Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone! Welcome to the last chapter of All For Luz for the year 2023, and quite possibly the last chapter of All For Luz for a long time. Now hold on, don't get the wrong idea! I'm well aware of the poll that I took earlier these last few months, and while this does have something to do with that, it also doesn't. This is going to be a little bit longer than most of my usual authors' notes, so hang in there, and hear me out.
I have made it clear in the past that All For Luz is not the only fanfic that I am working on. I'm actually working on four other fanfics currently. Those fanfics are:
My Hero Academia: Dynamite And A Laserbeam, a My Hero Academia x JoJo's Bizarre Adventure fanfic two-plus years in the making. [Word Count: 600K+, 75 chapters + Disclaimer and note]
Gamer Of The Multiverse, which is a massive crossover between multiple franchises, the least of which include Dangeronpa and RWBY that has been going around the same amount of time as All For Luz, give or take a month or two. [Word Count: 500K+, 66 chapters]
Return Of A King – Redux, a My Hero Academia x Demon Slayer fanfic I've been working on for the same amount of time as All For Luz. [Word Count: 137K, 23 chapters]
And finally, Omori: Chains Of Grief, an Omori x Chainsaw Man fanfic that I've started working on for a few months now that I really like the concept of. [Word Count: 32K, 7 chapters]
These four fanfics, along with All For Luz, are my pride and joy. But right now I am primarily giving My Hero Academia: Dynamite And A Laserbeam. This is because I am very close to completing it. That does not mean my work with it is done, as I have to massively overhaul its earlier chapters due to them being, in my opinion, cringe. I have another reason as to why I am heavily editing it, though if you are truly that curious go check out the 77th "chapter" and read it for yourself.
Because of the overhaul and undertaking I am doing for MHA: DLB, I am not going to be uploading any of my other fics for a long time. The only reason why I am updating this is so that you all know that after this chapter and the one after it, there will be a long break in between the rest.
I know that this might not be what any of you want to hear, but it is the truth. That being said, I hope you guys enjoy these next two chapters, and I will see you all in the next one. Peace!
[A Late Start To A Wacky World – Part 3]
"900 Snails, take it or leave it, kid," a cycloptic shopkeeper said, his voice deep and gruff sounding as a scowl took up his grey-skinned visage. Amity frowned, an annoyed gleam in her eyes as she stared up at the shopkeeper who had been more than double her height. During her outing on the town, Amity had decided to stay in the market district to see if she could get something else that had been on her Want List. Unfortunately, she was 700 hundred Snails short.
The object in question was a black diamond ring, with a gold-encrusted band with smaller red jewels within it. A gift she had planned to get for her mother, seeing as her birthday was coming up in a few days. She was turning 36, and last year Amity had felt guilty about not getting her anything. Not because her mother had guilted her about it—as a matter of fact, Odalia had constantly said that the only thing that she considered as a gift was her, though Amity personally didn't agree with that.
All Amity wanted was to give something to her mother that meant something. The odd doodle here and there was nice and all, and her mother appreciated it a lot, but she wanted to give her something of value. Of real material value. After all, that's what most children do for their parents, right? Boscha had said so, and even Willow had with whatever money she could scrounge up. It always felt so weird to Amity why she hadn't, even if her mother hadn't expected her to.
The problem was finding something to get her. After all, what did you give to the woman who already had everything that she could've possibly wanted? It was like trying to find a gift to give to Emperor Belos. It was impossible, especially considering that her mother was as rich as she was. There was nothing worse than that creeping feeling of uselessness that crept up inside of Amity's heart when she couldn't fulfil the dreams of her mother, even if her mother could've cared less about material desires.
She had been fretting for weeks trying to think of something, anything that she could potentially get for her mother's birthday, and had just been ready to give up. That was when Amity overheard her mother talking to her father that if there was anything that she wanted in the whole world, aside from their marriage, it was a black diamond ring. But she specified that she didn't want to buy it herself. She wanted it to be a gift because if she bought it herself, it would depreciate its value in her eyes.
While her father had brushed it off as drunken ramblings, because she had a bit too much wine that night, Amity didn't. Her mother had a hard time being honest with her regarding things that she wanted and or expected of her. While on the surface her mother had said that Amity had been her whole world, deep down she knew that wasn't the case.
Deep down, Amity knew that her mother wanted something. Everyone wanted something. That was just how people worked in general. Everyone always coveted something that they had been wanting for years now but had never been able to get it for some stupid reason or another. And while it had been an anomaly for what her mother wanted, now she knew. It was a black diamond ring.
And so, with that information she now had, that was what she had been looking for. She was going to get her mother that black diamond ring. And she had been in luck! But now that she had found it, she was 100 Snails off. It had frustrated her to no end, but there was nothing she could do about it. With a dejected sigh, she bowed her head. "I'm sorry for wasting your time, good sir," Amity said as the shopkeeper huffed.
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever kid. Now get. You're taking up line space," the shopkeeper rumbled, as Amity walked away, the annoyed gleam in her eye intensifying as her frown deepened. He didn't need to talk to her like that. Then again, he was a Cyclops. Cyclops were known for their lack of patience and manners. They were often seen as the dredges of society, even below Unique individuals.
That wasn't to say that she felt the same way, mind you. Her mother raised her better than that. She wasn't like her siblings. She wasn't a racist. That was her father's department. Her father had been the one to do most of the raising when it came to those two, as her mother was mostly focused with her and making sure she didn't accidentally break anything as a toddler.
The streets of the Market District were filled with vendors of all kinds. Trolls, Cyclops, other Witches, and Demons of all sorts like Spider Demons, Bat Demons, and so on and so forth. There were a lot of different species in The Boiling Isles, and atop of that there was a cast system. Witches were at the top, followed by Demons, Unique Children, Cyclops, and finally Trolls.
Amity didn't care for the specifics, but she knew that aside from Cyclops, Trolls were the ones that got the most brunt of the beatings. They were often treated less than dirt and were often victims of hate crimes. Even Cyclops used their higher power over them, which to Amity made no real sense—because why would beat down on someone lower than you?
Then again, considering just what kind of times she lived in, it was to be expected.
A sigh escaped Amity's lips as she clutched her bag to her hip. She had to think of something to do. Her mother was going to want her back home any minute now. She had already been out for over two hours, and aside from the dye she had nothing to show for it. She needed to do something, anything to make that extra amount of money to get that ring.
As she stalked the market district, out of the corner of her eye, something had caught her attention. It was a poster flapping in the wind. It was dark brown and looked like it had been ripped up and torn apart. Curiosity took her over, as she walked over to the poster. It had been nailed to a wooden pole, and the poster itself looked like it was some kind of job application.
It was advertising an underground Witches duelling ring. It was being run by a man by the name of Perry Porter, and it even allowed Unique children to take part. As Amity scanned the paper, she saw the section about payment, and her eyes widened.
For every match that was won, the winner would receive 100 Snails, and they would progressively earn more Snails as the fights continued. There was a special tournament that was going on today that would allow her to earn over 10,000 Snails in one go. All she had to do was win three other battles before the special event, and she would take home 10,000 Snails, a good chunk of which she could use to buy that ring her mother wanted!
Her eyes glimmered with joy! This was it, this was how she got the money that she needed. And what was better was that there were directions to where the fights were taking place and the time. She was also in luck, seeing as they were still taking participants for another hour. The place she was looking for wasn't even an hour away. It was more or less a fifteen-minute jog.
Rolling up the poster, she opened her bag and put it inside, before turning in the direction she needed to go. She began to run, with a determined gleam in her eye. She was going to make whatever money she needed in order to get that ring. She'd be damned if she didn't. Well, not really, but that ring was her chance to get her mom something worthwhile.
It didn't take her long to reach the location. It was a small building on the outskirts of town. The market district wasn't too far away from the outskirts, hence the short distance. While she wasn't entirely out of breath, she was a little tired. Said building appeared to be a hut made of black wood, with circular windows. The roof was in the shape of a triangle as most roofs were, and there was a small brick chimney coming out of the top with a small amount of smoke billowing from the chimney. On the front door of the residence was a sign that said "Porter Residence. For tournament, go around back."
Amity looked around the corner and saw nothing. Her eyebrows knit together, as a skeptical thought wormed around in the back of her head. Was the poster lying? Had she wasted her time? She hoped not….
Walking around to the rear of the building, Amity was just about to get extremely annoyed at the lack of finding anything, when she stumbled forward tripping on a small rock. As she fell, she brushed past what felt like curtains, and when she did, she found herself being caught by someone inches away from hitting the ground.
"Whoa! You alright?" A young-sounding voice asked as she was helped up. Getting to her feet, Amity turned to face the direction of the voice and was met with a kid who looked two years her junior. He had dark skin, meaning he had most likely grown up in Glandus. Those with naturally darker skin lived there, as it was more out in the sun which led to the skin having more melanin compared to other places.
He had dark brown hair and chocolate-coloured eyes. He was dressed in a blue shirt with black trousers, with a steel-chain necklace with what appeared to be the symbol for the Illusion coven attached to it. The sleeves of his shirt were light blue, with bands matching the same colour as his shirt. He also had dark brown boots with furred linings on, and most notable of all a smile on his face.
Amity smiled in kind, placing a hand on her chest. "I'm alright. Thank you for the save. What's your name?"
"Augustus Porter. But, please, call me Gus. Augustus is too wordy," Gus said as Amity nodded. "And I take it you're here for the tournament? What's your name so I can put you down on the list of participants," Gus said, as Amity had only just noticed now that there was a clipboard in his other hand. She was able to take a peek at the amount of people who were attending the tournament. She counted roughly twenty-one names, none of which she recognized.
That wasn't like it mattered. She was here to win. And with her Gift, she could probably beat them all. While she wasn't a fan of her Gift, nor how it came to be, it was a powerful Gift all the same. There was a reason why her mother was so confident in her abilities. Clearing her throat, Amity bowed ever-so-slightly as her mother had taught her to do, and answered. "Amity Blight. A pleasure to make your acquaintance."
As Gus wrote down her name, his expression became troubled, eyebrows furrowing as he looked up from his clipboard and at her. He gained an almost lopsided frown, before tilting his head to the left. "Hmm…" he hummed, before sighing, straightening his head as he spoke. "Come with me, Blight. My father was worried someone of the elite would come by. Nothing against you in particular, he just wants to ask you some questions."
Amity nodded. She guessed this was technically illegal. But even so, she wouldn't snitch to the Emperor's Coven. She needed the money, and she needed it fast. If she was lucky, this would only take her a few hours to clear.
If her mother asked where she was, then she would simply tell her that she had been caught up walking around town and that she had forgotten about the time. It wasn't like she hadn't done that before. On the rare occasions, Amity had left the house, that type of thing had happened. Her mother was understanding all the other times, so she saw no reason why she wouldn't be understanding now.
Gus led her to what looked like a staircase that went underground, with two hatch doors opened on either side. Next to the underground entrance was a booth that she assumed Gus had been sitting in, waiting for potential contestants. Peering down the staircase, she noted that it went far underground, to the point where even with a lamp it would be difficult to see past the seventh step. Following Gus down the stairs, as they walked, lamps turned on, illuminating the dark stairwell. The sound of doors shutting behind them made Amity glance over her shoulder. The entrance doors had closed on their own, which made Amity get a nervous feeling in her chest.
The deeper they descended, the more her anxiety built up. Finally, after five minutes of pure walking, they made it to a landing with a pair of double doors. It had a pair of golden handles, with intricate vine-like patterns carved into it, with more blackened wooden doors. Similar carvings were made into the wood, which had fascinated Amity.
Gus opened the doors with a hefty push. He grunted, pushing them open with seemingly all of his might. Once he got them open, he gestured for her to enter. Doing as he had silently requested, she stepped through the doors. What she was met with was a spectacle, unlike anything she had seen before.
Beneath the humble town of Bonesborough, this place existed, hiding completely under their feet. It was yet another town, one that she did not know the name of. Hundreds of people, Troll, Cyclops, Demons and witches alike mingled as if it were normal. Rows and rows of houses seemingly made of mushrooms filled the streets, with other facilities in the distance like a school, a library, and even what appeared to be a museum.
In the center of it all was a massive colosseum the size of Hexside. Her eyes sparkled with amazement as she turned to face Gus, who had a smile on his face. "Welcome to The Underdark. A town that The Emperor doesn't know about. A safe haven for those who had rejected society and cast aside the law. It's been a passion project of my fathers ever since the end of the Ten-Year War following The Principals of The Interloper. Strength Above Status, Ideals Above Rules, and Emotions Above Morals."
His eyes narrowed, crossing his arms as he frowned. "The Emperor cannot find out about this place. When I take you to my father, you will answer him honestly. Otherwise… well, I can't vouch for your safety. Okay?"
Amity nodded again in understanding. And while this place was fashioned around the principles of the person who had destroyed The Boiling Isles and left it as it was now, she wasn't one to force others to fall in line. Her mother, beyond all else, believed in freedom and so did she. Gus grunted in acknowledgement, gesturing for her to follow him.
Navigating the streets of The Underdark she realized was similar to navigating Bonesborough. From what she was experiencing the layout was the same. It was like an exact copy of the town above. The only differences were that lamps were replaced with glow-shrooms, dirt rounds were replaced by gravel roads, and there were far more Demons, Cyclops, and Trolls here than Witches.
The residents smiled and waved her in greeting and she would do the same. Even Trolls waved at her, though they didn't smile. Mostly because their faces were formed into permanent neutral expressions or scowls. Their eyes showed their true emotion, and the Trolls she had seen seemed to be content with seeing her here.
The place that Gus was taking her to was a mushroom house taller than all the others that she had seen. Like most of the mushroom houses the walls were white due to their stocks, though the mushroom top had two more mushrooms growing out of it. Windows were carved into the stocks, though there was no glass. The doors were made out of stone, and there were no chimneys most likely because mushrooms were very flammable. Then again, it wasn't like it was needed because the Underdark was supernaturally warm.
The mushroom tops were dark blue in colour, compared to the rest being either red or brown. Meaning this was most likely a place of power. If she were to guess the Porters probably owned his place. Gus approached the building as did she, and as he opened the door he turned to face her. "Just a word to the wise, my father is very, very strict when it comes to newcomers. He has trust issues after what happened during the war. While he may be kind to everyone else, he might not show that same kindness to you."
"I understand," Amity replied as Gus nodded. It wasn't as if she wasn't used to people being rude to her. Her siblings came to mind, though she quickly brushed it to the side as she entered the Porter residence. When she did, she was met with a humble abode. A carpet made of red and yellow wool, more than a handful of pictures of the Porter family, along with a kitchen off to the far left corner of the home.
On either side of the home, two hallways led to two different staircases. Over the left staircase, above it was a sign that said "Augustus's quarters" and over to the right staircase there was a sign above it that said "Perry's quarters." Off to the far right corner of the home was a living room with bookshelves and several board games stacked atop one another on a coffee table, and near the center was a dining table.
Sitting at the dining table was who she assumed was Perry Porter. He looked old, easily in his mid-40s. Much like his son he had dark-coloured skin, though unlike his son's straight hair, he had curly hair. His eyes were greyish-black, and he wore a pair of red thick-framed glasses. He was dressed in a casual white shirt and a pair of black pants with similar boots to Gus's.
His eyes drifted over to where Amity stood, and as soon as he laid eyes on her he stood up. He was easily over six feet tall, and his broad and muscular appearance made him look intimidating, which became all the more apparent when he spoke. "Augustus. Who is this?" As he said that, voice low and baritone, Gus flinched. His voice contained a sharp edge to it, and seeing as Gus flinched it was clear that she wasn't the only one who picked up on the barely concealed annoyance in his voice. "I've told you time and time again to not bring outsiders to The Underdark."
"Father, she wants to be a part of the tournament. I brought her here because she's a Blight, an Elite," Gus replied, keeping a brave face as Perry's eyes widened. He walked over to her, his eyes narrowed with what appeared to be anger. Though it faded, along with his scowl. Replaced in its stead was a toothy grin, as he kneeled to her level.
"If it isn't a Blight. The very family who aided The Interloper during the war! To what do I owe the pleasure?" Perry asked as Gus blinked, confusion taking up his visage.
"You're not mad?" Gus questioned as Perry laughed, placing a hand on Gus's shoulder.
"Mad? Why would I be mad at one of The Interloper's closest allies finding us? This has been the chance we've been waiting for. And if the rumour of someone going by Shigaraki on the surface is true, it seems our bid to overthrow Emperor Belos will come to pass yet!" Perry said, turning to face Amity. "If you wish to enter the tournament, then you have my blessing to do so. Although, I'd like you to send Odalia a message. Tell her this. Only she'll understand it, as she spent the most time with the interloper and is fluent in the language he spoke. toki wa kita. kakumei wa mamonaku hazimaru. eikô aru sidôsya no tameni, wareware wa syôrisuru."
The words flowed through her ears and imprinted into her mind. Whatever that meant, she made a mental note to tell her Mom that. "Alright. I'll be sure to let her know."
"Very good," Perry said, standing up. "If that is all, the tournament is an hour away from starting. Head there now. Gus, take her there. I will be routing for you, Ms. Blight," Perry said as Gus turned to face her, gesturing with his head to follow him. A part of her was worried about what it was that he was alluding to, but it probably wasn't anything too worrisome.
There was a part of Amity that didn't like those words. In the back of her mind, she could've sworn she could hear someone trying to tell her something. But it was so quiet that it was almost non-existent. Either that, or she was she just hearing things. She was willing to bet on the latter rather than the former.
Upon getting to the colosseum, Gus ushered inside and took her to the waiting room, which was just down a few hallways. The building from what she saw of it before she was rushed inside was made of granite and looked rather sturdy. That was good, that meant she didn't have to hold back as much as she thought she might have.
Entering the waiting room, she was met with dozens of eyes on her. Her fellow contestants varied in size and species, and all of them looked extremely strong. None of them looked familiar, and they all looked at her as if a pack of wolves had set their eyes on easy prey.
She'd make them regret that.
"Alright, everyone listen up!" Gus said, gathering all of their attention. "These are the matchups for the first thirteen matches. So listen carefully! If you hear your name, look for your opponent and stand with them. I will fetch you when your fight happens. Starting with the first fight. Jadestone Graymatter versus Juger Narchbache."
A troll and a Pig Demon stood next to one another, glaring at each other. Gus continued with an indifferent expression.
"Kepke Hutchburn versus Grun Lich." A Cyclops and a Witch.
"Hindter Wrathson versus Amity Blight." That was her, and the person who came up to her was a very large, very muscular Bear Demon. He had brown fur covering his arms and a snarl etched onto his expression.
"I'm gonna rip out ya insides, little brat," Hindter growled as Amity glared at him. So that was how it was going to be? She clenched her hand into a fist but refrained from doing anything. He looked down at her, before scoffing. "Easiest 100 Snails I'll ever make."
The rest of the names Amity didn't pay attention to. Most of the contestants were Trolls, Demons, or Cyclops. Only a handful of them were witches, none of which had covens, meaning they used Wild Magic. That meant they were Wildcards and were people she needed to look out for. Gus motioned for Jadestone and Juger to follow him, before looking back at the rest of them.
"Wait here until it is your turn, we don't others to have advantages over others by watching what happens during the battles. Remember the rules. There are none. Killing the opponent is perfectly fine, after all, this is The Underdark. Our mantra's very clear. Strength Above Status, Ideals Above Rules, and Emotions Above Morals. Anything here is free game, so don't hold back if you value your life." As those words left Gus's mouth, Amity felt that anxiety creep up on her again.
He had omitted that little bit of information, hadn't he? He saved that for now on purpose. The poster didn't say anything about that. Then again, why would it? Most of the people here were from the Underdark, meaning they knew the risks. She was the only outlier here. Witch duels were known for often causing gratuitous harm to the combatants, but killing was a strict no-no. Then again, this was The Underdark, so she had to play by their rules.
But even if her opponents were going to try and kill her, she wouldn't do the same. Killing others was above her, and she would not stoop to their level just for some extra money. She wasn't a monster, nor would she ever be.
And so, she waited patiently for her turn with a determined gleam in her eyes. She was going to win. She was going to get that money to buy her mother that ring. And just to be sure, she took the necklace off, put it into her hand and activated her Gift. Purple sparks of electricity jumped off of her arm as she crushed the gemstone between her hands, letting the remains fall to the floor.
Her opponent didn't seem to notice, too absorbed in his thoughts. No one else seemed to notice, which was even better. She had the element of surprise against them, and that would most likely be a deciding factor in her victory.
Now all she had to do was wait.
-To Be Continued-