*** Luz

The long day only made the relaxation Luz felt even more rewarding, she had been at peace and even if it wasn't as euphoric as her dream that morning, it was still much needed. She could already feel her muscles aching less, her sore legs and back from her fall we're feeling normal. Even with being at her most vulnerable, she couldn't help but feel at ease as the water took away all her pain. This must be magic... I've never had a bath this good. her mind was kind and quiet, the real relaxation she had been craving. Time passed slowly and yet, when she heard echoing footsteps in the distance, she couldn't help but feel like her time alone wasn't long enough. Come on... Now? Mentally groaning and trying to prepare herself for the inevitable interaction. Her hair was slicked to her face and her deep caramel skin glistened in the hot water, she did what she could to hide her modesty, feeling less confident than usual with her scrapes, scars and bruises. All good... Hopefully same people... Ignore them. she kept repeating this phrase, only pausing when her mind finally registered that it was a single person's footsteps echoing the empty halls of the locker room. Like before she pushed herself to the far side, in shallow enough water she could pull herself out to grab her stuff and run, but deep enough she didn't feel her modesty was at risk.

The other person was taking their time, it seemed like there was no rush to get to the destination, they took their sweet time getting undressed in the locker room, only further charging Luz's anxiety. It felt like an eternity had passed by the time the individuals shape appeared again through the intense steam, only able to see their silhouette she was quickly able to pick out that it was the woman from last night that she locked eyes with. A lump formed in her throat as she froze, only able to stare at the other woman's foggy form. They must have noticed her, their path went from headed straight for Luz to dipping themselves into the pool on the opposite side, where it was much deeper with no real entrance. What should I do? still frozen with a heavy mix of feelings in the pit of her stomach, she nearly felt her soul leave her body as the silence was broken by the other party.

*** Amity

The green haired witch had taken her time walking from the cabin to the springs, still trying to reason and level with herself, as if she could make sense of the madness her mother was putting her through. Are they in on it? … No... They've been so much better lately... Em especially. She let out a frustrated sigh, wiping her hand down her face and giving her cheek a small tap, as if to bring her back to reality. I just... Need some alone time to really think. the constant weight of censoring her own thoughts was getting to her, she was mentally exhausted from the activity, trying to curb her own thoughts before they could take full form. She never wanted to experience what she had in the library, when she could feel her mother intruding on her, breaking down all her personal barriers, everything was at her mother's disposal, and it made her sick. Shaking the thought from her head she entered the usual locker room, opting to again pick her favourite pool, the thought of the stranger not remotely top of mind as she disrobed and hesitantly removed the amulet. Even just this … Is a weight off my shoulders and mind... a content sigh left her as she placed the amulet in the locker monster with all her other belongings, using a hair tie she pulled all her hair up into a messy bun, hoping this time she could keep it from getting soaked.

Finally feeling ready she made her way into the springs, her eyebrows quirking up as she noticed the same grouping of clothes by the towels and shallow end. Not alone... She had to fight a flicker of frustration and anger that sparked in her gut at the realization, Ignore them... Emiras words from last night echoed in her mind and helped to ease her sudden feeling of hostility towards this stranger. Easier said than done … she still wore a deep frown on her face, despite how hard she was trying to not let it affect her mood, it would take a bit more convincing to let it go completely. Remember, this is your time... Just, focus on that. she took a deep steadying breath, able to see a cloudy silhouette in the shallow end, she changed course and opted for the deeper side. She slowly slipped in, not overly concerned if some of the wavering steam revealed any part of her body, these springs were normal for her and modesty in any locker room was difficult. As she settled in and leaned her arms on the slightly colder edge of the hot pool, she couldn't help but notice that the small typical ache in her chest from leaving her amulet was already growing. just enjoy the time you have... Your time. she repeated the thought and decided to break the silence, hoping that she'd feel more comfortable to let the other person know that they could ignore her, and she would try to give ample space while floating around the pool.

"Listen, I don't get much alone time... So, I'm going to just pretend you aren't here and you can do the same." Amity's voice was confident and professional, but she tried to use a gentle tone, hoping that would garner a better response. As she turned and let go of the edge to tread in the deep water, she immediately could see the other woman was staring right at her, giving her a bit of a shock. Bold of them... Amity couldn't help but raise an eyebrow up as she stared back, looking into their deep brown eyes, I don't think they go to springs much... You don't typically stare... Whats with them?

Luz tried her best to answer right away but the voice had caused a small flag to be raised in her head, she couldn't place it, but she knew it was familiar. I'm so good at figuring out voice actors but not real people!? she chastised herself, only stopping when her eyes were met with two piercing golden orbs staring back at her. Ah shit... A heat started to rise to her cheeks as she was caught staring at the woman, although, the more she stared the more she could make out features through the wavering steam. Suddenly the womans hair went from just a slightly grey silhouette of hair to a mint green mess of hair in a bun. The realization hit her like a truck, and she couldn't help her reaction, "Amity!?" She suddenly blurted out, almost shouting, the noise echoing back at the two. Oh no... No no... I... Embarrassment fueled the raging fire in her stomach and her face tinted a darker shade of red, if she was the person here last night then she had a more than friendly dream about Amity, who wanted absolutely nothing to do with her. I mean... I didn't know it was her... And it's not like she knows. Why does it matter?... Ugh.

The sudden shout caused the youngest Blight to bring a hand over one of her pointed ears, shocked by the volume, but froze by the realization of who was on the other side of this pool the whole time and most likely last night. Luz... As the thought crossed her mind and she was able to make out her face, a terrible pain slammed into her chest causing her to suddenly struggle to breathe. The pain only increased as her mind went wild with picturing Luz everywhere over the 24 hours, she had been the person here last night, she had been the person tumbling down the side of the hill, and now she was right here. Without the normal control of her thoughts, the pictures and confusing feeling revolving around the human girl effectively immobilized Amity. The command Odalia had given was meant to make Amity want to create distance between them, however, what she accomplished was creating a pain so severe that Amity wouldn't be able to function around her instead. The magic that was gripping Amity's mind wasn't intended for those you care about, the spell was about control, conditioning or spying and it was clear it was already taking its toll. As the pain continued, she could suddenly feel herself slipping away, everything was starting to go black, and her mind was starting to go blank. "Luz?" Was the only thing she was able to squeeze out as her immobilized body finally went under and everything went black.

The human girl clasped her hands around her mouth, not having meant to shout at the witch, but the surprise of seeing her there hit a multitude of nerves. However, before Luz could go into any kind of apology, she could see that something was wrong, by now the mint haired witch would have told her to be quiet or that she was leaving, Something! As Amity's expression started to go blank, Luz felt a crushing chill go down her spine, and she immediately knew something was wrong, very wrong. The witch was no longer treading water and Luz could see that it almost looked as though something was gripping her or wrapped around her, causing her to freeze. She pushed herself to stand – no longer concerned about her modesty – and launched herself into action, barely able to hear Amity's last word as her head went fully under the water. "Amity!" She shouted again, this time her voice was thick with concern and fear, rather than shock. She quickly took a dive forward, inhaling deeply as she went underwater, internally cursing as the water stung her eyes when she opened them to see if she could spot how far the witch was from her. What happened? I-I didn't mean to surprise her? No shes... Never seemed easy to shock... It looked as though something was holding her still, a creature? A spell or curse? Luz was struggling to keep her mind sharp and focused on the present, blaming herself relentlessly and trying to figure out the level of danger they were in as she swam towards the sinking witch. She was nearly out of breath when she finally reached Amity, grabbing under her arm she started to swim up thankful the pool wasn't more than 16 feet (5 Meters) deep. She let the last of her air out just before she broke the surface of the water, gasping slightly and struggling to see beyond her long hair that got swept in front of her face.

Luz pulled Amity into the shallow end of the pool, not having the strength to get her up and out yet. "Amity?" She asked again giving her a small shake, laying the witch across her lap and cradling her in her arms, Amitys head was propped up against the human girl's shoulder and she was holding both her back and under her legs, unaware of the intimacy of the position. She breathed a sigh of relief when the green haired witch let out a small, choked cough and spat some water from her mouth. She subconsciously pulled her in closer, just happy to see she was alive and that there was no clear immediate danger. Whatever had happened didn't seem to continue after the witch passed out, only casting more confusion on Luz's theories. "Amity? Are you okay?" She asked, this time softer, less panicked, hoping to avoid any surprise or shock. She lowered the witched legs and pushed both their wet hair from their faces before using her now free hand to grab across Amity's stomach and to her hip, ensuring she wasn't going to slide away.

The event felt like a surreal blur, as the darkness consumed her vision and mind, she felt a strange and peaceful feeling wash over her consciousness. Just... A little longer. her mind whispered to her as she let herself sink lower into this feeling, unknowingly craving it, subconsciously striving for it, for some kind of release. The amulet and it's magic had already made deep scars on mind, leaving a craving in the depths of her mind to escape like she had never felt before. All the twisted things her family did for business, all the ruthless tactics to save face, the backstabbing for the emperor's coven, everything leading up to these events felt like miniscule bumps compared to the last few days. Unbeknownst to her – and even Odalia – the amulets' magic would slowly drain her wills and wishes, and in months to come leave her a husk of who she once was. Time was ticking and her peaceful darkness was already slipping away. Her experience was suddenly shaken as her body felt like it was being pulled up, dragged fast through the thick and comforting darkness. Whats … happening? I just need … more time. her mind reeled, trying to comprehend the intense mixture of feeling and sensations her body was experiencing. She wanted to feel that peace for just a while longer, whatever she was feeling now as she was being dragged out was terrible. A frantic mix of fear and panic, a sickness in the pit of her stomach. Finally, as her consciousness hit the surface of reality again, she let out a small cough and spit water from her mouth, taking in a shaky breath, struggling to enter back into the waking world.

As she lay still for a moment, she could feel a different warmth than just the water, something was pressed to her side, No wait... holding me? Something grabbed me? As the thoughts came rushing back to her and she remembered why she had blacked out, she took another shaky breath in, closing her eyes tighter and steering her thoughts away from the human. Already exhausted by the activity. Like when I was talking to Emira... Don't directly say her name or give her shape... The thought was easier said than done, but Amity couldn't bear another attack like the one she just had, the pain was on a whole new level and the longer she was conscious the more she forgot about the comforting darkness. I know I should only associate with the best, but how is this girl... So bad, so different that, that it feels like this to see her or think of her? Even when my amulet isn't on... What has my life become? She opened her eyes when she heard her name called, only taking the scene in before her for a moment, all she could see was part of Luz's face, her big caring brown eyes, and her exposed collar bone. Once the full scene had set in, she closed her eyes and turned away, Breathe Blight … You've seen lots of naked women. struggling against the severe pain coursing through her body as she tried to imagine a random person, anyone other than Luz. When she opened her eyes again, she didn't look Luz in the face and instead gently pushed against her grasp and moved gracefully through the water to sit next to her, still facing a different direction. Part of her underestimated the struggle it was to get the sight of Luz's body out of her mind, the way her caramel skin shimmered, the way her brown eyes stared down at her with genuine concer- No, enough! What's wrong with me? I can't... think like this! Amity swiftly pushed any description from her mind and focused on neutral features, despite her best efforts her face was still red, and her heart was beating fast from the interaction. "Don't apologize." Her tone was painfully neutral and devoid of any telling emotions.

She's awake and she seems to be okay! Ah thank titan, I don't think I could pull her out of here... At least not nicely. She looked down at Amity in her arms, only then realizing the real gravity of the situation she put them in when they locked eyes with each other. Luz felt a confusing pit form in her stomach, now all too aware of how she was holding her 'not' friend, and what they weren't wearing. Before she could open her mouth or break the eye contact herself, the green haired witch closed her eyes and turned her face away, eventually pushing against Luz's hold, despite this giving the human girl some relief it also caused a pang of disappointment to bloom in her stomach, only adding to the confusing swirl. Luz let go of her and turned her face in the other direction, away from where Amity had selected to sit beside her. Just as her mouth was opening to apologize, she was cut off by the green haired witch, eerily fast. This gave her a moment of pause, but she decided to continue, "But if I did something to cause that... Amity, I am sorry." She could feel the witch was shifting beside her but kept facing the other way, out of nerves or curtesy she couldn't say. "What happened out there?" She suddenly asked, breaking their silene once again, the questions swirling around in her head demanding answers.

Amity let out a small sigh, I knew she'd keep going... That idiot has nothing to apologize for. She shifted in her seat, trying to picture someone else, someone she could convince her mind to replace Luz with. She could still feel an ache in her chest being close to Luz and far away from her amulet, but her mind was her real enemy, if she could paste another person to Luz's voice, she could avoid that intense pain. Even if it meant she couldn't look at her, it was better than the alternative. "You didn't do anything... This was... Something else caused it. It doesn't concern you." She tried her best to be neutral but knew the end had come out with more bite than she intended, She did save me... but she also caused it... No! Odalia, you're family caused this... the internal struggle was real and caused flickers of discomfort and pain. "I... "She started and couldn't help but pause, this was her chance to reach out and push Luz away for real, in a way she might actually listen. "I must live up to my family's name, I have expectations, my whole life is planned for me. I don't get to do what I want, or spend time with who I want... That's a luxury." The vulnerability in her voice brought on strong anxiety, but saying those words out loud somehow helped.

Luz couldn't help but express disgust all over her face as she absorbed Amitys words and vulnerability, this was one of the few times she could feel just how honest the witch was being with her, and how unusual this was. Her family is something else... "I get that... I mean, I'm trying to get that." She quickly rephrased, not wanting to set Amity off, because in reality she knew she had no real semblance of an understanding. "You're your own person! You have joys and experiences outside of your family! What could your family possibly have to hold you so accountable all the time? Huh?" Even with her best efforts, Luz couldn't help but look back at Amity, shocked to see her back was to her completely and her head was resting on her arms as she stared at the back of the pool, and its large wooden wall. The position looked so defeated and that was the last thing she wanted to cause.

Amity closed her eyes tight and tried to push back the hot tears that were threatening to spill over from Luz's words, she could tell that the human was trying and that she had good intentions with everything, but she was ignorant to the witch's reality. "I can't even say I wish you understood because I wouldn't wish that on anyone." her tone was starting to give away her feelings, all neutrality was fading away as they went deeper on the subject. "Too much! They control everything, Luz. Everything." She grit her teeth, anger boiling in her chest, she resented her family, she hated the feeling of being a puppet and knew she was here for better reasons than serving her family, but there wasn't a way out. As the anger dripped heavily into her words she turned and met the brown-haired girls eyes, stunned at the concern in them, having expected some kind of frustration at this point, with how hot and cold she had been. As she felt the pain creeping back, she quickly turned her face away, the only thing that was numbing the pain of saying her name and looking at her was her anger.

Luz listened, trying to really take in what Amity was saying about her life, no matter how privileged it looked or how snobbish she seemed, the green haired witch was living in some kind of catered hellscape. As the two locked eyes, she could almost feel the internal pain that was emanating from her, the golden orbs so quickly went from angry to helpless. "What d-" she cut herself off with a small yelp as she felt the slap of a wet towel suddenly on her face, tearing it off she looked around bewildered for a moment before seeing Emira standing in all her glory a few feet away from the pair, looking smug. Luz's eyes went wide in shock, not sure where to look or not look, after a panicked moment she opted to look down into the steamy water.

Emira had decided it was time to check in on her sister, it had been enough time to let her cool down and then some. She was going to get answers, even if she had to pry them out and that included herself, if she needed to poke around in her own mind to find what Odalia did with those amulets when they had been in line for the Blight name and business, she would. She happily removed her clothing and put them inside the locker monster, this was a relaxing setting, and they would be alone together, no better time to open up than now! Even with the stress and seriousness of the situation, she tried not to let it push her down, she needed to have high spirits right now for Amity's sake. She quietly made her way into the pools, pausing her light footsteps when she saw what looked to be Luz and Amity sitting together. I'm a genius, I knew they would be able to talk here! I, uh … wouldn't have expected them so close but, hey! Bold move! she was internally squealing, without context the two looked like they were getting very close . She waited a few moments and made her move when the two locked their eyes onto one another, taking this opportunity to silently dunk a small cloth into the water. Just as she saw Luz open her mouth to speak, she shot the cloth across the way, letting out a victorious laugh as it slapped her square in the face, oblivious to the severity of the conversation. "I thought I would check in on you mittens!" She purred, jumping into the shallow end with a small splash. "But it looks like you already got yourself some company!" Her tone was laced with inuendo, just barely avoiding the cloth as it was thrown back at her.

Emira's plan seemed to backfire the moment she entered the relaxing water, suddenly, Amity's held temper broke loose and neither party would be safe from the hurtful words that fell from her lips. All the green haired witch could think was how close she was to telling someone, telling someone that had connection to potential solutions, telling someone just to feel a weight lifted off her shoulder and here Emira was, without a care in the world, putting an end to it. She couldn't tell her sister without risking her mother's wrath or getting Em in trouble. However, the safe feeling she had had a moment ago – while she looked at Luz and ignored the pain in her chest and gut – vanished, she was suddenly not in control of her emotions and certainly not her actions, as if someone else was in the driver's seat. "Don't 'Mittens' me! Why are you here?" She lashed out, growling in anger and resentment towards her unbothered sister. "Following me around all the time and 'checking' on me has only caused issues for me, Emira, whats your game?" Luz could see the sudden hostility and tried to step in feeling like they were having a moment, however, this only earned her an invitation to Amity's hurtful outburst. "You! Don't even get me started" her eyes had a hint of glowing red in them now, something none of them had ever seen before. "Trying to play hero all the time! You will just hurt the people around you! You don't know what your noble actions do! You've only managed to get yourself nearly killed since being here! For the love of Titan, why won't you leave me alone either!?" Before she could continue Emira tried to step in and remedy the situation, she hadn't intended or expected anything like this.

Luz started to tear up, she couldn't help it, how was it possible to get to this so quickly How can she be so cruel? I only ever wanted to help... Why do I bother? even with tears in her eyes, she decided enough was enough, she wasn't going to be someone's punching bag. "Thats it! You can't use me like this! I tried to be your friend countless times! Forgive me for thinking you weren't the bitch everyone says you are! Find another punching bag." She snapped, surprised by her own anger she pulled herself up out of the water, hastily putting a towel around herself and grabbing her clothes. Dashing to the locker room before she lost the confidence and ability to hold herself together, she had finally felt like they were getting somewhere. Argh! It doesn't matter if we were getting somewhere!... Right? it was pointless to try and think through the problem, Luz needed to take a walk and try to gather her thoughts calmly, not like she had inside the spring. She felt such a frenzy of mixed emotions she needed a way out, trying to hurry she dried her body with the towel and got dressed, drying her hair hastily before pulling her hat on, tucking the long strands that framed her face behind her ear so they could dry and not get frozen off. I can't believe I let her drag me back in... ¿cuándo aprenderé? (When will I learn?) She made her way out of the building, buttoning up her jacket as she did so, muttering curses under her breath.

The human girl decided it was best to get her frustrations out elsewhere, she didn't want Eda's input right now and she needed to deal with her own thoughts and opinions. Going back now would only cloud her real thoughts and feelings with Eda's, and she already knew what she thought of the Blight family. Okay Luz... Calm down... She repeated this thought a few times and took deep breaths as she hastily walked down a twisting mountain path, avoiding the camp clearing entirely. In her gut she could feel something wasn't right about Amity, when she was close to her the feeling, she had was so familiar that it sent chills down her spine and yet she couldn't figure out why. They control everything... Luz repeated what her 'not' friend had told her, Does she mean literally? If so... How could they almost let her drown? Something wasn't right... It looked like she was wrapped up, like something had her. As she walked down the path, she started to kick the large lumps of snow and rocks that were on the edge aimlessly, the physical activity felt like it was helping her process what had happened. She had too many questions and not enough answers, she could barely understand why she was so invested in the mint haired witch to begin with, She left Willow behind, she used to be a bully and still obviously, sometimes is... Shes barely shown me any kindness... but at the library, she was so different, and with those kids... and she loves The Good Witch Azura! Plus, all those diary entries, I can't remember but I remember how sad the little Amity looked. "Ugh! Stupid Blight!" She dragged her hands down her face and kicked a mound as hard as she could, watching it fly to a clearing below she was almost proud of how far it went, until whatever it hit started to move.

"Uhh... Whats that?" Luz stared down at the white blob that was shaking the snow off its body, she knelt to get a bit of a closer look, gasping as she saw its giant mouth open up and let out a loud roar. Ahh... Fuck, what did I do? She frantically reached into her coat pocket and grabbed the book Eda had given her, flipping to the 'Monsters, Demons and Spirits of The Knee' page. She told me about this before... Ugh Titan... OH! Her finger landed on the ball like creature with large teeth, trying to be fast she read the blurb on it. Harmless when left alone, if disturbed it will hunt you down and take its revenge? That's the whole entry!? Lilith what the hell! She snapped the book closed and pocketed it. The creature was still reeling from the incident, but it didn't take long for its incredible hunting abilities to kick in, causing it to instantly look up to where she was. A chill shot down her spine as the eyeless creature started to make its move towards her, claws and teeth bared, ready for when it finds her. "Shit!" She shouted at the gravity of the situation setting in, turning on her heel Luz started to run as fast as she could in the opposite direction. She was struggling to make it up the trail she came from as her panicked and heavier steps were now digging into the snow slowing her down. Okay, no problem. I just need a defendable spot! when she got to the next level ground she bolted into the forest, a large tree or cave would be perfect, she could use one of her potions to mask her and even if she was spotted, she had a steady arsenal made of 'Eda specials'. As she ran checking over her shoulder, she was relieved to not yet see its body come over the crest of the hill.

In the far distance she could see the mouth of a cave, it wasn't large, but it was big enough so she could slip inside the entrance and try to blend in with the rubble. As she got closer and her chest started to ache from the activity, she finally reached for the strap of her bag that crossed over her chest, fumbling for a moment when she didn't feel it, she looked down at herself and almost like she was going to faint right there. I left it... I left my bag. as the cruel thought dawned on her she could feel her blood starting to run cold, her stomach and chest were impossibly tight, and she felt sick. I'm going to die... The thought finally hit her, causing a momentary slowing of her frantic pace. Subconsciously she was patting her pockets for anything to help, almost jumping for joy when she felt her notepad and pencil were in her inside pocket. It wasn't much, but it was enough that she felt a small spark of hope rekindle and warm her cold blood, pushing her to continue to the mouth of the cave. As she ran had tossed her glove as far as she could in one direction, and using the other to throw as hard as she could in the opposite direction, hoping to potentially slow it down so she had time to prepare. "Finally," A loud huff left her as she slid down the side of the cave wall, hiding behind large boulders that were scattered around the entrance. She closed her eyes and tried her best not to let the situation get to her, all of this would be more than manageable if she wasn't so alone, so weak, Maybe Amity is right... All I do is get myself into trouble and almost die.

She had a few moments to wallow in her self-pity before she was forced back to reality by the Slitherbeasts loud roar, it's close. She started to rip off pages of light glyphs as she made them, stuffing them in her pocket before going to the entrance and getting on her hands and knees. She started to draw large versions of the glyph in the snow and dirt, her exposed hands shaking from the cold. When she had covered the whole entrance way and then some she backed away, checking her work to ensure it was correct, covering her mouth as she saw the creature leap from a large tree in the distance, her glove trick had only bought her a few moments by the looks of it. Breath... She opened her coat slightly and stuffed her freezing hands into her armpits, trying her best to warm them back up before they were damaged. She leaned against the cold wall again, tilting her head back she stared at the light snow that was billowing into the cave. She marveled at the beauty of the flakes, each such a unique shape, Too bad these will be the last ones I'll ever see She tries to make herself feel better with the overexaggerated drama, but before she could continue her dramatic inner dialogue, she noticed a strange pattern in the snowflakes. "What is this?" She couldn't help but utter the words out loud, completely absorbed in what she found. As each flake fell into her palm, they were all very unique shapes, but the center of them were almost all the same, she could only really see the detail with the larger flakes, but it was definitely there on every single one. As she caught more in her hand, she had very little time to examine them before they melted, but as she looked at them more and more, she finally realized what it reminded her of. The light glyph... No way. No freaking way... She was stunned at the discovery, trying not to get her hopes up too high she pulled her notepad out and attempted to draw the glyph. Her shaking hand was struggling with the circle and fine details but still gave it a try when she was done, almost screaming when a small shaky-looking spike of ice came through the piece of paper.

**** Amity

As Luz yelled back, a strong guilt sat heavy in her stomach, when the words left her mouth, she didn't care about anything, she was angry, hurt and felt trapped in her life. When Luz lashed out, however, she felt an instant regret, seeing the tears in the humans' eyes was difficult, and she wanted nothing more than to apologize right away but she wasn't in control. Whatever was pressing her to say these things was too occupied with rage to let the pain in her chest at watching Luz leave affect her, she stared after her, as if making sure she was really gone. She didn't deserve that... Once Luz was out of sight, her uncontrolled rage continued onto her sister, she felt so strangely helpless to be able to see her words and actions hurting people but unable to intervene, it was new and frightening. "Emira, I don't want your opinion and I don't need your help. What I need is for you to stay away from me! Whatever you think you are doing to help has only caused more issues." She sounded more levelheaded with her words, but her tone was harsh and cruel, she could see the look on Emira's face was painful and disappointed.

The oldest Blight siblings' heart sank hearing Amity lash out; it didn't seem like her at all and yet, the words felt so true and personal. Is she right? Have I been pushing too much and just making things worse? … No. No, this isn't me and this isn't her. This is our parents' fault. she endured the harsh words in silence, doing her best to not let this hurt her. "I'm sorry Ami... I'll give you some space. I just... I think you should open up, and talk to me, maybe I can help. Mom used to make Edric and I wear those amulets too and, those memories are locked away, for a reason..." Her voice betrayed her levelheaded words, she sounded sad and broken, her voice faltering multiple times as she spoke. She had kept her eyes down towards the steaming water, only risking a look at her sister when she was finished speaking.

Amity felt too many emotions to be able to handle this topic with care, the sudden burst of mixed emotions finally allowed her to feel like she was at least somewhat in control again. As her sisters broken voice reached out to her, she couldn't help but feel guilty for this too, but even with that guilt a voice in her head told her she was just causing more problems, for both of them. "Please... Emira, I don't want you to get involved. I'll be fine." This was the kindest response she was able to give, she needed her sister to back away, she couldn't bear having her hurt because she was too weak to deal with Odalia and her methods. With that she looked away from her sister and towards the entrance, it was time for her to go, this 'alone time and space' had turned out to be pointless. Is … That Luz's bag? She felt a pain stab into her at the thought of her name but did what she could to focus on the bag itself, Maybe... I can return it and just give a quick apology. Not that I expect forgiveness... I've been terrible to her. She got out of the water and grabbed a towel, picking up Luz's bag at the same time. "I'm going to return this... I'll see you at the cabin." She didn't wait to get a reply, she was done fighting with her sister and she needed some fresh air.

Emira felt defeated, she had felt like this whole plan was solid, from having alone time with Amity to getting her to talk to Luz. Obviously, she was sorely mistaken, all her antics and plans were for nothing and by the sounds of it only caused Amity more problems. She felt like a kid again, thinking she was doing something great only to be yelled at. I have to think this through better... And I need to see what Odalia did to Edric and I... She closed her eyes and sank into the water, cursing mentally for her stupid actions.

It didn't take long for Amity to get dressed, using magic to dry herself off and to snap her clothes on, anything to cut this time short. She was out the front door of the springs within a few moments of walking away from her sister, the amulet sat very heavily against her chest and from the moment she put it on she felt like she wasn't alone. Luz's bag was slung over her shoulder, in the opposite direction of her own, she quickly started to scan the snow for tracks cursing the wind and rolling snow for making it so much more difficult than it needed to be. As she made her way towards one of the few trails that lead to the springs, she finally saw it, the humans' footsteps were deep and headed down one of the southern passes. Southern passes? Is she insane!? Slitherbeasts are everywhere down there right now. "Damn it" She cursed and kicked some snow absently, rubbing the side of her face with her gloved hand, there was a small chance these weren't Luz's tracks but with where they were headed, she didn't want to take the chance. Even though it felt like she wasn't alone or like she was being watched, she ignored it, opting to take care of this business with Luz, even if it was painful. To her surprise, while she felt like she wasn't alone, the thought of the human somehow didn't cause as much agony as in the pools, it wasn't much of an advantage, but she wanted to use it while it was there, even if it might come back to bite her when she goes home. After a few minutes she found where it looked like the tracks doubled back on themselves, the tracks themselves were much deeper and veered off towards the forest. Not wanting to waste any time she didn't bother following them down and back up again, If theres any chance she ran into one, this bag is probably what she has to defend herself with. Amity didn't know for sure but could assume that for the most part Luz was using this infinite bag as storage for weapons or potions, something the human could use to fight. She wasn't far from where Luz was when she heard the bone chilling roar rip from the Slitherbeasts throat, It's close! one of her worst fears was coming to fruition, she needed to hurry.

*** Luz

There was no time to celebrate, however, her trick didn't buy her much time and she was already zoned out to the point she hadn't noticed the creature's stealthy approach, only being altered to it when one of her light glyphs suddenly went off. The light was dazzling and hurt her eyes, any adjustment she had to the darkness of the cave was now gone. To her surprise the creature seemed to be barely phased, more confused than stunned. I'll need to make note of that. Slightly blinded Luz flattened herself to the ground and did her best to recreate the new glyph, this was her last opportunity if she failed here the creature would be on top of her in a few seconds. As the creature came out of its slightly stunned and confused state, it let out another roar – clearly annoyed with its prey – shaking the ground and reinforcing the terror Luz already felt. And... Done! She closed her eyes and focused as hard as she could on what she wanted to happen, picturing the ice piercing the creature, she slammed her hand down silently praying. As her hand made contact with the cold ground it caused the Slitherbeast to immediately know where she was in the dark cave, the hunter slammed its thick legs into the ground and lunged for Luz, teeth bared. As it leaped through the air the ground rumbled in front of Luz and a large ice pillar shot from the ground, it wasn't exactly what she had pictured but she was successful in launching the creature into the depths of the forest. I need a better position if I'm going to defend myself... At this point her hands were freezing and beginning to numb from their work in writing on the ground, even though the danger was still around the corner she could feel her adrenaline was crashing, she was sore, exhausted and so cold. Edas... Scroll The sudden realization hit her as she pushed herself onto her knees from the ground, her hands worked painfully slow, pulling the scroll open and selecting the new contact she managed a small message and sent it, groaning and flinching at the pain her fingers felt from just lightly holding the phone.

Just as Amity was coming up to the mouth of the cave, she was forced to jump back – the white creature flew past her – grunting as she fell backwards landing in the snow, she couldn't help but feel completely bewildered by what had just happened. I didn't see the Owl Lady... shaking the shock off she pushed herself back up, flinching and clutching her chest from the amulet's reaction to her thinking about the human girl and the Owl Lady. "Luz?" She called out, as the words left her mouth she felt a strange feeling surge briefly through her body, her thoughts suddenly echoed and the feeling gripping her chest was less painful. It was replaced with a strange tingling feeling she hadn't experienced before, trying not to dwell on it she peeked into the mouth of the cave. Her golden eyes going wide as she saw the human girl huddled on the ground hands in her coat as she hid behind a large pillar of ice, "How the … " She stared in wonder at the pillar before throwing away caution and doing a light jog to her side, kneeling to be closer, "You forgot your bag... Luz, I-" Before she could finish her sentence the familiar padding of the Slitherbeast echoed into the cave, it sounded like it was coming fast.

It was a shock to see the Mint haired witch approach her, despite all the venomous words they exchanged she had still come after Luz, just to return her bag. She was planning to let Amity do most of the talking, she was freezing, and it was a struggle to even think about holding a conversation with how violently her body was shaking. Both were torn away from the strange situation back to the present and before Luz could really think about her next move, she was already digging into her bag that was still wrapped around the witch. With an agonizing whine she brought herself back up to her feet after having retrieved what she was after – a sleeping potion – she ignored her 'not' friend's words of concern and instead had laser focus on the incoming creature. "J-j-just a-a sec" Luz had tried her best to still her body and her chattering teeth but as she spoke her body betrayed her and stuttered out the statement. She knew in the back of her mind that Amity was an asset here, and yet she felt a deep need to prove herself.

Amity had no idea what Luz was thinking, she was obviously freezing and exhausted, but she ignored her with no issues, seeming to be only focused on the danger before them. Despite being able to summon her abomination or use her fire magic, she could see that the human girl had a plan and wasn't going to take this victory from her. "... What are you doing?" her voice was hushed and laced with confusion as she watched the human girl use her boot to draw out a weird symbol in the icy dirt of the cave floor.

Luz briefly looked back at Amity, surprised to see she wasn't taking action. "I might not have native magic... But I am still figuring out my own way." If her face wasn't so cold she would have offered the kneeling witch a reassuring smile, but instead she had a neautral but deterimined expression on. The creature burst through the trees, it's white fur had spots of red on it due to its hard landing. Even though it was trying to kill her, Luz couldn't help but feel a small pang of guilt. "When it roars, I'll hit it with my magic and throw this into its mouth, non-lethal solution" Amity didn't need to know Luz's first plan was to impale the creature on ice, if given the option she would rather not killing anything or anyone. She glanced down at the new glyph on the ground, I hope this works... After this experience she just wanted to be able to celebrate with her friends, and she had a whole new glyph now to figure out.

The creature was in its final dash to the entrance of the cave, Amity had steeled herself and put her safety into the humans hands. Just as the thought finished in her mind, she felt an all too familiar stab in the side of her head, she covered her mouth just barely stifling the gasp the pain caused. All doubt in her mind was gone as thoughts not all her own started to echo in her mind, so quiet yet still intrusive, some whispered about her being a Blight, being better than this human. While others called her to action, she couldn't and shouldn't rely on this literal peasant. Amity watched and tried to focus on the scene in front of her while mentally battling with these thoughts, sure she wasn't in an immense amount of pain from being around Luz right now but at what cost? No! I am a Blight... But I can trust people!

Luz focused only on the Slitherbeast, nothing else existing to her in this moment, as it made its final lunge for the two, she slammed her foot down onto the new glyph. A slightly smaller pillar of ice shot from the ground, slamming into the creature's abdomen and creating the perfect opening. The moment that the beast was hit by the blunt end of the pillar it opened its large mouth. There! With all the strength the human girl could muster, she threw the potion into the gaping mouth a few feet away and watched as the beast struggled against the potent potion before wabbling back on it legs and slamming into the ground. The pair was skeptical at first about If it worked, the breathing seemed hard and labored to be asleep but as a moment of silence passed, a small snore like sound was finally emitted from the creature. "Great thinking" The witch complimented absent mindedly from behind, needing to take some kind of action, Amity got up and started walking away from Luz to check on the creature but before she could make it even a step, she saw the human girl from the corner of her eye was going down.

Luz's legs finally buckled under the exhaustion and cold, all the adrenaline that was keeping her aware was draining quickly as the threat was diminished. She could feel that she was falling and yet, she somehow stayed in the same position, confused, her eyes lulled open to see Amity's beautiful golden eyes staring down at her with deep concern, and Something else... . "Thanks." She mumbled out, her lips were starting to tint blue as the cold clawed deep into her. As Amity held Luz up, she could feel that almost everything, but the human's coat was soaked, This isn't good... at the very best her coat was only damp in a few spots, whilst the rest of her clothes were ranging from damp to soaked, it was no wonder she was freezing.

"I need you to stay awake. I'm going to use a spell to dry you off and hopefully warm you up." Amity could see that Luz was lulling in and out of the waking world, her eyes lazily opening and closing, sometimes lingering on a blink before snapping open to pretend she was aware. What an idiot... The witch still held onto Luz with one arm, struggling to block the mental hell she was experiencing, using her free hand she cast a simple spell circle and pulled most of the moisture from Luz's clothes and winter hat. No beanie... she remarked in her mind, trying anything to silence the intrusive and sick thoughts.

I don't think … Maybe, maybe, I did die? Luz was fading in and out of her thoughts, dipping into momentary dreams and thoughts, finding it difficult to keep her eyes open. She may be working hard to increase her abilities, but she was still human and the week she had was enough to cause anyone to go crazy with exhaustion. She's being too nice, why nice? She was mean... super mean, I mean... Guess I was also mean, that's a... that's a lot of mean. but... but she deserved it. Right? Luz's thoughts were slow and dragged out. "That... feels nice." She muttered, letting her head lull to the side, her eyes still closed as her head landed on Amity's chest.

Once Amity had removed the moisture from her clothes, she focused with everything she had on the new spell she had mastered earlier that morning. This was different, heating her whole body up by a few degrees at a time was much more energy consuming than she had thought it would be. Phew... Okay, don't ever do this again. Can't be worth it... Her thought was paused as Luz's head lulled and landed on her chest, the girl that had been just barely in her hold was now pushing hard against the witches magically heated body. Oh... She could feel an awkward heat rising from her stomach to her face, causing her pale skin to go a soft shade of red. She was thankful for her pale skin in that moment as the colour was probably not much darker than what her cheeks look like with how cold it is outside. "Let's get you... Uh, back to your... camp? Thing?" She waited for express consent before realizing that Luz was sound asleep. The whispers in her mind were relentless, violent even, and she felt strangely heavy from the mental strain it was causing, I won't hurt her like this! Ah... At all, I wont. At all! She squeezed her eyes shut, pushing the thoughts out and refocusing on the present, what she was feeling physically and what she knew needed to be done. She leaned down towards Luz and scooped her up, fighting the sudden feeling of pain and sickness that was forming in her chest from the action. The strange echo in her thoughts was leaving and the pain that had resided there before was returning with a vengeance, whatever had a hold on her was retreating and she couldn't say if it was for the best. Just... gotta get here there. she swallowed hard, tears in her eyes as the situation took its toll on her. "Okay... Let's go." She shifted the human in her arms, she had to carry her bridal style, had she been awake she would have made it easier on them both and carried her around on her back, but she was sure she could manage.

The mint haired witch left the cave and braced herself against the cold night wind, hoping her body temperature was high enough Luz would be okay for the journey. I might need to learn how to do this... properly. She marveled at the way the snow barely contacted her before melting away, creating a brief damp spot where it landed. Climbing up the steep path was more of a challenge than Amity was ever going to admit, not only was she sweating from the activity, but her magic was causing her to feel like she was hitting a boiling point. She let it go on for a few more strides before finally, Sorry... she had to let the magic go, fearing exhaustion would take her or worse, that she would damage her internal organs with the consistent and radiating temperature. It would take a bit of time to come back down to her regular body heat, in that time she tried to make it as far as possible to keep the human girl warm. Just as she felt like her muscles were going to give in on her – Not that she would ever admit it –, she heard a whistling noise from above and suddenly a grey blur blasted by. She braced against the wind, pulling Luz into her as tightly as she could, all too aware that she was starting to stir, most likely from the cold.

A few moments later the same whistling alarmed Amity, but before she could react to it a tall grey-haired woman was standing in front of her, an Owl Palisman staff in her hands pointed at her accusingly. "What did you do to Luz, Blight?" It seemed the woman knew exactly who she was, or at least who her family was but she was struggling to pin this woman for anyone she might know.

As suddenly the confusion came on, she made the realization and connected the dots. "The Owl Lady. No, you have it all wrong. Luz fought a Slitherbeast off and I simply found her as she was collapsing. She can corroborate my story when she wake's, you can take her..." Amity chastised herself when she realized how formal she had been, knowing who this woman was she doubted it made the same impact as it does with her parents' donors. "I was on my way to hopefully find your campground." As she continued, she could see the tension ease in the older woman's features, she was no longer angry and rigid, but cautious.

"Interesting story there, Blight. Definitely your mothers child." Eda's tone was casual and mocking, she had known the Blight family since she was a child and grew up with both Alador and Odalia. "Give her here... She can … Cor-Tell me her side of things when shes awake." She let go of Owlbert and had him float at her side as she reached for Luz, shaking her head at the smaller human girls condition. Eda knew that Luz was a smaller woman and had a 'nerd bod' but she was surprised at how small she felt when she was passed out and helpless like this.

Amity carefully put Luz in the arms of her mentor, and offered up the girl's infinite bag as well, biting the inside of her cheek to stave off the surges of pain she felt in her body. I have to get away... "Thank you, Owl Lady. I'll be on my way now." Her eyes lingered for a few moments longer on Luz before she turned and started to head up towards the cabins, opting to take the most direct path. Stupid... She probably thinks I did something. I mean, look at Luz, looks like a lot more than a Slitherbeast... Not that I am blameless.

"It's Eda, by the way and either is fine, really." The grey-haired witch showed a small respect to the youngest Blight, feeling they would be talking in the future. Not wanting to waste any more time, Eda got on her staff with Luz and her bag. "I've got my eyes on you Blight" The witch gave Amity another once over, trying her best to figure out the motive behind whatever this was. Still watching the other witch Eda kicked off and haphazardly took off, hoping to get some answers from Luz when shes ready to wake up.

The way the Owl Lady spoke to Amity was a little shocking at first, she was so casual and, on a dime, put a pit in Amity's stomach. Once the pair were out of sight and well into the night sky, the witch's legs buckled beneath her, and she collapsed onto her knees finally giving in to the pain that had been violently coursing through her body. She sat there for a few minutes, just taking things one shaky breath at a time, letting the pain run its course through her body before leaving her one more. "I... Can't keep doing this..." She shook her head and tried to get focused on the next step, getting herself back to the cabin and hopefully avoiding any more confrontations. I need to figure this out... I need... I need to plan. On that thought she pushed herself back into a standing position, stretching herself up and flexing her sore arms. The walk wasn't long, but it gave her the ability to start thinking about her next move and how to approach this business with her mother, coming up with reasons to exclude the school or library somehow.