Coven Fairy
"So, remind me again why we have to sit here watching you play, Hexis Holdem?" Kali questioned, watching Eda playing the card game against Owlbert.
"So you kids can learn how it's done, and how to hustle someone when you need to play." Eda stated.
"Right… well it's clear Owlbert's gonna win this round, unless you're hiding a wildcard, in which that would both tank his chances of winning, and give you reason to gloat some more about being a master of Hexis Holdem." Kali said, looking at the cards displayed on the coffee table.
"You already know how to play?" Eda asked in shock putting one of her cards down.
"Amity taught Luz and I how to play a few days ago." Kali stated as the cards began to attack one another.
"Well, even so you're right. I do have a wild card." Eda smirked pulling out the card, Owlbert's cards bursting into flames. "Whoa, I win."
Owlbert respectfully bowed to Eda, before Sapphire came over and rubbed her head against him, purring to make him feel better.
"In your adorable owl face." Eda said, pointing at Owlbert before pulling back as Sapphire hissed at her. "I love the feeling of victory. It feels… fluffy?"
"Uh, Eda it's happening again." Luz said in concern.
"What's happening again?" Eda questioned.
"Your curse is returning." King pointed out.
"Ah." Eda gasped, realizing her arms were covered in feathers.
"Please tell me you restocked on your elixirs." Kali sighed.
"I did… a month ago." Eda said.
"Then you're out of elixirs." Kali groaned.
"Uh, last time this happened you turned into this." Luz said, holding up her phone, showing a picture of the cursed Eda.
"I know I should be repulsed, but dang I look fierce." Eda smiled.
"Eda."
"Okay relax, we can just go to the market and get some more from the apothecary." Eda said. "But before we go, does anyone wanna play one more hand of Hexis Holdem?"
"No." Kali said, slinging her bag over her shoulder, while sticking the cards in it. "We're going now."
"Come on Kali, just one more hand."
"I said no." Kali groaned. "Sometimes I question which of us is the adult in this relationship."
~Market~
"Yo, Apothecary guy open up." Kali called out, banging on the cage of the window.
"Just a second." Someone called out from inside the shop.
"Is there anything better then people watching in the Demon Realm?" Luz questioned, sitting on a bench with King next to her.
Across the street there was a group of demons waiting for transportation, before a giant egg rolled up, blocking Luz and King's view of them. A second after stopping, the egg hatched and out came a giant baby bird, that flew away instantly with a screech before the demons stepped into the egg, and closed it as it began to role away with a familiar tiny creature running after it.
"Wait, wait." She called out before giving up.
"The curse of tiny legs." Luz said.
"I know the pain." King stated.
"Hey, watch it." Kali called out as she was shoved out of the way by someone.
Luz looked to who had shoved her out of the way, and gasped when she saw a bunch of dark dressed witches and demons in robes, hauling a giant bug monster.
"Whoa, what is one dark parade." Luz said.
"What's their deal?" Kali asked rubbing her shoulder.
"That's no parade. Those are Demon Hunters. A band of ruthless mercenaries who consider themselves high and mighty, while hunting down the most dangerous beasts on the Isles. Which is one I'm about to become if you don't open up, Morton." Eda called, banging on the cage of the apothecary store.
"Sorry Eda." Morton, the store owner said opening up the cage. "I was up all night poison tasting, and for some reason I don't feel great."
"Gee, you think it's because of all the poison you took?" Kali questioned.
"I'm all out of my juice pal." Eda said, handing him the empty bottle.
"Oh gee." Morton said with worry in his voice.
"I know. It's very concerning for those of us living with her." Kali said.
"Let me see what I can do." Morton stated before he went searching through his inventory.
As Morton went searching through the inventory, Luz and Kali spotted their friends from across the street.
"Willow and Gus." Luz smiled, before she and Kali went over to the two classmates. "Heya friends. Wait, what's wrong? Who hurt my babies?"
"Them." Willow said, pointing to Amity and her group of friends. "Amity's throwing a moonlight conjuring and invited everyone but me."
"An' Boscha keeps posting about it on her Pinstagram." Gus said, bringing out his pinstagram, and showing the post. "Amity didn't pick on us, but she's not stopping Boscha from doing it either. What the hell, I thought Amity was turning over a new leaf, and was trying to be friends with Willow again?"
"It's most likely pear pressure." Kali said. "She's not stopping, because she still wants to be viewed as one of the cool kids, while not indulging in her old bullying habits."
"That actually makes sense." Luz said.
"So let's give her the benefit of the doubt. Progress, not perfection." Kali stated. "So what is a moonlight conjuring?"
"You spend the night at someone's house, telling stories, playing games."
"Like a slumber party." Luz gasped with a smile. "We have those."
"Then you bring something to life with moon magic." Willow said, holding up a book showing the ritual.
"So like a slumber party with magic." Kali smiled. "We have those in Earthland."
"Gus and I have never been to one. You need at least three people, and there's only ever been two people in our friend group until you two." Willow said.
"Well, I have a better idea then a moonlight conjuring." Kali said. "Why don't you three, join me in Earthland to experience some fun in the sun at a beach resort?"
"What's a beach resort? Sounds like a torture building you push people off of into the boiling water of the sea." Gus said.
"It's not. The oceans and beaches in both mine and Luz's world don't boil, well unless there's an underwater volcano or something." Kali said. "A beach resort is a place you go to relax and enjoy some fun. My guild mate Loki stopped by the other day and handed me a pass for four people, that I can use when my name gets cleared."
"How did he get to the Boiling Isles? I thought you had the only portal to and from Earthland?" Luz asked.
"Turns out, he's actually Leo the Lion, Celestial Spirit, and King of the Zodiac. So that allows him to travel between worlds freely." Kali smiled. "My name hasn't been cleared yet, but I'm pretty sure Akane Resort is free of any royal guards."
"Why would you be wanted by the authorities there?" Willow asked.
"Long story, ends with me being framed for something I didn't do and the magic council believing it." Kali stated. "So what do you say?"
"I'm in." Gus smiled.
"Same. I'd love to visit Earthland. I bet that have all sorts of different plants I've never seen before." Willow smiled.
"Can we bring King?"
"No pets allowed at the resort with this pass." Kali said. "An' give how King looks, he'd be counted as a pet."
"Good point." Luz said. "I'm in."
"Great. Head back home and meet at the Owl House in two hours. Pack all you need for a three day and three night trip." Kali smiled.
"Alright." Gus smiled as he and Willow ran off to pack their bags.
"Wow, this is so great." Luz smiled. "I'm so excited to head back to Earthland."
"But while we're there, we have to maintain a low profile remember? I'm still wanted for what Phantom Lord accused me of." Kali said.
"Got it."
"Did you bring a swimsuit from your world?"
"I have one." Luz said.
"Great." Kali smiled, as they met back up with Eda and Morton.
"I've got good news and bad news." Morton began. "Bad news is, I'm all out until next week, good news is feather's are a good look for you."
"Morton." Eda said, as a feather popped out of her hair.
"Well gee, E. Why'd you wait to re-up 'till now?" Morton questioned.
"She's been on an addicts streak of Hexis Holdem." Kali said. "A complete nut job of obsession over here."
"I am not obsessed." Eda said.
"You're playing it right now." Luz said.
Eda looked down at the counter and saw the cards laid out between her and Morton.
"Am I winning?" Eda asked with a smile.
"How the hell did you get those from my bag without me noticing?" Kali questioned, spinning around as if she was chasing a tail.
"Eda, who is this?" Morton asked motioning to Kali.
"Morton, meet my granddaughter, Kali Dreyar Clawthorne." Eda sighed as Kali took the cards away again.
"Does she have the same curse as you?" Morton asked.
"Similar, but it's a different species. Has her own unique elixir for it, makes 'em herself to." Eda said.
"Why not try her elixir until next week?"
"Not possible." Kali said. "My elixir is designed for a dragon, not an owl. If Eda took it, there's no telling what would happen to her."
"If it's for a similar curse, it's probably made in a similar way." Morton said, grabbing a parchment paper. "Is it done anything like this?"
Kali took the paper, and looked it over, nodded as she read through it.
"As far as I can tell, the only difference is the final ingredient. I use a handful of my cursed form's sheded scales for the batch of elixir I cook up, while this calls for a couple of feathers from an actual owl beast, not a cursed form like Eda's, to work. An' Titan knows there's plenty of those lying around the Owl House."
"How long would it take for you to whip up a batch of elixir?" Eda asked.
"The mixing wouldn't take any time at all, twenty minutes tops, ten if I just eyeballed the measurements. It's the fermentation that's the problem. From how fast it looks like those feathers are growing on you, I'd say you've got six hours until you're an Owl Beast again." Kali said.
"How long does fermentation of the elixir take?" Eda inquired.
"Twenty Four hours." Morton said.
"Actually Morton, fermentation of the elixir generally depends on the size of the batch made. But for the size of what I make, roughly twelve hours." Kali stated.
"I'm not gonna survive six hours after the time limit I have." Eda said. "There's gotta be something we can do while the elixir ferments."
"You know, I wouldn't suggest this to just anybody." Morton said. "But if you need your elixir while Kali's batch if fermenting, you could try your luck, later this evening."
"In the night market?" Eda questioned.
"There's a guy with a stand. Goes by Grimm Hammer." Morton said.
"Sounds like an imported cheese." Luz said.
"If anyone has what you need, it's him."
"Sounds like you've got plans for the night. While we've got plans for the weekend." Kali said.
"Where are you going?"
"After I finish with mixing the elixir for you, Luz, Gus, Willow and I, are gonna head to Earthland for a relaxing weekend vacation at Akane Resort." Kali smiled.
"Aren't you still wanted in Earthland? How the hell could you afford to go to a resort if your funds are frozen?" Eda asked.
"I'll tell you when you actually make peace with your curse beast." Kali said.
"Fine, spoilsport. Are you at least gonna bring me?" Eda asked.
"Sorry, pass is only for a group of four, and all spots are filled." Luz said.
"What about me?" King asked, grabbing Luz's leg in a hug.
"Sorry little guy, there's no one like you in Earthland, so you'd be mistaken as a pet, and pets aren't allowed at Akane Resort." Kali said.
"Aw."
"You'd better get going. If the Coven Guard catch you when you're like this, then that could be bad for both of us." Morton said.
"Good point." Eda said. "Thanks for your help Morton."
"Happy to help a customer." Morton said.
"Might have helped her a bit too much though." Luz said.
"Dang it." Morton groaned, face palming himself.
~Two Hours Later~
"Alright, I'm heading out now." Eda said. "Are you two sure you're gonna be good on your own?"
"We'll be fine." Luz said.
"Remember to wear plenty of sunblock, and don't talk to strangers who might offer you candy."
"Eda, we're not five. We can do this." Kali said as they grabbed their bags.
"Where's King?" Luz asked, Sapphire on Kali's shoulder.
"He's sitting at the table." Kali pointed out, peeking their heads into the dinning room/kitchen where King was at the table watching over the simmering cauldron. "I told him it wasn't necessary, he doesn't have to watch the elixir to make sure it ferments. But he insisted on being helpful."
"He always gets mopey like this when he's upset." Eda said. "Now I'm gonna head out to the night market."
"Hold on, before you go." Kali began reaching into her bag, and pulling out two power glyphs and putting them in Eda's hands. "I don't trust the sound of this Grimm Hammer guy. These are in case he somehow gets you chained up. He might be after the bounty on your head."
"Your concern is appreciated Kali, but you worry too much." Eda snickered.
"Says the woman who was just worrying about us talking to candy offering strangers." Kali smirked, making Eda stop and blush.
"Alright I get it." Eda stated, heading out the door in a huff. "Don't do anything to the house while I'm gone when you leave."
"We won't. Enjoy the Night Market." Kali smiled, coming out the door behind Eda with Luz, as the Owl Lady took off on Owlbert.
"So, Gus and Willow should be arriving here soon." Luz said.
"Yeah, hopefully their parents are letting them come along." Kali smiled.
"Luz, Kali."
"Speak of the Devils, oh…" Kali paused when she saw Gus and Willow coming towards them, with their parents.
"Sorry about this, my dads didn't really want me going until they met and talk with you." Willow said.
"Same with my dad." Gus said.
"Of course, that is completely understandable." Kali smiled before opening the door. "Please come inside."
"Such nice manners you have." Gus's father said as they entered the Owl House.
"So, what is it you'd like to talk about?" Kali asked, as they all sat in the living room.
"Well, for starters, where exactly do you intend on taking our children, and why?" Willows dad questioned.
"A perfectly reasonable question." Kali smiled. "I plan on taking them some place to relax and forget about the bullying they've been experiencing from Boscha's group. She keeps bullying them about not being invited to a Moonlight Conjuring Party, and I thought they could use some time away from there." She explained, before her PCL went off. "Sorry, I have to take this. It's important. Luz, can you handle this?"
"Of course." Luz smiled, Sapphire jumping onto her shoulder.
"So tell us Luz, why exactly did you and Kali want to become friends with Willow and Augustus?" One of Willows dad's questioned.
"Well, I don't really have a lot of friends in the human realm. In fact, I'd say the only friends I do have, are Gus, Willow, Kali, Eda, and King, oh and Amity." Luz explained. "I'm sort of a weirdo back in the human realm, so not a lot of people like to hang out with me, or even want to talk with me. Kali's our friend to, because she doesn't really have a lot in the Demon Realm either."
"Luz, change of plans." Kali said as she came back into the living room in a bit of a panic, wearing her cloak. "You three will stay here and have a Moonlight Conjuring party, while I go to Earthland and take care of some things."
"What's going on Kali?" Gus asked.
"Not a lot of time to explain, but someone I see as a big sister has been kidnapped by some old friends, turned enemies after they attacked Akane Resort, and I'm gonna meet up with them to bring her back." Kali stated, throwing her bag on the ground. "That won't be of any use to me, it's only filled with changes of clothes and other vacation items."
"Kali, let us come help." Willow said.
"Yeah, we can fight together." Gus said.
"No, I can't risk your lives. Erza wouldn't want that." Kali said, Sapphire crawling up her arm from Luz's shoulder before taking on her staff form. "You're my friends, I'm not gonna risk you getting caught in the crossfires of this battle."
"But we can fight." Luz said.
"No." Kali said, pulling her gate out of her pocket. "I'll be back as soon as I can. Enjoy the Moonlight Conjuring."
Tearing open a gate through Spacetime, Kali jumped through it without giving Gus, Willow, or Luz a chance to follow her as it closed up the instant she was through.
"Kali. This is so not fair." Luz grumbled. "I wanna help Erza too."
"Luz, who is Erza?" Willow asked.
"Well, let's start with the Guild, that Kali calls home." Luz sighed.
~Akane Resort~
"I'm here guys." Kali said, jumping out the other side of the portal. "I'm here, what's happened so…"
Kali paused when she saw a blue haired water sorceress among the group comprised of Natsu, Grey, and Lucy.
"Kali, this is Juvia she's…"
"One of Phantom's Element Four. I know, we've met." Kali said with distaste. "Seems like you don't need me for this rescue mission then."
"Kali wait." Natsu said, putting his hand on her shoulder as she turned to leave. "I know you don't like Juvia. But this is Erza we're talking about. The woman who taught you how to fight with a sword, who stood up to Ivan for you after you returned when you ran away for two years."
"Natsu…"
"Are you really gonna let Erza and Happy remain in the hands of those creeps that took them, just because you don't like Juvia?" Natsu questioned.
Kali was silent for a moment, before she sighed in annoyance and turned back towards the group, marching up to Juvia.
"Let's get one thing straight Phantom." Kali said. "If you're going to join us, you will return to the council at the end of all this, and confess to them what really happened between our two guilds, or I will throw you to the boiling seas of the Boiling Isles, and you'll be lost to their ether as steam. Clear?"
"Of course." Juvia said.
"Good." Kali said. "Now I got a whiff of Erza's scent. I can take us to it, but I can't carry everyone on Sapphire too much collective weight."
"But that doesn't mean you can't take us there another way." Grey said.
"Well I could tow you along the water. It would be easier on Sapphire, and not as strenuous, but we'd need a boat and a bunch of rope." Kali said.
"I think we can arrange for something to happen." Lucy smirked, pulling one of her keys from her ring.
~Erza~
Erza began to wake up to see an old childhood friend standing before her, dressed in a completely different attire to what he had worn when he kidnapped her.
"This place, where are we?" Erza asked.
"Inside the hold of a ship at sea." Sho exclaimed.
"A ship?"
"That's right." Sho stated. "And our course is set for the Tower of Heaven."
"I see." Erza exclaimed in defeat. "I should have known where we were heading to. Would you please untie me, I won't cause any trouble."
"I'm afraid I can't. You've proven yourself untrustworthy."
Erza slightly struggled against the ropes hoping to free herself, before she stopped as the restraints just became tighter.
"I'm sorry things had ended this way, but struggling won't help, Millianna's ropes conceal magic; you're struggling in vain." Sho explained. "You'll find you'll have no luck in breaking free from them. The efforts will just tire you out."
"Fine I won't resist. But please Sho, will you allow me to requip into my armor? The Tower… I'm afraid of going back there. I just wanna have it on so that I feel safe." Erza explained.
"But the outfit you have on now. Is lovely." Sho said before going to his knees and crawling over to hug her. "Honestly I didn't want it to happen like this."
"It's okay." Erza said softly.
"I missed you so much, it hurts me. Tell me, why, why'd you do it? Why'd you betray Jellal?" Sho shouted, anger clear on his face, tears streaming from his eyes.
Erza remained silent, not wanting to anger him or reveal the truth out of fear it would break his mind, as her memories kept returning to one man.
"Jellal."
~Kali's Group~
On a small boat being towed through the water by Kali riding on Sapphire's back, with the ropes connected to the boat tied around her waist, sat the four magic users who'd filled Kali in on everything that had happened so far during the attack.
"Wahoo, I love not being motion sick. Magic from the Boiling Isles rules." Natsu cheered, enjoying the ocean breeze.
"Calm down Natsu, it's just a simple medical spell for motion sickness I learned at the Covention from the Healing Coven." Kali said. "It'll wear off in a couple hours so enjoy it while you can."
"I'm worried about all those people that had been trapped in those cards you think they're okay?" Lucy questioned.
"We alerted the military before we left, so I'm sure they'll be fine, and released from their cards in no time." Grey stated.
"I hope so." Lucy sighed.
"Wait a minute, where the heck are we?" Grey asked.
"I don't know, we've been following Kali's lead." Juvia stated.
"Erza's scent trail is getting pretty thin. Since she's on a boat, there's not much for the scent to cling to, but there's enough to where I can make a definitive lead on the direction she and Happy were taken." Kali said.
"Geez, I can't believe how easily they were able to take us out and kidnap Erza, and Happy." Grey growled. "We're pathetic."
"That's not how Erza would see it." Kali said. "You couldn't possibly have known you were gonna be attacked, and you were enjoying yourself after the last couple stressful weeks."
"She's right." Juvia said. "You allowed yourselves to relax, and to enjoy a night of fun. It's only natural that you'd get caught up in all the excitement, and not notice anything going on."
"Juvia's got a point." Kali stated. "Just because you ended up enjoying yourselves, doesn't make you failures. It just means you're like everyone else, and enjoy having fun."
"What the… I just got a weird feeling." Natsu said looking up.
Everyone looked up to where Natsu was looking and saw the birds flying through the air begin to fall to the ocean below, as if suddenly dying mid-flight.
"The birds." Lucy gasped in horror.
"What's happening to them?" Grey questioned, before the boat began to rock and quake.
"Sapphire's freaking out." Kali said, getting her Palisman to calm down. "This has never happened before. This place must really be bad news if she's reacting to it like this."
The boat suddenly rocked as if bumping into something in the water. They all looked down to see ship parts and dead fish floating about in the darkened sea.
"Not the fish too." Grey gasped.
"I've never seen anything like it." Juvia exclaimed.
"That's wreckage from a Fiore Naval Ship." Grey stated, recognizing the flag hanging onto one of the floating pieces of driftwood from a shipwreck.
"Okay I'm creeped out." Lucy stated.
"Hey, what's that?" Natsu asked, something in the distance catching his eye.
The others looked over, and saw what Natsu was looking at, with a creeping vibe coming from it. A large structure that reached into the sky twisted around like some sort of snake.
"I've only ever read about this is books. But I never thought I'd see one in person. They were banned by the Council as it's one of Zeref's creations. A Tower that could pierce the skies and rip open the heaven to return the dead, to the world of the living." Kali said.
"The Tower of Heaven." Lucy gasped, remembering how the people who took their friends were talking about it.
"I'll protect us." Juvia said as a bubble of water began to form around them.
"Whoa." Natsu gasped.
"My water dome will keep us from being seen." Juvia explained.
"Nice work Juvia." Lucy smiled.
'If this is the Tower of Heaven, then there'd only be on reason why Jellal would bring Erza back here.' Kali thought. "Let's move. I don't think we have a whole lot of time left before the tower's ritual begins."