAYDE

Ms. Noceda. We weren't expecting

you.

LUZ

This is an emergency, Mr. Wayde. One

of our friends in the Demon Realm is

hurt badly. She needs Titan's blood

to be well again.

MR. WAYDE

I see...how unfortunate...

Mr. Wayde trails off, seemingly uninterested in carrying

the conversation.

LUZ

(insistent)

You wouldn't happen to know where we

could find some?

Mr. Wayde pauses a moment more before beckoning them to

follow him.

MR. WAYDE

This way.

INT. OFFICE

Mr. Wayde offers them a seat in his personal office. He

then sits behind his desk, flanked by a pair of guards

armed with the same weapons being tested in the labs.

MR. WAYDE (cont'd)

You are correct, Ms. Noceda. After

the dimensional incursion, we

gathered as much of the Titan's

Blood as we could for study.

Unfortunately, very little of it was

pure enough for testing and most of

our reserves are now tied up in

various experiments.

LUZ

All to make a better mouse-trap no

doubt...

She glares at the guns the soldiers are carrying.

LUZ (cont'd)

But now someone's life is on the

line.

MR. WAYDE

(cold)

Like I said, the timing is

unfortunate.

LUZ

(indignant)

As your ambassador, I think we can

do without a few shiny laser guns

for the time being! The threat has

been dealt with. Belos is gone!

MR. WAYDE

And he is the only threat we can

expect from a place where the skies

are red and the seas boil?

Mr Wayde swivels in his office chair, looking out the

observation window of his office to take in the sprawling

research complex below.

MR. WAYDE (cont'd)

Ms. Noceda, while you lived out an

adventure, we endured a nightmare.

Humanity will not be caught unawares

again. I assure you...

LUZ

*sigh* I didn't want to do this,

but...Will, this is where you come

in.

WILLIAM

*erherm*...Mr. Wayde. As Lord Regent

of the Boiling Isles I formally

request you acquiesce a sample of

Titan's-blood to our custody.

MR. WAYDE

(scripted)

We appreciate your petition and will

do our best to process your request

within the next ten to eighteen

business days.

Enraged, William slams his fist on the desk.

WILLIAM

You pompous bureaucrat! She needs it

now!

The soldiers level their guns at William.

MR. WAYDE

That is the best I can offer you...

Now if you would kindly take your

leave.

They both glare at Mr. Wayde as they are escorted out of

the office by the soldiers.

CUT TO:

EXT. DESERT COAST - MORNING

A swirling portal door opens up on an arid coast. Gwendolyn

and King emerge from it before it closes.

KING

Are you sure we shouldn't look for

Eda a little while longer?

GWENDOLYN

Hmph! If she wants to keep being the

rebel-without-a-clue, let her! My

other little witchlet needs me now!

Eda can find her own way home.

KING

Alright, if you say so...

He looks down the coast, seeing it continue for miles past

the horizon.

KING (cont'd)

I thought this place would be an

island, but it looks like a whole

continent! Where do we even start

looking?

GWENDOLYN

There, I'd wager.

After scanning the horizon, Gwen points to a massive

skeleton further inland. The gargantuan corpse of a giant

bird-like monstrosity is sprawled out over a great canyon.

They immediately set off.

LATER

After hours of traipsing the desert, they pant and wipe

rivers of sweat from their brows.

KING

Maybe let's...*pant*...take the

portal back home and...*pant*...re-

fill our canteens.

GWENDOLYN

No...after going back the portal

would just return us to the coast

where we started.

(dauntless)

We must press forward!

KING

But the vultures are starting to

circle!

King points to a spiraling formation of black shapes in the

sky. Shading her eyes from the sun, Gwen looks up at them.

GWENDOLYN

(frightened)

Those aren't vultures...!

The dark shapes draw closer, revealing themselves to be

massive, winged bird-people. Their feathers are a deep red

or purple. They carry spears and have sharp, jagged beaks.

Their leader blows a conch-shell horn and calls out.

GARUDA SCOUT

CAW! INTRUDERS! SEIZE THEM!

The travelers are soon surrounded by the bird-men and

hemmed in by a ring of spears. King drops his glaive and

Gwen raises her hands.

GWENDOLYN

Ehrm...we come in peace!

KING

Yeah! Uh...take us to your leader?

The scout captain eyes them inquisitively.

GARUDA SCOUT

Hmm...

The travelers wait with baited breath before flinching at

the captain's sudden, ear-splitting screech.

GARUDA SCOUT (cont'd)

THIS WAY! NO DAWDLING! CAWWW!

The bird-men march them away.

EXT. CANYON CITY - DAY

They are taken through the streets of a city carved into

the walls of the canyon beneath the massive bird skeleton.

The inhabitants gather to curiously gawk at them like

vultures eyeing a meal.

They then arrive at the doors of a massive palace built

into a corner junction of the canyon.

INT. PALACE, THRONE ROOM

They are marched in front of a massive throne shaped like

an eagle's nest. Sitting in it is a massive bird-man with

black feathers, barred with blood-red streaks.

GARUDA HERALD

ALL HAIL HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY...!

Gwen and King flinch again at the ear-splitting screech.

KING

Do these people not know what an

inside voice is?

GARUDA HERALD

...EMPOK T'ZOAH!

The hall rings with the clamoring shrieks of the bird-men

until they are silenced by their leader's gesture. He seems

more elegant and composed than his kinsmen.

T'ZOAH

From your vacant stares, I gather

you are newcomers to our land.

Welcome. We are the Garuda, greatest

of the demon empires.

(curious)

From whence do you hail? The

Behemoth Mountains? The Tarasque

Swamps?

GWENDOLYN

(curtsying)

We come from a land across the sea,

your majesty. The Boiling Isles, to

be exact.

T'ZOAH

"Boiling Isles"? But all other

lands, save these, were swallowed by

the ocean with the coming of the

Great Titan...

Or, so our scribes say...

His viziers cower when he rakes them with a fiery gaze.

GWENDOLYN

Well, we seemed to get along fine.

The only thing we're wanting for is

Titan's-blood.

T'ZOAH

The Roc's essence? It is sacred to

us. We would not part with it to

strangers.

KING

Well, I'm King and this is Mrs.

Clawthorne. There. Now we aren't

strangers anymore!

The Garuda courtiers all erupt into vicious laughter.

T'ZOAH

(chuckling)

Well then, tell me, friends. How far

away are these Isles of yours? In

what direction? How strong are

your...

(leering)

...defenses...?

GWENDOLYN

(innocent)

Oh, it's no place special. A

backwater, really!

T'ZOAH

Really? Well, perhaps you will

recall some interesting details

about them after a few nights in our

dungeons.

The leader gestures for his guards to escort them away. The

halls echo with the laughter and taunts of the Garuda as

they leave.

CUT TO:

INT. GRAVESFIELD, UNDERGROUND LAB

A soldier finishes patrolling a section of the underground

labs, exiting through a sliding door. After a moment of

calm, Luz and William materialize from invisibility,

gasping for breath.

WILLIAM

Are you sure you want to do this? I

don't want our mission to come

between you and your people.

LUZ

Trust me. These particular humans

are not my people...

Luz browses the specimen cabinets, coming to a rest on a

cryogenic storage locker with a dozen biohazard warnings on

it. She shorts out the lock with a small magical spark and

opens the cabinet.

Behind the security glass, a vial of faintly glowing blue

liquid is held in a bracket among the steaming liquid

nitrogen. It holds only a few drops.

LUZ (cont'd)

Wow, he wasn't kidding. There's a

premium on this stuff around here.

Just then, an alarm sounds overhead.

LUZ (cont'd)

Smash and grab!

William punches through the security glass and extracts the

vial. Luz then pulls out a skeleton key which summons the

portal door.

They vanish into it before the guards can arrive.

INT. MR. WAYDE'S OFFICE

Mr. Wayde watches them escape through a security-cam feed

to his personal computer. Otherwise calm, he furrows his

brow.

CUT TO:

INT. GARUDA HOLDING CAGES - DUSK

The Garuda hold their prisoners in metal cages hanging from

a cliff face.

KING

Help! Let us out! Don't you see the

irony of birds keeping people in

cages?!

Several Garuda stand guard on a ledge below them, but

ignore his pleas.

GWENDOLYN

It's no use, King. We've got to

think of a way out of this...!

As she ponders, they hear a commotion below.

EDA

Hello, boys!

Eda, in her harpy form, comes seductively sashaying up the

path. The guards all ogle her.

GARUDA GUARDS

Ack! Ack!

Hubba, hubba!

EDA

(flirty)

That's right. Just a bird of a

feather, looking for a love nest.

GWENDOLYN

(exasperated)

Oh, good Titan!

She approaches the one guarding Gwen and King's cage,

putting on her charms.

EDA

Hiya handsome. The boss-bird sent me

to interrogate the prisoners.

GARUDA GUARD

(stammering)

Er, uhh...I wasn't notified...

She strokes his chin, batting her eyes.

EDA

Well don't you worry your tail-

feathers off. I'll take good care of

these jailbirds for you.

GARUDA GUARD

(flustered)

Eh, heh heh heh. Eh...

With the guard turned to putty in her hands, she flies up

to the cage unimpeded.

EDA

See? The curse has it's advantages!

GWENDOLYN

Oh, sure! The one time we get

captured by bird-people!

T'ZOAH

Going somewhere...?

Empok T'Zoah appears on a ledge on the opposing cliff-face

with a smirk.

T'ZOAH (cont'd)

I'm not unreasonable. I'd be willing

to part with some essence in

exchange for...information...

He holds up a small vial of Titan's-blood in his talon,

dangling it tantalizingly.

KING

(whispering)

Don't do it, Eda! These buzzards are

bad news.

EDA

Hmm...let's say we make things

interesting?

T'Zoah cocks his brow with interest as Eda reclines on top

of the cage.

EDA (cont'd)

If I can beat one of your fly-boys

in a race, you send us all home with

that Titan's-blood. If I lose, we'll

stay and tell you whatever you want

to know about our neck-of-the-woods.

Deal?

T'Zoah ponders for a moment and chuckles.

T'ZOAH

I admit, it sounds more amusing than

simply torturing the answers out of

you...Very well. We fly at dawn!

EXT. CANYON PASS - MORNING

A crowd of Garuda gathers at the lip of a crevasse. Eda

stands on the edge stretching her wings. Her challenger, a

blue-feathered Garuda, does the same beside her.

GARUDA HERALD

OUR CHALLENGERS: OUTLANDER EDALYNE

CLAWTHORNE!

The spectators hiss and squawk. Eda blows a raspberry at

them.

GARUDA HERALD (cont'd)

FLYING AGAINST THE EMPIRE'S SWIFTEST

MESSENGER, VELOK'ZEK!

The crowd clamors for Velok'zek as he poses and flexes his

wings.

GARUDA HERALD (cont'd)

THE COMPETITORS SHALL COMPLETE TWO

CIRCUITS THROUGH THE PROVING

GROUNDS. WINNER TAKES ALL!

Again the crowds cheer.

GARUDA HERALD (cont'd)

CONTESTANTS, TO YOUR STARTING

POSITIONS!

Eda and Velok'zek perch on two posts embedded in the

canyon's lip. They tense for action.

GARUDA HERALD (cont'd)

ON THE EMPOK'S MARK!

T'zoah lounges in his throne, raising a single talon and

thrusting it down.

GARUDA HERALD (cont'd)

FLY, YOU FOOLS! CAAAAWWW!

The racers launch into the canyon, flying at break-neck

speed through the twists and turns of the rock formations.

For most of the race they are neck and neck, Velok'zek

nipping at Eda's wings with his beak.

After a few more aerial maneuvers, they complete the first

lap of the race, rushing past the stands where they

started. The herald waves a flag.

GARUDA HERALD (cont'd)

FIRST CIRCUIT COMPLETE! ANYONE'S

RACE!

Not satisfied, Velok'zek turns and draws a spell-circle,

creating a gust of wind that propels him forward.

GARUDA HERALD (cont'd)

VELOK'ZEK TAKES THE LEAD!

The crowd cheers.

KING

Boo! Fowl play! Ref, are you blind?!

GARUDA HERALD

(smug)

The Empok did not specify any

restrictions for this challenge.

T'zoah smirks as Eda falls behind. Not one to be outdone,

she trudges forward, flapping with all her might. Beads of

sweat roll down her brow. The strain almost seems too much

for her.

Before she can gain on Velok'zek she slowly blacks out,

falling and skidding to a halt on the canyon floor.

GWENDOLYN

Eda!

The crowd laughs and jeers. Gwen and King mount their staff

and fly down to her. Noticing her fall behind, Velok'zek

turns and taunts her over his shoulder.

VELOK'ZEK

HaHaHahaHahahaha-OOOF!

Not watching where he's going, he collides with a jutting

rock formation and falls to the ground as well. The crowd

cringes and censures him.

GARUDA HERALD

GAAAGH! YOU FOOL!

KING

Come on, Eda! You've got a break.

You gotta get up!

GWENDOLYN

Edalyne? Speak to me! Are you

alright?!

Eda lies on her back panting. She steadily dissociates into

a dream-like state.

DREAMSCAPE

Eda stands in a darkened plain under a night sky. A short

distance away, she sees the little owl beast lying on it's

side and panting. She rushes over to it.

EDA

(coaxing)

Hey. Come on, little guy. Let's pull

it together. We've got this!

The owl beast whimpers and turns away, appearing sick.

EDA (cont'd)

You want another vole? Is that it?

I'll get you a nice tasty marmot

later, I promise. But right now we

have to go!

The creature rolls over and sniffs, ignoring her.

EDA (cont'd)

Come on! We're a team now! Let's

show 'em. Eda and the Owl Beast

versus the world!

It is then that Eda notices they are not alone. A short

distance past the owl beast, she can see Lilith lying in

her hospital bed. Overcome with emotion, Eda sinks to her

knees.

EDA (cont'd)

She needs our help. We may not be

together much longer, so let's make

this last run count.

The owl beast slowly rises off the ground and ventures a

step forward.

EXT. CANYON

Eda slowly rises to her feet. Gwen and King help her up.

GWENDOLYN

Are you alright, darling? Do you

need some potion?

EDA

(groggy)

No. No potion. I can do this.

Still sweating, but determined, Eda takes to the air and

gains the lead. Shaking off his stupor, Velok'zek follows.

He quickly gains on her, the tension growing. The finish

line nears, but she still feels sick. She clutches her

furiously growling stomach.

Before Velok'zek can regain his lead, Eda doubles over and

regurgitates what looks like an owl pellet. The mass of

hair and rat bones collides with Velok'zek's face and

explodes in a shower of black sludge.

VELOK'ZEK

GAAAGH! I'M BLIND!

The garuda racer crashes into the canyon wall yet again.

The crowd is furious.

GARUDA HERALD

WHAT?! SHE CAN'T DO THAT! THAT'S

CHEATING!

Gwen and King arrive back in the stands, wagging their

fingers.

GWENDOLYN

(shrugging)

"The Empok did not specify any

restrictions for this challenge."

GARUDA HERALD

*grumbles*

Having dropped her "payload" Eda sweeps past the finish

line with ease.

GARUDA HERALD (cont'd)

NO! THE OUTLANDER WINS! CAAAWWW!

The crowd hisses and grumbles as Eda alights on the canyon

lip with a grin. At first perturbed, T'zoah graciously

smiles and marches forth to present Eda with the Titan's-

blood.

T'ZOAH

Take it with our compliments.

As she reaches for it, he grasps her arm forcefully.

T'ZOAH (cont'd)

(menacing)

We look forward to learning more

about your people...

EDA

(defiant)

I think we've learned everything we

need to know about you...

She wrenches free from his grip and follows Gwen and King

through the portal home.

CUT TO:

INT. BONESBOROUGH HOSPITAL - NIGHT

The Owl House family reconvenes around Lilith and Hooty's

beds, each team presenting their meager spoils.

LUZ

This is all we could get.

EDA

Let's hope it's enough.

Luz decants her vial onto Hooty's forehead while Eda

empties hers onto Lilith's chest. The liquid seeps into

their skin and for a while nothing seems to happen.

A few moments pass before Head Witch Cutburn consults her

instruments and sees an improvement in their vitals.

HETTIE CUTBURN

They're stabilizing!

To everyone's relief, Lilith and Hooty slowly rouse awake.

GWENDOLYN

(tearing up)

Oh, my baby girl! You're alright!

HOOTY

(weakly)

Lulu...is Lulu okay...?

LUZ

She's fine. Bring it in, you little

stinker!

Lilith rubs her eyes and leans forward in her bed.

LILITH

(groggy)

I...I think I know what I did

wrong...

EDA

(stern)

Well, I should certainly hope so!

You nearly gave Mom a conniption!

LILITH

No, I mean the spell! I think I know

what went wrong with the counter-

curse!

EDA

Oh, you've gotta be kidding me!

LILITH

Since you and I both share the

curse, we both have to be dispelled

at the same time...

(sheepish)

...or else it will backfire like it

did.

EDA

And how do we know it won't do that

anyway?! There's no way we're

risking your life again.

LILITH

Eda, please! We're so close!

GWENDOLYN

(diplomatic)

Darling, I understand your

frustration. But do you know what we

had to go through to make you whole

again?

LILITH

It will all have been in vain if we

stop now.

Lilith claps Eda's hand and looks at her pleadingly.

LILITH (cont'd)

Please. Don't make me live knowing I

could do nothing to take back what I

did to you...

Eda pauses, her face contorted with anguish. After a few

moments of hesitation, she finally relents.

EDA

*sigh*...Alright. I trust you...

GWENDOLYN

But there's no more Titan's-blood to

come to your rescue this time. Curse

or not, you might never be witches

again...

EDA

I'm ready to take that chance...with

my sister.

Lilith's eyes well up with tears and she collides into a

hug with Eda.

INT. OBSERVATION ROOM - LATER

The Owl House family watches Eda and Lilith through a

protective plexiglass barrier. They draw the symbols on the

floor of the surgical room with chalk and then stand at the

center of the circle, back-to-back.

LILITH

Ready?

Eda nods. They clasp each others' hands and slam their

heels down on the chalk lines, activating the circle. The

room is bathed in a golden glow. It engulfs the sisters

until there's nothing but white light.

DREAMSCAPE

Eda reappears in her dream world next to the owl beast. It

rubs at her legs and nibbles her skirt.

EDA

Well, I guess this is good-bye,

little buddy.

The creature chirps sorrowfully.

EDA (cont'd)

Hey, we had some good times. But now

we've got to go our separate ways.

It's better for the both of us.

She strokes the owl beast's feathers one last time before

it dissolves into golden light.

EDA (cont'd)

(tearing up)

I'll never forget how, together...

you and I were the Owl Lady...

INT. OBSERVATION ROOM

The spell's glow steadily wanes, leaving Eda and Lilith

standing in silence. They peel open their eyes, their

irises both restored to their natural colors.

For a moment, they examine their arms for signs of

feathers. Looking into each others' eyes, they embrace and

weep with joy. The Owl House family rejoices and pours into

the surgical room to congratulate them.

But over their exclamations of joy, they hear a sharp

screeching noise. They look down to see the owl beast lying

on the ground between Eda and Lilith's feet, chirping

confusedly.

LUZ

*deep gasp* Oh. My. TITAN. That's

the cutest thing I've ever seen!

Ohhhhh!

Misty-eyed, Luz falls to her knees and smothers the

creature in hugs and kisses.

LUZ (cont'd)

(tearing up)

Guys. I think I might be the one who

needs medical attention now...!

They all chuckle and welcome their feathery new addition to

the family.

HOOTY

Yay! New team pet! I vote we call

him "Owlphonse"!-

*deep gasp*

Hooty suddenly freezes in place, gripped in a thousand-yard

stare.

HOOTY (cont'd)

(panicking)

Guys, I...I remember...I remember!

IrememberIrememberIremeberIrememberIr

emember!

He ties himself in knots speeding around the room in a

blind panic.

KING

Whoa, Hooty! Slow down. You're

scaring Owlphonse.

LUZ

What do you remember, Hooty?

HOOTY

Remember back when we all found out

I used to work for The Observer,

even though I couldn't remember

doing it? Well I can now!

EVERYONE

WHAT?!

HOOTY

(excited)

That botched counter-curse removed

the spell she put on me to keep me

from blabbing all her secrets. I

remember everything!

WILLIAM

Well, don't keep us in suspense!

HOOTY

(calming)

Alright, alright...Let me see. I'll

start from the beginning...

BEGIN

FLASHBACK:

EXT. WILDERNESS - DUSK

The Observer stands in a clearing, waving her arms and

summoning streams of magical energy. They coalesce into

stone blocks, wooden beams and plaster walls until it forms

the Owl House.

HOOTY (V.O.)

...The day I was born...

The magic finishes by coalescing into a brass-knocker in

the shape of a barn-owl. Hooty opens his eyes for the first

time and screams at the top of his lungs:

HOOTY

Happy Birthday!

The Observer then starts dictating orders to him.

HOOTY (V.O.)

My first orders were to protect the

house and everything in it. I was to

destroy anyone who got too close.

Comprehending, Hooty snakes out of the doorframe and

mimicks a salute with his coils. Satisfied, the Observer

enters the newly finished home and slams the door shut.

HOOTY (V.O.) (cont'd)

(embarrassed)

Although, uh, looking back now I

think I misheard her. I thought she

said "annoy" anyone who got too

close...heh heh...

What follows is a montage of Hooty engaging solicitors in

overeager conversation.

HOOTY

Hi there! Wanna be my friend?!

Ooh! A vacuum cleaner! I've always

wanted one of those! How does it

work?!

I'd love to talk about our lord and

savior, the Titan! Go on! I've got

nothing but time!

*mimicking a dog barking* Shoo! We

don't want your stinkin' mail! Ooh,

look! Sweepstakes!

Hey, does this look infected to

you?!

Finally! About time you get here! I

called thirty minutes ago! It's like

you guys wanna give out pizzas for

free!

EDA (V.O.)

That...explains a lot...

HOOTY (V.O.)

In my defense, I had nothing better

to do...

Hooty spends a starry night dolefully looking up at the

Observer's astronomy tower as she scans the heavens with

her telescope.

HOOTY (V.O.) (cont'd)

The Observer spent most nights

gazing at the stars through her

telescope. It was a pretty lonely

life...

One day the Observer exits the house and commands Hooty to

follow.

HOOTY (V.O.) (cont'd)

But some days we would move to other

places, which was always fun.

We see Hooty uproot the house on a pair of massive bird-

legs and follow the Observer to various locations. A

massive field, a mystical forest, the top of the knee, and

finally a seaside cliff where the Owl House rests now.

HOOTY (V.O.) (cont'd)

But then, one day, she just...left.

The Observer exits the front door and turns to Hooty.

THE OBSERVER

I am leaving. For good this time. I

find this "nomadic" lifestyle quite

tiring.

HOOTY

Oh, great! I'll get packed. Where

are we going?

THE OBSERVER

"We" aren't going anywhere. I shall

go alone.

HOOTY

(disappointed)

W-well...what should I do then?

THE OBSERVER

I don't know...

She turns and casts a spell on Hooty, befuddling his

senses.

THE OBSERVER (cont'd)

And I don't care.

The Observer then turns into a shooting star and rockets up

toward a shining light in the sky.

HOOTY (V.O.)

The last I saw her, she shot up into

the night sky towards a twinkling

star...I was all alone after that...

We see a time-lapse of the Owl House through the years,

steadily falling into disrepair and ruin.

HOOTY (V.O.) (cont'd)

(emotional)

...Until you found me, Eda...

A teenaged Eda traipses through the woods until she happens

on the ruined old house. She digs the folded portal door up

from the ground and examines it before turning her

attention to Hooty's crooning.

HOOTY

Hello? Who's there? Could you help

me? It's cold down here!

Curious, she approaches the fallen door and props it up,

seeing Hooty blinking gratefully at her.

HOOTY (cont'd)

Oh, thank goodness! I thought I was

going to rust to death down there!

TEEN EDA

Weird...What are you?

HOOTY

Uh, I dunno. Out of warranty? Hoot-

hoot!

TEEN EDA

*laughs*

Eda smiles before looking with sorrow at the dilapidated

house. She then grins with an idea.

TEEN EDA (cont'd)

Say there, "Hooty". If you give me a

place to hide from my folks out

here, I'll drop by on weekends and

fix you up. How does that sound?

HOOTY

Oh, that sounds wonderful! I finally

have a friend! Hoot!

The following scene shows a time-lapse of Eda steadily

repairing the house until it resembles what we know today

as the Owl House.

END FLASHBACK:

INT. THE OWL HOUSE, LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Hooty finishes his story in the Owl House living room.

HOOTY

(sobbing)

THAAANK YOOUHOOHOOHOOT!

Hooty continues sobbing over Eda's shoulder.

EDA

Aww. You're welcome, you little

wormy bird.

WILLIAM

Erhm, this is all very touching. But

let's go back to when the Observer

left. What star was it that you saw

her flying toward?

Hooty slithers out the front door and points his nose at

the sky.

HOOTY

That one...No wait, that one!

The Owl House family gathers on the lawn and looks up at a

vaguely bluish star hovering just near the moon.

WILLIAM

Finally...We know where she's

hiding.

EDA

And now we've got two of the baddest

witches in the Boiling Isles back in

business!

LUZ

Better look out, Observer! We're

coming for you.

The camera distends from the Owl House up into the sky. It

closes in on the shining light, revealing it to be the

Observer's asteroid observatory. It's a sprawling complex

of spires and castles.

We arrive at a window vestibule where the Observer and her

apprentice, Hunter, look down on the Demon World below with

contempt.

TO BE

CONTINUED...