In Lumina's VIP audience viewing room, she sat close to her girlfriend, Amara. After reconciling and resuming their relationship, they became more intimate with each other once again. Watching the screen together, they observed the players' strategies unfold.

"Hm, using a party to delay a coup," Lumina admired. "That's definitely a Clawthorne move."

"Yeah, something Eda would have done," Amara agreed.

"Yeah, she'd spike the drinks too so she could rob them all blind."

The two shared a laugh at that. The legendary Eda Clawthorne was indeed a famous rogue and someone Lumina looked up to. Despite her reputation, Eda was far from perfect, having made many mistakes she regretted. Now, she was trying to be better, to do better for her family.

"Hey, are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Lumina asked, a spark of excitement in her eyes.

"I think so, Lumi, but how about we say it together?" Amara suggested.

"OK, on three. One, two, three…"

"Let's crash the party together!" the two girls finished in unison. "Hah! Jinx!"

They hadn't received any invitations, as the cultists had no way to deliver them, but the two supporters were undeterred. Besides, Luz and Amity would definitely welcome them.

"Hey, Ollie," Lumina called to the third occupant of the audience room. "Wanna crash an engagement party with us?"

"Hm." Oliver rubbed his chin, pondering the invitation. "It would be rude to go in unannounced. I would suggest we call our respective Riders to inform them we'll be going."

"And spoil the surprise?" Amara scoffed.

"Entering without an invite could get us all killed," Oliver pointed out. "Those cultists could mistake us for intruders."

"Dang it, you're right," Lumina conceded. The cultists were fiercely loyal and protective of Luz. Any intruders would be dealt with swiftly to prevent any harm to their dark goddess. "Fine, we'll text them."

"Good idea," Oliver approved, smiling. "I actually need to give Marcy something. They just finished it, and I can't wait to see her put it to good use."

It was the day of Empress Oscura and Amity Blight's betrothal party, and anticipation hung in the air like morning mist. The previous day, the cultists had worked tirelessly to ensure the occasion would be perfect for their Empress and her betrothed. Invitations had been sent far and wide, the grand banquet hall was beautifully decorated, and the kitchen staff were preparing an array of sumptuous dishes for everyone who would attend.

A grand stage had been erected for Vuvu's band, their instruments gleaming under the soft, ambient lighting.

Sasha listened to the band to ensure they were up to her standards.

"That was amazing!" Sasha applauded after listening to the band finish their rehearsal.

"The Empress expects the best, and that is what we shall deliver," Vuvu promised.

"The special effects were a nice touch too," Sasha added. "You're damn good at that."

"Well, it's thanks to Empress Oscura that we were able to branch out," Vuvu smiled before his lips curled downward. "Honestly, it was stupid that Glandus looked down upon the other tracks besides Abomination, Plant and Construction. But those were the days."

"No creativity," Sasha scoffed, shaking her head. "There's more to power than physical strength. I mean, I bet a bard could kill a person or control them with the right song; and if you're a master illusionist, you can traumatise someone if you know what they're scared of."

"Yes, exactly," Vuvu agreed. Every magic could be used to harm someone. Potions could be used to make poisons, a healer could cripple someone, oracles could see into the future and uncover embarrassing secrets, and beast keepers could literally call on an army of deadly beasts. All it took was a bit of imagination to see the untapped potential. "People can recover from physical trauma, but mental ones are much harder to deal with."

Marina had also volunteered to entertain the guests with one of her mesmerising dances. Sasha had witnessed a demonstration of her performance, and after Marina was finished, the blushing blonde asked if the demoness could make it a bit less provocative.

"I don't see why I need to change anything," Marina defended herself, crossing her arms over her chest.

"It's just a bit too sexy for an engagement party." Sasha attempted to reason with the demoness. "And Empress Oscura wants it to go smoothly."

"Well, My Empress didn't seem to mind my dancers during her welcome dinner," Marina smiled sultrily. "And she hasn't seen me on the dance floor yet."

"Just try to tone down the sexy, alright?" Sasha requested.

"Why?" Marina leaned in towards Sasha, putting a finger under the blonde's chin. "Does it bother you?"

Sasha blushed, trying not to look aroused and intimidated by the demoness who looked like she wanted to eat her alive.

"Just...try to tone down the sexy, alright? Consider this an order from the Empress," Sasha gently said as she stepped back from Marina while trying to maintain her gaze.

"Fine...I will attempt to 'tone down the sexy'," Marina repeated, doing her very best to resist the urge to huff out of annoyance towards Sasha. It was hard, but she would rather do it than face Oscura's wrath. If she were to get her ass beat by her precious goddess, then she would rather have it be done in the Empress' bedchamber filled with lots and lots of sex instead. That very thought made her mind go in the gutter, indulging herself in sexual fantasies with her beautiful Empress. Now, she was starting to get wet down there.

Sasha turned and marched away.

"'There aren't any succubi in the Demon Realm', they said. Pfft, my ass!" she muttered.

Meanwhile, Luz was pacing in her bedchamber with Amity sitting on the bed, watching her human lover. They only had a few hours until the party began.

"Just relax, Luz," Amity advised her fiancée. "It'll be alright."

"I know, it's just…" Luz bit into her knuckles as she continued her pacing. "I'm starting to have doubts about the plan. We're supposed to delay a coup, but all this will give us just one more day."

"You've already convinced them that assassinating the UC council would be a bad idea," Amity reminded. "I'm sure we can convince them not to go through with it."

"I hope so, because they've been working on this plan for years. I'm just not sure if my word is gonna be enough to stop it completely."

Amity got off the bed and marched up to her pacing fiancée. She put her hands firmly on her shoulders and looked her in the eye.

"Luz Noceda, listen to me right now. You've already come so far and you're stronger after everything we've been through together. You can do this."

"And you won't be doing it alone," Sasha said as she stood at the door frame with her arms crossed confidently.

"Hey, Sasha," Luz greeted the blonde. "How's the party prep going?"

"The banquet hall's all set, invitations were sent out, the band's ready, and the kitchen staff is working on making all the food for tonight," Sasha listed.

"So, all we have to do is to get through tonight," Luz concluded.

"Yeah, but we need to get the two guests of honour ready," Sasha reminded. "Blight, Marcy wants you to head over to our room so she can help you get ready. I'm going to help make Noceda look like an Empress who's getting ready for her wedding."

"Um...aren't we moving a bit too fast?" Luz blushed.

"Dude, you're the one who proposed," Sasha pointed out. "Besides, you need to look good for your adoring public."

Amity kissed Luz on the cheek and smiled.

"See you tonight, batata."

"You too, mi amor."

The two separated. Amity went out the door, and Sasha closed it behind her.

"OK, Noceda." Sasha cracked her knuckles. "I'm about to show you my magic."

Sasha was looking through a wardrobe of fancy clothes that Oscura's followers had brought in for such an occasion. Luz didn't have that much experience with dresses. Even when she was Empress Oscura, she didn't change her attire except for bed. Since she had the Philosopher's Stone back then, she could just conjure up any outfit she wanted. Or in the case of her signature look, magically clean it and never worry about needing multiple copies. Thankfully, it seemed Sasha had a better fashion sense than she did.

"How the hell do you manage to dress yourself, Noceda?" Sasha incredulously questioned as she looked through the rack.

"I'm not a dress kind of gal," Luz honestly answered. "I would put one on for a special occasion like my cousins' quinceañeras. But other than that, it's strictly pants, shorts, or leggings for me."

"Heh, so then, boxers or briefs?" Sasha joked.

"Ha-ha," Luz deadpanned.

"I don't blame you, Luz. I like a dress as much as the next girl, but I do find pants and shorts more convenient. Trust me, after being made to wear a uniform during middle school, I'm so glad for high school. Oh, this one's nice."

"I can't imagine you in a schoolgirl uniform," Luz remarked with a chuckle. "Bet you had a lot of close calls when going up the stairs, huh?"

"Yeah, well, when you go to a private school, you don't have much of a say in it. And for the record, I wore spats under my skirt. Like hell, I would give any boy – or girl – the privilege of seeing my underwear."

"Oh, Sasha. May I be graced with such a sight?" Luz joked as she bowed.

"Pfft, there's only two girls who have that honour, and you're not one of them."

"Darn my luck." Luz sat on her bed as she shrugged her shoulders in mock disappointment. "I guess I'll just have to settle for seeing my cute, hot as hell witch fiancée in her underwear. Or even better, without it."

Sasha stopped going through the rack as she turned to face Luz. A burning question was on her mind, and she believed now was probably going to be the best time to ask it.

"Say, Luz, I have a question for you."

"So long as it isn't my three sizes, ask away."

Sasha rolled her eyes.

"When exactly did you realise you were head over heels for Blight?"

Marcy and Amity were in a separate room just like Luz and Sasha. Amity was going through a rack of beautiful dresses that had been provided for her as well. The former heiress of the Blight family had plenty of experience with special occasions similar to this, so she didn't need help getting ready. Although she did enjoy Marcy's company, Sasha admitted to having experience in dressing up for fancy occasions, something she knew that Luz didn't have experience in. So she was happy that the blonde was helping Luz.

Not too long ago, Amity was worried about leaving Sasha and Luz in the same room together. Back then, the blonde's animosity towards her fiancée was apparent. The girl had blamed her for Anne's death and while Amity understood that the girl was simply grieving, it just was not fair to blame Luz for what had happened. Anne had made her choice and sacrificed herself for Sasha. When one of them won this season, Anne would be back and they could move on. As fun as it was to be Kamen Riders, they also wanted to return to their normal lives.

"Hey, Amity, can I ask you a question?" Marcy requested.

"Of course," Amity permitted.

"When did you realise you were totally in love with Luz?"

"...OK, why do you want to know?" Luz asked.

Sasha twirled her right hand for a few seconds as if trying to pull the right words out of the air itself.

"I mean… Look, don't take this the wrong way. But your relationship is kind of…messed up. Just…ugh…I'm wording this wrong."

"Don't worry, I get what you mean," Luz assured. "And you're right to think that way. After all, we went through, after all the pain we caused each other…"

"…There's just no way that anyone would believe that the two of us would ever fall in love, much less want to get married," Amity logically said.

"Don't get me wrong, your story, while tragic, is also beautiful in a dark way and in a good way at the same time," Marcy supported. "And I should talk really…"

"I'm going out with a girl who I used to boss around back when we were thirteen, a girl whose interests I completely ignored. I made her feel like she had no choice but to go along with what I wanted, or else lose me as a friend," Sasha lamented.

Luz showed Sasha a sympathetic smile.

"Compared to what Amity and I went through, I'd switch places with you two in a heartbeat. But you two have what's important: you love each other. And without realising it, that's what happened between us. But to answer your question, it didn't happen overnight…"

"It was more or less gradual. When we first came back to the Human Realm, there was obviously a lot of baggage between us. I hurt Luz, and that made her into an all-powerful tyrant, and she killed my mother. By all rights, we should've loathed each other," Amity explained.

"Did you stay with Luz the entire time?" Marcy asked.

"I didn't really have much of a choice. Correction: that choice was not mine to make. I was more than certain that Camila would kick me out of the house the moment she heard about what I put her daughter through." Amity gripped the hem of her shirt as she thought back to those days. "I wouldn't have blamed her for doing that either. But she still took me in and allowed me to live under her roof. But unlike Vee, I hurt her only daughter…"

"Mom's never been one to hold a grudge, but I was afraid that she would kick Amity to the curb. I was afraid because Amity didn't know anything about our world and even though she has magic, there were so many things she was clueless about that could end up getting her in trouble or killed." Luz let out a humourless chuckle. "Heh, which, in a twisted way, you'd think I'd want. Left to fend for herself in a cruel world that rejected me, and seeing her get completely rejected by the same world. It would've been poetic justice."

"But that's not what happened," Sasha pointed out.

"No, my Mom didn't kick her out. Although, I'm sure there was a part of her that wanted to at the time…"

"What parent wouldn't kick out the person who harmed their child? Yet, even after she learned what happened, she didn't. I was allowed to live in the Noceda household. I didn't want to be a freeloader, and Luz had just gone through a lot of traumatic things, so I decided to take up the chores around the house, including Luz's.

"You see, with Odalia, my…my mother, I had to earn her love and respect. It was transactional, and because I grew up like that I just…assumed that's how I needed to act around Camila. Even though there was no amount of chores I could do that would make up for what I had done, I desperately wanted to show Camila that I was not going to hurt Luz and that I was useful to keep around."

Marcy was sorry to hear that. While her own parents could be strict, like really strict, she knew that it wasn't from a place of malice. They pushed her for sure so she could be the best in her studies, but Marcy never doubted once that her parents loved her. To hear that Amity had to prove herself worthy of her mother's love made the Taiwanese teen want to hug her.

'Oh, screw it! I'm going to hug her anyway!'

Amity watched as Marcy got off the bed and practically dashed over to her. Before Amity knew it, Marcy had enveloped her in a hug.

"I'm sorry you had to go through all that. A child should never have to feel like they had to earn their parent's love," Marcy apologized in complete sympathy. Amity smiled as she returned the hug. After that, Marcy separated herself from the pink-haired witch and rubbed the back of her head in embarrassment. "Sorry, got a little bit emotional there."

"Don't be, and I didn't know that. Not until I met Camila. She was…she is…more of a mother to me than Odalia has ever been…" Odalia only cared about her wealth and status, using her children to make herself look good. If they messed up and made her look bad, they would be punished. Camila, on the other hand, was more empathic and understanding. She did not punish Luz for being herself. She'd listen and give advice. It was a contrast Amity had to get used to. She just thought the way her mother treated her was normal. "Imagine my surprise when I learned that a parent's love was unconditional. Heh…sad. But I knew Luz was worried about my relationship with her mother…"

"I kept worrying that Mom was waiting for her to make that one mistake that would give her an excuse to kick her out." Luz held her right hand against her head as she chuckled dryly. "How messed up was I back then? I was thinking of all the worst-case scenarios."

"It's not as if you couldn't. You went through a lot, so it's not as if you were in a particularly good mindset," Sasha defended.

"Oh, right, on top of all that, my Mom, Vee, and Amity were afraid I'd kill myself," Luz mentioned.

"WHAT?!"

"YOU THOUGHT LUZ WANTED TO COMMIT SUICIDE?!" Marcy exclaimed out of shock.

"We all shared that fear," Amity admitted. "It wasn't as if either one of us could go see a therapist."

"I…I would argue about it if that should be a good reason to do so!"

"But look at it this way: what would you do if a girl came into your office and told you that she had been transported to another world…?"

"Got involved with magic, was cursed, riddled with horrible scars. Not to mention, committed assault, murder – sorry – mass murder – became an all-powerful magical tyrant with a monster army, and killed a mother in front of her entire family?" Luz challenged.

Sasha couldn't deny that it would sound crazy to a therapist. And if you analysed it through that lens…

"They'd probably think Luz was schizophrenic, delusional, a danger to herself and possibly others," Marcy concluded.

"Exactly." Amity walked back to the bed and sat down as Marcy did the same. "Camila couldn't give Luz or me the help that she probably needed. I knew enough Illusion magic to create my own concealment stone, but if I talked, they would think I was crazy too. Back when I was trying to assassinate Luz, my whole plan was to kill her and then myself as a way to atone for my sins against her and the Boiling Isles…"

Sasha was trying to wrap her head around that. Hearing that Amity Blight was willing to off herself as a means of atoning for her past mistakes was so against the image of the witch she had come to know through the DGP. Luz could see it in Sasha's expressions, even without the blonde saying a word.

"Her first attempt failed, but I made a deal with her. I told her she wasn't allowed to die until she killed me first. And Amity made the deal that she would follow me in death, that I wouldn't die alone at the end. Kind of romantic in a messed up kind of way," Luz joked.

"You just let her keep trying? How many times?!" Sasha asked in disbelief.

"I honestly lost count, but you know what's really sad about all that? Even though Amity was only popping into my castle to try and kill me…I looked forward to it. Those little attempts on my life were fun for me, like a twisted game we were playing. My way of having a friend, someone that I was developing feelings for, to spend time with me. I don't know what's more messed up…the fact that I enjoyed it or…or the fact that deep down…I almost looked forward to her succeeding. Loneliness is a bitch, Sasha. I had all the power in the world, an army of monsters at my beck and call, and an entire nation in my grasp. But even with all that…I was all alone… Amity's attempts on my life were the one thing I could look forward to each day…"

"Luz…"

"Amity…"

The pink-haired witch wiped her tears away as she continued, "So, as you can see, seeing someone about our issues was not going to happen. We were each other's therapist, in a way, because we were the only ones who could understand the other's pain and the suffering we put each other through. Camila, Vee, and Masha – once we brought them up to speed - were our support system. And through sharing our pain, working through it together, we became closer, to the point that I was starting to see not the monster I created, but the girl that was at one time trying to reach out to me as a friend."

"So, you both sought comfort in each other, despite kind of being the source of each other's pain. But how did you manage to confess your feelings to Luz?" Marcy pressed Amity on.

Amity humorlessly chuckled as she answered, "I didn't even consider myself worthy of Luz's affections, let alone to be her girlfriend. We did grow closer, much closer, to the point that I wanted to take that next step with her. But then I thought, 'Why would she ever love someone like me?' I cursed her, took away her ability to do any kind of magic, and refused to help her after she came to me on her hands and knees begging…!"

"I used an Azura book to hit her so hard that I put her into a coma. I took over her entire homeland, made her mother confess to how she truly felt about her family and then murdered her right in front of them! I MEAN, WHO DOES THAT TO SOMEONE THEY LOVE!? I MURDERED HER MOTHER AND PUT HER INTO A COMA! MURDERING YOUR FIANCÉE'S MOM AND PUTTING THAT PERSON INTO A COMA IS NOT A LOVE LANGUAGE!" Luz ranted.

"…You good, Noceda?" Sasha asked out of concern.

Luz just realised that she had grabbed Sasha's shirt and was staring her dead in the eyes when she went into her little tirade. The Latina quickly let go and backed away from the blonde.

"Sorry…Sorry. I…It was a stressful time for us," Luz apologised.

"No doubt. But something changed, right? You realised you were in love with Amity, so something triggered you two to finally break the ice," Sasha guessed.

"Heh, would you believe it was something that we both had in common?"

"Even before everything went wrong."

"We had something that connected us, something that we could've bonded over sooner."

"And it was that same thing that finally broke the last barrier between us."

Luz and Amity were in the living room, watching a movie. Camila had stepped out to go grocery shopping and to run a few errands while Vee left to hang out with Masha and their Cabin Seven crew. This left the duo alone in the house together.

Their feelings had been growing for each other for months now, but neither one was ready to admit it for more than one reason. Fortunately, it didn't interfere with them being just friends, and that was no more evident than when they watched 'The Good Witch Azura' movies or read the books.

The duo was watching a particularly thought-provoking Azura movie, an adaptation of 'The Good Witch Azura: The Promise of the Rings'. It was the one where Azura and Hecate finally confessed their feelings for one another, and began their relationship as a couple for the remainder of the series.

{The rings that hath bound us together have finally been removed…}

Luz had unconsciously reached out and brought Amity close to her. The young teen witch didn't resist, nor did she protest.

{Then our ordeal is over, Azura…we no longer have to…suffer each other's company.}

Amity rested her head against Luz's chest. Thanks to proximity, she could hear the Latina's heart thumping rapidly, matching her own heartbeat. Amity lowered her gaze. She shouldn't feel this way, not towards Luz. Not after all she had done to her. To have any feelings for the person whom she had caused so much pain to…it was unthinkable to believe that she could be anything more to her. Amity manoeuvred herself away from Luz and rose from the couch to leave.

On the screen, Hecate did something similar. Hecate turned away from Azura and was about to leave, but that was when the Good Witch reached out and grabbed hold of her former rival's wrist. At the same time, Luz reached out and caught Amity by the wrist. Both Hecate and Amity turned to face the ones who had stopped them from leaving, seeing a look in their eyes that silently asked them not to leave. That was when Azura spoke aloud the words that seemed to act as a substitute for Luz.

{Hecate, through all our hardships and our sorrows, there is no one I would rather face them with than you…}

Luz rose from the couch and stood before Amity, locking eyes with the witch girl. The witch turned around to fully face the human and again, unconsciously, the two moved closer towards each other.

{Azura, I…I will walk beside you. Through this life and beyond.}

The two teens were even closer now, so close that they could feel the other's breath against their faces. Amity closed her eyes and leaned forward a little, but not enough to close the gap. She was waiting for Luz to do that herself. Luz slowly began to close her eyes as she worked towards closing that gap with her lips. But before she could do that…

'YOU DON'T DESERVE TO BE LOVED!'

'YOU KILLED HER MOTHER!'

'YOU WERE GOING TO KILL HER!'

'DAD WOULD BE DISGUSTED BY YOU!'

'JUST CRAWL INTO A HOLE AND DIE ALREADY!'

Luz's eyes snapped open as she yelled and backpedalled from Amity. The witch opened her eyes wide as she looked upon Luz with worry. She tried to reach out, but the Latina quickly grabbed Amity by the shoulders and threw her to the couch before she ran up the stairs and into her room before slamming the door behind the human. Amity, fearful for Luz, got off the couch and bolted up the stairs to Luz's room. However, when she reached the door, she found that it was locked, which only made the teenage witch even more worried.

"Luz?" Amity knocked on the door. "Luz, what's wrong?"

"Go away, Amity! Just go!"

"Luz, I know something's wrong! Please, just talk to me!"

"Nothing's wrong! Just leave me alone!"

"No, I won't," Amity frowned. "Luz, you know good and well that if I have to, I can easily break this door down without any effort. But I'd rather you open it instead. So…either you open it, or I'm going to break it open." She prepared to cast a spell when she heard the door unlock. Slowly, Luz opened the door and stepped out into the hallway. "Are you OK?"

"...No."

"Then, please, tell me what's wrong. Is it me? Did I do something wrong?"

"No, Amity. It's not you." Luz averted her eyes. "It's me."

Amity gingerly reached out with her left hand, but Luz backed away a little. The teen witch became saddened by this reaction, but managed to keep her composure as she tried to understand what made her friend run away so frantically.

"Luz, please, talk to me. Don't shut me out. Maybe I can help?"

Luz hugged herself as she gripped her arms hard, almost digging her nails into her skin.

"I don't know if you can. I don't know if anyone can."

"Then at least let me try. Please, don't keep it bottled up," said Amity gently.

The Latina turned her gaze back to Amity, seeing the look of pure concern on the witch's face. She didn't deserve that concern, she didn't deserve a lot of things right now, least of all what she was hoping for from Amity. But it was better to fail and get that out of the way than to cling to an impossible fantasy.

"OK," Luz sighed. Here it was, the thing she dreaded to do. "Amity, I really like you. Like, like-like you. There, that's the problem."

Amity blushed at the confession, not expecting to hear that from Luz.

"You like me?" Amity asked, confused. "W-Why?"

Now it was Luz's turn to be confused.

"Why not?" Luz asked back. "You're cool, classy, smart, you're also nice-"

"I'm not nice," Amity interrupted. "What I did to you, what I let happen, that was not nice."

"That's all in the past, and it wasn't completely your fault."

"I still could've done something to help you, but my mom was in my head and I had my pride, and...I just messed it all up for you."

"Amity..."

"Luz, please. What I did to you back then was unforgivable! I made you suffer so much! You shouldn't like someone like me! You should hate me!" Amity retorted as tears began to form in her eyes.

Luz stepped forward but, in a reversal, now it was Amity who was taking a step back.

"But I don't, Amity. Truly, I don't. You're not the only one who has done unforgivable things. I murdered your own mother right in front of your eyes. And that's after I made her confess that she didn't really love you and the rest of your family. I didn't do it out of some sense of righteous justice…I did it to be petty! I did it to make you suffer! How could anyone love me? How could I even think that you would love me after all I did to you!?"

Amity's own self-loathing started to take a backseat when she heard Luz say that herself. She learned how Luz had low self-esteem thanks to the people here in this world, and how they mocked and ridiculed her for being different. To be fair, Amity would've been counted among them, but even she wouldn't do or say half the things they did. It was due to them that this girl, this cute, wonderful, bright, and quirky girl could only see herself in a negative light. And after what they went through in the Demon Realm, those words were only compounded by Luz's trauma.

"I don't hate you, Luz! I like you too much to ever hate you!" Amity blurted out. Then she quickly covered her mouth, realising what she just confessed.

The world felt like it had come to a halt at that moment, for both of them. Luz felt the blood rushing to her face, and her heart pounding rapidly in her chest. She couldn't have heard that correctly, right? There was no way that Amity actually said she 'liked' her. But…was there a chance? Did she dare hope?

"...You like me too? Like, like-like?"

"…Yeah." Amity looked down, not able to take back what she said. "I like you a lot too, Luz."

"But why? After all the stuff I did-!"

"You weren't in your right mind, Luz," Amity interrupted. "You were in a dark place, and that Philosopher's Stone corrupted you. It made you lash out."

"Nobody forced me to do those things."

"Well, nobody forced me to curse you either."

"OK, yeah, fair point."

The two girls were now blushing up to their ears. They had confessed to having feelings for each other. Something both had thought was impossible, given everything they had put each other through. But it seemed that the impossible was actually possible.

"So…we like each other."

"Yeah, it seems so."

"Now, what?"

"Wait…that movie…wasn't that the same movie you quoted to Amity when you proposed to her?!" Sasha recalled.

"Yeah," Luz chuckled awkwardly. "It wasn't exactly a coincidence that I chose to quote that exact movie. But I guess it's also a testament to how much Azura means to us."

"Heh, you two are so badass when you're fighting as Riders, and so lovey-dovey with each other when you're together," Sasha shook her head as she chuckled as well. "But in the end, you're both total nerds."

"And damn proud of it! But yeah, it was awkward after that for a while," Luz confessed. "We just admitted to liking each other, but we just didn't know how to pursue a romantic relationship because of the extra baggage. Honestly, I still hated myself because of the stuff I did as Oscura. I didn't deserve someone like Amity."

"I didn't deserve someone like Luz after everything I put her through. She should hate me as much as I hate myself back then," Amity continued. "But even if it was awkward, we couldn't avoid each other forever."

A whole week had passed since the two girls confessed their feelings for each other. However, not much progress has been made since then. Things were awkward in the house, to say the least. Luz and Amity would try to avoid each other, but given that they lived under the same roof, that was a task easier said than done. And even things that didn't make them embarrassed before suddenly did. Seeing each other in their pyjamas, passing by the bathroom to hear one or the other taking a shower, and even eating at the table was awkward.

It was getting to the point that Camila and Vee had separately asked each of them what was wrong. Given their track record, the older Latina and basilisk believed it was related to the events in the Boiling Isles. They weren't wrong, but at the same time, they weren't exactly right either. It was at this point that Amity, and even Luz, knew that they couldn't keep this up for much longer. They were worrying Camila and Vee, and that was the last thing that either of them wanted. So, mustering up her courage, Amity knocked on the door to Luz's room.

"Come in."

Amity opened the door and saw Luz sitting on the edge of her bed, almost expectantly. The witch believed Luz was thinking the same thing as she was. Camila and Vee were out of the house today, granting them some privacy. If they were ever going to address this issue, then it would be while they were out, which was why, it seemed, Luz was sitting there and waiting for Amity to come knocking.

"Luz."

"Amity."

"We need to talk."

"I figured."

Amity walked towards the bed and stood before it. Luz scooted to the left and provided Amity with some space to sit. The young teen witch sat down next to Luz, keeping a respectable space between them. Silence hung in the air for a good minute as both girls thought about what to say to each other. A deep sigh came from Luz and Amity at the same time, causing the two to stop, smile and then chuckle. It was somewhat relieving to see that they both were nervous about this talk.

"So…Camila and Vee are starting to get worried about us," Amity mentioned.

"Yeah, I know. I don't want to keep lying to them. But…"

"You're afraid?"

Luz nodded.

"I am too. I'm afraid of hurting you again," Amity confessed. "I put you through so much, Luz. I…I don't want to hurt you again. But when you said you liked me, I…I felt happy. I want this, but…I'm so scared of hurting you. And if I do it while we're…girlfriends…then I could end up hurting far worse than when we were at each other's throats."

"…Since we're sharing, I guess I'll tell you: I'm afraid of hurting you again, too," Luz also admitted. "I feel like I'm…like I'm trying to own you. Like I'm trying to make you mine just to show you that I'm the only choice you'll ever have and that you won't find anyone better than me. I'm…I'm afraid some dark part of me will come to life if we're girlfriends, and that dark part will try to get revenge on you by using our relationship as an excuse to force you to do whatever bad thing it can think of."

Amity turned her body a little to face Luz. She then reached out with her left hand and grasped Luz's right hand.

"Luz, she's gone. Oscura is gone."

"But what if she isn't? It was still me, Amity. She was my darkest thoughts and desires brought to life. That means those same thoughts and desires are in me, too! Yes, the Philosopher's Stone corrupted me, but somewhere in my heart and mind, those thoughts existed. I don't want to risk that and yet…and yet…"

Amity felt Luz squeeze her hand as she began to cry.

"I want to be with you. I've liked you ever since I saw your gentle side. Every time you read to those kids, I could tell that was the real Amity Blight and I unknowingly fell in love with that girl. Even after everything that's happened, I still feel that way towards you! Everything inside me is telling me I don't deserve you, and I agree! But this selfish part of me doesn't want to give up! I don't want to let these feelings go! I…I don't know what to do…Amity…"

The young witch had tears forming in her eyes as well. That was when Amity used her other arm to bring Luz closer, placing the Latina's head against her chest as she stroked Luz's head comfortingly.

"You say you don't deserve me when it's the same for me. I don't deserve you, Luz. Your only crime here in the Human Realm is for being different from everyone else. And your only crime in the Demon Realm was that you weren't different enough. Both worlds didn't see the girl in my arms, the girl who was bright, hopeful, who saw the best in everyone, who was determined, and weird in a cute way. That includes me as well. I couldn't see anything beyond my own little bubble. Everything was a means to an end. That's what I was taught, and that was easier to accept. Otherwise, if I looked outside that bubble, I'd see all the pain and suffering I caused along the way."

Luz looked up at Amity, and the witch girl looked down at her.

"You shattered that bubble, Luz. I see more now than I ever did growing up. I followed you to the Human Realm as a means to exile myself, and as a way to atone for all the sins I committed against you. I didn't know how I would do that, but I was determined to. But as I lived here, I've experienced more in the Human Realm than back home. I now know what it feels like to be loved by a mother who expects nothing in return. I found a friend that I could be myself around. I no longer have to live up to someone's expectations. And I can finally love who I want to love. So…I'm going to tell you something that I should've said already…"

Amity cupped Luz's left cheek with her right hand, and that's when the witch girl leaned down and gently kissed Luz on the forehead. She smiled down as her tears streamed down her face.

"Thank you, Luz Noceda. Thank you for coming into my life. And…thank you…for caring about someone as undeserving of your light as me."

Luz broke down completely as she threw her arms around Amity and hugged her tight. Although now, her tears weren't bitter, they were tears of happiness.

"We'll keep each other safe, we'll help each other. Only now, we'll do it as girlfriends," Amity swore.

"T-thank you… I promise…I won't ever hurt you, Amity."

"And neither will I, I swear on the Titan."

"And from then on, the rest is history. We kept our promise to each other. Sure, we had some kinks to work out here and there, and we've had one or two squabbles along the way. But through it all, we never lost sight of what was important to us. And that was the fact that we love each other," Amity finished. "Marcy? Marcy?!" The Taiwanese girl in question was currently bawling as she sat there sniffling. "Y-You okay…?"

"Oh, yeah! Perfectly fine! It's not like your little love story didn't rip out my heart or anything! Nah! My eyes are just sweating!" Sasha exclaimed in denial as she ugly cried.

Luz deadpanned as she reached over to the nightstand, grabbed the box of tissues and shoved it into Sasha's arms.

"Blow your nose, Waybright."

"Well, sor-ry for crying!" Sasha complained as she blew her nose. A hand reached over beckoning for a tissue, and Sasha pulled one out and placed it in that outstretched hand. That made Sasha pause as she noticed that Luz was on her right, while the hand she had given the tissue to was on her left. "Wait…"

"I think that was amazingly romantic and heartwarming, My Empress!"

"BRIA?!" Sasha and Luz exclaimed as they jumped back, seeing the High Priestess in the room with them.

"W-When did you get in here?!" Luz demanded.

"I came about partway through your tale. It's amazing how you turned your defeat into something truly romantic," Bria sniffled.

Luz began to sweat bullets, along with Sasha. That story didn't exactly lend to the image of the ruthless, iron-fisted Empress Oscura. After saying all she had said about regretting her past, Bria might just spread this to the rest of the followers and Luz's plan to turn them to the path of good would be ruined.

"Uh…Bria…a-about what I said…"

"No need to explain, My Empress. I understand," Bria confirmed.

Sasha raised an eyebrow and asked, "You do…?"

"Of course!" Bria got off the bed and struck a dramatic pose. "In order to win over the heart and mind of your once hated foe, you showed her a life that was better than the one she once had! And in the process, your feelings and hers grew! You were devastated by your loss, but she gave you comfort and healed your broken heart! Ultimately, you both vowed to be each other's lovers and persevere through it all, one day believing you would return and reclaim your rightful place as the Empress of the Demon Realm!"

Luz blinked.

Sasha blinked.

"…Y-Yes – YES!" Luz quickly switched gears back to her 'Oscura' persona. "Of course, I did. That was my intention all along. Amity Blight proved her tenacity, cunning, power and skill in her numerous attempts to assassinate me. And with every attempt, I grew more fond of her. And when I was at my lowest after my defeat, she did give me comfort and healing. I know it is a far cry from the image of me making her submit to my will, but…it is the truth. I only hope this doesn't diminish my standing in your eyes, Bria."

Bria blew her nose as she vehemently shook her head.

"Of course not, My Empress! If anything, this is even better! We value strength and power, but even the strong need to be loved! Even the strong need someone special at their side! Someone who can lift their spirits and bring them greater strength in dark times! And Amity Blight reflects that in its entirety!"

"Hmph, well, I hope you will at least keep this between us. I do not think the flock is ready to hear this story, not yet," said Luz.

"Your story is safe with me, My Empress. If you wish, I will even use an Everlasting Oath to bind this promise," Bria suggested as she bowed.

"No! No. If you are going to serve me as my Head Priestess, I need to know I can trust you. What's the point in trusting my subordinates if I have to use a spell to compel them every time? They should follow me and do as I say because they respect, revere, and fear me! That alone should be enough!" Luz stated.

"Your words ring true, My Empress! You have my word, I will not breathe a word of your story unless you deem it necessary!" Bria promised.

"Good. And Bria?"

"Yes, My Empress?"

"Please leave, I still need to get ready."

"Right away!"

Luz and Sasha watched as Bria hurriedly left the room, closing the door with a spell as she did. Once she was gone, both Luz and Sasha released a long sigh of relief as the tension was lifted off their shoulders.

"There is something seriously wrong with that girl," Sasha remarked, referring to Bria.

"Why do I feel as if I probably just dug myself a deeper hole when it comes to her and this cult?" Luz asked.

Sasha grinned a little as she teased, "I'm pretty sure there's a certain hole that Bria would love for you to dig into, My Empress."

"…Shut up, Waybright."

As Bria left the room, her smile vanished. Instead of a scowl, she had a look of melancholy on her face. She had hated Amity Blight, and while she was still envious of her, she no longer hated the young woman who won her beloved Empress' heart. Bria just wished she had been the one to comfort the Empress during her lowest time. Sadly, she just could not. She needed to lead the cult in the Empress' absence, awaiting her return.

Hopefully, her efforts will be rewarded. Even if Bria could not be Empress Oscura's sole wife and lover, she was not deterred. The Empress had concubines, so she could also have many wives as well.

Yeah, she could be the second wife to Empress Oscura. It was not a bad place to be. And once she earned the Empress' love and affection, they could have another betrothal party for them. And then the wedding...and the wedding night...

Oh, wait, was she thinking too far ahead?

...

...

...

Nah!