"My dear mother, Gwendolyn Clawthorne. She was livid by the time my curse had been discovered, trying everything to see if there was a way I could be cured. Instead, I found a way to cope with this so-called infliction of mine, thanks to the Order. I gained a symbiosis with the very beast I now carry inside of me, earning myself the title of "The Owl Lady". A fitting title if you ask me. Unfortunately, my mother never cared to hear out how I've benefited from this. Ever so determined to find a way to cure me. She could never understand what this meant to me now, and I couldn't return home by then. Maybe that was for the best; the less I'm around, the less my family is in danger. On the plus side, Victor has helped me do a little research on the portal door I found. He believes it might be connected to something his people called "The Infinite Corridor", which probably makes sense, given how my portal is an actual door. Someday, I'll have to look more into this...

At the Owl House, the research that Luz had been conducting for weeks now had taken its toll on her, leaving her passed out in a pile of her own books. Despite how Belmonts are known for handling days and nights without feeling too much exhaustion, Luz was still a kid, recovering from months of heated battles, nightmares, countless pages of complicated history, conspiracies, connections to her family's involvement and so on. She didn't want to be tired, but the excess use of magic and her family's powers were extremely draining. Perhaps, a little bit of day's rest would help to regenerate her.

"Luz!" Eda screeched, making Luz wake up and topple from the pile of books. The Owl Lady herself was in the kitchen herself, now wearing her Brotherhood of Light Uniform. She's kept it in good condition, in memory of her time in the order, and with Victor. There were only a few modifications she's made, but at least it suits her well.

"...Well, so much for rest." Luz muttered as she got up and rubbed her head.

"Sorry to wake you, kiddo. If you want, you can take my nest and get some R ."

Luz started to stretch as she replied "I think you're the only one in this house who sleeps comfortably in a nest."

"Learn to shapeshift into a beast and you'll get used to it." Eda said. "So, how's your research going?"

"I'm practically buried in the stuff as it is." Luz said as she started to restack her books. "But I looked into some things regarding your portal door. Interesting connection you made with the Infinite Corridor. Makes sense in my opinion, since most portals alone are based on Primordial Energy."

"I always considered my portal a gift from the Titan itself." Eda remarked. "I've had it since I was a kid, and I knew it was older than it looked."

Before they continued their conversation, some rumbling went on around the house, and then there was darkness immolating from the Living Room. Heading in there, they could see that Lilith had woken up, but like her sister, she tended to...widen herself in a way. Just as how Eda sleeps in her bestial form, Lilith awakens in a more demonic form, becoming a She-Bat. In this form, the color of her skin returned to a white color, along with her hair back to its blue color. She was...utterly naked, with claws appearing on her hands and feet, with fur covering them up to her forelegs and upper arms. Some of that fur even covered her abdomen and back in the form of a corset and...even around her nether regions. Black feathered wings with claws were at her back, her ears were larger and more batlike and her fingers were bigger and sharper. The very sight of her made the two other ladies in the house widen their eyes and blush, but Eda also had a sly smile on her face. When Lilith finally noticed them, she quickly covered herself in embarrassment, her arms over her chest and her wings covering the rest of her.

"Would you PLEASE give me some privacy!?" She yelled at them. "It's bad enough being a bloodsucker, but to wake up like this is humiliating!"

"Well, at least her name makes sense now." Luz said to herself as she shook off the shock.

Eda went over to her vampiric sister, wrapping an arm over her shoulder, and remarked "The new look suits you, sis. Didn't know you had it in you."

Snarling, Lilith pushed Eda off and at the snap of her fingers, summoned black mist around her that allowed her to revert to her normal form.

"What I wouldn't give to have a cure for this disease..."

And that made Eda look down.

"Lilith, I'm not an expert but I've dealt with my curse long enough to know that there is no cure." Pulling a vile blood out of her hair, she hands it to Lilith. "You just gotta learn to live with it."

Taking the blood, Lilith reluctantly gulped it down, hating the fact that she enjoyed the taste. The thought of a cure boggled Luz's mind. She could swear that it's something she heard before, but it's coming up in a blank. She could only hope that it would come up again soon if she is able to help Lilith.

Then Eda went on, "As I was saying before, the portal door, I literally found it in the dirt. Never figured out who made it or where it came from. I just kept it to myself."

"And you've been using to travel between realms ever since." Luz replied. "Strange enough how it only seems to lead to the door of the old house near the woods where I live."

"Yeah. I only ever showed it to the Order, and they were the ones who made the connection with Corridor."

"What exactly is this "Infinite Corridor"that you keep speaking of?" Lilith asked.

Luz then answered "To put it bluntly, it's the space between realms that allows portals, tears, and mystic gateways like Eda's door to allow access to visiting other dimensions. Many have tried to gain mastery over its secrets and power, but they only found themselves lost in between dimensions themselves."

"So, do you have an idea as to why my portal is a one-way trip from here to earth?"

"I think it was designed to be that way." Luz said. "Some portals are like that, but I'm not fully sure. And even I'm not fully aware of what the Corridor is capable of."

Eda then said, "Well, visiting the earth for merchandise was not the only reason for my use of the portal. Aside from the Emperor's Coven, I have been using it to hide from...other people."

"What kind of other people?"

"She may be referring to me." A loud voice came out of nowhere before a gust of wind blew open the front door and everyone looked to see a bird flapping its wings to bring out a huge tornado. It suddenly stops on the front lawn and reveals an elderly witch with pale skin, a violet-colored lower lip, olive-green eyes, and rounded-out facial features, such as pronounced dimples and a ball chin. Her hair is mostly light gray, except for two patches of white on her sides, and she wears it in a symmetrical neck-length style, standing upwards on the sides and top with two locks falling around her cheeks. She wore a dark violet, short-sleeved, ankle-length dress with white fur trims and a broad white fur collar. She wears crescent-shaped eyeglasses and a pair of rectangular dark golden earrings, as well as a large, round brown necklace with a strange rune on it. This was Gwendolyn Clawthorn, Eda and Lilith's...

"Mother." Eda answered in a rather stern voice.

The bird turned out to be a palisman which retreated to Gwendolyn's staff as she cast it away and moved to her daughter.

"Hello, little witchlet. Come here." She said in a warm, motherly voice as she held her arms up for a hug. It delighted her when Eda returned the favor, her daughter giving into her embrace. Despite all the things Eda's mother had done in the past, she still cares deeply for her.

Gwendolyn broke the hug and then held onto her daughter's hands as she said "I had heard about what happened at the Conformatorium. What Belos did was unforgivable. They even try to lie when told that your sister, Lilith...she..." The elder witch looked ready to break down in tears when Lilith stepped out to see her, showing her vampiric form in its majesty.

"Mother? ...I'm here." She said, startling Gwendolyn, who froze in shock to see that her little girl had been turned into a creature of the night. "The thought of that day haunts me endlessly..."

"Oh, my sweet-flea..." Gwendolyn covered her mouth with her hands. "...I didn't want to believe it. Look at what they've done to you. But rest assured, this is more a good reason as to why I've come. My 30-year-long mission has reached its end."

"Here we go again." Eda muttered, turning her head so that no one would see her eyes roll.

"Today's the day, Edalyn! I just know it! I finally have a cure for you! To remove the curse for good this time!" Gwendolyn with excitement before turning to her other daughter. "And I am certain, within a short amount of time, I can find a cure for you, Lilith!"

But that is when Luz stepped forward, made herself known to the Matriarch of the Clawthorne Family and said "I'm afraid...it's not that simple, Mrs. Clawthorne. There's hardly a cure for death these days. If it existed, only someone with an extensive knowledge of vampirism would know of it."

"...The Belmont Child." Gwendolyn whispered, staring at Luz in awe. "...I don't know whether to fear you or worship you for the things you've done."

"You don't have to do either. We should head back inside, since it's not safe at night."

And with that, Gwen let herself in, remarking "Ooh, you're telling me. Nearly got myself killed a few times just getting here."

Both Clawthorne sisters looked at each other before heading inside themselves. Gwendolyn was more happy to be spending time with her daughters, even if things have changed, and not in the best of ways, for them. She wanted to waste no time seeing to cure Eda of her curse and hope to find a cure for Lilith's vampirism, but Eda's been through this time again, and was skeptical of her mother's "miracle cures."

"You always do this, Mom." Eda remarked. "You come by every year, saying that the next cure will work for me, and if it NEVER. Does. The trick."

"I know that it's not been easy, but I have finally managed to find someone who has mastered the next level of healing magic."

"And I've told you before. I'm fine. I've managed to work around my curse with a little help from some other friends. You don't have to-"

"Wait a minute..." Lilith interrupted, starting to look a little livid as she gave her mother the stink eye, baring her fangs "You've...visited Edalyn...regularly...while I haven't seen you in years?!"

Gwendolyn bit back to urge to gulp in front of her vampire daughter. "...Well, you've always been busy dear. I-I can't imagine it being easy work for a coven head...and not to mention, hunting your own sister if she were a criminal when all she was sick and scared."

"I'm not sick, Mom!" Eda rose her voice.

"You could've talked to me. I ALWAYS would have helped you! We both wanted the same thing! For Eda to be cured! For us to be a family again! And look where it got me!"

"Lilith, calm down!" Luz said sternly, not wanting for the younger sister to go feral on her watch.

"Sweet flea, I-" Gwendolyn tried to reach out to her daughter, only for Lilith to pull her hand away and turn her head on her mother.

"You weren't there when that bastard did me in...when I was fed blood in my eternal sleep and was reborn a vampire." Lilith sneered. "It just goes to show that sometimes, it doesn't matter how dutiful you are or successful you are, parents just won't give you the time of day."

Everyone in the house now stood in silence, feeling for Lilith as they realized how she'd come to be the Black Sheep of the family. Stripped of everything, title, life, and humanity, reduced to a savage beast who can't stand the light of day, literally. Gwendolyn's spent so much time focusing on one daughter that she completely overlooked the other.

"...I-I-I never realized..." Gwendolyn began to say. "Sweet flea, all I wanted was the best for my children. For them to live happily, without anything afflicting them..."

Lilith only held a glare on her face when she faced her mother again.

"I did everything I could." Gwen went on. "After Eda was cursed, I joined the Beast Keeper Coven. I thought they surely would know what to do. But the beast keepers told me the curse couldn't be tamed. And then the healers told me it couldn't be healed."

Then Eda butted in "And I told you that managed to find a way to deal with it. I can control it now."

"You still never told me how you were able to do that."

"You wouldn't understand. But I would've thought that after all this time, you would've gone to Lilith and talked some sense into her for all the chasing she's done!"

"I don't need you defending me, Edalyn!" Lilith snarled before turning back to Gwen. "And apparently...I haven't needed you in a long time."

That is when Lilith stood up and made her way for the door.

"Sweet flea, where are you going?" asked Gwendolyn.

"Anywhere to get away from you." her vampire daughter replied angrily. "And don't call me 'sweet flea'. I'm not your little girl anymore."

Before anyone could make a move to stop her, Lilith already stormed out the door, slamming it behind her and left everyone in the house in awkward silence again.

That is until King broke it again. "Well...she certainly has issues. I definitely hope I'm not like that if I ever find my dad."

"King? Time and place, buddy." Luz said back to him, making him reply "I'm just saying. I mean, you all have a lot of things to work out. It took her screaming at you to finally get you to notice her."

Gwendolyn sighed "You're right, little one. I have to fix this. But first..." She turns to Eda. "I know you don't trust me in helping you with your condition, dear. But I've worked hard and so long in the hopes of curing you. Going on dangerous quests to acquire a tome that would have all the answers for ridding you of the beast." She then flexed one of her arms. "I don't scar that much."

"Woah, wasn't expecting her to be buff." Luz muttered in surprise.

"I beg of you to at least try and work with me on this. I've come too far to fail you now."

"A tome, you say?" Eda asked, before she and Luz looked at each other skeptically. To them, it sounded like a scam, since they've already experienced dealing with swindlers before. Looking back to her mother, Eda held her hand up and asked "Do you mind if I look at it for a second?"

"I'm afraid not, my little witchling. Only people who have scaled Wortlop's "Pyramid of Study" can touch the tome." As she said that, she showed off the necklace she was wearing which Eda narrowed her eyes at. "Besides...I haven't gotten it yet. I planned to go see Master Wortlop today about it, and it must be worth it since I've done many things for him, gotten him many valuable relics, and even paid out of my own pocket to become his pupil and gain his tome."

Luz and Eda were looking at her mother with a "Are you serious?!" expression. It was clear that Gwendolyn was being scammed, but she was too stubborn to realize the truth. The only way she could show her such is if she came with and exposed this fraud for wasting Gwendolyn's time.

Clapping her hands together, Eda took a quick deep breath before asking "...How about we come with and you can show this 'Master Wortlop' how much I need his help?"

"That would be a great idea, Edalyn!" Gwendolyn brightened. "I promise that you will not be disappointed. I will cure you and your sister!"

Nodding at that, Luz and Eda gave each a look before they embarked to see 'Master' of Gwendolyn's.

"Alright. Let me know how that works out for you." King said as he flopped down onto the couch with a bowl of ice cream. But before he could get to enjoying himself, Luz picked him up by the head, pointed at him and said "You're going after Lilith, buddy."

"Weh? Me?! Go after Eda's bloodsucker of a sister?! No way!"

"You just need to make sure she calms down and bring her back here." Luz said. "If you do, I'll be sure to help you out with researshing your own origins and people."

"Um...I don't know."

Luz sighed "I'll also throw in a batch of deserts and throw pillows and plushies."

"Okay, I'm in." King agreed.

Meanwhile, Lilith continued to traverse the dark woods, heading how welcoming it had become. Darkness had become comforting and the night itself felt like it beckoned her to join with the rest of the Creatures that she'd want nothing more than to slaughter every last one of. But at this point, joining them didn't sound as bad as having a mother who's neglected you for so long. The more she thought about it, the worse it felt. She believed that Eda had bested her in every way she couldn't imagine, managing to become the center of attention while she's become nothing more than an afterthought. The people of Bonesborough, members of the Emperor's Coven may mourn for her, but she does not believe they truly care, they would forget her in time.

"They took your life, Lilith..." A mysterious, demonic legion of voices suddenly filled the fledgling Vampire's ears. She could also hear, smell, and even feel the movement of a slithering, thick substance gathering at her feet. Blood, and there were gallons of the stuff apparently seeping through the cracks of the trees, rising up from the dirt below, it was everywhere. But this was now the ordinary blood of the titan that residents of the Boiling Isles have searched fondly for in the past. It was the blood of something much more horrifying.

"Your mother never cared for you...your sister hates you...why do you insist on sticking to those who will never give what you truly deserve...?"

"Who or what are you to tell me what I desire?" Lilith asked, looking around herself as there was even a haze of blood-red vapors forming like a mist around the area.

"We are the very blood that now runs through your veins..." It said. "We are the shadow of what has been with you through the course of your rebirth...we are you family...we new purpose of living...we are...your destiny..."

She looked down at her feet to see that she was now standing in a puddle of blood. It was a strange feeling, almost...pleasurable as the blood rose and surrounded her, wrapping around her arms and her waist, which felt like it caressed her as she felt drowsy, her green eyes beginning to flash to a red color.

"Join us, Lilith...let us help you destroy those who took everything from you. You know you want to...the darkness is your home. There's nothing left for you here. You belong with us...

The words that filled Lilith's ears began to feel alluring as if everything they said was all too true. She already found the darkness to be embracing, why is to stop her from fully accepting who she is now? A Creature who thirsts for blood, a monster who hunts the innocent, a being that hates all that have ever made a fool out of her.

"...No...NO!" She roared at the top of her lungs as the tendrils of blood suddenly retracted as she bared her fangs and snarled at the bloody forest. "I don't care what you have to offer! I'll never join you as another one of your monstrous whores!"

Sounds that came up like beastly growls filled the forest as coming out of the bloody mist was another monster. A succubus with crimson red hair, long black horns sticking out of her head, and matching red and black wings as she wore such lacy attire that could barely count as clothes. She laughed as strutted forward to Lilith, who glared at the demon.

"We only need to welcome you to your new home..!" The succubus said as the blood under Lilith's feet tried to make a grab for her, only for her to dash out of the way as she summoned her palisman staff and took a stance. Then, Bloody Skeletons and even a full-blown Skull Knight rose from out of the ground and stood beside the Succubus while also surrounding Lilith.

"I have no home..." She growled. "...I have no family...and the breath I take after I kill you...will be short relief compared to what I'll do Eda and Gwendolyn...!"

And with that, she charges, leaping up into the ground before slamming her staff into the horde...

As the three others went to go see this master of Gwen's, she talked about how she head spent years dealing with the Healing Coven before coming across this guy and his promises for a cure. Apparently, he was a traveling curse expert who's perfected next-level healing magic, but Eda and Luz knew better. It wouldn't be the first time they came across someone offering something very attractive, yet turning out to be someone looking to make ends meet for themselves.

And even though Adegast had a few interesting tricks and illusions, he was still just a disappointment.

"I know you have your doubts, Edalyn," said Gwen. "But I believe this being to be very special. I wouldn't have gone through all these lengths and challenges just to let it all be for nothing."

"Mom, it's stuff like that in this world that gets people killed when they think they've achieved greatness." Eda said, to which Luz added "We've seen it about several times already."

Standing in front of a stone door, Gwendolyn raised up her amulet before saying "Well, I have hopes that you will not be disappointed." And that is when the door flashes, then opens up, revealing a cave. Gwendolyn, Eda, and Luz walk into the cave to see Gwen's supposed master, Wortlop, an old witch with four hands is sitting on an altar. A gremlin with boils on his eyelids kneels in front of him.

"Please, they're so itchy." It cried out, and the Old Witch waved his hand, casting a spell circle. A circle of purple light surrounds the gremlin and lifts him up. The light then flashes, and after that, the gremlin is healed. While Gwen watched this happen in awe, Eda and Luz narrowed their eyes in suspiciously, not believing for a minute that something like that could be healed so quickly.

Still, they went along with this long enough to see if this can expose this guy as the gremlin went their way after being "cured". The old witch gestures for Gwendolyn to come over, causing Eda's mother to take her by the hand while casting Luz aside with her staff as Gwen kneels before her master and Eda rolling her eyes.

"Gwendolyn, my pupil. Your aura is shining bright." Wortlop said.

"It is good to see you again, Master Wortlop." Gwen said as she started to out some items "It took many months, but I was able to gather the sacred items you requested. The copper egg from the Snowy Rib Cage, the silver dagger from the Swampy Toes, and the golden chalice from the desert of Palm Stings."

"Weren't those supposed to be from archeological digs?" Eda asked, but her mother shushed her. Yet, Wortlop took notice of her.

"And who is this that you've brought before me?"

"My very own daughter." Gwendolyn answered. "I thought it wise for her to come along and see your work in action. For, she doubts your abilities."

But this made the healing master skeptical, calling out Gwen's foolishness "Gwendolyn, you should know better than to bring non-believers into our midst. They would be blinded by the power our work withholds."

"Don't go blaming my mother." Eda said, standing up "I was the one who suggested this, since she's dedicated to curing me. So, why not do it now and get it done with?"

"Ah. Well...I was going to your mother the answers she sought for curing you..." Wortlop spoke in a rather nervous tone, something that didn't go unnoticed by Luz and Eda as he made a book appear out of nowhere. "They are...very sophisticated secrets that...are not meant to be looked at but just...anybody."

"Mmm-hmm..." Eda had a deadpan expression on her face. "You know, I've heard that crap from a whole lot of other people. They all turn out to be fakes."

"Edalyn!" Gwendolyn growled, standing up to face her daughter with a serious expression. But Eda was not amused.

"Mom, please tell me you cannot be that gullible. Just what exactly have you done for this clown to get you nothing a shitty book that looked like it was taped together?"

"Oh it's not just one." Wortlop said as he presented other books. "It's the first in a series. I could give you the next book at...10% off?"

Both Eda and Luz scowled at this guy before the former of the two said "This guy's just trying to make money off of you. I don't have to be a con-artist myself to recognize one."

Even though she actually was one...

"Mrs. Clawthorne." The Supposed Healing Master started to say. "I'm beginning to understand that your daughter is quite ignorant of the fact that some secrets are not meant for everyone to see. I wonder if you yourself have truly risen up in my Pyramid of Study."

"What?" Gwendolyn said in shock. "No, please. After everything I've done-"

Seeing that he still had his hold on Gwendolyn, Wortlop continued to order her around "Well, if you truly want to be worthy of my tome, then perhaps embarking on a few more quests for me to-"

"Okay. I've heard enough." Eda interrupted. "LUZ!"

And with that, the Belmont stepped forward, Morning Star spinning in her hand as she then sent the towards the witch, who then revealed himself to be nothing more than a trio of gremlins who have been scamming Gwendolyn and possibly others just to obtain their ill-gotten gains. Before they could scurry away from the three, however, Luz used her chain whip to lasso them and hold them in place long enough for Gwen to learn the truth.

"Ya see, Mom? These freaks are nothing but greedy little gremlins who got the better of you and your desperation."

"No! No! That's not true!" One of them gremlins tried to defend. "W-W-We're also pupils of Wortlop...b-b-but, he's out and we're...filling in for him?"

But then, the fourth gremlin they saw earlier had come in with a jar of dirt, showing that he was in on this scam as well as he said "Hey, guys! I got this great idea for another quack product! Cleansing mud from the Healing Bogs of the Hips or whatever. Any poor sucker dumb enough to fall for this is gonna make us-" Then he saw that his pals were all chained up with Eda, Luz, and especially Gwen, looking pissed at the moment. "...Aw, crud."

Without a word, Gwendolyn unleashed her fury, destroyed the cave, and set those little pranksters in a blaze for wasting so much of her time for nothing. Luckily, Eda and Luz walked out of there unscathed while Gwendolyn stomped behind, Eda having a bag of snails over her shoulder, curtesy of Wortlop.

"I'm gonna hang onto this for now." She said before turning to Gwen. "I think I also spotted some of our family heirlooms in here, mom."

"How could I have been so blind?" Gwen growled in self-contempt. She then remembered the necklace she got from those lairs and looked at it the same scorn she had for herself. "Everything I did for those posers...everything they promised was a lie." Then, she through it to the ground and broke it apart with but a step.

"You wouldn't be the first to fall for that kind of stuff, Mom. Lilith was just as desperate as you were, and look where it got her."

Then Gwendolyn perked up in shock at hearing her other daughter's voice. "Lilith! Oh, Titan, I forgot about my dear sweet flea again! She ran off! We need to find her! I need to apologize!"

"That's what we're gonna do." Luz replied as she and Eda nodded to each other.

It didn't take long to find where Lilith was in the forest. They simply followed the scent, and trail of blood that was unnatural to the woods. Luz recognized this form of corruption right away as it was the same thing they saw at King's old home. The Blood was only just beginning to become a nuisance that they would need to deal with someday soon; otherwise, the entirety of the Isles would be affected.

"LUUUUZZZ! EEDDAAAAAAA!" They also followed King's screams.

Lilith was found trying to deal with a horde of skeleton warriors, led by the succubus and her Skull Knight. Though ferocious and brutal with each of her attacks, Lilith was unfortunately not fast enough to keep these enemies from regenerating, as the blood that kept these skeletons intact simply retreated to find a new body. There was plenty to spare around these dead woods. Not to mention that there was a darkening aura around her. It was a bad omen they were seeing as King ran away from the chaos and headed over to his Belmont and Witch friends.

"I did what you said, and I wound up finding her in the middle of all this!" He gestures to Lilith getting smacked away by a skeleton with its sword. The vampire merely snarled, shook off the impact, and got back in the fight. It was clear that the more she fought, the more the darkness corrupted her, and her vampiric side took over. They could see it as she turned their way, her eyes were flashing between green and red.

"You...!" She growled, heading over to her family with the intent to kill. "Finally taking notice of your lesser daughter, Mother?"

"Sweet Flea...Lilith, my beautiful daughter. I have failed you." Gwendolyn admitted. "You were always self-sufficient, but I didn't give you the attention you deserved."

"Nothing but empty words to me now..." Lilith said. "I will take both you and Edalyn! Bleed you dry and feed on what's left!"

"And so, you shall, Lilith." The Succubus said before turning to the heroes. "Imagine the delight of my masters to hear that your dear flesh and blood, Lilith Clawthorne, had come to be one of us. In time, she will come to forget her mortality and join our cause."

Lilith merely snarled at the demon, pointing her staff at her "Stay out of this! For once I finish severing my family ties, you will become my latest victim!" And that is when she unleashed her power and brought forth her full she-bat form.

Even Gwendolyn blushed at this. "I-I wasn't expecting to be part of my daughter's curse."

"Get used to it." Eda replied before turning to Luz. "How do you wanna play this, Luz?"

"You get your sister, I'll get the demon." The young Belmont replied, King on her shoulders while pulling at the chain of her whip before engaging the horde of bones. Luz had a much greater advantage, easily destroying the skeletons and not making the blood that bound them an afterthought, ridding the hallowed ground of the Isles' forests of its unholy existence with heavy blows of her sustained whip attacks. With all this action taking place, King could barely hold on for dear life.

"AAAAHHHH! I WANNA GO HOOOOMMMMMEEEEE!"

The succubus knew then and there that success was no longer certain, with the Belmont now destroying her minions. She had no choice but to turn to her bodyguard, with the Skull Knight brandishing its sword and shield. Luz remained vigilant; while it's defenseless brethren were quite the easy pickings, a Skull Knight's tenacity and barbaric way of fighting should not be taken lightly.

As she fought against the skeleton-like warrior, Gwen and Eda focused on the enraged Lilith, who was attacking with claws and sweeps, flying over their heads in an attempt to rip them apart with "death from above" tactics. She had truly gone feral at this point, and it was up to her family to save her from herself.

"Lilith! Just talk to us!" Gwen yelled as her own daughter tried to come and rip her throat out. "I know I failed you! But I can make it right!"

"I'm done talking!" The Elder Sister spoke, swinging claws at her mother relentlessly. "Done begging for validation! From you, from anyone!"

"Validation?" Eda asked as she held her staff up in defense of her sister's attacks. "Lilith, if this is about what you've been through-"

"This is about me! ME! And for once, it's not about you!"

"What? You think I want to be the center of attention?!"

"I spent my life, protecting you! And for what?! So that you can get all of Mommy's attention while I end up being nothing but a freak?!"

She managed to take Eda by the staff, raise her off the ground and throw her away, in the trees, leaving her with only Gwen.

"Don't let this curse take over you!" Gwen said as she continued to dodge her own daughter's attacks. "I promised to find you a cure! I promise I will not fail you again!"

"Always about YOU! You and Edalyn!" Lilith screamed. She then cut her own wrists, leading them to bleed as this allowed her to throw daggers of her own hardened life force. "You always fail! YOU always make empty promises!"

"I've seen the truth now! I will fulfill this promise!"

Lilith only snarled savagely before flying down towards Gwen, only for Eda to reappear having her sister in a chokehold with her staff.

"Do you remember what you always said?" She asked, trying to get through to her sister. "What you stood for before all this?"

Angrily, Lilith pulled at Eda's arms and staff before managing to throw her off her back and have her in stuck in a power struggle.

"What the COVEN made me say! All I ever did...was send more and more witches to their deaths!"

She flew back to the ground, sending her sister onto her knees as their little struggle was in Lilith's favor.

"That's not true! All of Bonesborough mourns for you!" Eda growled, but Lilith wouldn't listen as she brought out her fangs and tried to sink them into her sister's face.

Gwen came up from a fire spell, reluctantly throwing it at her own daughter, managing to get Lilith off of Eda and allowing the younger sister to secretly pull out her own Combat Cross.

"We really want to help you, Lily...But it's gonna hurt."

She then flashed the cross to Lilith and let out dazzling blaze of holy light energy.

Meanwhile, Luz was staying evenly matched against the Skull Knight as it attacked swiftly and brutally. King still barely keeping his grip at Luz's shoulder blades while his legs were swinging in the air from Luz's fast and swinging movements. Performing short lunges, attempting to stab Luz with its blade, the undead warrior didn't know that it was setting itself up for disarmament as Luz swung and managed to wrap the chain around its sword, and with all her strength, was able to pull the blade out of its hand, throwing it away. Forced to resort to its shield, the Skull Knight started to move with supernatural speed, Luz barely having time to counter or dodge as it was coming at her in a blur. Luckily, as it was coming for another attack, Luz managed to roll out of the way and it wound up slamming the edge of its shield into a tree, getting stuck in the process.

But it wouldn't let up as it suddenly ripped open the abdomen of its armor to reveal a demonic eye, which then shot a beam of energy at Luz as she got out of the way, spinning and swinging her whip, nailing her opponent in its head and making it disappear into the ground. Then, she turned her attention to the Succubus, who was merely flying above and watching the whole fight occur with a smile on her face.

"I won't stop until every one of you Hellspawns are dead!" Luz shouted, pointing with her whip to the she-demon.

"You may jest, Young Belmont. But our plans for this realm are already flourishing. Even the former head of the Emperor's Coven is ours now."

"Then I guess the only way to free her is by killing you."

"Correct." Electricity began to course through the arms of the she-demon. King hugged Luz's shoulders tightly, very scared at this point.

"I'll just have to free this realm, slaying one demon at a time." And with that, Luz used the Seraph shoulders to give herself a boost in the air to fight the Succubus head-on.

Eda continued to swing her own Combat Cross at her sister, but Lilith wouldn't let on. She managed to grab the chain of the whip and pull her sister in, grabbing her by the neck while growling in her face. Gwendolyn was about to come in when her Elder Daughter threw Eda at her, slamming both of them down. They were both exhausted from all this fighting, yet the corruption continued to empower Lilith as snarled, disgusted by her own family.

"I don't need you anymore." She growled, turning her back from them.

Both witches managed to recover themselves, getting off each other Gwen spoke "The Isles needs you! I need you!"

"Don't LIE TO ME!" Coming in for another attack, Lilith brandished her claws, diving to her own flesh and blood. But then, a vile of Holy Water was thrown and managed to get from behind, courtesy of Luz, who was under her own power struggle with the Succubus.

"Wrap it up, you two!" She said as she was on the demon's back, forcing her to fly crazily around. The holy water made Lilith scream in pain as she suddenly burst into a swarm of bats that flew around Gwen and Eda. Brandishing her cross again, Eda spun around in high speed, managing to swat the bats away, and forcing Lilith to re-emerge and slam into a tree. Doing what Luz said, she continued to Flash her Combat Cross with Holy Light, repelling her own Vampiric Sister as Lilith continued to scream in pain with every blaze of light she was forced to endure.

It was just enough to get Lilith out of her she-bat form, but she was still not completely severed from the hold of the Succubus. Fortunately, that was what Luz was for as she had managed to bring the stake of the Morning Star up to the demoness, carving it across her chest before jamming it in. The she-demon gasped in pain as she could already feel her lifeforce leaving her while the young Belmont looked into her yes.

"And from this wound, your soul will wonder eternally." Luz stayed.

"Maybe so...but my job is done." The Succubus replied. "Neither you, nor the two of them will find peace."

Hearing enough from this demonic whore, Luz sent the Stake all the way through. The Succubus let out a rather orgasmic screech of pain as Luz pulled the weapon, a spray of blood following afterward as the Succubus' physical form dissipated into mist.

With her demise, Lilith was free from her influence, but she now felt the weight of the assault she was forced to endure take its toll on her as she lay on the ground, wheezing with every labored breath as Eda towered over her, pulling at the chain of her whip. But her mother raised her arm up, blocking Eda's path as she stood between her two daughters.

"That's enough, Witchlet." She spoke with a rather breaking voice. "I need to end this myself. I don't want to see my daughters kill themselves."

Nodding at that, Eda retracted her cross and stood back when Gwen kneeled down and sat Lilith up. Her Elder Daughter looked exhausted, and beaten, her rasping breath made her sound like a hungry beast, wanting nothing to feed before it died. It broke her heart, to see what's become of her family; because of her neglect, Lilith has fallen due to her vanity and lonesomeness, her years wasted on quack cures and fake magic to try and pointlessly help Eda, and now this.

"...I'm sorry, Lilith." She whimpered. "I'm so sorry for all the trouble I caused, but I—I just wanted to help. I should've been there for you. I should've trusted you. But I promise, I will not rest until I find a real cure."

Lilith said nothing, only continued to breath heavily while glaring weekly at her mother.

Caressing her daughter's cheek, Gwen continued "I need you with me, Lilith. Together, we can make amends and time for all these years. Please..."

With tears in her eyes, did Gwendolyn bring her daughter into her embrace. Lilith, too weak to fight back, accepted it and found herself crying as well. Despite all that's happened, Lilith still held on to a tiny shred of humanity, which was saved her today, holding on to those who care still about her deeply. Eda stood by, sighing with relief as she saw this as a chance for them to rekindle their relationship.

Back at the Owl House, Gwendolyn was ready to depart, after fixing the relationship with her daughters. She and Luz were speaking of a little, answering each other's question about the portal...and a cure.

"Are you certain there's no viable cure that can work?" She asked Luz.

"None that exists today, unfortunately." Luz answered. "If there ever was one, I'm afraid that it was lost in time."

"Then, we'll just have to keep looking." Lilith spoke, coming out of the house, looking better than before, now wearing a grey cloak over her attire. "Together."

Eda and King came out after her, with the latter saying "It's a shame, really. I was getting used to your company, sister."

"Yeah, and now Hooty's even more unbearable." King remarked.

The Former House Demon was now crying at Lilith moving out. The sight of it gave Lilith a deadpan expression.

"I'll be sure to visit regularly, as Mother has before. But for now, I have to do this. And it would be nice to see Father again."

"Right. Well, now you have to answer my question." Luz said to Gwendolyn. "What do you know about Eda's portal."

"Only that it is powered by one of the rarest substances in the Isles. Titan's Blood." Gwendolyn explained. "It is extremely powerful said to leak between realms. Through cracks, these doorways are forged, making it possible to travel from this dimension to the earth dimension."

Eda had a look of confusion as she wasn't expecting her mother to be expert here. "Mom...how do you know about this?"

"I study. And I also know that there were once rumors of a human coming to the Isles before."

"Really?" That intrigued Luz.

Gwen went on. "Yes. My great-grandmother told me about it once before. But he was said to have vanished long ago. If there was any chance of finding out more about him, it could be found at the currently abandoned Library."

"I'll look into it."

And with that, Gwen and Lilith began to depart, wishing Luz and the rest of the gang safe travels as they flew away on their staffs. While Eda and King rested, and Hooty was nearly beginning to flood the house with tears, Luz got back to work. They witnessed another huge spike in bloody corruption today, affecting Lilith worse than before. The whole Boiling Isles would be at risk if this continued. And the Night Creatures would ensure the spread would continue, to kill all those who posed a threat; Luz being the greatest among them, they would do anything to get to her.

But she would be ready...

I have no excuse for taking so long to get back to this story. Only that life has put a whole lot of pressure on me, stretching me thin, and I can't be bothered sometimes. I only hope to have more time for stories like these later on. When in doubt, just keep watching.

- Light