As always I'm sorry this took forever. I thought I would have a lot more time this summer than I actually did. Hopefully, now that I've started college I'll have more time (makes sense) to write. Thank you all for the support, you peeps rock.
P.S. I will be responding to reviews this chapter. After this, I want to know If you guys would prefer me to respond to reviews at the end of a chapter or if you would rather have me respond to them in PMs.
Chapter length before AN and Reviews (10,240)
Now on to the chapter!
Eda liked to believe she was a mildly decent person.
While she had broken almost every law written and even had some laws written because of her, there were some lines even she wouldn't cross. One of those lines being to not physically hurt children.
She would gladly laugh at them and steal from them, but she would never intentionally physically harm a child. It was a simple rule Eda had followed her entire life.
It was also a rule she was about the break if she had to listen to Luz read from her book for another minute.
"Hear me Hecatate, your actions will not stand!" Luz read dramatically, her hand gesturing randomly. "I shall defeat you!"
Eda threw her head back and groaned.
She, along with Luz, Percy, and King, were seated at her 'Human Treasures' booth. The day had been slow, allowing Luz the chance to read her book and Percy the opportunity to recline in a chair with King in his lap.
"Do you have to read that right now?" Eda asked with a whine. "The language is so flowery and offensive to witches."
Luz paused her dramatic recreation and gave Eda an incredulous look.
"Of course I do!" Luz brought her free hand to her heart. "It's my solemn duty to expose King to the literary masterpiece that is 'The Good Witch Azura'."
Eda rolled her eyes at the girl's theatrics. She liked Luz, but her antics were too much sometimes.
"Can't you do that on your own time?"
Percy chuckled from his seat, not even bothering the open his eyes.
"Let her be Eda, she's just trying to share her favorite book with our resident snuggle bud," Percy punctuated his statement grabbing King and pulling him close to his chest.
"I AM NOBODY'S SNUGGLE BUDDY!" King screeched as he struggled against Percy's 'attack'.
Percy let go of King and turned to look at Eda.
"Besides what does it matter, there's nobody else here."
Luz put her book down and perked up.
"Yeah, he's right! There aren't even any other stands around," Luz looked up at Eda. " What's going on?"
Eda looked around to street and noticed for the first time that her stand was the only one set up.
Eda was worried. The market ran every day, only ever shutting down for holidays or disasters. There weren't any upcoming holidays and she'd know if there was a disaster. I had to be something else.
"This is bad news," Eda said grimly. "Something horrible is happening."
She saw Percy bristle and reach for his pocket, but before he was able to do anything else, the voices of Luz's friends came from around the corner.
"Luz! Percy! Something amazing is happening today!"
Eda watched as Gus and Willow ran up to the stand holding a poster. As they got closer, she was able to read the poster and internally groaned when she recognized what it was advertising.
She had mixed feelings about the two young witches Luz had befriended. On one hand, they provided Luz and to a lesser extent Percy, with social interaction from people close to their age, something they desperately needed. On the other hand, though, they were still very much caught up in the idealism of the coven system, evidenced by the reason they were visiting her stand.
"The annual 'Covention' is today!" Willow exclaimed cheerfully as she pointed at the poster. "It's a chance for student witches to see all the different covens before they choose one. There's even a mystery guest this year!"
"A job fair for witches!" Luz turned to Eda with puppy eyes. "Eda, can we please go?"
"Absolutely not," Eda snapped. "Sure it's like a fun club for witched\s, but you're also giving up your magical independence to be a part of a crooked system." Eda slammed her hand on the table and glanced quickly at the kids.
Gus, Willow, and Luz all had looks of disappointment while Percy just shook his head.
"But, uh, no offense," Eda amended quickly. "In any case, I haven't been to one since we were girls."
Eda realized her slip-up as soon as she said it.
She'd been debating when she wanted to Luz about her sister, several talks with Percy convinced her she should, but she was never able to find a good time.
"Who's we?" Luz pointed an accusing finger at Eda. "You have a mysterious past! Now we gotta go."
Eda sighed. Seems like the time was now.
"The we is me and my older sister Lilith," Eda frowned slightly. "We had a falling out a long time ago and haven't really talked since. If I remember correctly she's in the Emperor's Coven."
An uncomfortable silence fell over the group as the kids thought about what Eda had said. After a few moments, Percy cleared his throat getting everyone's attention.
"How about this," Percy said in a placating manner. "We go to the Covention so Luz can see for herself how bad covens are. Does that sound fair?
Eda took a moment to think. She didn't want to go at all, but she also wasn't in the mood to argue. Plus going meant she didn't have to listen to Luz read her book anymore.
"Fine, we'll do that," Eda said tiredly. "Beats standing here doing nothing."
Luz squealed happily, gave Eda a quick hug, and ran off to join her friends.
Eda watched the interaction with a wistful smile.
"You doing okay?"
Eda glanced at Percy having not noticed him walking over.
"I'm doing fine, I just, I, I wish-"
Percy placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed gently.
"I know," Percy said quietly. "I feel the same way."
Eda just nodded.
The convention hall was just as crowded and ugly as Eda remembered it being. People flowed in and out of the building and a constant pace, forcing her to put her cowl up in a poor attempt to hide her identity.
"Is the hood really gonna conceal your identity?" Percy asked lazily as he watched Luz struggle to stuff Eda's mass of hair into her hood.
Eda shot him a weak glare.
"Considering I'm currently on the run for not being a part of the system that's being paraded around today, I'd say it is."
Willow walked over with a wide smile.
"Maybe this informative event will finally convince you to join a coven."
Eda raised her hand to draw a spell circle but was stopped by a harsh glare from Percy.
She hated it when he did that.
"Whatever, let's just go inside already," Eda said with a huff. "We're drawing more attention to ourselves by just standing out here."
Walking into the convention center gave Eda a feeling of nostalgia she wasn't prepared for. Everywhere she looked she was reminded of some small event that shaped her past. It was something that wasn't welcome at the moment. In an attempt to ignore the feeling, Eda tuned into the conversation the kids were having.
"-are the main nine covens," Gus said as he gestured to the banners hanging from the rafters. "But there are hundreds of other ones you can join."
As they walked down the aisle Willow listed off other covens witched could join.
"All of those sound entirely pointless," Percy remarked after Willow mentioned the Tiny Cat coven.
"W-what?" Willow had a confused expression.
"I mean what do you do in the Tiny Cat coven? Do you just look at cats and determine if they're tiny or not?"
Eda couldn't help but laugh. The kid was making a good point.
"Let's move on," Luz said, before pointing over to where a man stood surrounded by stacks of wood and bricks. "What's that coven?"
"That's the construction coven," Willow said as the man threw several pallets of materials in the air. "They use power glyphs to increase their strength."
Eda watched in amusement as a small-nose creature used one of the power glyphs to destroy stuff around the convention.
'Yowza wowza," Luz said in response to the destruction.
A second later her words were echoed back by an illusion that appeared behind her.
"Ah, I see you've been drawn in by the allure of the Illusion coven," Gus exclaimed cheerfully as he ran over to the illusion booth. "We like to magic with a touch-" Gus disappeared and reappeared several feet to the left. "-of showmanship."
Eda rolled her eyes at the performance. It was nothing compared to what she'd seen others do.
"Eda what's happening," Percy asked suddenly, confusion lacing his voice. "They're just running around, Why is everyone getting all excited about it."
"What are you talking about:? They're casting illusions." Eda replied, her eyebrows furrowing.
"I don't see anything," Percy said with a huff. "Am I supposed to be seeing something?"
Eda frowned, something wasn't right. Casting a small illusion of a ball and presenting it to Percy.
"What do you see in my hand?"
Percy looked at her incredulously.
"Nothing, your hand is empty."
Eda had a sinking feeling in her stomach. This wasn't good, but it wasn't the time or place to do anything.
"Okay," She lowered her hand and turned back to the kids who were still enamored with illusions. "We'll talk later."
Percy gave her a weird look but nodded anyway.
"Eda covens sound awesome!" Luz cried happily. "Why don't you like them?"
Eda groaned quietly. Dealing with Percy and the chaos that surrounded him was tiring enough, Luz's exuberance was just another level she wasn't ready to deal with at the moment.
Turning her attention to Luz, Eda pointed to a kid who was being marked with an illusionist sigil.
"Watch closely Luz, Joining a coven seals away all your other magic, from now on that kid will only be able to cast illusions," Eda summoned water and fire. "Because I never joined a coven, I can do all types of magic which is why I'm the most powerful witch on the Boiling Isles."
Eda dispelled her magic and started walking away, trying to avoid staying in one location for too long.
"Wait, does that mean the Tiny Cat coven can only do tiny cat magic?" Percy asked suddenly. "What in Hades even is tiny cat magic?"
"I was wondering that too actually," Luz added.
Eda stopped walking and smiled. It was a valid question, one that wasn't asked very often.
"Think of it like a massive tree," Eda explained. "The Emperor's coven is the trunk with the main nine branching out from it. From those nine is where all the other covens branch out. The Tiny Cat coven falls under the Beast Keeping coven the same way the Horoscope coven falls under the Oracle coven."
Percy nodded in understanding before freezing suddenly and tensing up.
"There's an Oracle coven?" He asked, his voice sounding slightly panicked. "What exactly do they do?"
Eda looked at Percy with a confused expression. She'd never seen the kid get stressed to the degree he was now.
"They just, like say vague things about the future and control weird ghost things," Eda replied casually. "They're more annoying than anything, Divination is a bigger scam than anything I've ever pulled."
Percy looked at the ground, his index finger scratching his thumb. After a few seconds, he looked up and asked another question.
"Do they do anything related to prophecies?"
The question had a certain weight behind it as if the answer could shatter him.
"No, prophecies aren't a thing," Eda said slowly, her eyes focusing on Percy. "Oracles can barely predict what you'll eat for dinner, they sure as can't lock anything down definitively."
The relief that came across Percy's face was one Eda would never forget. For a moment he looked more relaxed than Eda had ever felt.
"What was all that about?" Luz asked, reminding the older witch of her presence.
Percy chuckled, walked over to Luz, and pulled her into a side hug.
"Nothing you need to worry about lígo fos," He said with a smile.
Luz stayed in the embrace for a few seconds before shaking Percy off and turning back to her friends.
"Let's keep going, there's so much still to see!"
"We can go check out the Emperor's coven panel," Gus suggested. "I bet I can get them to sign my forehead!"
"Sounds like a great idea," Eda said with a large smile. "You guys go do that while I don't."
"Actually Eda I'd like to explore a bit more," Percy replied. " Why don't you go in with them, it'll be easier for you to expose their lies if you know what they're saying. Plus it's easier to hide in a dark room."
Eda groaned. The kid had a point, she just didn't want to admit it.
"Fine," She conceded with a pout. "But you better not get into any trouble."
Percy gave her a mischievous grin.
"No promises."
"Fair," Eda said with a shrug. "Now get out of here before I change my mind."
Percy gave her a thumbs-up before disappearing into the crowd.
"Alright children, prepare to be disappointed."
Lilith sat at the mirror in her changing room brushing her hair. It was an activity Lilith had come to enjoy immensely. It was mundane and overall unnecessary, spells to maintain hair existed and were common, but she found the action soothing. Inspecting her appearance, she discovered her roots were beginning to return to their natural dark orange color.
"I should be fine for at least another few days," She muttered to herself as she worked a particularly persistent knot out of her hair. "I'll have to get more dye though."
After working diligently for a few more minutes, Lilith set her brush down and looked around the room.
It was small, but still larger than her sleeping quarters at the barracks. There was a simple vanity and a few decorations on the walls. It was nothing special, but better than she had initially been expecting.
Eventually, Lilith's eyes settled on her bird-shaped coven mask, reminding her of the performance she had to put on soon.
The mask was a garish and unnecessary thing that Lilith hated wearing, but, in a way, it was perfectly representative of her position within the Emperor's Coven.
When she first joined as a scout, Lilith found some joy in being able to explore the world. Sure she was tasked with menial labor and forced to stand around for long hours, but she was still at least experiencing and learning new things.
"I almost miss it," Lilith whispered wistfully as she gripped the mask, her hands shaking.
As she moved up the ranks she explored less and less and spent more time in coven buildings managing scouts and filling out paperwork. When she finally reached the coveted rank of Coven Head, Lilith hoped she'd finally be able to do something interesting again, only to be met with the harsh truth.
She had no true purpose.
Despite how powerful she seemed to a normal citizen, she had no real influence or power. All important coven matters were handled by the Emperor himself, leaving her to run errands for him. Her personal students were the smartest witches on the Boiling Isles, leaving with very little to teach them. She was the face of recruitment, forcing her to put on ridiculous performances in every town.
She hated all of it.
Turning suddenly, Lilith hurled the mask at the nearest wall, off of which it bounced harmlessly, perfectly intact.
The most egregious thing in her eyes, however, was the fact she had yet to find a way to cure her sister.
For decades she'd held on to hope that once she reached the top, she would miraculously find a way to save her sister and rid herself of guilt. Yet she didn't find the answer or salvation she desperately needed, only the promise that if she got her sister to join a coven, the Emperor would heal her.
"Truly a simple task," Lilith grumbled sarcastically.
Her sister, despite her best efforts, refused to join a coven. No matter how often she explained that it would help her, Eda stubbornly refused, prolonging Lilith's suffering. It made her resent her sister, a feeling she ultimately knew was unfair.
Looking over at the mask once more, Lilith was disgusted by the hollowness of the eyes and the way they seemed to taunt her, reminding her that she was worthless.
"Ms. Lilith," A voice called from outside the room. "You're on in two minutes."
"Thank you," Lilith replied quickly before walking over and picking up the mask.
She despised the thing and everything it stood for, but at the end of the day, it was necessary.
Taking a deep breath, Lilith put the thing on and pushed away all of her errant thoughts.
It was showtime.
Boscha hated the Covention.
Every year her mother forced her to attend the stupid event for her to socialize and get close to anyone with influence, and every year she did the same thing. She'd arrive, talk to a few people, hang out for a few hours, and go home and tell her mother it was a waste of time. It was a small act of rebellion, but one Boscha reveled in.
This year was no different. She'd already conversed with enough people to tell a believable lie and was now hanging by the Suspicious Plant coven. She leaned against one of the booth's posts flipping through a grudgby magazine mindlessly.
Boscha sighed and shut the magazine, having read all of the interesting articles, and took some time to look around the convention center. She watched the people milling around with slight interest, briefly analyzing anyone that caught her attention before moving on.
To Boscha, people-watching was a useful pastime. She'd long grown out of being amazed by every demon that crossed her path, but she found that watching how people interacted with the world around them allowed her to better understand what decisions they might make. It was a skill that allowed her to dominate the field in grudgby matches and remain at the top of the food chain.
As she observed the attendants of the convention, something out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. She turned her head slightly and she felt her stomach drop.
It was a person, one that was terrifyingly familiar. One Boscha hoped she'd never see again.
"Calm down. Plenty of people are tall and have shaggy black hair," She whispered to herself unconvincingly.
Boscha continued to watch the person, hoping they'd turn around so she could see it wasn't who she thought it was.
Finally, the person turned around, revealing his face and confirming Boscha's worst fears.
It was him.
It was the boy who managed to flip her worldview on its head with just a few words. The boy that had occupied her every waking thought up until a few days ago and still lurked in the recesses of her mind. The boy she loathed and wanted to see again in the same thought.
She stared at him, trying to comprehend the fact he was there as countless questions swirled around her head.
"You're that bench girl right?" Someone said suddenly, snapping Boscha out of her thoughts.
Turning to see who spoke, Boscha's blood ran cold.
Somehow the boy had made his way over to her without her noticing.
She felt sick.
The boy looked at her for a moment before a look of recognition came across his face.
"It is you! I remember your three eyes," the boy's expression fell slightly. "I never got the chance to ask if you were okay, you ran off."
Boscha wanted to deny it, tell him he was crazy, and leave her presence, but she knew it wouldn't work, and she wanted answers.
Realizing she'd been looking at him for too long without speaking, Boscha said the first thing that came to mind.
"Why were you different?"
Her question came out far more desperate than she intended.
"Wh-what are you talking about?" He responded, his brows furrowed. "That question barely makes sense."
Boscha growled in frustration.
She'd made peace with the fact that he was more genuine than any of her 'friends', but she still needed a reason as to why. She had been able to convince herself it was just a way to gain something from her, but seeing him again left her unsure.
"When I had my-" she hated admitting weakness, but she needed answers. "My meltdown, you seemed so genuine," Boscha's voice quivered. "Why? You didn't know who I was, what did you have to gain!?"
The boy stared at her for a second before he snorted and started laughing.
Boscha's eyes widen dramatically. Of all the ways she expected him to react, laughing was not one of them.
"Stop laughing!" She demanded before noticing that people were watching them. "You're making a scene!"
"Ok ok, I'll stop," The boy said breathlessly as he attempted to stifle his laughter.
After a moment the boy finally stopped and looked at her, a large smile still on his face.
"Wow, I really needed that, thank you."
Boscha glared at him.
"You're not welcome," She snapped. "What was so funny about my question?"
The boy gave her a weird look.
"Oh! You were being serious," He said as he rubbed the back of his head. "Do you seriously think I was being 'so genuine' because I wanted something from you?" He gestured toward her with his hand. "I don't even know who you are for gods sake!"
Not being known was a mistake Boscha was always happy to fix, especially if it meant she'd gain something. However, the boy not knowing who she was felt more like an insult rather than just ignorance.
"My name is Boscha Rose, My family owns a very large and successful potions business," She said smugly. "We're the number one supplier in Bonesborough, Latissa, and Wristberg."
Boscha glanced over to the boy to see his reaction only to be shocked by the pure joy on his face.
"Your family owns a potions business! That is awesome!" He said gleefully, before launching into a storm of questions, his hands gesturing wildly.n "Do you guys experiment a lot? What kind of ingredients do you guys have access to? How many customers do you have? What is the most….."
The boy continued to ask questions at a rapid pace, annoying Boscha greatly.
"Stop it !" She exclaimed suddenly, once again drawing the eyes of strangers onto the pair.
The boy froze and stared at her, his hands falling to his sides.
"Sorry 'bout that, I've never done that before," He said bashfully. "Probably spending too much time around Luz."
Boscha's impatience had reached a boiling point. Everything about the boy confused and infuriated her.
"Just shut up!" She snapped. "Answer my question already! Why did you try to comfort me?" She pointed at him accusingly. "You don't know me, you want nothing from me, and you don't fear me. So why were you being so nice!?"
Boscha knew she sounded crazy, but she didn't care. The single interaction they had on the bench shook the foundation of all her beliefs.
The boy stared at her with his mouth hanging open in shock. He opened and closed his mouth a few times before finally saying something.
"Because I felt sorry for you," He said gently, his eyes conveying how genuine he was being.
It was that look again.
The look that had ruined her life.
"DON'T LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT!" Boscha shouted.
"Like what?"
"LIKE YOU CARE!" She yelled angrily. "LIKE YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT I'VE GONE THROUGH! LIKE YOU-" Boscha's voice cracked as her eyes started to water. "Like you understand."
Boscha stood looking at the boy as she took shaky breaths. She recognized that she was crying again, but she didn't care, she needed to hear the boy's response.
"I do understand," He said quietly after a moment.
"How?" Boscha asked weakly.
"I-"
The boy suddenly stopped talking and looked over his shoulder
Turning to see what he was looking at, Boscha saw a girl with light brown skin and brown hair pointing at Amity.
"I challenge you to a witch's duel!" The girl declared loudly, causing some onlookers to whisper amongst themselves.
The boy whispered something that sounded like a curse before turning back to look at her.
"Look I'm sorry but I gotta go," The boy said quickly. "It was certainly, uh, interesting running into you again. Have a good day."
Before Boscha had a chance to say anything, the boy ran off to wear the short-haired girl was standing.
Though she looked like a mess, Boscha, just like the last time they interacted, felt lighter and calmer than she had in weeks.
She also, once again, did not get the boy's name.
Dealing with children was one of Lilith's least favorite things to do. The way they clung to her and refused to let go bothered her greatly. Unfortunately for her, dealing with children was part of her role as Coven Head. She had to give the impression of a benevolent mentor to the ignorant.
It was exhausting.
Sighing, Lilith grabbed the piece of paper a young witch offered her and signed it. As she did, Lilith noticed someone out of the corner of her eye.
"Sister?" She asked out loud.
The person turned their head suddenly, confirming their Identity as her sister Eda.
"It's been so long since I've seen you last," Lilith said with a smile as she walked over to Eda, her posse of kids following. "What are you wearing? You look like a trash collector. Oh right, you are."
Lilith knew her words were cruel and unnecessary, but her sister caused her enough grief that she felt they were warranted
"Oh Lily, I just had to see the leader of the Emperor's Coven in action," Eda replied happily before crouching down to talk to the kids. "When Lilith was little she got so excited to see the Emperor's coven, she peed a little."
Lilith felt her cheeks heat up as the kids around her started to giggle.
"That's all for today," Lilith dismissed the kids quickly before whipping around toward her sister. "You shouldn't even be here! You're a wanted criminal!"
Her sister's stubborn refusal to use anything resembling common sense was endlessly frustrating to Lilith. Putting herself in a place crawling with coven guards was a surefire way for her sister to get captured. There was only one reason Lilith could think of for her sister to endanger herself.
"Unless," Lilith grabbed Eda's hands suddenly, a large smile on her face. "You're here to join the Emperor's Coven!"
Lilith couldn't believe it. Her suffering was finally over. She'd finally be able to live her life without her crippling guilt breathing down her neck.
Eda gazed at her for a moment before beginning to chuckle.
"In your dreams," She managed to say as she laughed.
Lilith's face twisted into a scowl.
"You think being coven-less makes you so much smarter than everyone else," Lilith snapped. "But while you run from the law like a degenerate, I'm mentoring the next generation of witch students."
Eda glared at her.
"Well, Lily, I have students as well," Eda replied hotly. "And I bet either of them could wipe the floor with any of your stuck-up brats."
Lilith scoffed and walked right up to Eda's face.
"Is that a challenge?"
Eda got closer and poked her chest.
"It's a promise."
"Eda," A voice shouted suddenly. "Luz challenged some girl to a duel and I doubt she'll win."
Lilith turned to the source of the voice to find a young boy with black hair and bright bright green eyes.
The boy made his way over to them, doing his best to weave through the crowd while still moving fast. When he reached them he paused and looked back and forth between her and Eda for a moment before a look of realization came across his face.
"You're Eda's sister, aren't you?" He said as he stuck his hand out. "I'm Percy, nice to meet you."
Lilith was stunned, she wasn't expecting anyone associated with Eda to be polite.
"Lilith," She said quickly as she shook his hand. "It's nice to meet you too."
Lilith was surprised by the roughness of the boy's hand and the tightness of his grip.
"How do you know Eda if you don't mind me asking?" She asked, her curiosity getting the best of her.
"She took me and my sister in when we didn't have anywhere to go," Percy replied with a smile. "She's been looking after us and teaching as magic for a few weeks."
Lilith was surprised to find out that. Taking in kids was something she considered too selfless for her sister.
"Eda, that's surprisingly, benevolent of you."
Eda turned her head and huffed in annoyance.
"Yeah yeah," She said dismissively. "Kid, where is Luz anyway?"
"Was right behind me, I don't-"
Percy was cut off by Luz appearing beside him.
"Eda I need your help!" The girl cried desperately. "I accidentally challenged Amity to a witch's duel and I think she'd going to kill me!"
The girl collapsed to her knees with a whimper.
"Isn't she that girl that tried to dissect you?" Percy asked as he bent down to help Luz up.
Lilith smiled.
"It seems both your students have met my strangest protege," She said smugly.
Looking at the kids again, Lilith noticed something she missed the first time.
"Look at those ears. Are they human? Where did you even find them?"
Lilith reached her hand out to poke Luz's ears, only to be stopped by Percy glaring at her and stepping in front of Luz.
Lilith recoiled slightly but said nothing.
Standing up straight, Lilith drew a spell circle in the air causing all of Eda's wanted posters to disintegrate.
"Okay, Edalyn, for today you won't have to hide," She said condescendingly while she turned to walk away. "I want to see how good of a teacher you really are."
Before she was able to get far Percy called after her.
"What are the rules for the duel?"
"We'll use standard rules just so your sister has a fighting chance," Lilith replied without looking back. "Eda should be able to explain them."
As she walked away, Lilith smiled
She would enjoy winning.
"Alright kid, we've got about thirty minutes to prepare for the duel so let's get to it," Eda said to a nervous Luz.
Eda, Luz, and Percy were preparing for the fight in a dimly lit hallway near the arena entrance.
"I come at you with a fireball, How do you respond?" Eda asked as she lunged toward Luz.
In response to the question, Luz pulled on her drawstrings and curled up into a ball on the ground.
Eda grimaced.
"That's right, I haven't taught you any useful spells have I?"
Luz shook her head with a small smile.
"You haven't taught her much of anything really," Percy said from his position on the wall.
"I've been trying, normal magic doesn't work for her," Eda replied tiredly.
After relentless nagging from Percy, Eda finally started teaching Luz the basics of magic. Unfortunately, her lack of bile sack made it impossible for her to learn anything beyond theory. Using her staff had produced some results, though not consistent enough to be used reliably.
"Maybe she could borrow Olwbert, so she at least has some chance," Percy suggested.
Eda shook her head.
"Even if she could use it perfectly she couldn't for the duel," She said with a sigh. "Standard rules only allow for the use of spell circles."
Percy frowned but said nothing else.
"At least you didn't make an everlasting oath to quit magic right?" Eda asked suddenly.
"Is there a glowing hand thing?"
Wincing, Eda nodded. Her student was truly screwed.
"Eda, what are the rules of a duel?" Percy asked, his expression serious.
"Basic stuff really. No staffs, not enhancement glyphs, no outside help," Eda listed on her fingers. "I think that's it."
"Is substitution allowed?"
"Yes actually it is, as long as the substitute agrees to accept the term for themselves," Eda replied, her eyes widened slightly. "Wait are you-"
"Percy no!" Luz cut Eda off as she jumped to her feet. "I challenged her, I should be the one to face her!"
"I don't care about magic as much as you do," Percy exclaimed passionately. "This way if I lose you can still learn magic."
Eda held back a scoff.
She knew he was lying through his teeth. She'd seen the pure joy on his face when he figured something out for the first time. Learning magic was the only time Eda had seen him focus for more than a few minutes.
"Percy, it's not fair for you to pay for my mistake," Luz pleaded softly.
"I need to keep you safe," Percy replied gently. "I can't stand to see you hurt."
Eda turned away from the two, wanting to give them some privacy and to try and quell the jealousy that was building.
"Okay," Percy said after a moment. "How do we do this?"
Eda smirked.
"I have some ideas."
"No cheating." Percy gave her a steely look. "We're doing this the right way."
Eda clicked her tongue in annoyance. Percy's stubbornness was admirable most of the time, but not at the moment.
"I didn't even tell you what I had planned yet."
"I don't care."
"Fine, we won't cheat," Eda groaned. "Now get over here so I can teach you some last-minute spells."
Percy gave her a smile, that she could only describe as feral.
"Don't smile like that, you look scary," Luz chastised, flicking Percy on the arm.
"Ow."
"That didn't hurt, you baby," Luz said plainly.
Eda shook her head with a chuckle.
She was really starting to like these kids.
Amity tapped her foot impatiently as she waited for the duel to start.
She stood on a platform with her teacher, who had taken a sudden interest in the duel only about forty minutes prior.
Her help was appreciated, but it still confused Amity. Up until now, the only interaction she'd had with her teacher was weekly progress checks and the occasional extra assignment. She wasn't going to complain though.
"Amity are you ready for the duel?" Lilith asked calmly.
"I believe so, I doubt the human girl will be much trouble, if any," Amity replied honestly.
She didn't like Luz. She'd made her look bad at school and gotten her in trouble with her mother. She was able to get Principal Bump to disregard the incident, but it still soured his opinion of her. She was happy to have the chance to redeem herself in the eyes of her mother and principal.
"I'm glad you're confident, show them that you're the best."
As she spoke, Lilith put her hand on Amity's neck before sliding it down to her shoulder and squeezing it slightly.
It was odd. The action felt supportive and Amity enjoyed it more than she cared to admit, but it was something she wasn't used to. Her parents weren't typically affectionate. Her siblings often hugged her, but it usually meant they wanted something.
Amity nodded determinedly.
"I will."
Looking to the entrance of the arena Amity watched as three people entered. One was the 'Luz' girl she was about to duel, another was a tall witch with grey hair and a red dress. It was the final person, however, that caught her interest. It was the boy Boscha had been complaining about.
As she observed him, Amity found herself unimpressed. Nothing about his appearance indicated he was worth any attention. The way Boscha spoke of him made him seem like an upstart who didn't know his place, yet from where she was standing, he looked like a normal kid.
All three of them walked over to and stopped at the other side of the arena.
Normally only the people dueling and one other person per dueler were permitted on the field, but if Luz needed the extra support to not forfeit immediately, Amity wouldn't make a fuse.
"Now that all necessary parties are present we can begin," Lilith said to the arena. "Beloved citizens, the Emperor's coven would like to present an impromptu demonstration of the kind of witch we look for every year."
Lilith gestured to Amity, prompting her to take a step forward.
"Introducing Amity Blight, versus some human girl."
Around the arena, Amity heard people murmuring about the match-up, causing a smile to come across her face.
"Now without further ado, let-" Lilith started to say before being cut off by the boy standing near Luz.
"I, Percy Jackson, formally offer to take the place of Luz Noceda in this duel." The boy shouted as he looked down at his arm.
Amity took a step back in shock. Turning around she saw that Ms. Lilith's face was twisted into a scowl.
"I don't believe I understand," She yelled back at the boy, her frustration barely concealed.
"You said that this was a standard duel, and one of the rules allows for a substitute to take the place of one of the duelers if said dueler feels that the match-up is unfair or that they are not adequately prepared for the duel, " Percy replied while still looking at his arm. "Luz Noceda has expressed to me that she feels unprepared for the ensuing-" He stopped mid-sentence and looked up at Lilith while pointing at his bicep. "I can't read what it says right here, but I think you get the point. Luz said she said she felt unprepared and I offered to take her place."
Lilith sneered at the boy and looked toward Luz.
"Do you accept his offer?"
"I do," Luz said timidly.
"I would also like to transfer the contents of the oath she made with Amity to me," Percy added with a smile.
Amity couldn't believe what had just happened. One second she was about to show the human girl her place and now she was dealing with an even more annoying boy instead.
"Very well," Lilith said with gritted teeth. "Amity please follow me."
Amity reluctantly followed her teacher to the middle of the arena where Percy and Luz waited for them.
"Lilith, good to see you again," Percy exclaimed cheekily once they arrived.
"Amity undo the oath with Luz and redo it with Percy, We've wasted enough time already," Lilith said coldly, ignoring Percy's greeting.
Amity nodded and quickly drew the spell circle to break the oath with Luz before grabbing Percy's hand and making a new oath.
"Tingely," Percy muttered before turning around to face Luz. "Alright lígo fos head back over to the stands, I've got this."
Luz nodded quickly and ran off.
Amity scoffed. The boy was too confident for his own good.
"Are you ready to start?"
"Ready as I'll ever be," Percy replied calmly.
"Splendid, let's start," Lilith said impatiently as she walked off.
Amity took a step back and prepared to cast her first spell, her face one of concentration.
She'd been confident about dealing with Luz, but something about the boy put her on edge.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAA," The starting bell screamed, signifying the start of the match.
Immediately drawing her spell circle, Amity summoned an abomination far larger than anything she'd ever created.
"Woah," She mumbled to herself, ignoring that her neck suddenly felt itchy. "Show me what you got!"
Instead of the shock or horror Amity was hoping to see on Percy's face, she was met with unadulterated awe and fascination.
"What is that thing?" He asked with a large smile on his face. "And what is it made of?"
"It's an abomination and what it's made of is unimportant," Amity yelled back in response. "Abomination attack!"
The abomination twisted its head off and threw it at Percy, forcing the boy to roll out of the way.
"That was so cool!" Percy yelled happily as he started to draw his own spell circles.
From his spell circles, a light blue ball of water and a heavy ice block shot out, heading toward Amity. To protect herself, Amity ordered the abomination to stand between her and the spells. The ball of water hit the abomination on the shoulder, freezing it before the ice block knocked the arm completely off.
Amity huffed in annoyance. Percy seemed to know at least a little magic. Not enough to beat her, but enough to make the duel a chore.
The missing arm of the abomination grew back just as its head had, but Amity noticed it was notably slower, and based on Percy's expression, he did too.
Refusing to give her opponent another chance to attack, Amity ordered her abomination to advance. The monster lumbered toward Percy faster than something of its size should move, but still slower than she needed.
Percy, seeing the abomination coming, started drawing as many spell circles as he could, each one launching a water spike at the goo monster. None of the spikes did much damage, but they were still chipping away at its body, each small injury regenerating slower than the last.
The fight continued in a similar fashion for the next several minutes. Amity would order the abomination to attack and Percy would find some way to avoid it and damage the monster even further. Even when she tried throwing other spells, the boy found a way to dodge every time
Amity growled in frustration. She'd participated in witches duels in the past, but none ever lasted this long. Percy seemed to have an endless supply of creative ways to avoid and counterattack. Whether it be whips, lightning, or spears, he always retaliated in a new way. Amity would be impressed by it if she wasn't on the receiving end.
Another thing that angered her was that she could feel herself slowing down. In the beginning, she felt like she had the upper hand, but now it was getting harder to cast spells or even order her abomination around. At this rate, she'd pass out before she had the chance to subdue her opponent.
Acting quickly, Amity discreetly pulled some goo away from her rapidly deteriorating abomination and pooled it at Percy's feet. Ordering her monster to attack, she waited for him to retaliate, and once she saw him let his guard down, she quickly wrapped the collected sludge around him.
The effects were instantaneous.
Percy, once dancing around the arena, now stood trapped and unable to move.
"Do you surrender," Amity asked, out of breath and too tired to be smug.
Percy struggled against his bindings for a moment before a feral grin stretched across his face.
Amity knew she was screwed.
Watching Percy duel was something Eda would remember for a long time.
Eda knew of his talent, she'd taught him after all, but seeing it in action was a different experience entirely.
When the duel first started, she'd been slightly nervous. Eda knew Percy was strong, but so was the Blight Family. They along with the Roses, were some of the most influential people in Bonesborough.
Her worry vanished as soon as the duel began.
From the get-go, it was obvious Percy didn't need to try very hard to win. He moved around the arena and dodged attacks as if it was second nature to him, all the while grinning ear to ear.
It was awe-inspiring to watch, and based on the comments from the stands, most agreed.
Eda continued to watch the match with a smile, it was nice to see the kid enjoying himself.
However, halfway through the duel, something started to bother her.
While he dodged and counterattacked, Percy seemed to continuously speed up while his opponent slowed down considerably faster than she should have.
Eda had practiced abomination magic and while it was hard to use with finesse, it was easy to maintain. A child Percy's age, especially a Blight child, should have no trouble powering an abomination for the duration of the match. Yet Eda saw the beast nearly lose cohesion several times during the match.
"It's almost like they're tradi-" Eda's eyes widened dramatically as a memory popped into the front of her mind.
The first day she met him, she watched Percy absorb an entire magical barrier, She'd pushed it out of her mind as she didn't want to think of the implications at the time, but now-
Eda's train of thought was cut off by a sudden flurry of motion.
Looking she saw Percy restrained by the purple goo of Amity's abomination.
"Do you surrender?" The girl asked as she took deep shuddering breaths.
Eda didn't even need to see his face to know Percy was grinning.
"Not a chance," He exclaimed as the goo that entrapped him shot off his body and started circling him.
In an instant, the dynamic of the fight changed. Before, the two duelers could be considered equals, but now?
A one-sided slaughter would be a better descriptor.
Percy was a whirlwind of destruction, instantly tearing apart anything Amity sent his way. The girl was doing her best to try and keep up, but was failing. After a minute, Percy finally cornered Amity and trapped her the same way she trapped him.
"Do you surrender?" He asked, his voice loud but surprisingly gentle.
Amity looked at the ground and nodded.
Percy had won.
Immediately Eda's eyes sought out her sister, finding her shaking with anger.
"The winner is Percy Jackson!" Lilith announced through gritted teeth.
There was no applause. Besides the cheering of Luz's friends and King, the audience was silent.
Eda clicked her tongue in annoyance. Of course, there was no fanfare for her student.
Seeing that Lilith was making her way toward Percy and Amity, Eda followed suit. As she walked, she watched Percy help Amity stand up and check her over for any injuries. After a moment he patted her shoulder and walked her to the exit of the arena. It was a nice gesture, but one Eda didn't understand.
"So Lily," Eda said smugly as soon as she was in range. "How does it feel to lose?"
Lilith barely suppressed a growl.
"I only lost because you changed your dueler last minute!"
Eda shrugged and stuck her tongue out.
"Not my problem. I won, you lost."
Lilith summoned her staff, causing Eda to do the same.
"You planned this from the start you-"
"ENOUGH!" Percy shouted suddenly, cutting Lilith off. "You're both acting like children!"
Percy looked at both of them in disgust.
"What is wrong with you two?" He asked angrily.
"What are you talkin-" Eda started to say before being interrupted
"Zip it."
Eda's mouth closed instantly.
She'd never seen Percy so angry. It was unnerving.
"I'll start with you," Percy pointed at Lilith.
"I have no clue what you're talking about."
"You don't?" Percy threw something at her feet. "Clear anything up for you?"
From where she was standing she was able to that the thing Percy threw was a power glyph. She wanted to comment but thought it'd be better if she didn't.
Lilith's eyes narrowed.
"What are you implying?" She asked her tone a mixture of condescension and panic.
"I found this on Amity's neck," Percy replied pointedly. "We both know that she was barely keeping up. How do you think she would have done without it?"
Eda's eyebrows shot up.
"She would have been crushed," She said quietly.
"Bingo," Percy said. "She's probably in a corner crying right now because you made her unsure of her capabilities by cheating."
"I only cheated because I thought Eda was going too!" Lilith shouted angrily.
"But she didn't!" Percy shouted back, "You destroyed a young girl's confidence trying to one-up your sister!"
Lilith balked and fell quiet, her eyes trained on the ground.
"Welcome to my level Lily," Eda said before she could stop herself.
She knew immediately she messed up.
Percy whipped around and glared at her.
"You're no better!" He snapped. "If I hadn't volunteered how do you think Luz would have performed, hm? She could have gotten seriously injured because you didn't have the forethought to try and cancel a duel between two children!"
"Kids duel all the time," Eda defended. "I didn't see anything wrong with it!'
"Witch kids have magic, humans do not!" Percy snapped, before taking a deep breath. "Luz doesn't have magic, you can't keep treating her like she does." Percy turned toward the exit and started walking. "Now excuse me, I have to go find King and Luz."
Eda was stunned. She wanted to say something in response but couldn't find the words.
"He's right you know," Lilith said after a moment. "We put children in danger over a petty grudge."
Eda sighed. As much as she wanted to deny her sister's words, she couldn't.
"I know, doesn't mean I have to like it."
A silence fell between the two, neither knew what to say.
"He seems like a good kid," Lilith said awkwardly.
Eda chuckled.
"He is, and so is his sister."
"He's powerful too," Lilith commented idly.
Eda's expression darkened.
"I know it's your job, but don't mention Percy to him ok? The kid has been through enough already, he doesn't need his attention on him."
Lilith was quiet for a few seconds before nodding.
"I won't go out of my way to talk about him."
Eda scowled and shot a glare her sister's way.
"You know that's not what I asked."
"And you know it's the best I can offer," Lilith replied cooly. "I think it's best you go home now Eda, the Covention and your immunity from the law are almost over."
Eda sighed. She loved her sister but hated what the Emperor's coven had done to her. Eda missed the nerdy sweet girl she used to be.
"Love you too Lily."
Shaking her head, Eda started to leave, but before she got halfway, her sister called out to her.
"You know you can't run forever."
Eda smiled.
"Watch me."
Amity couldn't remember the last time she cried.
Her mother had drilled it into her head that crying was only for the weak, and the Blights were anything but weak. Anytime she felt like crying she reminded herself that she was strong and everyone wanted to be her.
Yet here she was, sobbing on a dirty floor in a dark corner.
She'd lost to a nobody. A nobody who associated with humans and criminals. A nobody who wiped the floor with her without breaking a sweat.
Even worse was that the only reason she lasted as long as she did was because her teacher had put a power glyph on her neck. She didn't want to think about how she would have faired without it.
Amity sniffled as more tears escaped her eyes.
How was she supposed to go home after this? The duel was most definitely recorded, meaning it had probably already made its way back to her mother.
Amity shook her head. Thinking about what waited for her at home would do her any good.
Taking a shaky breath, Amity looked around her surroundings only to notice something lurking around the corner.
"I know you're there Luz," Amity said in annoyance. "You might as well stop hiding."
Luz obeyed and made her way over, taking a seat next to her.
"What do you want?" Amity asked, too tired to be angry.
"I wanted to see if you were ok," Luz said timidly
Amity let out a humorless laugh.
"Seriously? You're gonna ask if I'm ok?"
Frustration started to bubble up in Amity.
"You challenge me to a duel, then get someone else to fight your battle for you," Amity said heatedly. "And after I lose and am embarrassed, you seek me out to make yourself feel better."
"I'm sorry," Luz's voice was soft and fragile
Amity didn't care.
"Sorry doesn't cut it!" She snapped." I have been training my entire life to reach the top, and your stupid duel may have cost me my future!" Amity stood up and pointed at Luz angrily. "I don't get to mess up! I don't get to have others fill in for me! You think it's so easy to be a witch, but it's not! Say you're not a witch!"
Luz stared up at her with wide eyes, a scared expression on her face.
Amity suddenly felt bad. She was angry with the girl but didn't mean to scare her.
"I didn't mean to yell like that," Amity said quietly. "I'm sorry."
The look on Luz's face shifted to one of sadness.
"It's ok," She said softly. "You are right after all, I'm not a witch."
Amity's eyes widened slightly. She wasn't expecting her to actually admit it.
Luz continued to surprise her by taking out a small notepad and drawing a weird symbol on it.
"Magic doesn't come naturally to me," Luz said as she finished drawing. "I've had to find workarounds."
Luz tapped the drawn symbol, causing the paper to crumble and form a small ball of light.
Amity was stunned. The light spell was basic magic taught to children, but she'd never seen anyone cast it the way Luz had.
"That's mildly impressive," Amity admitted hesitantly. "One spell doesn't make you a witch though."
Luz gave her a small smile.
"I know, but it's a start."
`Amity simply nodded and looked at the ground, not knowing what to say.
Luz was a lot different than she imagined. She still thought she was reckless and only caused trouble, but didn't seem as careless as Amity originally thought.
"Can I ask you something?" Amity said suddenly.
Luz looked at her curiously.
"Sure."
"What's the deal with Percy?" Amity asked quickly. "Like who is he?"
Luz was quiet for a moment, seemingly trying to formulate a response.
"He someone that just kinda showed up a few months ago," She said after a moment. "He's weird but he's also like a brother to me. Why do you ask?"
"He was nice to me after he won," Amity replied. "He walked me out and made sure I was ok. I just wanted to know why."
A large grin came onto Luz's face.
"He's a really nice guy, that's all there is to it. Any more questions?"
"Just one. How does he do magic?"
It was what Amity was most curious about. Percy had round ears like a human but used spells better than most people their age.
Luz shrugged.
"His dad was apparently a witch or something like that, he didn't really go into specifics."
Amity frowned. The answer didn't explain why he was so strong. If anything being only half a witch would make him weaker.
Checking the time quickly, Amity realized how late it had gotten.
"Thank you," Amity said. "I have to get home. This has been, interesting."
Luz nodded.
"It was nice talking to you Amity, Have a good evening."
"Likewise," Amity replied before walking away, leaving Luz on the wall.
The whole day had been confusing for Amity, but it would make an interesting diary entry. All she had to do was face her mother.
The idea filled Amity with dread.
"I hear you had an eventful day at the Covention," A female voice said from the crystal ball on Lilith's mirror stand.
Lilith growled. She was already exhausted from dealing with her sister and now she had to suffer through listening to Kikimora's voice,
"That is correct," She responded with as much politeness as she could muster.
She hated being micromanaged, but Kikimora insisted on checking in on her after every recruiting event.
"According to the report you submitted, we managed to collect twenty-three signatures for Coven Scout training camp," Kikimora said lazily, her eyes scanning the paper in her hand. "Good, but worse than previous events."
Lilith clenched her teeth. She had always disliked how the Coven claimed ownership of her successes, The Coven didn't recruit those applicants, she had.
"I'm aware, but there were other circumstances that impacted recruitment," Lilith replied plainly, doing her best to mask her frustration. "I will be better next time."
"Are you referring to the duel where the witch supported by the Coven was handily beaten by a nobody?" Kikimora asked innocently.
Lilith winced. She had hoped she would have more time to explain that mess.
"I didn't realize the events of the duel had reached you yet."
Despite her collar covering her mouth, Lilith could tell Kikimora was smiling.
"Oh yes, the recording of the clip has become quite popular. Even the Emperor found it interesting."
Lilith froze. If the Emperor had seen the duel, it meant he'd seen Percy.
"He was especially impressed by the boy," Kikimora continued. "So much so that he wants to meet him."
Fear filled Lilith's mind. She knew exactly what happened to powerful witches in the Emperor's Coven. She didn't want to subject a child to it.
"Are you certain that's a good idea?" LIlitha asked nervously. "The boy is affiliated with Eda, he surely practices wild magic."
She knew it was desperate, but it was all she could think of.
"Are you questioning the word of the Emperor?"
Lilith suddenly found herself devoid of the ability to speak, forcing herself to shake her head.
"Good," Kikimora said smugly. "If the boy is truly working with the Owl Lady, then I suppose you'll have to kill two bats with one spell and capture them both."
"I understand."
"Remember what the Emperor has promised you. Don't fail him," Kikimora hung up, leaving Lilith alone in a quiet room.
Lilith sat taking a shuddering breath, trying to come to terms with her new mission.
She was fine with bringing her sister in, it was for her own good. But the idea of subjecting a child to the Emperor's Coven left her feeling hollow. No matter how strong Percy appeared to be, he was still young.
But no matter how conflicted she felt, Lilith knew she couldn't refuse. She needed to cure her sister and rid herself of guilt.
"I'm sorry Eda, but I have to."
Amity took a sip of her tea nervously.
She had been sitting across from her mother in silence for several minutes now. Normally their meetings would start with her mother expressing how Amity had disappointed her. It always made her feel bad, but it was better than the lack of words she was treated to now.
Lifting her cup to her lips, Amity took another sip, something her mother had apparently been waiting for.
"You know Amity I must say I'm very impressed with you."
Amity choked on her tea.
After coughing a few times, Amity looked at her mother, shock written all over her face.
"What?"
Amity had been expecting many things, but a compliment from her mother was not one of them.
"Don't get it wrong dear, you should be ashamed of your poor performance," Odalia said, her voice sickly sweet. "But who you found is worthy of some praise."
Odalia opened a drawer in her desk and pulled out a large crystal ball, a recording of Amity's duel already queued up.
"You have been trained by the best money can buy," Odalia said as she pressed play on the ball. "Yet this boy still made you look like an amturer."
Amity felt sick.
The recording showed her being defeated from every angle, making her seem even more pathetic than she already felt. Her mother made her feel even worse when she fast-forwarded to when Percy had taken control of her abomination.
"He not only freed himself from your bindings, he also turned them against you!" Odalia exclaimed excitedly. "Imagine what he could do with my guidance?"
Amity wanted to be surprised, but she wasn't. Her mother was always looking for more people to mold and influence, and Percy was a perfect candidate.
"I'm you know what I want you to do."
She did. Amity didn't want to, but she knew she didn't have a choice.
"You have that Moonlight Conjuring party coming up, don't you?" Odalia asked sweetly.
Amity nodded. Her mother knew she did, Amity had to get it approved by her to have it.
"I want you to invite him, get on his good side. After all, it is harder to teach someone who doesn't want to be taught."
Amity winced. She knew her mother was talking about her.
"Yes mother," Amity said weakly.
"Excellent!" Odalia clapped her hands together. "Why don't you go get ready for bed, failure does tend to tire one out."
Amity set her tea down and stood up.
"Goodnight Mother."
Odalia didn't even acknowledge her.
As she walked to her room, Amity felt numb.
She liked Percy. He was nice and surprisingly caring. She didn't want to expose him to her mother's manipulations, but it was out of her control.
"I hope he rejects the invitation," Amity mumbled under her breath as she crawled into bed.
But she knew even if he did, her mother would stop at nothing to get him under her control.
Alright, a few things.
First, the reason Boscha may seem a little OOC is because of how I view her. She has always been a very prideful and insecure character and I can vividly see her falling apart as soon as her worldview is challenged. I'll explore it a lot more next chapter.
Second. if Percy seemed to overpowered remember what he's done at this point in time. He has fought at least one god, one titan, and held up the sky. That doesn't even account for all the experience he gained fighting monsters. No matter how much she trained, Amity would never be able to match Percy, especially while he's using his element.
Here are some reviews
Krypton Writes: This will not be a gamer fic. The aspects that may have seemed Gamer Ficish are important but won't become relevant until later.
Ultimatrix Bearer: Luz right now is kinda in the mindset that Percy being a "Half-Witch" explains the weirdness around him. As for Boscha being a half-demon. I think it is a cool headcanon, but at the moment I don't know how much it would affect the story.
Itharax: I'm glad you enjoyed the expansion on Eda and her potion. I never understood why she didn't try brewing it for herself, so I wanted to address it. I am also excited to see Percy/Boscha set sail. Boscha is my favorite character and I also love seeing her in stuff. As for Grom, I've got plans for that.
Mythos' MnMs: Thank you so much for pointing out the issue with the commas! I'm constantly trying to improve so it means a lot to hear constructive criticism. I'll definitely try to expand on King and Percy's relationship in future chapters, I'm still working it out.
Thank you all so much for your feedback, it truly makes my day whenever I see how much you guys enjoy this fic.
Till next time!