We were at a place called the Slayground's, which was just a Playground. It was in the middle of Bonesborough. Several baby-track Hexside students were here. A sign at the front gate reads "THE SLAYGROUND funded by the Bonesborough department of parks & wreck". It also had a sign above a bench that reads "ALL BLOODTHIRSTY MONSTERS MUST BE LEASHED". Eda and Luz are sitting on a bench under the sign. I was actually leashed to Eda, because I was a "blood thirsty monster" as Eda put it. I was attached to her.
"I hate this!" I said as I narrowed my eyes at the kids in front of me.
"What if he gets hurt? What if the kids are mean to him?" Luz worried over king, letting out a gasp. "My parental instincts are freaking out, man." She said as she grabbed my shoulders and shook me.
"Let go!" I snapped, with Luz jumping back out of fright while Eda pulled the leash, choking me a bit.
"He's fine. Look at him!" Eda said as she held a hand out to King, who was trying to climb the slide.
"It does look like he's having fun." Luz said with a smile. "Aw. I wonder what cute little game he's playing?"
"Stand back, cretins." King said with a grunt as he reaches the top. "Yes! Yes! This is a throne worthy of a tyrant. Bow to me you snotty underlings. Bow!" He ordered while pointing at the kids.
"Okay!" A kid said before he proceeded to do a handstand while the other does a backbend.
"Yes, appease your master." King said as he rubbed his paws together.
"This isn't for standing, it's for sliding. You try." A kid from behind King said as he pushed King, causing him to slide.
King screams and then grunts when he hits ground. "Eda!" King cried out as he ran over to us, clinging to Luz's leg. "That monster took my throne!" He said while pointing at the kid.
"You mean the baby?" Eda questioned with a smirk.
"Beware the kids, they are to be feared. I remember my kids. Demons, all of them." I said as I narrowed my eyes, then realized what I just said. "I don't have kids!" I said with a laugh. "I'm losing my mind. Who am I?" I questioned as I grabbed my head, ready to tear it in half as I was having memories of kids playing with the guts of people, even football with a head.
"You got problems." King said as he looked at me and then Eda. "No, the usurper. I want you to go over there and blow him up. Kaboom!" King said as he made an act of said kid blowing up.
Edaunscrews Owlbert from her staff. "Yeah, I'm not using Owlbert to blow up a five-year-old." She said as Owlbert hoots. "He's got better things to do. Like this..." She said as she pets him, where Owlbert warbles."
"Aw, what a sweetie. How did you get him?" Luz asked, with me tilting my head as I was curious as well.
"Get? I made Owlbert from the branch of an ancient tree." Eda informed, with me whistling as I had no idea what that was but wanted to sound like I did. Owlbert Hops onto Eda's hand, hoots. "Oh, he's my palisman and we're bonded for life." She said as Owlbert hops to her shoulder, nuzzling her cheek. "I'd annihilate anyone who'd hurt him." She said as she made a fist to show her determination.
"Fine. Don't help. Revenge will taste all the sweeter if they fall by my hand alone." King said as he started laughing menacingly... or at least tried to.
The kid comes over and shoves King down. "Tag, you're it!" He said with a laugh as he ran off.
"Oh, man. Here we go. King's squeak of rage." Eda said as she leaned over to us.King stands and then squeals while wriggling and punching on the air, pauses, then continues squealing as he charges after his rival. Eda and I laughed at him. "He is like a little teakettle." Eda said as she snorts.
Owlbert scratches at his face, with Luz reaching over and pointing at his foot. "Hey, what's that?" She asked as she points to Owlbert's foot, which seems to have a hole.
"That's his interlock. So he only fits on to my staff. Every palisman has one." She said as she fell over, with me catching her.
"Luz, get up!" I ordered as I laid Eda down.
"Eda?" Luz asked in concern as I placed my ear on her chest, hearing a heartbeat. Sitting up right, I opened her eye and saw that it was that of her cursed form. "Eda! Eda! Wake up!" Luz called out, where Eda's eyes open as well as turned back to normal. "Are you all right?" She asked as we helped Eda sit up.
"What? Oh, no. The curse. Hey, we have to get home. Now!" Eda said as she picks up her staff and starts to leave.
"King we have to go!" Luz called out as I walked with Eda, who wasn't holding onto the lash. As soon as we left the park, it vanished, with me looking back at the other two.
"Get a move on!" I ordered as I grew my own wings and took off to the Owl House to get things ready for Eda.
Later
"I'll go get your elixir!" Luz yelled as she ran in, with me catching her as she nearly ran into me. I now held her with the wooden hand, two feet off the ground. I turned her around and set her down.
"Don't worry about it. Here." I said as I held.the elixir out to Eda, who took it from me, downing it.
"Do you need me to stay home and take care of you?" Luz asked, before gasping. "I could put King in a little doctor's outfit." She said, where King and I looked at her. He had came in and went over to a pile of papers.
"No one wants to see that." Eda said, with me agreeing.
"I do." Luz said as she squished her face while blushing a bit.
"Look, I know how to take care of myself. I've had this curse longer than you two been alive." Eda said as she walked towards her room.
"So, how'd you get it?" Luz asked, with me elbowing her as it was a touchy subject for her.
Eda grunted at the question, leaning against the wall. I don't know. She said, making me frown as I still didn't know much about it myself.
"You don't know?" Luz asked while rubbing her side.
"Somebody gave it to me. I don't know who and I don't care because I'm fine, all right?" Eda said as she turned to face us. "Anyway, don't you have plans with Tweedledum and Twerpledee?" She asked, with me facing Luz.
"Well, Willow, Gus, and I are going to the grudgby game between Hexside and Glandus High." She said, with me taking it as your typical football game.
Edascrews Owlbert back onto the staff. "Since when are you into sports?" Eda questioned, with me smiling as it was nice to have Luz go out to make friends.
"Since I found a little something called Hexside Pride." Luz said as she struck a pose, grunting. "To think that Glandus, whoever they are, would dare face us. But if you need me to stay..."
"I got this, go!" I said as I turned Luz towards the door.
"Gross. Sympathy." Eda said as she rolled her eyes. "Go! Go have fun at sport." She said as she waved her hand with a smile.
"Hooray! Hooray for sport! Hugs and kisses, King." Luz said as she runs over and kisses his skull. "Don't spend all night plotting revenge." Luz said in a sing-songy tone.
"That drooly-faced heathen will know my wrath." King replied as I walked with Eda back to her room.
"Kid, you're both too good for me and just the right amount of blood thirsty... sometimes too much." Eda said with a shiver.
"Sometimes it's like it's not me." I muttered as I opened her bedroom door and walked with her over to her bed.
"Anorev Dalv as you called it." Eda said as she sat down on her nest. "Backwards it's Verona Vlad, and according to my sister, a vampire that had found her way here in the Demon Realm." Eda said, with me standing by her side. "She made an escape around the time that you were in prison, and went missing. The theory is that somehow you two ended up fusing together somehow. You have her abilities, as well as a deep urge for anger." Eda said, with me nodding as I sat next to her.
"I can't remember everything about my time in that Cell, but I do remember the pain and suffering. If it's true, then it explains the memories that aren't mine. Like kids." I said with a shiver, making her laugh as she fall backwards into her nest.
"Even if something happens, like I'm no longer around... I place my faith in you, kid." She said, catching me off guard. "If something like that ever happens... I want you to look after King... and make sure Luz returns home safe and sound." She said as I turned to face her, seeing that she wasn't smiling, but had a saddened expression on her face. "Hooty and Owlbert as well!" She said as she pointed at me.
"You have my word." I said as I got up, watching her eyes close. I left the room and went to my own for some sleep as well.
Later
Walking the hallway of my home, I watched as it extended further and further. Turning around, I saw that I had yet to move from my spot, even though I clearly was walking. Turning around, I came face to face with a shadowy figure, a woman no less.
I didn't hesitate and punched her in the face, knocking her back. At the same time, I saw her slash at me with a sword, coming inches to my throat. She took out a gun and shot at me, with me jumping into the room to my right. I wasn't expecting it to lead me to the same hallway just at a different location.
Tearing the door off, I threw it at her, with her jumping in the door and shooting through it. Jumping through the opening, I got away from her as she got closer. I continued to do this, hoping to get closer to her as she was now keeping me at a distance.
Appearing in front of her, I punched her in the face, with her getting pushed up against the window. I charged at her and started laying into her. Left hook. Right hook. Jab. Jab. Jab!
Suddenly, there was a loud bang and my arm went flying. Backing off, I watched as only one bright violet eye was visibly through the moonlight. She shot me again, with one of the bullets flying past me and the other piercing into my chest.
Vines of blood grew out of it, imprisoning me. Extending my claw, I cut myself free and grabbed my other arm, putting it on and healing. I was shot in the head, with vines growing out of it as well. I was shot over and over again until I lost my legs.
Looking up, I saw a giant wolf staring me down. It jumped at me, its teeth nearly bitting down on me. I sat up and looked out the window, with me seeing Luz and her friends flying away with Owlbert. Confused on why she was here, I went to go check up on Eda. Entering her room I saw that she wasn't here, and neither was King from the smell of things. Getting a bad feeling, I went after Luz as I didn't trust her with Owlbert.
Later
"Oh, no." I heard after a crash, with me seeing Owlbert flying away from the group of kids. "Oh, no, no, no! Owlbert, come back!" Luz called out as I landed between her and the others, looking down at the staff on the ground.
"Look what you've done!" I shouted, my voice echoing through the clearing. "You're reckless and irresponsible! You put everyone in danger with your foolishness!" I yelled as I got in Luz's face.
Luz, still dazed from the impact, looked up at me, her eyes wide with surprise and concern. "I-I didn't mean to," she stammered, her voice trembling. "I just wanted to-."
"You don't understand anything about this world!" I retorted bitterly. "You're so caught up in your own adventures that you don't care about the consequences for anyone else." I said as I walked over to the staff and picked it up. "You are a child trying to to live out your fantasies! News flash, this is real life, nothing is sunshine and rainbows!?" I yelled as I turned to face all three of them, with me seeing them huddled up together, with me getting flashes of three blood soaked kids looking at me in fear.
Realizing the impact of my words, I took a deep breath, trying to rein in my emotions. I glanced at the crestfallen expressions of the kids and felt a pang of regret. Maybe I had been too harsh, too quick to judge.
"I'm sorry," I said, my voice softer this time. "I shouldn't have lashed out like that. I understand how much the Boiling Isles means to you, and I didn't mean to diminish that." I said as I turned to go search for Owbert. "You made a mistake, now own up to it and make things right, all of you!" I ordered as I looked over my shoulder at them.
Luz nodded, her eyes reflecting a mixture of hurt and understanding. "I know I messed up," she admitted, her voice tinged with regret. "I'll try to be more careful in the future, I promise."
Later
"Owlbert!" Luz called out as we walked through the dark wooods. Owlbert hoots as he flies into a foreboding cave. We followed, having been walking to conserve our strength. "He went through those trees. Come on." Luz said as she ran.
"We have to be careful!" I called out, stopping her.
"It's really easy to get lost in this part of the forest." Willow added as we walked further into the cave.
"This is Eda's palisman. She'll kill me if we don't get it back. Let's go!" She said, with me glaring at her. Bats screech as we enter. Bones crunch under our feet
"Wow. I keep stepping on a lot of crunchy twigs." Willow said as she wasn't looking down.
"Those are bones, Willow." Luz corrected, not concerned about the bones.
"Not if I never look down." Willow said as I took the lead as a shadow passes us. They yelp, and step closer together behind me as I got ready for a fight
"This isn't any kind of forest I'm used to." Luz said as she pokes a spiderweb.
"That's because this isn't a forest." Willow said, followed by chirps as three baby faced bats approached us. "It's a nest." She said, where I narrowed my eyes as it was clear that these were the baby's.
"Hey, I remember you." Luz said, with me looking at her. "You're Bat Queen's babies." She said as the bat babies screech.
"Wait. The Bat Queen?" Gus questioned, with me seeing him step back with willow.
"I think I'd rather take my chances with Eda." Willow said as they were about to leave.
Luz walks towards the bats. "Uh, we're looking for a little owl and... There he is!" Luz said as she pointed at Owlbert, who was standing a bit behind the bat babies. He warbles, backing into the shadows.
"Owlbert, thank goodness you're okay. Come here, buddy. Time to go home!" Luz said as she reached for Owlbert, but I pulled her back and got between her and the now much larger and more human faced Bat, who I would guess was the Bat Queen.
"Hello, small human. Monster." She said, with me barring my fangs at her as she spoke.
"It's the..."
"Bat Queen. I know. We kinda babysat her kids once." Luz said as she walked around me. "Don't worry. I got this." She told us before looking at the Bat Queen. "Hiya, BQ. My, your hair is looking greasy. And your kids!" She said before chuckling. "They're as hideous as ever." She said as she made a striking pose with her arm, where I hit her on top of her head for insulting the beast and her kin.
"Learn to respect your elders." I said as I walked forward, pushing her back to the others. Looking at the Bat Queen, she narrowed her eyes at me. "Owlbert, are you ok?" I asked as I knelt down and looked at his head, seeing that he had a crack in it. "Luz should never have taken you from Eda, and I promise that she won't do it again." I said, where the Bat Queen stepped in front of me.
"No monsters allowed!?" She yelled, with me standing up.
"I wasn't speaking to you!!" I yelled back, my voice echoing as if multiple voices spoke at once. The Bat Queen took a step back out of shock, not fear, shock.
"You know, that coulda gone worse." Gus said, with me snapping and pointing at him without looking at him to silence him.
The Bat Queen growled at me. "Luz was being stupid, and I will ground her when we get back!" I said as I looked at her over my shoulder, watching her flinch. "She took Owlbert without asking Eda first." I said as I looked back at the Bat Queen. "Due to her inexperience with this world, she hurt Owlbert. I have dragged them with me so that they can apologize to Owlbert and take him home." I said, with theBat Queen puts a claw on my chest.
"To be careless with a staff, it's very serious. I protect him." She said, with me agreeing with her statement on it being serious.
"Agreed." I said as I crossed my arms. "If you have a punishment you would like to add on, then I will hear it out." I offered, figuring that this would be a teachable moment.
"But he belongs to Eda, the Owl Lady." Luz said, stepping between us. "And you owe her a favor, remember?" Luz said, with me pushing her back behind me as she was the reason why we were here.
"Ignore her, you deal through me!" I said as I crossed my arms, ignoring the "Hey" I got from Luz.
"Owl Lady is careless. Her staff left her sight. Taken by human who steals, hurts, frightens." Bat Queen said, with Luz looking hurt at her words. "He told me all." She said as her eyes glowed yellow, where Owlberts did the same.
'So she too is a Palisman.' I thought with a frown.
"Owlbert, I never meant to hurt you." Luz said as she knelt down. "Please trust me." She said as she held her hand out to him. Owlbert hoots, then flies onto Bat Queen's head. Both their eyes glow again. I pulled Luz to her feet.
"Trust must be earned!" Bat Queen said as she flew over to a perch. "Through trials!" She yelled as fire bursts from the ground with the final word.
"Trials?" Gus said happily while waving flags.
"Luz, the Bat Queen is well-known for her impossible trials. I've never heard of anyone winning against her." Willow told as she grabbed Luz's arm.
"We will get Owlbert back." I said as I placed a hand on Luz's shoulder. "We accept your challenge!" I called out, with Luz standing next to me with a determined expression.
"And we'll be right there with you." Willow said, with me waving her off as we got this.
"Let the flags raise you up!" Gus cheered as he waved the flags.
The Bat Queen closes her claw, webs encase Willow, Gus and I. The webs holding me were cut through, with me dusting myself off. "No helpsies. Human child only! Now, let the trials begin! Milk the spider demon!" She said as I cut Gus and Willow free.
"No helping Luz, as much as I want to." I told them as I placed a hand on their shoulders. "One hint of interference and she will attack!" I warned as I watched the Bat Queen.
A spider with udders approaches Luz, holding a bucket. The spider demons growls as Luz grunts, and looks at Owlbert. He hoots, and tilts his head. "All right. Come here, pal. Let's do this!" Luz said, causing the spider demon to run, squealing. "If you run, you'll just make this harder for yourself." Luz yelled as she chased the spider demon.
Later
One of the flames extinguished, with me seeing two remaining. "Remove bees nest!" Bat Queen ordered, with me looking at the bees nest. Luz climbs the tree, empty staff in hand. A giant buzzing bees nest is sitting in one of the branches. She raises the staff to smack the nest, but it turns into the head of a giant bee that screeches at her. She yelps, and falls out of the tree. I facepalmed as she had a long way to go. She then passed us, screaming, the bee screeching after her.
Later
"Give babies bath!" Bat Queen ordered as the next fire went out. Luz started scrubbing one baby bat, sitting on another, a third biting her shoulder. They're all covered in suds.
"Go, Luz." Willow cheered, with me knowing that this wasn't the end of this.
"Luz, we're here if you need us!"
"No!" I warned as I pinched their ears. "This is her punishment, I will be having a conversation with your parents after this!" I said, making them gulp. 'I don't know them but a parent is a parent after all.' I thought with a smirk at the empty threat.
"It's ok, I was selfish!" Luz said as the bat babies' screeching continued. "And I hurt Owlbert. I need to do this alone so he knows I care about him." She said as she dumps a barrel of water over the baby bats. The bat babies are screeching, then turn around to show their hair neat and faces shiny. "Aw!" Luz said as she puts her hands together. Bat babies shake their heads; return to normal and screech, making Luz scream.
Later
The third flame goes out. "Okay, Bat Queen. That's the last one. I've done all your chores. And I've proved my dedication to Owlbert. I'm so sorry for the pain I caused you, Owlbert. I promise to be more careful. Will you come back home with me?" Luz pleaded as she held her hands out to Owlbert.
Owlbert nods and hoots. He flies off of Bat Queen's perch to the ground. Bat Queen raised her claw, and webs encase Owlbert. "No! More trials. Last trial. You must face... me." She said as she expands her wings, a jet of flames going up behind her.
"What?" Luz said in shock as she backed up. The Bat Queen roars, flies forward to attack Luz, who yelped and runs away.
"You will never get him back!" She yelled, where I charged at the Bat Queen. Tackling her, I pinned her to the ground and yelled in her face, with her shutting her mouth.
"You do not get to keep him, it is not your choice, it's his!?" I yelled as I pointed at Owlbert, who Luz was trying to free. "You may have been abandoned by your Witch, but you can't push your pain onto others!" I yelled, with me closing my eyes as I realized that is what I've been doing. "I was abandoned..." I said as I backed off, with her sitting up and looking at me. "No one helped me, for five years I was tortured." I said as I looked at my hands.
"Wanda." Luz said as she walked over and placed a hand on my arm. "She hurt him, his best friend abandoned him. But he is trying to heal as much as the next person, probably more than others because of what he's become." She said as I looked at her, smiling as I placed a hand on her head. Owlbert squawks as he lands on Luz's head, looking down at her.
"Bat Queen, you used to be on a staff, didn't you? You were a Palisman." I asked, where she gasps.
"You were once a Palisman, weren't you?" Luz repeated as she looked at the interlock on her claw. Bat Queen looks at her claw with the interlock on it. She turns away from us, hiding from us.
"Yes, I was once part of a grand staff. A staff made for a giant. But I was broken, discarded." She said, with me knowing her pain of being abandoned.
"So, that's why you're so protective of Owlbert." Luz said, with me pointing upwards.
"I protect... all!" Bat Queen said, her eyes glow again. Behind her, dozens of other eyes begin glowing. Luz gasps as she didn't see what I had been seeing from the start. Countless broken and scarred palismen of every type are in the trees. "I made home in forest. I'm here to take the lost. The forgotten." She said, with me standing up straight.
"I understand. But Owlbert is not forgotten. He has someone at home who loves him very much." Luz said as she picks Owlbert up off her head and holds him.
"Very well. Go. And take your friends." Bat Queen said as Willow and Gus waked over to us. The Bat Queen Whistles, her babies, screeching, flies to her.
Owlbert grabs Eda's staff and brings it to Luz. "Bat Queen, do you know what happened to your owner?"
"It has been thousands of years. I've forgotten." She said, with me wishing I had forgotten my past.
"If you ever want to search for the truth, I'll help you." Luz offered, with me taking the staff from her.
"Thank you." Bat Queen said before she took off into the trees.
"I can't believe you took on the Bat Queen." Willow said as she hugged Luz.
"And we're not dead!" Gus said as he danced around us.
"Thank you for helping me get Owlbert back." Luz said as she looked at me, then the other two. "I'm sorry we missed the game." She said as she lowered her head in defeat.
"Are you kidding?" Gus said with a smile. "That was better than any grudgby match. There were action-packed trials. I got to do my flag wave, and I'm slightly traumatized. Hooray!" He added as he cheered even more.
Luz chuckles. "Let's get this little guy home." She said as she looked at Owlbert as we started walking home.
Later
I watched as Luz put a bandage on Owlbert's cracked head. And now you're a part of the boo‐boo buddy club. Luz said with a smile, with me rolling my eyes as that was a dumb name. This of course caused Owlbert to hoot.
Suddenly the door opens and Eda walks in with King. Owlbert, why are you off the staff? Eda questioned, knowing something was up. Owlbert hoots, flies over to Eda and lands on her shoulder. Luz took you to get ice cream? And Dakota got onto her for making trouble? Aw, that's... a horrible lie. Eda said as she looked at us, with me shrugging as it was half true. Well, lucky for you three I don't care right now. I'm going to take a nap. She said as she walked off.
"I'll, uh, be at the playground!" King said, with me charging at him and picking him up. No! He's going to eat me! King yelled in fear, with me rubbing his belly.
"Keep your mouth shut and I'll do the same about our adventure!" I said, getting a laugh from him as he wiggled in my arms, with Luz coming over to join the fun while Owlbert landed on Luz's head.