5 Years.
I don't know what is taking you so long Wanda... but I need your help. Please Wanda... Help me.
Standing outside my house, I waited for the bus to pick me up. According to everyone... I needed to go to summer camp to become... normal. I didn't want to be normal, I wanted to be weird, like Wanda, the Scarlet Witch, or Azura the good witch.
Hearing the door open, I turned to face my mother, Camila. "Oh! Oh, my baby!" She said as she walked over to me and gave me a hug. "Now, don't worry. Summer camp is only going to be for three months. You'll be so busy balancing checkbooks and learning to... appreciate public radio, the time will fly by!" She said with a forced smile.
"But I don't like any of that stuff. I like editing anime clips to music and—and reading fantasy books with convoluted backstories, even trying to figure out the mysteries behind Wanda's early disappearance, before she joined the Brotherhood and after she escaped the Asylum!" I said, as it was never known on what happened or where she went. She didn't even remember, but every time it's brought up she cries a little.
"Mija, your fantasy world is holding you back. Do you have any friends? Real ones, not imagined or drawn or reptilian?" My mother asked, with me looking down at my fan made poster of Wanda and book of Azura. With a heavy sigh, I walked slowly over to the trash bin. "Summer camp is a chance to make some friends, but you have to try. Can you do that?"
"Yes, Mom." I said, not really in the mood to be dealing with her. I put both my poster and book into the trash bin. Just then, my mothers phone vibrated in her purse.
"Oh. I gotta go to work." She said, before Kissing me on the forehead. "Your bus is coming soon. Text me when you get there. Cuídate mucho, mija. ¡Qué te vaya bien!" She said with a wave as she walked away.
"Bye, Mom." I said as I watched her leave. Once she was gone, I started rummaging through the bin. "Where is it? Where is it?" I asked as I tried to find the poster and book. Hearing an owl hoot, I looked up and saw a little owl, my poster and book sticking out of the bag in his beak. It turned around and flies away, shocking me.
"Tiny trash thief!" I said as I gave chase.
Later
I paused when I the reached a decrepit abandoned house, where the owl continued right inside. Staring at the house, I grumbled before steeling my nerves. I ran inside, the front door slams shut behind me.
"Stop adorably hopping away, you—Huh?" I said as I took notice that I was now in a tent. Looking around the tent, I saw that it is full of old odds and ends. "Whoa. I thought I had a lot of weird stuff." I said as I grabbed a creepy-looking doll. "But this? This is impressive." I said with a sly smile.
"Finally, you're back!" I heard, with me looking at where the woman's voice came from. I gasped for a bit before diving towards the ground. I peeked back up and slowly walked forward, moving the flap of the tent aside to see the back of a woman. "Now let's see what we've got here." She said as she started going through the bag.
I watched as the little owl lands on top of the woman's staff. She turned him around, and it becomes a wooden fixture of the staff. This made me gasp once more.
I watched as she took out a phone from the bag. "Garbage." She said as she tossed it aside and then took out a ring. "Garbage." She said as she tossed it aside and took out a golden shining chalice. "Garbage." She said, making me gasp as there was no way that the golden chalice was garbage. "Oh, hey, Wanda! I guess she returned to the human team after all! Been wondering where she went. Looks nice with short hair, nothing like her mothers long hair but it works!" She said, making me gasp as she looked over the poser of Wanda that I made. "Dakota must of made it back as well, good for them!" She said as she placed it aside. "I'm keeping that!" She said as she pulled out a pair of joke glasses. "Now, this..." She said as she puts them on. "This will make me rich." She said as she took out my book next. "And this... Oh, this will make good kindling." She said as she moved it over to a candle.
Gasping, I ran forward and took the boom from her and then the poster. "Excuse me, sorry, these are mine, thank you!" I said as I ran back into the tent and for the door. It folded up before I could walk through it and disappeared.
"You're not going anywhere." She said, with me looking at her as she removed the glasses. I shoved the poster and book into my bag and ducked out the back of the tent. I ran, and skids to a stop mere inches away from falling off a cliff. I was clearly no longer on Earth, the town before me being made up of far too many arms and teeth. A dragon flies by and is caught by one of said arms. Denizens of the town going about their days: a cloaked figure holding an ice cream cone which eats someone, the legs of what appear to be a giant chicken, a centipede-looking thing opening its mouth to let a winged creature fly out. The latter two kiss before going their separate ways.
Backing away from the cliff, I shook my head. "Oh, no, no, no, no! What's going on?" I said, with a shriek as a fairy approaches me. "Oh, hello, little fairy. Are you going to tell me this is all a fantastical dream?" I asked with a smile.
"Give me your skin!" The fairy said, scaring me.
Letting out a scream, I slapped the fairy into the ground. "Where am I? Did I die? Am I in the bad place?" I asked as I pulled may hair.
"You wish." The woman said, placing a hand on my shoulder as she sat me down on a stool.
"I'm so sorry! I just wanted my things back! If you're gonna eat my skin!" I said as I offered her my arm while closing my eyes. "Just make it quick! Just do it now!" I said as I leaned away from her.
"Eat you? Why would I eat... a potential customer?" She said, where I opened my eyes to look at her. "Can I offer you a human foot filled with holes?" She said as she holds up a green Croc, then puts it aside and grabs a stick of men's deodorant. "A bar of green human candy? Oh, oh! How about this black shadow box that reflects only sadness?" She said as she holds a portable TV up.
I couldn't help but laugh at her. "That's not all it can do. Here, let me see it!" I said as I took the TV and grabbed two batteries from a dish labelled "Human candy!" I put the batteries in and presses the power button. A jazzercise video start playing with loud music. "Voilà!" I said as I spread my arms out at it.
Several customers and vendors stop at the noise.
"Huh?"
"What's that?"
"The sound—it's so alluring."
Several monsters are now crowded around the TV.
"I'll pay 40 snails for the screaming box!"
"I'll give you a hundred!"
"Can I eat the tiny person inside?"
The whole crowd starts bidding.
"What did you say your name was?" The woman asked as she looked at me.
"I'm Luz. Luz Noceda." I introduced, smiling at her as she wasn't so scary.
"Well, Luz, that was pretty clever... for a human." She said as she took someone's money.
"That's kind of a weird thing for another human to say." I said with a raised eyebrow and a smirk.
"Oh, dear child." She said as she took off the bandana she was wearing to reveal pointed ears. "I'm not like you." She said as she climbs onto the table. "I'm Eda the Owl Lady, the most powerful witch on the Boiling Isles!" She said with pride, with me focusing on one word.
"A witch?" I asked with some hope of becoming one myself.
"I am a respected, feared-"
"Busted!" Someone said before busting the TV.
"Run! It's a guard!" Someone said as all of the customers run away screaming.
Eda hops down from the table, looking at the guard as he holds up Eda's wanted poster. "Eda the Owl Lady, you are wanted for misuse of magic and demonic misdemeanors." He said, where I looked between them and then slowly hid behind the table.
Slowly coming back up, I looked at Eda. "Whoa! Witch criminal! Just like Wanda!" I said with stars in my eyes.
"You are hereby ordered to come with me to the Conformatorium." He said as he grabbed Eda's arm.
"Would you guys quit following me around? I haven't done squat." Eda yelled as she freed her arm.
"And you're coming too!" He said as he picked me up by the hood, shocking me. "For fraternizing with a criminal!" He said, shocking me.
"Wh-What? That's not cool!" I protested.
"Oh, all right, all right, you win. Just let me get my stuff." Eda said as she reaches under the table and grabs her staff, swinging it at the guard. He fell to the ground with a grunt. Eda spins her staff and taps the bottom of it on the table, making all her stuff float in midair. I took the time to pick myself and my things up. "Whoops. Can't forget this." Eda reaches into her hair and pulls out a key, pressing the eye to summon the portal door. She closes her hand into a fist, making the tablecloth wrap itself around all of her stuff. She sticks her staff through the bundle and starts running. "Follow me, human!" She called out, where I followed her.
"This is crazy. If I die here, my mom's gonna kill me!" I said as I looked over my shoulder as I followed Eda.
"Ha! I won't let 'em hurt you. A human like you is much more valuable to me alive than dead!" Eda said, where I turned to look at her.
"Wait. What's that supposed to-"
"Whoo-hoo!"
Eda jump, pulling herself and me onto her staff. We took off into the sky as the guard after us. "You won't get away with this, Owl Lady!" The guard called out, with me looking back at him.
Later
I felt like crying, out of fear, Shock, Joy? All of the above. I couldn't even open my eyes!
"You can open your eyes now, human." Eda said, where I decided to trust her.
Doing so, I yelled and nearly fell off the staff when I saw the ground below us. "Flying staffs, crazy monsters, you're a witch! What is this place?" I asked, unsure on what to believe in anymore.
"This is the Boiling Isles." Eda said as she pulled me back up and sat me down right. "Every myth you humans have is caused by a little of our world leaking into yours." She explained, gaining my interest. Various winged creatures fly behind us as Eda talked. A griffin that looks extremely similar to one I made at school flies up next to us and screeches.
"A griffin!" I said as I pointed at it. The griffin then barfs spiders. "I knew it!" I said as I was extremely glad to be right.
"Yep. Griffins, vampires, giraffes..."
"Giraffes?" I asked as those were normal for us.
"Oh, yeah. We banished those guys. Bunch of freaks." Eda informed, still confusing me. Eda landed the staff and hopped off, though her hand stayed behind. Seeing it move, I let out a scream as I jumped off. "Oops." Eda said as she screws her hand back on. "That happens sometimes."
"Well, I've had enough adventure for today." I said as I stood up straight. "This is clearly not the PG fantasy world I always dreamed about. So, can you help me get back home?" I asked, looking up at Eda.
Eda levels her staff in front of me, startling me. "Only if you help me first." She said as she chuckles, lifts her staff, and walks away with the bag following her. "Ah, now, come along, human!" She said, with me scratching my head at her request for a moment and following.
I came to a stop once I saw a large house made from white brick with a sloping blue roof. A stained glass window above the door gives the impression of a large orange demon eye. A crumbling stone tower with orange moss growing on it is located to the rear left of the house.
"Aren't you worried about those guards finding us?" I asked as I followed.
"Nope. My house has a state-of-the-art defense system." Eda said as we stopped at the door.
"Hoot-hoot! Password, please!" The door spoke, where Eda poked both of its eyes, getting a scream from it.
"We got no time for this, Hooty. Let us in!" Eda said, naming the door Hooty.
"All right, all right! Geez! You never want to have any fun! Hoot!" Hooty said as he opened his mouth wide enough to completely cover the door. Eda and I step through, though Eda's bag stays outside.
"Welcome to, the Owl House!" Eda said and with a snap of her fingers candles ignite. A fire in the fireplace starts, a cauldron starts stirring itself, and a broom starts sweeping the floor. Overhead, a depiction of an owl beast of some kind begins to glow with a great screeching noise. I couldn't help but look at all of this in awe. "Where I hide away from the pressures of modern life. Also the cops. Mm, also ex-boyfriends." Eda said, chuckling.
"This place is beautiful!" I said as I placed my things down on the coffee table. "Do you live here all alone?" I asked, looking at her, when suddenly thudding footsteps shake the house.
"Actually, I have a roommate." Eda answered as she looked at me.
"Who dares intrude upon I." A voice spoke, sounding deep up until they walked around the corner. "The King of demons?" The demon Dog said, holding a squeaky duck and squeezing it.
I couldn't help but gasp at how cute he was. ¡"Ay, que lindo!" I said before running forward and scooping him up into my arms and hugging him. "Eda, he's so cute! Who's a widdle guy? Who's a widdle guy? Is it you? Is it you?"
"No!" The demon dog said as he fought against me. "I don't know who your little guy is! Eda, who is this monster?" He called out, looking at Eda for help.
"Oh, this is Luz, the human." Eda said as she separated us. "She's here to help us with our little... situation." She said, where the Demon Dog cheered.
"Wait, wait, wait. I don't like the sound of this "situation". I said, holding my hands up as I spoke.
"Just... let me explain." Eda said before drawing a spell circle that darkens and effectively turns into a storybook. "King was once a mighty king of demons, until his Crown of Power was stolen, and he became... this." Eda said as she pointed at King, who I was already hugging because he was so cute.
"You mean this little bundle of joy?" I asked as I snuggled him.
"The crown is being held by the evil Warden Wrath and locked away behind a magical force field that only a human can break through." Eda explained, with me nodding as I got that. "A human like you. If you help us retrieve his crown, we'll send you back to your realm. So whaddya say? Plus!" Eda said as she picked King up by his face and shook him gently. "Who could say no to this cute face?"
"No! Please don't encourage her!" King said before Eda drops him.
"I mean, we're kinda your only way home." Eda said as she shrugged her shoulders while looking to the side.
"So I don't really have a choice, do I?" I said, with her winking at me.
"Nope." Eda said as she reached for me, but I backed away.
"First, tell me what you can about Wanda!" I said, pointing at my poster, with King running over to it and holding it up.
"Yep, it's her alright! It's been a long time since I've seen her! But I know that scowl anywhere." King said, passing it over to Eda, who looked it over.
"Wanda and her friend passed through, I taught her how to use magic for a bit, it was only a day or two. I knew her mother as well, we were friends. Why? Something happen to Wanda?" Eda asked, with me taking the poster from her.
"I'm a fan of hers, and for a while after she escaped the Asylum she went missing and when she reappeared she ended up joining the brotherhood of evil." I informed, with Eda growing a large grin.
"Brotherhood of evil? Is she a wanted criminal like her teacher?" Eda asked, with me nodding. "Ha! Like Master like Student!" Eda said, then frowned. "But wait, What about Dakota? With his powers and fear it's not going to be like him to join some evil group. What happened to him?" Eda asked, with me raising an eyebrow at her.
"Who?" I asked, where Edna's face pales even more that it normally was.
"Dakota, kills anything he touches, Wanda's Best Friend? None of this is ringing a bell?" Eda asked, with me shaking my head at this. "Why would she return to the Human realm without him?" Eda thought to herself as she rubbed her chin. "Unless... Dakota died here... I knew it, I knew I should have gone after her right then and there!" Eda said as she paced back and forth.
"Wait, what's happening?" I asked, with King looking at me.
"See, Dakota is a mutant, but he believed that he was cursed. He was put in the asylum when he tried offing himself. He took out his family with his power and he hated himself for it. Wanda tried telling him the truth, but he got all hysterical about it and ran off. That was the last we heard from him." King said as he walked around me.
"So, Wanda broke Dakota out of the Asylum?" I asked, where Ed's turned to face me.
"Other way around. Dakota was in a coma from his suicide attempt and when he was stable they placed him in the asylum. The same day he got there he woke up, thought Wanda was in danger and broke out of his containment to help her. They became friends then and there. He was her protector." Eda said with a smile.
"Wow, backstory!" I said as I placed my hands on my cheeks. "And adorable, Wanda had a crush!" I said, curious on who this Dakota guy was, and why she never mentioned him or this place. "Question!" I said as I held my hand up. "Is it possible for Wanda to have repressed her memories of this? She never mentioned the boiling isles, Dakota, or any of this. She says she can't remember when she is asked about this." I asked, with Eda sitting down.
"I see, so either she repressed the memory or someone erased it." Eda said as she looked at King and then me. "If that's the case, then there isn't anything that I can do!" She said as she shrugged her shoulders.
"Thats it? You're just going to let it be?" I asked, shocked at her 180 in attitude.
"Wanda is a big girl now, and can take care of herself. Besides, she is home in the human realm, so it's no longer my concern." Eda said as she picked me up and tossed me over her shoulder as she heads for the door. "Now, we've got no time to lose."
"Soon, Mr. Ducky, we shall drink the fear of those who mocked us." King said, talking to his rubber duck as he followed.
"Where are we going?" I asked, completely forgotten the plan.
"Somewhere super fun." Eda said as we took off.
Later, The Conformatorium
"The Conformatorium, a place for those considered unsuitable for society." Eda said, with me looking at the single tower with one bridge going to it and walls too tall to climb. We landed, with me seeing Eda's wanted poster on the wall that we were hiding behind.
"Whoa. These guys really have the hots for you." I said as I looked at Eda.
"Yep. But we were never caught because we're too slippery." Eda said with a smirk.
"Try to catch me when I'm covered in grease. I'm a squirmy little fella." King said before he fell off of my head. "You and I will sneak up to the top of the tower, where they're holding my crown." King said as he pointed up.
"And I'm gonna make sure the warden's distracted." Eda said as she pointed her thumb at herself.
I let out a gasp as this was the perfect moment for me to wear a disguise. "Will I need a disguise?" I asked as I was practically jumping up and down in excitement.
"Uh..."
"I've been waiting to use this." I said as I pulled my hood up, flicking up cat ears. "Meow, meow." I said with a smile.
"It's hideous." King said, with me giving him a thumbs up.
"Oh, you'll fit right in." Eda said with a smile of her own. Eda taps the butt of her staff against the ground, creating a round glowing platform before backing away. "Hang on tight!" She said as the platform rises, floating all the way up to a window in the tower.
"Whoa!" I said in amazement as It disappears suddenly, forcing me to grab the edge of the window sill and King to cling to my feet. Eda, meanwhile, tosses her staff and casually sits down on it as it rises up to us.
"Meet you guys at the top of the tower!" Eda said as she took off.
King grunted as he climbs up me and into the window. Also grunting, I pulled myself up and in, falling on my face. "Cat's don't do that!" King said with a laugh.
Sitting up, I couldn't help but gasp. There were a lot of prison cells before us, all of them occupied by shadowy beasts of varying shapes and sizes, though all of their eyes glow in the light. One that drew my attention was a cell that had a bunch of seals on it, slightly open, but someone was still inside.
"Cat lady, how'd you get out of your cell?" A girl asked, with me looking at her.
"Oh, no, no, no. I'm not a cat." I said as I pulled my hood down. "Also, I'm not a criminal." I informed, smiling.
"Not yet, you're not." King reminded, with me looking at him.
"Neither are we. The stupid warden likes to lock people up who don't fit in. Like, I write fanfics of food falling in love." She said as she pulled out a book and showed it to me. "I like food, I like love... Just let me write about it." She said as she looked at the cover with a smile.
"I'm here because I like eating my own eyes." Another said as he plucks an eye out of his head, swallowing it. The eye floats back into place.
"We are agents of fwee expwession! They will never siwence us!" Another, shorter one, yelled.
"She's really big into conspiracy theories." The first one said as she jerked her thumb over at her.
"The world is a simulation! We are but playthings for a higher being!"
"What about him?" I asked as I pointed to the cell that has markings on it.
"No one knows, he's been half dead the entire time we've been here. He mutters a name every now and then. Wanda." The first one informed, shocking me.
"Wanda!?" I said with a gasp.
"Yep, but he is dangerous. Those who are true criminals are put in there, never to return, not even their bones leave." She said as a Flash of bright purple eyes open from the darkness of the cell. "The only one who ever returns is Emperor Belos, and that's because he disciplines him. His screams echo through these halls. We feel for him... but we don't know anything about him so we can't tell if he deserves it or not." She said, with me feeling sorry for him to live that kind of life.
"Wait." I said as I started pacing around. "These aren't crimes. None of you actually did anything wrong." I said as I pulled out Eda's wanted poster. "You're all just a bunch of weirdos. Like me." I said as I looked over the poster.
Thudding footsteps attracted our attention. "It's Warden Wrath! Hide!" She said, where I ran into the cell with all the symbols on it, having pushed the door open and pulling the door closed as I entered. Footsteps continue until a door is pushed open.
"I can hear you." Warden Wrath said, with me recognizing him from earlier. "Just what are you fools whispering about?" He said as he stomped forward, then looked down at Eda's wanted poster that I had dropped. "Ah. The Owl Lady." He said as he picks up the poster and crumples it, turning his fist into a hammer and slamming it into the door of my cell. "I'll get my hands on her soon enough." He said as he looks into the cell that we were, where King and I huddled in the together.
"Fight against the oppwessor! We will wesist! We will conquer! We will never be afwaid of you, you old cweep!" Warden Wrath walked over to her cell and opened it, where she stares at the opening door. "Hooway! I'm fwee!" She said as she let out a squeak.
Warden Wrath grabbed her, his fist fitting around her entire body. He holds her up and points at the other two prisoners. "Let this be a lesson to all of you. There's no place in society for you if you can't fit in." Warden Wrath said as he tightens his grip, making her squeak again. Warden Wrath stomps away, crushing the crumpled up wanted poster on his way out. A door slams, and I got ready to open my cell.
"Remove my chains." A raspy voice spoke from behind, with us turning to face them. "Release me..." He said, sounding almost dead.
"That voice... sounds familiar.." King said as he started thinks for a moment. "Nope, can't place it!" King said as he gave up.
I stepped forward and reached for his arms. "Don't touch my skin... I'm cursed with the Touch of Death." He informed, with Kings eyes widening as he said that.
"Dakota? We thought you were eaten by demons!?" King said as he got off me and now stood in front of him. "You've been here all this time? Eda is going to be mad when she sees your state." He said as he lowered his head and shook it.
"King, you know him?" I asked, not sure on what was going on.
"Know him? He is Wanda's best friend!" King said, with me remembering the name that was dropped not too long ago.
"DON'T SAY HER NAME!?" Dakota yelled in anger, making me jump. "She abandoned me here, she lied to me!?" He yelled in anger as he tries to stand, but his legs are badly broken.
"Wanda knew you were here!?" King said as he backed up.
"But... Why would she do that to her friend?" I said, where I shook my head. "Don't worry. I can get you out." I said as I ran out the cell and pulled on the lever, but can't. "No! My weak nerd arms!" I said as I looked at my arms.
"Just get out of here while you still can, kid. Enjoy freedom for us." The girl said, where I looked at as as she walked deeper in her cell. I had no choice, so I reluctantly walked away.
Later
"Hey, I just checked." Eda said as she met us in a hallway while she hops off her staff. "The warden is distracted, tormenting some tiny creature. He won't be coming around here anytime soon." She said, with me looking up at her, then down.
"Eda... Dakota is here." I said, where King looked down as well. "He's in bad shape... he's been here the entire time... and he said Wanda knew." I said, not brave enough to look her in the eyes.
"What?" Eda questioned, her voice filled with anger.
"It's true, just mentioning Wanda made him mad." King added, looking up at her and then away just as fast. "My crown can wait! Dakota needs our help!" King added, with Eda placing a hand on our heads.
"Don't you worry, we will get your crown another day. Right now, Dakota's safety is top priority." Eda said as she let our heads go. "Five years." Eda said as she walked in the direction that we just came from, with it dawning on me on how long he has been here.
"It's not fair that they're all in here." I said as I followed. "They just want to be themselves. Why does everyone think that being a weirdo is so bad?" I asked myself as I didn't understand.
Later
Reaching the Cell, Eda pushed the door open. "Dakota? Is that really you?" Eda asked, where the figure looked up at her. She made a circle in the air and a ball of light appeared. Moving it closer, she gasped at the destroyed body that was before her. Bones showed, his flesh burned, melted and eaten away at. His hair was either gone, burnt or messy. His face looked to be more skull than human. "Holy Titan, you're alive!?" Eda said as she rushed in and knelt down in front of him. She reached out to his face but stopped at the last second. "Well, we owe you one, Luz." Eda said as she backed up and cut the chains with a spell. Dakota fell onto her staff, with it moving him out of the cells. "Now, let's get out of here before the warden finds us and loses his head." She said, with me looking down at the relaxed form of Dakota.
"Too late." A voice said, with me looking up at Eda and watching her head fly off her body.
I couldn't help but catch her head, screaming. "Ow! Oh, I hate it when that happens." Eda said, where I screamed louder as I did NOT expect this, but I did watch Dakota fall off the staff and crawl away.
"Eda! Are you okay?" I questioned, panicking as I didn't understand how she was alive.
"Yeah. This just happens when you get older." Eda said while rolling her eyes.
"Does it?" I questioned, thinking of my head falling off at one point in time in the future.
"Finally, I have you cornered, Eda the Owl Lady." Warden Wrath said as he looked down at Dakota's retreating form, which was crawling over to the wall. Warden Wrath walked closer to us, with us stepping back. "My guards could never get you, but I knew if I took your pet's toy, you'd come running." He said, with me glaring at Eda, who ignored me.
"What do you want with me? I've never actually broken any of your stupid laws... in front of you." Eda said while looking away from him.
"I want you..." He said as he pulled out a bouquet of flowers. "To go out with me."He said as he presented them to her.
"Wha...?" Eda said in confusion.
"What?" I said in disbelief.
"Go, boss!" A guard called out from behind him.
Warden Wrath Shoots the guard a thumbs-up before turning back to us. "You've always eluded our capture. You've always been the one who got away. I found that alluring." He said, where I watched Dakota slap his hand on the wall, with red lines going up the cracks in the wall.
"I hate everything you're saying right now." I said, hoping Dakota had a plan.
"You stay out of this!" Warden Wrath yelled, with me nodding. Warden Wrath tossed the bouquet over his shoulder, turning his now free hand into tentacles and grabbed me, holding me above the ground. "So how about it, Owl Lady?" He said as he picked Eda's head up by her hair. "The most powerful witch of the Boiling Isles and the feared Warden Wrath. We'd be the strongest power couple ever. I mean, it's—it's not like you can say no right now." He said, where I looked up and saw all of the walls now had the red lines in them.
"All right, Warden. You win. I'd just like to say something first. Come closer." Eda said as he brought her closer. "No. Just come a little bit closer." She said as he brought her closer. "Just... Yeah, that's good." She said as he was now in her face. She proceeded to spit in his face, making him drop me.
Just then, the entire building was turned to darkness, with us being able to see each other, but not the stones, cells or anything. "What's happening?" I asked as I stood up and backed away, with me hearing water under my feet. Looking down, I picked my feet up and saw that it wasn't water, but a very dark red.
"I have no Idea." Eda said as she looked around as well. "This your doing Warden?" Eda asked as she looked over at said Warden.
"Nope, and I know it's not my men either!" He said, with me looking over at Dakota, seeing a crimson aura coming off of him.
"When all dreams are missing..." He said, where everyone turned to face him as a large sends of dread filled the air. "Unbind my latch..." He said as Eda's body snatched me up with king and jumped onto the staff. "So I can go..." He said as we flew at the guard and grabbed Eda's head. "On a blood soaked walk." He said as we exited the tower all together, with us still hearing his voice as if it was in our heads.
Looking down at the tower, we watched as thousands of purple eyes opened up, completely covering the tower. "What's happening?" I asked, with Eda putting her head back on.
"I don't know, but whatever he just did, scared the soul out of me." Eda said as she had a hand on her chest, followed by all of the eyes and darkness getting sucked into the tower. "Is it over?" Eda asked as she flew closer, where a wave of power pushed us away a second later, sending us flying off off the staff.
I screamed as I fell, not wanting to die so early in my life. As I fell, I looked at the tower and saw that a fight was going on, screams coming from inside. Getting caught, I held on for dear life as I didn't want to fall again.
"When did Dakota get so much power?" King questioned, looking at Eda. "Last we saw, he couldn't use magic, and that was most definitely magic!" He said, with me looking up at him as he was on Eda's back.
"That's not just any magic, that's vampiric magic. There hasn't been any vampires around in centuries. Unless one somehow survived here for so long due to Emperor Belos locking them away." Eda said as she thought of how this could of happened. "If there is one thing to be afraid of, it's a vampire with the ability to kill anything with a touch." Eda said as a large hole appeared in the side of the wall.
Dakota now stood there, huffing and puffing. No longer was he half dead but fully healed. His hair was short, blonde. He wasn't buff like how I expected him to be if he was in good health, but between slim and toned. His clothes were destroyed, except a small portion of his pants, which I was grateful for. He had a chain on his right arm, with us following it and seeing that it was connected to the Warden. He tossed the warden forward, followed by a primal yell as he held his arms back as he leaned backwards.
"Now that is how you make a return!" King said as he pointed at Dakota. "If I'm King of the Demons, then he is King of the Monster!" King said as Dakota leaned forward, followed by two black wings tearing through his skin, blood splattering on the ground behind him. "That's got to hurt!" King said as Dakota flapped his wings.
The second he took off, he was gone. Looking behind, I came face to face with purple eyes looking into my own. I screamed as I nearly fell of, with Eda moving us away. "Back off!?" Eda yelled, where he turned his gaze over to Eda.
"Eda." He said in a softer tone than his raspy voice. He took a few deep breath as to calm himself down. "Sorry about that. I haven't had this much freedom in years." He said as he stretched his arms. "Now. Where is Wanda?" He asked, venom in his voice.
"She really did abandon you, didn't she?" Eda asked, saddened by the news.
"She did. Now, where is she?" He asked, with me looking between them.
"Wanda didn't mean to!" I said, with him looking at me. "She had her memories erased, against her will of course!" I said, where he thought about it for a moment.
"I see. Well, I would still like to know where she is." He said as he got in my face. "And you know where." He said, making me gulp.
"You already know where!" Eda said as she got his attention. "The Human realm!" She answered, where he snapped his fingers.
"That's right, we are in the demon realm!" He said with a laugh, then narrowing his eyes. "First, where is Emperor Belos! I will have his head on a pike for locking me away!?" He yelled as his eyes glowed.
"I would rest up if I were you." Eda said, flying around him. "That spell of yours, must of used up a lot of energy." She said, making him chuckle.
"Spell?" He said, looking Eda in the eyes. "That was me taking all the blood that I had spilled and absorbing it back into my body. My blood fills those walls. Five years of constant torture." He informed, making a fist, then relaxing. "Very well, to the old house then?" He asked, where Eda let out a sigh of relief.
"It's the Owl House, but I do know the confusion." I said, with Eda hitting me lightly on the head.
Later
Dakota had passed out as soon as we got back, and he was out of it. "Well, a deal's a deal." Eda said as she set her staff up against the wall. "Let's get you home." Eda said as she snapped her fingers. The key flies out of my bag and into Eda's hand. She presses the eye, and the portal door unfolds itself in front of the fireplace. I walked up to it, then hugged myself before turning to look back to look at Eda and King. King looks at the ground, visibly sad.
"Before I go." I said as I reached into my bag and pulled out my Azura doll. "I know it's not the same, but... a king shouldn't be without a crown." I said as I removed her crown and gave it to King.
"This shall suffice." King said as he put it on his head. "You there, plant! You are now under my command." He said as he walked away.
"Oh, and don't forget this." Eda said as she handed me the poster of Wanda and my book.
"Okay. I know you got your head cut off, and we started some kind of prison riot, but this was the most fun I've ever had." I said as I looked over at Dakota. "I don't fit in at home. You don't fit in here. He doesn't belong anywhere." I said, pointing us out. "If I stay, we could not fit in together, and even drag Dakota along with us." I said with a smile as I was willing to get him to see Wanda, but not with the hate in his heart.
"You have an ulterior motive." Eda said, where I nodded and looked from my poster of Wanda and Dakota. "Oh, I get it. I think?" Eda said as she scratched her head.
"I also want to stay and become a witch. Like you and Wanda." I said, where Ed's laughed.
"What? All right, that's crazy. Humans can't become witches. And Wanda is a witch due to blood." She informed, shocking me.
"Maybe that's because they haven't tried. If you teach me to become a witch, I'll do anything you want!" I offered, with her looking down at King as he pulled on her dress.
"Let her stay! She can make us snacks." King whispered.
"Well, I could use a hand keeping this goofball out of the cupboards." She said as she picked King up. "All right. I'll teach you how to be a witch. But you have to work for me before you learn any spells. Deal?" She said, holding her hand out to me. Ignoring the hand, I gave both of them a hug. "What's going on?" Eda questioned as she fought against the hug.
"Too tight! Too tight!" King yelled as he didn't like the hug.