"So, King, what kind of chosen one should I be?" Luz asked her furry friend, who was kneading her sleeping bag, as she looked at the items before her. After returning to the Owl House, their shared home, without Dell, who was still absent, she snuck into a room with a sign that read, "Open this door, and you're grounded!" and "borrowed" some supplies. This included a shortsword and various potions. She also grabbed snacks for the road and her "Good Witch Azura" book.
King yawned and lied down. "Huh? Wuh?"
Luz chuckled at King's lack of interest in her preparations. "Guess I'll have to figure it out alone," she mused. "Should I be full of optimism and goodness, like Azura? Or should I embrace my rebellious side, like a bad girl Chosen One with black nail polish and a mysteriously withdrawn 'I act like I don't care, but I secretly do' attitude?" The choice seemed impossible, and yet it was hers to make.
"Oh, you guys talking about bad girl stuff?" Eda asked, peeking her head into the room. "I can help with that."
"And who ignored the sign?" Raine interjected, holding up the sign Luz disregarded to get her stuff.
"I think I'll go with the Azura vibe for now," Luz finally decided. And I'm sorry, Raine. I needed to get some stuff for my quest."
"Quest?" Raine raised an eyebrow.
Eda also raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What kind of quest are we talking about here?"
"Eda, Raine, tell Luz how dumb wizards are," King said sleepily.
"Oh, don't get me started on wizards," Eda replied. "They think they know everything."
Raine rolled their eyes and added, "I've had my fair share of encounters with wizards. They can be quite arrogant. Wait, why'd you need us to tell Luz this?"
"One of Eda's clients, a wizard, told Luz..." He started to chuckle. "That she was a chosen one!" He gave into his laughter uncontrollably. "He even gave her a map!"
"Wait, wait. Luz, a chosen one? That's rich." Eda laughed so hard that she almost fell to the floor. "I can't wait to hear how that conversation went down." Eda and King laugh as Luz hides behind her book, an embarrassed blush on her face.
"Eda, don't mock the poor girl!" Raine responded. "She doesn't know she's not supposed to trust what wizards say."
"Let me see this map." Luz handed Eda the map, and she inspected it for a few seconds. "You didn't think this was real, did you?"
"What?" Luz exclaimed, feeling a mix of disappointment and confusion. "But he seemed so genuine."
"This map is bunk. Don't be so gullible, Luz," Eda chuckled, wiping a tear from her eye. "Wizards and their prophecies are nothing but smoke and mirrors. There's no lake with a celestial staff on the Boiling Isles. I would have stolen it ages ago."
King joined in. "Yeah, Luz, you might as well chase after fairy tales!"
The room fell silent as Raine stepped forward, their expression stern. "That's enough," they scolded. "There's no need to keep kicking her while she's down."
Eda noted Luz's expression and handed her the map back. "Ah, don't worry. You won't look like a maroon here for a few more months."
Luz's heart sank. The laughter stung more than she cared to admit. "Can I have some time alone?" Luz asked softly, her voice barely above a whisper.
"We'll talk about this later, okay?" Raine nodded understandingly and gestured for the others to leave the room. Eda shrugged and left. King hopped off of Luz's sleeping bag and followed his parents. The door closed, casting the room in shadow and giving Luz the space to process what she heard.
Left alone with her thoughts, Luz examined the map once more. "Maybe they were right." She leaned against the wall before sliding down to the floor. Doubt clouded her mind like a thick fog, making her question everything. But as she held the parchment up to the light, words began to shimmer into view. "Huh?"
Sunlight illuminates one corner of the map, revealing the word "one" in shining blue lettering. Luz holds the entire map to the light, revealing the message: "The chosen one, the path will only appear to the worthy." Luz gasps, her heart pounding in her chest. "That's why Eda couldn't see it. But am I worthy?" The weight of the prophecy and its potential for her future pressed down on her, filling her with fear and excitement.
The window opened to howling winds. The map flew out of her grasp, landing next to her book. The wind flipped the pages to show Azura standing, loved and triumphant, on a small hill. The people around her applauded as she held a staff to the sun. "I'll never know unless I try."
A spark of hope, like a flickering flame, ignited within Luz. She packed her bag with newfound resolve, ready to embark on the quest that awaited her, her heart pounding with anticipation.
Dell punched the stone giant's head with enough force to send it tumbling backward. It landed with a resounding crash, finally out of the fight. Dell wiped the sweat from his brow as the dust settled and deeply breathed. "That took longer than I expected," he muttered to himself. The giant was incredibly stubborn. Still, he pulled his punches because he didn't want to kill it.
The giant stirred, slowly getting back up on its feet. Dell readied himself for another round. Then, it vanished into thin air, leaving Dell in confusion. "What the…" He looked around, trying to make sense of what had just happened. Was it a trick? Or did the giant indeed disappear?
Well, at least the town was safe. Dell shook his head and began to make his way back home. Back at the Owl House, Dell landed with the grace of a seasoned hero. He put on his concealment stone and became Dell Whispers once more. Hooty was sleeping, so Dell opened the door quietly and slipped inside without waking him.
"Finally! All that mean-spirited laughter made me sleepy," King muttered as he shifted on the couch.
Meanwhile, Baba did not look pleased with Mom. "You're going to apologize to Luz later, right?" They said, crossing their arms and raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah, yeah, I know," Mom responded absentmindedly, preoccupied with a nagging suspicion. "I just need to figure out what's going on first."
"What happened?" Dell asked, alerting everyone to his presence.
"Oh, hey, son," Baba said, turning to face Dell. "Your mother and Luz had a moment they'll need to sort out," they explained. "Also, King told us you had to leave as Superboy. Something happens?"
"Yeah, there was a situation with a stone giant," Dell explained, trying to downplay the severity of the encounter. "But I took care of it. Thankfully, no one was hurt."
"That's good to hear," Baba replied, relieved. Dell nodded in agreement.
"Crony, wake up," Mom said to King as she gently shook him.
"You said that wizard was one of my clients?" King was more interested in his nap. "King, what do you know about the wizard?" She prodded, her eyes narrowing.
King yawned. "Nothing more than you do, Eda. Now go away."
"I don't know any wizards as clients." Mom sat on the couch with enough force to send King flying off the cushion, but Baba was able to catch him. "And I don't trust this itch he's scratching in the human."
"Less talky, more nappy," King said, falling asleep again in Baba's arms, his tail wagging contentedly. It was as adorable now as it was when King was more miniature.
But Mom wasn't convinced and decided to check on Luz upstairs. Dell could hear her knocking on the door, "Hey, Luz? Aw, nuts!"
"What's wrong, Mom?" Dell asked, following her up the stairs.
Mom turned to Dell worriedly and said, "Luz's room is empty." They noticed the howling wind pushing open the window, and Eda ran over to it and stuck her head out. "Hooty, wake up! Where'd she go?"
"Hoot! Hoot! If you want the answer you seek, solve my riddle within a week." Hooty said mischievously, only for Mom to punch the wall hard enough to shake the whole house and leave cracks in the wall. She was surprisingly strong for her age. "Ow! Okay, okay. Hoot! She went into the forest toward Bonesborough. Sheesh! Hoot!"
Dell exchanged a worried glance with Mom, who was already grabbing her staff. "Raine, grab Fiddlesticks!" She said firmly as the mother and son returned to the living room, determination in her eyes.
"What's wrong?" Baba asked. "Is Luz okay?"
"We have to go find her. I have a bad feeling about this."
Laughter then filled the air, and with a pop, the strange man Dell encountered appeared in their living room, his grin as broad as the mischief in his eyes. Dell, King, Mom, and Baba stared as the man chuckled. "Looking for someone?" He asked.
"You!" Dell exclaimed.
"Me? Aw, I'm flattered."
"Hey, that's him! That's the wizard!" King exclaimed. "Mr. Yyclypzptlk!" He pronounced the strange name as "Yee-clip-sik."
And the man did not look pleased by it. "It's pronounced Ee-Clips-Pit-Lick."
"Are you responsible for Luz's disappearance?" Baba demanded. "Tell us where she is."
"Raine, Raine, go away. Come back another day."
SNAP!
Mr. Yyclypzptlk snapped his fingers, and Baba just disappeared. "Baba!" "Raine!" Dell and Mom shouted at the same time.
"What did you do to them?" Mom's voice echoed through the Owl House, a mix of anger and fear.
"Give Raine back this instant!" King cried out.
"Oh, you don't need to worry about them," Mr. Yyclypzptlk replied with a sinister grin. "They're just taking a little trip elsewhere. I'll bring them back when I'm done here."
"Yyclypzptlk!" Dell exclaimed. "Did you do something to Luz, too? What have you done with her?"
"Oh, the little human with a head full of whimsy and naivety? She's off on a little adventure. But don't worry; she's perfectly safe. For now."
Eda stepped forward, her staff ready. "Bring her and Raine back, now!" She demanded, her voice steady despite the worry that gnawed at her.
Mr. Yyclypzptlk smirked. "Now, now, Eda. That's no way to ask for a favor. And I've been toying with mortals since before your sun burned hot in your sky. Do you think I'd bow to your demands?"
I've been toying with mortals since before your sun burned hot in your sky. Would I bow to your demands?
Dell clenched his fists but held back, knowing the futility of physical threats against him. He doubted he'd be able to punch Mr. Yyclypzptlk before being snapped away. "Why are you here? What do you want on the Isles?"
Mr. Yyclypzptlk's expression softened, a rare glimpse of sincerity flickering in his eyes. "Oh, it is a sad story. You see, I seek my son, Nnzgbryyl. He's been lost to me for a millennium."
"Your son is missing?" Dell's surprise was evident in his voice.
Mr. Yyclypzptlk nodded solemnly, his alien features betraying a hint of vulnerability. "Yes. He came to this place back when your Titan was still alive. And he built quite a reputation among the Demon Realm's inhabitants. You might know him, 'The Collector.'"
"Never heard of him," Mom responded.
Mr. Yyclypzptlk's eyes widened in surprise. "Really? He was quite infamous in these parts."
"Let me help you find him," Dell said, seeing an opportunity to make peace and being genuine in his offer to assist Yyclypzptlk in finding his son. "I may not know him, but I can try to track him down. We can search together."
But the strange man laughed the offer off. "No, no, no. I'll find him myself, even if I have to turn the Demon Realm upside down, inside out, and backward to do it. And believe me," his tone became menacing, "you don't want to get in my way."
"But innocent people could get hurt in the process," Dell protested, trying to reason with the determined man. "I understand your urgency, but perhaps we can work together to—"
"Nah, I'll find him soon enough, and your little human friend is helping me do it. She doesn't know it. And knowing you, Superboy, you'll try to save her, right? Tell you what, I'll give you a sporting chance." He leaned in, whispering to Dell, Mom, and King, "My one weakness... if you trick me into saying my name backward, I'll be banished to my dimension."
"Why would you tell us that?" King asked, raising an eyebrow in suspicion.
"Because where's the fun in winning if it's not a challenge?" the man replied with a smirk.
SNAP!
He vanished with a snap of his fingers, leaving stunned silence. Moments later, Baba blinked back into existence, and confusion was written all over their faces. "What happened?" they asked, looking around.
"Raine!" Mom and King exclaimed simultaneously, hugging them. "Baba!" Dell shouted, joining in the hug. All three of them were relieved that they were safe and sound.
"Um, not that I don't appreciate the love, but can someone please explain what just happened?" Baba asked, still feeling disoriented from their sudden disappearance.
"Mr. Yyclypzptlk has something planned for Luz," Dell began, removing his concealment stone and becoming Superboy again. "We need to find Luz and stop him."
"How do we do that?" Baba asked, feeling a sense of urgency.
"We have to get him to say his name backward," Mom answered, knowing that would be easier said than done. "We'll figure it out along the way. Now let's go!" Not wasting another moment, the Whispers family flew off to rescue Luz.
This led them back to Bonesborough. King sniffed the air as he led Dell, Mom, and Baba back to the castle. "This is where we met the scones. I mean, the wizard." King told them. "Woah!"
The once-majestic castle that King spoke of loomed before them, its spires crumbling and ivy-covered, and banners faded. One of the front doors was lying on the ground, and as they looked, a chunk of wall fell from a pillar. The Whispers family stepped cautiously through the broken archway, their footsteps echoing in the lonely halls. The air smelled of decay. "I swear, it wasn't like this before," King said.
"I've got a bad feeling about this," Mom said, examining one of the doors. She pushed it ever so slightly, and it creaked open, revealing a library.
Tattered scrolls litter the floor, shelves are broken, paintings are ripped, and chunks of debris block the stairs. Eda stepped forward onto a bundle of scrolls. She picked them all up, each illuminated by a glowing path in the sunlight. Her eyes widened as if she recognized where the map was leading. "Oh, no."
"What's wrong, Mom?" Dell asked, noticing Eda's look of recognition. Eda slowly turned to them, holding up one of the scrolls and pointing to a specific location marked on it.
"We need to get there before it's too late," she said urgently.
Following the map, the Whispers family came upon a long-abandoned village—a desolate expanse of twisted trees and ashen earth. Dark clouds hung heavy in the sky, and fog covered each dilapidated building.
"Are you sure she came here?" Baba asked, looking around warily.
"She's been here. You can't mistake her smell," King said. "Like lemons and young, naïve confidence."
"But why would Luz come to this place?" Dell asked. "If she saw what we're seeing now, I don't think she'd stick around for long."
"Or maybe she didn't see what we were seeing," Mom suggested, her voice barely above a whisper. "Maybe she saw something else."
"Some kind of illusion magic?" Baba speculated.
"It's possible," Mom agreed.
The family continued to explore the eerie village, and the sense of foreboding grew more robust with each step. Mom walked up to a broken fountain covered in dying vines. A peculiar puppet caught her attention, its strings slack and painted smile mocking. It was Mr. Yyclypzptlk, a twisted effigy of him, dangling from a gnarled branch of a nearby tree. His wooden eyes bore into them.
The puppet stirred its voice a husky, hollow echo, dry like leaves. "Oh, dear travelers, you're right on time. You seek the girl. Young Luz is but a moth to the flame."
"What have you done with Luz?" Mom demanded. "What's your endgame?"
"The trap is set, and she's walking right into it." The puppets' words were a sinister melody, a lure for them to hasten their steps, most likely towards their impending doom.
Dell clenched his fists and demanded to know, "What trap? Tell us!"
The puppet cackled. "A game, my dear Superboy. And we can't play until all the pieces are in place."
"We won't play your twisted game," Baba declared. "Tell us where Luz is, now!"
A chilling laugh erupted from the puppet, sending shivers down their spines. "Oh, but you will," it sneered. "You see, I hold the strings. If you refuse, with a mere snap of my fingers," he snapped his wooden fingers, and the ground trembled, knocking them off balance. "The consequences will be dire. I can warp reality however I please, and I can make it so that your precious Luz's no more."
The threat hung heavy like a guillotine poised to sever hope. And then the puppet added, "And let's not forget the little secret of Superboy, dear Dell Whispers. How long before Belos and the Emperor's Coven learn your true identity? I can tell them with a whisper, and your world will come crashing down around you." The puppet cackled and then began to disintegrate in a rather gruesome manner.
"The wooden man melted!" King screamed in horror as the puppet's form twisted and contorted, leaving a puddle of goo on the floor. He hid behind his big brother and parents, shaking with fear.
"Get a move on; we've got no time to lose!" Mom urged the family to move forward. They continued, ignoring the puppet's warning about the dire consequences of disobedience. The Whispers family could not back down when Luz was in danger.
Birds twittered as they flew overhead, casting long shadows below them. Luz looked away from them to focus on the path before slowing to a stop. She gasped. Her heart raced as she stood at the precipice of her mythical quest.
A ray of light illuminated the Celestial Staff, its iridescent glow pulsating as it stood on a platform in the middle of a lake, awaiting her touch. Everything that's happened since starting the quest told Luz Noceda, a human witch-in-training, that she was destined to wield it.
"I knew this world wasn't all gloom and doom, like Eda and King said," Luz said to herself as she took a deep breath and stepped forward, ready to claim her destiny as the chosen one. As Luz approached the edge of the lake, a glow came from the water, followed a few seconds later by a stone walkway rumbling into place, connecting the edge of the lake and the central platform.
"There is wonder here. And I think I came here for a reason." Luz skipped and twirled down the walkway. She paused as she reached the platform, staring at the staff in awe. "Okay, this is it. Moment of truth."
With trembling fingers, she extended her hand and placed it on the smooth surface of the staff. Blue swirls of magic come out of it, creating waves in the lake as the top of the staff glows brightly. She could feel it—a surge of energy radiating through her. The sensation tingled across her skin, a wave of static that grew in intensity with every second. Her veins were aflame. Her hair stood on end. Her teeth buzzed. She could hardly breathe.
This was it. This was everything she had worked for. "Yes! I am the chosen one! I knew it! I always suspected there was a reason nobody understood my wacky antics back at home." Luz laughs as she jumps and twirls in a circle, then holds the staff with both hands. "Now I have concrete proof." She tried to pull it out of the ground and raise it above her head triumphantly, but it wouldn't budge. "Huh?
"Proof that you're so gullible!" Mr. Yyclypzptlk's voice echoed from behind her as the wizard appeared in a puff of smoke, a mischievous grin on his face.
"Mr. Yyclypzptlk!" Luz exclaimed, pronouncing it: "Yee-clip-sik."
"It's pronounced Ee-Clips-Pit-Lick." Mr. Yyclypzptlk corrected her with an annoyed tone.
Luz then notices around her as flowers wilt, water drains from the lake and retreats up the riverbank, and even the lush forest and ancient stones blink out of existence. "What's going on?"
Mr. Yyclypzptlk chuckles. "You've been living in a dream world, Luz. Welcome to reality."
"But... I was supposed to be the chosen one," Luz whispered, feeling the weight of disappointment settle in her chest.
"Oh, you are a chosen one." Mr. Yyclypzptlk's eyes glinted with amusement. "Chosen to be bait for Dell."
"Dell? What do you want with Eda and Raine's son?" Luz asked, trying to put up a brave front.
"Well, first, he's not their son. Not really. And second, he's Superboy."
"Superboy?" Luz's confusion deepened.
"Luz!" Dell's voice boomed from a distance as she saw Superboy, Eda, Raine, and King flying in to rescue her. How could she not see it before? Dell Whispers is Superboy!
"Yes, Superboy. And you just helped to lead him right to us," Mr. Yyclypzptlk replied, his smile widening. "Congratulations, Luz. You've played your part perfectly."
The Whispers family arrived on the platform with Superboy… Dell lands in front of Luz. "Luz, are you alright?" Dell asked, concern evident in his voice. "Are you hurt?"
"Dell, it's a trap!" The young man had a brief expression of surprise when Luz called him by his real name, but it quickly vanished as he concentrated on the danger.
"Now, time to start the show!" Mr. Yyclypzptlk declared. "Oh, Adegast!"
The ground shook violently as the platform split open, revealing a toothy maw about to consume everyone whole. But Superboy grabbed her and flew her to safety just in time. Luz saw the Celestial Staff get swallowed up and realized it wasn't staff; it was a part of the monster hidden in plain sight the whole time.
Tentacles sprang out from the maw, reaching for them as they flew away. Eda and Raine traced spell circles that shot fireballs and lightning bolts at the monster, trying to distract it.
"What is that thing?" King asked, dangling from Eda's staff. The monster's roars echoed through the air.
"Oh, where are my manners?" Mr. Yyclypzptlk interjected. "Allow me to introduce Adegast, one of the oldest living creatures in the realm. He has the information I want about my son. And in return, he gets to eat all of you."
"What?!" Luz exclaimed, her eyes widening in horror. "You can't be serious!"
"Well, to be specific, he wants to eat the Kryptonian—something he's never had before," Mr. Yyclypzptlk corrected with a sinister grin. The rest of you are just dessert."
One of Adegast's tentacles grabbed Dell's leg and pulled him toward its gaping maw. Dell managed to toss Luz to Raine before being dragged mere feet away from certain doom. "Dell!" Luz screamed. Suddenly, red-hot beams shot from Dell's eyes, hitting Adegast's tentacle and causing it to recoil in pain.
"I'll hold off the Adegast! Get Luz somewhere safe!" Dell yelled to his family as another tentacle lashed towards him, but he punched it back with his super-strength. Eda and Raine flew off without hesitation, and Luz and King were in tow.
"Is he going to be okay?" Luz asked, her voice filled with worry as she watched Dell bravely face off against Adegast.
"Of course, he's Superboy," Eda reassured her, a glimmer of pride in her eyes. "He'll be fine."
A bolt of magic suddenly stuck Eda and Raine's staves, returning them to their palismen forms as Luz and the Whispers family fell to the ground. Raine took a deep breath and whistled as loud as they could, creating a sonic wave that slowed down everyone's fall before gently landing them safely on the ground.
"None of you are going anywhere," Mr. Yyclypzptlk declared, his eyes glowing with power as he hurled another magical bolt at the family, scattering them.
"What do we do?" Luz, who was paired with King, looked at Eda and Raine.
"We have to make him say his name backward!" Eda exclaimed.
"What?" Both Raine and Luz exclaimed at the same time.
"He told us that was his weakness."
"How do you know he's not lying?" Raine asked skeptically.
"He's not. I can tell. He's way too confident in his powers to make something like that up," Eda replied, her eyes narrowing as she watched Mr. Yyclypzptlk advance towards them. "We have to try it; it's our only chance."
Luz then realized that they could pull this off. She had seen how Mr. Yyclypzptlk's name was spelled, and she knew how they could trick him into saying it backward.
"Eda, Raine, King, I need you guys to distract him for a few minutes!" Luz exclaimed, a plan forming in her mind.
"Care to share your brilliant plan with us, Luz?" Eda asked, raising an eyebrow.
Luz grinned mischievously. "We're going to use his ego against him. Please, trust me."
Eda, Raine, and King exchanged a knowing look before nodding in agreement. "We're counting on you, Luz," Raine said, choosing to trust Luz's instincts, and the Whispers family was ready to put her plan into action.
"You must be desperate to put your faith in a human, Owl Lady," Mr. Yyclypzptlk mocked.
"Desperate times call for desperate measures," Eda replied, confident in Luz and ready to take on the challenge. "And she's not gonna let us down!" Eda traced a spell circle on it and shot a fireball toward Mr. Yyclypzptlk.
SNAP!
Mr. Yyclypzptlk teleported out of the way. Raine whistled a sharp soundwave, only for the being to hold up his hand and redirect it back at the bard.
Meanwhile, Luz drew the letters "M" and "R" in the dirt using the shortsword she had brought. And as Eda and Raine continued to serve as distractions, Luz traced, "YYCLYPZPTLK IS A…"
Dell's heat vision sliced off more of the Adegast's tentacles precisely, causing the creature to let out a loud screech. But it seemed like for every tentacle that Dell either incinerated or punched away; another two would grow back in their place.
"This isn't working!" Dell cried.
The Adegast continued to come at him. He managed to grab Dell's leg, wrapping him up in its slimy tentacles and dragging him down to its toothy maw. The Adegast's sharp teeth glistened in the dim light as it prepared to devour Dell whole.
He used his super strength to stop the jaws of death from literally crushing him, pushing against the creature's mouth with all his might. The creature's tongue wrapped around him, trying to pull Dell down its throat.
Dell struggled to break free, feeling the creature's acidic saliva burning his skin. If it hadn't been for his Kryptonian physiology granting him enhanced durability, Dell would have been dissolved by now. But it still hurt like hell as he fought for his life against the relentless monster.
Dell's eyes burned hotter than the creature's saliva as Dell let loose a beam of heat vision into the Adegast's maw, cauterizing its insides. The beast screamed in agony as its innards were fried. Dell kept the beam going until the Adegast was a smoking husk.
Dell finally managed to pull himself out of the creature's grasp, panting heavily. At the same time, he hovered above, surveying the aftermath of the battle—the smell of burnt flesh filled the air. The threat had been neutralized—a monster that was probably responsible for the deaths of many innocent victims—but Dell felt no sense of victory. He is angry at himself for taking the easy option and using such extreme force; he feels guilty for being unable to find a more humane solution to the problem.
"Dell, are you alright?" A voice calling out his name snapped Dell out of his thoughts. Luz was writing something into the ground while Mom, Baba, and King distracted Mr. Yyclypzptlk.
Dell flew down to join her. "Yeah, I did what I had to do with the Adegast." Dell nodded, his voice filled with resignation.
"NO!" Mr. Yyclypzptlk let out a guttural scream, causing even Dell to flinch. Superboy clenched his fists, steeling himself for whatever was to come next. "You incinerated my only hope of finding my son!"
"This happened because you chose to play your sick game with Luz's life," Dell told him. "You have no one to blame but yourself for the consequences."
"Oh, am I, Superboy?" Mr. Yyclypzptlk sneered. "We'll see about that."
"Keep him distracted a little longer; I'm almost done," Luz whispered to Dell, who nodded, ready to buy her the time for the plan she and his family were in on.
Eda traced another spell circle and sent a spear of ice at Mr. Yyclypzptlk, who dodged it with a smirk. "Do you think your simple parlor trick could beat me?"
"I guess we'll find out soon enough," she told herself confidently before launching another attack at her opponent.
Suddenly, a rock hit Mr. Yyclypzptlk in the back of the head. He turned around, only to get hit in the eye by another one. "Ow!" King was chucking stones from a pile he seemed to have gathered. "You little twerp!" Mr. Yyclypzptlk shouted and fired a magical bolt at the little demon, hitting him.
"KING!" Eda and Raine rushed over to check on him, their expressions filled with concern. But they stopped when they saw that the attack did not faze their son.
"Weh?" King checked his body for any damage, of which there was none. "I'm… fine?" He seemed surprised to have survived as well.
"Wait, what?" Mr. Yyclypzptlk looked confused as he realized his magical attack did not affect King. "How did you...?" Before he could finish his thought, Dell flew in and punched him in the face, knocking him away.
"Nice one, Dell!" King exclaimed.
"That's it; I am done with you people!" Mr. Yyclypzptlk charged a powerful spell with a green aura. "Take this!"
Dell charged at him, ready to counter the attack. "Bring it on!" Dell shouted, determined to protect his friends. However, once the magical blast hit Dell, he was thrown back with a force unlike anything he had ever experienced. The impact sent him crashing into a nearby tree, leaving him dazed and struggling to get back up.
"DELL!" Eda, Raine, and King exclaimed. They had never seen something like that happen to Dell before.
"A motion-wave spell with a kryptonite twist," Mr. Yyclypzptlk cackled as he charged another attack. Raine whistled sharply, sending a sonic wave at their opposition to momentarily disrupt his concentration. And I've had enough of you!" Mr. Yyclypzptlk fired a magical bolt at Raine. It hit them and turned them into a puppet, causing them to collapse to the ground in a heap of wood and strings.
"RAINE!" Eda cried out in horror.
"Don't worry, you two are next!" Mr. Yyclypzptlk threatened, his eyes glowing with malice as he turned his attention to Eda and King, ready to do to them what he had done to Dell and Raine. King buried his head in Eda's shoulder, trembling with fear as he clung to her for protection.
"Hey! Mr. Yyclypzptlk!" Luz exclaimed, purposefully pronouncing it: "Yee-clip-sik."
"It's pronounced Ee-Clips-Pit-Lick!" Mr. Yyclypzptlk corrected her with an annoyed tone, turning to face her. "Get it right!"
"Well, look what I wrote!" Luz displayed what she was writing on the ground with her sword.
Mr. Yyclypzptlk read it aloud, "MR. YYCLYPZPTLK IS A MR. KLTPZPYLCYY." He pronounced it: "Kill-tip-zippy-like." He then realized what he had done. "Oh, sugar honey iced tea," Luz smirked, knowing she had outsmarted Mr. Yyclypzptlk. And Eda chuckled at the scene unfolding before her.
A portal suddenly opened above Mr. Yyclypzptlk, sucking him in. "This isn't the last you'll see of me! I will return!" He then disappeared into the portal.
"Guess we won't have to worry about him for a while." Eda chuckled.
"Ugh, what happened?" Raine, who was no longer a puppet, asked as they regained consciousness.
"Raine!" Eda, King, and Luz exclaimed in unison, relieved to see them awake.
"That Yyclypzptlk guy turned you into a puppet," Eda explained, pronouncing the name as: "Yee-clip-sik."
"Thank goodness you're okay," Luz added, hugging Raine.
"What was it like being made of wood and string?" King asked curiously.
"It was terrifying," Raine replied, shuddering at the memory. "I never want to go through that again." Raine looked around. "Wait, where's Dell?"
"I'm here, Baba," Dell replied, emerging from behind the trees, looking tired.
"Are you okay, Dell?" King asked his brother. Eda and Raine looked concerned, having never seen their son exhausted before.
Dell nodded, but his eyes betrayed his exhaustion. "I'm fine, just a little drained from the magic," he replied.
"This is all my fault," Luz said, feeling guilty. "I should have listened to you, Eda. I thought… I hoped that I would be chosen. But I see now that I was un tonto."
"Don't know what that means, but…" Eda placed a comforting hand on Luz's shoulder. "It's not entirely your fault, kid. I shouldn't have made fun of you in the first place."
"We all make mistakes, Luz," Raine said softly. "The important thing is that we're all safe now."
"This place is nothing like what I imagined," Luz admitted as she looked around.
"You're not thinking of calling it quits, right?" Eda asked with a raised eyebrow. "We're just getting started."
"No, I still want to be a witch. I'm just confused about how to get there."
"Don't worry, we'll figure it out together," Dell reassured Luz. "You have a lot of potential, and we'll help you unlock it."
"Thanks, Dell. I mean Superboy." Luz blushed a little bit. "I still can't believe Dell Whispers and Superboy are the same person. It's pretty cool."
"Yeah, it's a lot to take in," Eda chuckled, not even trying to hide her pride in her superpowered son. "Hey, before we return to the Owl House, I want to show you something."
Luz was blindfolded as the Whispers family took her somewhere. She was sitting on Eda's staff with King next to her. "Trust me, you're going to love it," Eda said with a mischievous grin. "You can look now."
Luz removed the blindfold and gasped as she saw the whole Boiling Isles from miles away. The giant's decomposing body lay in the water with its arms spread out, and the sun was setting over its skull. The view was breathtaking, and Luz felt a sense of awe at the sight before her. She couldn't believe she was witnessing such a majestic and eerie scene.
"The bones of the Isles. Up close, the Isles can be slimy," Eda explained.
And very stinky," King added.
"And gross," Raine added, sitting on their staff.
"But if you look at it from a different perspective..." Dell continued, flying next to them.
"It's beautiful," Luz said as the three of them looked to the sky above the skull-like mountain, where stars began appearing. As they watch, a shooting star crosses the sky, there for only a moment.
"Yeah," King said as he leaned against Luz.
"Hey, kid," Eda began. "You know, I get you wanting to be 'chosen.' Everyone wants to believe they're special in some way. But if we all waited around for a prophecy to make us special," she chuckled, "we'd die waiting. And that's why you need to choose yourself."
"Does that mean you'll give me a magic staff of my own?" Eda laughed, shaking her head.
"No, kid. You have to earn that on your own," she replied with a smile. "But I can teach you how to wield one."
"And I'll be there to ensure that her teachings are responsible," Raine said, causing everyone to laugh.
"I've been thinking of something about Mr. Yyclypzptlk," Dell said, pronouncing it correctly. "He set this whole plan up to find his son."
"Yeah, I kind of get it," Eda admitted. "If you went missing, I'd go to extreme lengths to find you or King.
"Family is everything," Raine added, nodding in agreement. "And Mr. Yyclypzptlk must have felt the same about his son."
"I don't know where he might be. But I want to find him and bring him back home safely," Dell said with determination.
"And I'll help, too," Luz added, showing her support.
The Whispers family smiled at Luz, welcoming the human into their family of misfits and outcasts. Something told her she would significantly change the Boiling Isles, just not how she'd imagined.
Camila Noceda wiped her hands on her apron, glancing at the clock on the clinic wall. It was almost closing time, and she was ready to call it a day. The sun had dipped below the horizon, casting a warm glow through the window. It would now be two days since she dropped Luz off at the summer camp. However, she seemed more excited when they were driving than when she was initially waiting for the bus.
The waiting room was empty except for a sleepy tabby cat curled up on one of the chairs. The owner's cat habitually sneaked into the clinic after hours, seeking warmth and comfort. The veterinarian smiled, knowing the cat would keep her company as she finished her last few tasks before heading home for the night.
Just as she was about to flip the sign to "Closed," the doorbell chimed. Camila turned, expecting to see a frantic pet owner rushing in with an emergency. Instead, she was met with the sight of a tall man in a crisp police uniform. He was an African-American man with neatly combed dark hair and a concerned expression, holding a black and white cat in his arms.
Camila recognized the cat. The owner's other pet, Oreo, had been missing for days.
"Sorry to bother you," he said in a deep voice. "I know it's late, but I found this little one wandering outside and noticed your clinic's information on its collar. I wanted to make sure he got back home safely."
Camila's heart warmed at the sight of the lost cat being returned to safety. She felt a surge of relief and gratitude toward the officer. "It's no trouble, officer. We're just glad Oreo is safe and sound. Thank you for going out of your way to bring him back to us." The officer smiled warmly and handed Oreo over to Camila.
Their fingers brushed, and something sparked between them. Maybe it was the late hour, the quiet clinic, or the shared concern for Oreo. But Camila found herself wanting to know more about this intriguing police officer. "I don't think I've ever seen you around before?" She admitted.
The man shook his head. "I'm new to the town; I just moved in. I'll be working with the local police department from now on."
Camila smiled, her weariness momentarily forgotten. "Well, it's nice to meet you. I'm Camila Noceda. I will take Oreo to the examination room; make sure he didn't get any infections while on his stroll."
Officer Jones leaned against the counter, watching her. "That would be wise, Camila. You're his lifesaver."
She blushed, unused to such compliments. "It's my job. But I appreciate it. You can come by anytime if you need anything or to say hello, officer… I'm sorry, I don't think I caught your name."
"Jones. John Jones."
"Nice to meet you, Officer Jones."
"Would you like to grab a coffee sometime?" Officer Jones asked, surprising her.
"How did you know I was gonna ask you that?" Camila asked.
"I had a feeling," Officer Jones said. "I'll take that as a yes?"
Camila felt a flutter of excitement, hesitated momentarily, then smiled as she said, "I'd like that." Camila wondered if fate had brought Officer John Jones into her life for a reason.
Chapter 7 is finally here. Thank you so much for patiently waiting. If you enjoyed it, please favorite, follow, and leave a review; feedback is appreciated. Hopefully, the next chapter will take less time. Hopefully.
Also, special thanks to Ker Varela who has been helping me with getting my ideas onto paper. They also came up with a name for this universe: Earth 2038.
Ker: "The number is because The Owl House was released in 2020 and Superman first appeared in 1938."