Elsewhere and Elsewhen
Luz's room included a bulletin board describing the gateway and Titan blood. She had been attempting to find out what happened since their last attempt. She had even begun writing notebooks, much like Phillip Wittebane. She placed a book on a stack and began reading it. She flipped a page, her gaze drawn to the echo mouse that was running on its wheel. She groaned heavily as there were no answers.
"You and me both, buddy. I can't figure out what Bijou and I messed up when we made that ding-dang door!" She flinched as she heard clicking.
Gwen, Eda, Bijou, Morton, Steve, King, Hooty, Hazel, Tinella Nosa, and a woman were all wearing hats as they gathered for a party.
"It is so nice to be surrounded by all of Lulu's dearest friends!" He exclaimed to the group, everyone save Lilith looking pleased. Lilith had a new dress, and the ends of her hair began to seem fluffier, just like when she was young.
"Yeah!" Steve pumped his fists. "All hail, Lulu!"
She gave him a confused look.
"We're here to celebrate the new assistant curator at the Supernatural Museum of History. Here's to you, Lulu!"
"Cheers!" Everyone raised their glasses, and Lilith gave a fake smile.
Luz came over to Hooty, the host, after peeking into the room while everyone was conversing.
"Hooty! Did I miss the toast?"
"Yes," he said, turning to her after giving Steve something from a dish. "But not the app-pellet-tizers!"
The appetizers were...not good, to say the least, and one of them was still moving.
"You want a-There's an extra one." He began coughing one up, and she flinched in surprise, holding up her hands.
"No, that's fine. Where is Lilith? We wanna congratulate her!" Luz held up the echo mouse hidden beneath her party hat.
A whip seized an appetizer, and Luz and Bijou looked outdoors, where the appetizer had been caught in a hand.
"Oh, I wish I could stay longer," the previous woman said, looking at the appetizer between her fingers. "But I must be off on my next adventure."
She then tossed it away, and the two noticed the woman talking to Lilith.
"It's such a delight to see my little bookworm back in the historical world after all these years!"
"Oh, thank you, Flora," Lilith said with a sad smile, glancing away. "But it's just a small job. Only an assistant. I'm surprised you even heard about this."
"The Emperor wanted to make sure you weren't getting into any trouble," Flora stated. "And clear out your office. I left a box of your knickknacks inside. Wish you took more from my tutelage, dear. History's supposed to be exciting after all!"
She took out her whip, the end of which was shaped like a monkey, and hurled it. She grabbed a griffin and brought it down in front of her. She cracked the whip again as she flipped and landed on it. She shot out into the sky, Lilith stared behind her.
"Who was that?" Luz inquired, as she and Bijou approached her.
"Flora D'esplora, bad girl historian, celebrity, and my former mentor in the Emperor's Coven," She clenched her fist and frowned profoundly.
"I have questions about that name," Luz said, narrowing her eyes suspiciously.
"And that whip doesn't seem like the best choice either..." Bijou stroked her chin.
"I have questions about my LIFE!" Lilith whirled around to face them, and the older sister startled, backing back slightly. "All I ever got to do was desk work while she goofed off riding wild snake horses-"
"Snoreses!" Luz's eyes lit up at the prospect, eager to see them.
"And-and eating mummy jerky! Well, I can be just as exciting as Flora. I'll come up with an exhibit that'll knock the Titan's socks off!" She stormed past them, and Bijou blinked, wondering if it was just resentment towards Flora or the fact that her new job didn't sound all that exciting, despite the support.
"Congratulations on your new job!" Luz said, as Bijou placed a palm on her forehead.
"Yeah, not sure if that would do any good..."
"After careful analysis during this Deadwardian Era, I believe the current human year is 1660. Or is it 70? The years are flashing by, but it will be all worth it. I've gathered all the portal ingredients including Titan's Blood. All that's left is to seek out The Collector. And he will tell me what I need to complete my mission. But first, my companions and I must face-"
The diary entry ended there. Luz was rubbing her chin following the news.
"The Collector," King remarked, carrying a balloon. "I've never heard that name."
"Me neither. What kind of jerk puts the in front of their name anyway?" Eda remarked while cleaning up.
"As cliché as the name is, we don't have much else to go on. The diary entries do not reveal anything about Phillip Wittebane himself," Bijou murmured as she walked over, having finished washing up the plates.
"But the Collector may know how to make a real portal door," Luz said as she sat up on the couch. "He may know why ours is so unstable. I just..." She grabbed her knees, and they looked at her. "I messed up so bad last time! I need to do better."
Eda picked up a plate and said, "Luz, I've got leg hair older than you. This Phillip guy worked on his door for years. Try not to beat yourself up too much."
"She's right. Just because it didn't work like we wanted the first time doesn't mean you need to blame yourself or assume the next one will be just as bad. We'll figure this out like we always do," Bijou remarked as she sat next to Luz. "And besides, we both know that putting yourself down just makes things worse..."
"Aww!" Luz exclaimed, embracing Bijou. "Thanks, amiga. I just wish we could go back in time and talk to him."
The young human girl grieved briefly before coming up with an idea.
"Eda, is time magic a thing?!" she asked the Owl Lady.
"I think there's something in those books that mentions time something," Bijou said, putting her finger to her chin in thought.
"Not really, but..." She retrieved a book from her shelf titled 'History's Top 10 Plot Holes' as the two joined her side. "Back in the day, I was a bit of an urban legend junkie," she chuckled as she read through pages. "Twigfoot, Lenderman, possums."
"Those are real," Luz said, looking up at Eda, who scoffed in response.
"Yeah, sure, kid."
The two girls exchanged shrugs.
"Anyway, there are stories about these things called time pools. Mythical puddles that act as windows into the past. They're never in the same spot twice. Me and Lily used to search for them. She'd say I forced her into it, but I think she had more fun than me."
"Lilith, of course!" Luz exclaimed cheerfully.
"Yeah, and this might be a win-win scenario. We will get the intel on how to build another portal door and Lilith will prove to Flora that she can be a hands-on adventurous historian," Bijou said.
"Thanks, Eda!" Luz said, taking the book from her. The woman grinned and crossed her arms as she watched them depart. Luz crept up behind Lilith in the kitchen while she was painting something.
"Lilith!"
She gasped and dropped her paintbrush.
"We can see you're dealing with...all this!"
"What are you doing, anyway?" Bijou inquired.
"I'm planning out my first exhibit for the museum. It's almost as if the Emperor wanted Flora to tick me off!" She sprang up with rage. "I'll show her she's not the only bad girl historian in town!"
She tightened her hand with resolve. "I'm thinking...the architecture history of Deadwardian balusters!"
She put out a poster for them, and while they seemed intrigued, she knew it wouldn't stick out to others the way it did for her.
"It won't work, will it?"
Her palisman was nearby, resting on one of the books.
"Don't let Flora get you down!" Luz encouraged her. "I even started calling you Cool Aunt Lilith in my journal."
She winked at the woman.
"And Bij here actually started citing you as inspiration for her new design!"
"It's true, and I'd like to show it to you once it's finished," Bijou agreed. "It's still a work in progress."
"O-Oh, really?" Lilith was flattered to hear that. Well, I'm delighted I could help you in some manner. After our past, it's pleasant to learn that we're back on good terms."
"Of course we are, Aunt Lilith," Bijou said with a smirk. "Sure, the stuff between us was a little tense, but all that is behind us now."
"You can be a bad girl historian," Luz shifted the topic. "And we know how."
She showed Lilith the book's page on time pools.
"Oh, I remember these! In the Premysteric Era, it's theorized that coagulated Titan blood mixed with the magical algae of the Boiling Sea, created temporary holes in time!"
"Time magic, baby!" Luz shouted, and Bijou applauded. "You can make an exciting exhibit on time pools, and maybe Bij and I can find information on how Phillip made the portal door!"
"And maybe even answers about the secrets behind my bangle," Bijou continued.
Lilith glanced at her poster before putting it away. "Let's do it!"
She stared at the book, briefly glancing at the girls in the forest. Luz peeled off a portion of the glove, and they glanced up at the tree. Luz climbed it and aimed the instrument at the sky. She smiled as the top spun, providing power to the device and directing Lilith to the next destination. She circled something on her map, and at night, they were standing beside a lake. Lilith's palisman dropped a thing onto Luz's head, which Lilith picked up and placed against her map.
The next day, they were able to move closer, with Lilith carrying a knife.
"Don't worry, girls, we're getting closer; I can feel it," she said the dup, who appeared exhausted from the voyage. The woman swung her knife into a tree, removing some bark. She placed it in the small tube attached to her device.
"Ha! Exactly what I thought. These are wrinkling oaks."
"They don't look very wrinkly," Luz said after studying them.
"A little rough, maybe," Bijou said. "But they look like any other trees in the forest."
"That's because something's keeping them locked in time," Lilith remarked, opening her book. "So, accounting for local plaque patterns, the quake in the 30s, and the switch from boiling units to the empirical system, the time pool should be...here!"
She walked past some shrubs but scowled. The two looked behind her and noticed that there was only a beach in front of them.
"But...I triple-checked all my calculations!" she exclaimed in disappointment as the two human girls approached. "My equipment is first-rate!"
She tripped over something, nearly falling, and narrowed her eyes.
"Stupid rock!" She kicked the sand, which could have been hiding a rock, but there were none to be found.
Luz put her hands in her pockets and kicked an actual rock, which vanished into what appeared to be a puddle. She bent down to the sand in perplexity, while Bijou peered around.
"Maybe the Titan Blood was too dry? Is it not algae-blooming season?"
"Wouldn't you have known that before we got here?" Bijou asked, raising her brow. "You're not usually making a mistake like that."
Luz bent down into the sand and discovered a whole other world that appeared to be ancient. She heard stomping and looked up to see a beast walking past, roaring.
"Was it my tools?" Lilith panicked as she sought to figure out what went wrong. "Are they broken?" She sniffled as she removed her glasses. "Am...I broken?" she asked, looking at her reflection in her spectacles with sadness.
"I'm sure that's not true," Bijou attempted to soothe her.
Luz coughed as she brought her head back up, and her sister turned to face her. "Guys!" she shouted at them. "You did it, Lilith!" She displayed an ammonite. "You found the time pools!"
The two gasped, and Lilith turned to look at her glasses. "In your face!"
Lilith examined the same era as Luz, noticing the same beast. It scratched itself behind the ear, yelled, and then turned into stone. She got back up, and sticks had been left on the sand to indicate the time pools.
"A Stonesleeper from the Hecktaceous period!" She turned to Luz as Bijou went to investigate for herself. "Did you know that they have a ticklish spot behind their ears?"
Luz bent down to another time pool and poked at the sand.
"Luz, are you listening?"
"Come on, time pools," she said, hoping to find the Deadwardian Era and meet Phillip Wittebane. "Mama needs to commune with the dead!"
She took a big breath just as Bijou raised her head back up. She found herself somewhere dark, on the same beach where they were now.
"Tonight I'll have so much fun that I won't be able to stand any longer!" she said, looking at three individuals gathered around a bonfire.
"I shall revel myself to death!"
Luz looked up and noticed a skeleton of the second guy nearby on the shore, thus she assumed his statement was completely accurate...
"No wonder no one's found these," Lilith said to another. "They're completely hidden from sight," she pushed her head in, but it turned out that her current self was what her previous self tripped on, therefore there was no rock there. Because her present self was the rock.
"Stupid rock!" Past Lilith kicked at the sand, irritated that she had minor scratches.
"I guess that's one way to time travel. No machines required," Bijou said, as Luz tried another time pool. She slowly rotated her head around to stare into the distance.
"Whoa..." She had previously seen what appeared to be Bonesborough, given the gigantic husks. "It's a little Babysborough!" She turned to face a woman passing by. "Yo! What era is it?"
"Tis the Deadwardian Era. What ye be doing in the sand? Be ye a crab maiden?"
"Phillip's time!" Luz remarked cheerfully, leaving and then returning. "And yes, I am a crab maiden! Lilith!"
"Luz, Bij, look!" Lilith smiled, pointing to some barnacles on her head. "These are the oldest barnacles I've ever had on my head!"
"What did you find, amie?" Bij inquired, plucking some twigs from her head.
"I found it! I found Phillip's time!"
"Ooh, incredible!" Lilith approached her, and Bijou joined them. "This will be a truly unprecedented exploration. N-Now, before we dive in, we must remember if the tide comes in, we could be trapped. Paradoxes will be a danger, and don't get me started on the bloody fly effect, uh..."
She cleared her throat as if she were Flora right now, unconcerned about all of that.
"But...a bad girl historian like myself is all about taking risks. So...let's boogie down to History Town."
She danced while performing finger guns and singing a little.
"She really is Cool Aunt Lilith," Luz said quietly to Bijou, who nodded.
Back at the Owl House...
Someone knocked on the front door, and Eda opened it to find Gwen standing there.
"Hello, witchlet," she said, smiling as she entered.
"Hey, Ma," Eda said. "Why are you still in town? Forget something from yesterday?"
"Your father wanted to swing by."
The Owl Lady shuddered when she heard that comment.
"Well...tell him I'm busy," she said, looking away and crossing her arms. Unlike her mother, whom she had reconciled with after what had occurred, she hadn't seen her father in a long time...and for good cause.
"Maybe you could tell yourself?" Gwen said, Eda's eyes widening. "He's just outside."
King gasped as he dashed over, jumping onto the chest with excitement. "I get to meet my grandpa?!"
"Yes," Gwen replied, turning back to face him. "You know the Clawthrone clan was once known for their palismen-making skills? And Dell? Whoo, he was the best of them all!"
"No way! He's really THE palisman carver?" Hazel gasped with glee. "The Bat Queen told me about him."
"Cool!" King shouted joyfully, but Eda was not as excited. In fact, she appeared shocked when she heard that. A shadow approached from the outside, and Eda flinched nervously, unsure how she would get out of this situation.
Lilith, Bijou, and Luz crept out of the time pool and looked across at the town. Bijou wore a black coat and tied her hair in a ponytail. Lilith chose a hat from a neighboring basket, while Luz grabbed the same helmet as the guy she saw earlier. They slipped into Past Bonesborough after donning their disguises.
"Now, girls, we are technically in the Savage Ages. Way before Belos banished wild magic," Lilith concealed a boom inside her hat. "These denizens may be dangerous."
She took the lead, and the two human girls followed.
As someone passed by, Luz assumed a defensive posture, but the man simply tipped his hat to them.
"Good tidings, kind witches." He walked away, leaving the group to stare after him.
"Hmm, I'm thinking that 'savage' might be inappropriate for such a time period," Bijou said, raising her eyebrow. They looked up and saw someone practicing Bard music. A guy approached someone with a fractured arm and a broken cart wheel. He performed some wizardry to repair the wheel and got the motorist back on his feet.
He grinned gratefully for the assistance and had his arm healed as well. A tiny girl summoned an abomination by jumping on his back and placing a flower crown on it. The monstrosity and the little girl exchanged smiles and embraces.
"This doesn't look dangerous; this looks awesome!" Luz exclaimed, gesturing to everything. "Why did Belos wanna banish wild magic again?"
"Yeah, why would he want to get rid of all this? Everything looks peaceful," Bijou said, looking about at all the kind folks. It didn't seem necessary to eliminate wild magic if everyone was using it freely and without issue.
"Well, the Titan supposedly doesn't like it," Lilith told them both.
"If it is the Titan's will, then..." Bijou proposed, but Lilith interrupted her as she noticed something nearby.
"Oh my gosh, look at this patchwork!" Lilith went up to a house roof and began writing it down. "Each segment looped by hand!"
She squealed, and the two girls smiled before going away. Lilith like stuff like this, so they were just going to let her fangirl. Even if they didn't find it as remarkable... She suddenly scowled, realizing something.
"But I bet Flora would scoff at it..." She closed her book and slouched.
Luz approached a person sitting on a bench who was feeding birds with hands for heads.
"Excuse me, have you seen a human around?" Luz asked, gesturing to the picture she had drawn of Phillip. "Round ears, super smart, honestly, he's probably a celebrity around here."
"And do you happen to know someone who made this bangle?" Bijou inquired, displaying the aforementioned amazing jewelry.
"Uh-uh," he replied, shaking his head no. Luz and Bijou frowned, wondering why he didn't recognize Phillip or the mystical bangle. They tried their luck again with a seller who had no idea. Then she tried a cycloptic woman, who had no idea. She then tried someone with three heads, who smiled and turned away.
"No."
They scowled, realizing they had no clue.
"Dance, human, dance!" A deep voice drew their attention. They traced it back to an alleyway, where they discovered a human being surrounded by two demons. They were throwing a book about. The human guy demanded,
"Give that back!" He held out his hand but got swatted away, so he shook his head. "I can't believe this. After the bonds of fellowship we forged-"
"Bonds?" the one with the huge red fang asked. "Ha! You still owe us."
He pushed the person to the ground and glanced up.
"When I accomplish my mission, I promise you, you'll have your snails!"
"Listen to this," the person with the green fang began reading the book. "With my new and bravest companion, Blue Fang, I set forth; his strength should make quick work of any task."
His friend smiled and seized the book.
"His pretty little words should make pretty good kindling," he said, spinning a spell circle to summon a flame, leaving the human gasping sharply.
Suddenly, an ice spike knocked the book from his hands. A vine was swung at the book, catching it and bringing it to Bijou's hands. Some papers flew out as they looked up in surprise, wondering who was behind it since they hadn't seen Bijou yet. A foot stepped in front of them, and they turned to face Luz, who stood in front of the human.
"That doesn't belong to you," Luz said fiercely, pointing at them.
"And if you take one more step, I promise you, this will be your last," Bijou threatened with her light sword.
"Witchlet?" Gwen knocked on the door. "Aren't you going to say hello to your father? It's been-"
"Years!" Eda exclaimed from within her room. She was frantically gathering her belongings in preparation for her departure. "It's been years, I know. I'm, uh, just sharpening my tooth."
She put several elixirs inside a bag.
"Don't want Pops to see me looking blech, ya feel?"
"What's with you?" King asked, sitting on his adoptive mother's nest. She hurried to the other side of the room. "Why are you so terrified of seeing your dad?"
"Did something to you two that you really still remember and regret?" Hazel asked, hopping over to King.
"It's not like I'm scared of him," she said, glancing in the mirror. "I just...haven't seen him since I ruined his—I mean, since the Owl Beast ruined his-"
She moaned in disappointment, trying hard not to recall the last time she saw her father. She has been completely avoiding him ever since.
"I'm just not ready, okay? Now move it. I gotta scram."
He gazed at her in irritation as she attempted to jump out the window, but Hawksley barred her path. She yelped and pulled the curtain shut. She proceeded to her other window, but then Hooty appeared.
"Hiya, Eda! Your Pops is such a nice guy. Hey, how'd he get that scar on his-"
Eda slammed the window shut before he could finish addressing the question.
King laughed, and she looked to the side, scared. "Hey, Eda, look!"
He held up Lilith's old clothes and a mop that was the same color as her hair.
"Dear sister, join the Emperor's Coven and together, we can become gods!"
"The Emperor promised us that we can become powerful witches around," Hazel joined in.
She smirked as she had an idea.
Luz and Bijou waited motionless in front of the demons, waiting for them to make a move or retreat. Red Fang intended to assault, but Green Fang stopped him.
"Don't waste your time on the kids. We should keep looking."
"Ask your friend there what happened to our brother, Blue Fang, and his palisman," Red Fang challenged, before they both departed.
"Yeah, you better leave!" Bijou huffed at them, and Phillip tried to move, but his leg was sprained. He groaned in pain and picked up the papers. Luz assisted him, and Bijou looked over her shoulder at a certain page with an illustration of Eclipse Lake on it.
"So he's already gotten to the Titan Blood," Luz mumbled, and they looked to the upper corner, where they saw a silhouette of Phillip and...someone they didn't recognize.
"And who's that with him?" Bijou wondered at the silhouette.
Phillip took the pages from them. "That's private," He explained to them, returning them to the book. Lilith joined the two girls.
"You're...Phillip Wittebane, aren't you?" Luz questioned, hoping. "The human?"
"Here to gawk?" he said defensively, his eyes narrowing. "I may not have a bile sac, but I do have dignity."
He put his book back in his bag and began to depart.
"Wait!" Luz cried out to the individual. "My friend and I have heard of your exploits, and we know what it's like to be far from home. Could we talk?"
"...No," he replied frankly, hobbling away due to his damaged leg.
"Secretive, is he?" Bijou said, gazing aside.
"Wait! We can give you snails! We can make you crutches! Um, uh, we can help you find The Collector!"
He paused, glancing over his shoulder at them.
"Luz, what are you saying?!" Bijou whispered to her. "We don't even know where he is!"
"That was all I could think of!" Luz replied immediately.
"So, Luzura. You, your sister Bijana, and your Aunt Dirtrude started traveling together after the Toe-gres attacked your castle and covered it with an impenetrable mist?" Phillip said after they made up a tale as to why they were present. They were traveling through the woodland while he was still limping.
"Yes," Luz replied, smiling up at him. "And that's why we, too, seek the Collector. We need him to tell us how to clear the mists so we can return home! Snap, snap, snap."
"We've been here for a while, but we're starting to get homesick," Bijou added warily as she snapped her fingers.
He took them to a cave and stepped inside, which was dark. "Now..." He searched through his backpack. "Anyone bring a torch?"
Luz held up a light symbol and tapped it, transforming it into an orb.
"Astounding! I thought I was the only one who used picto-glyphs," he said, taking his book.
"You use glyphs, too?" Luz inquired, offering him a light glyph.
"How else could I have survived here? Plant growth, ice, fire...took years to find them," he said, drawing the light glyph in his book. "Almost as if the world wanted to hide them from me. I even found one in a snowflake."
"My dude, me too! And my friend here learned glyphs, too," she nudged Bijou, who waved it off with a tiny smile.
"Ah, it wasn't really that hard, I just learned in a different way than you did. I also happen to use magic from another source, as well."
"Warriors and scholars," Phillip tried out the light glyph. "Truly impressive."
Luz grinned broadly as he walked away, and Lilith joined them. She squealed excitedly.
"I can't believe I taught Phillip something new!" she exclaimed again, while Lilith and Bijou smiled at her. But both of them had the impression that something was odd about Phillip...
"Should we keep an eye out on him?" Bijou asked the woman, who nodded in accord. She felt like this was too easy...something about Phillip's tone irritated her.
Phillip led the way, painting light glyphs to illuminate their path. "Line there, curve there...fascinating. Absolutely fascinating."
Bijou and Lilith narrowed their gaze at him. He turned his gaze back to them.
"Your nieces are both very talented. I'm sure they take after their aunt."
"Oh," Lilith chuckled, pleased with the comment. Bijou merely smiled, but only to deflect their suspicion.
"Maybe I had a little something to do with it." She put up her glasses.
"Now, I know a few tricks as well," he said, drawing a light symbol above their heads before picking up a stick. He began painting something on the sand, while everyone observed. Lilith took a step back so she wouldn't screw it up, and on the ground was a gigantic glyph combination that they had never seen before.
"What is this?" Luz asked, bending down to Phillip.
"A shortcut..." He touched it, and the entire thing illuminated yellow. "To The Collector."
Everything flashed around them.
"Really, Eda?" Gwen questioned, exasperated by her daughter's behavior. She knocked on the door again.
"You won't be able to run away this time."
Eda, masquerading as Lilith, smashed open the doors. She had the mop over her head. "Apologies, dearest mother. Dearest sister has flown the dearest coop. But worry not, for I, the perfect prissy little Lily, shall find her for you."
She smiled and picked up her skirt as she departed. Gwen looked behind her, noting Eda's hair poking out of the wig. She stared at the woman in bewilderment as King and Hazel approached her.
"Does she seriously think I'm buying that?"
"I don't think so. Lilith left a while ago with Luz and Bijou," Hazel explained.
"Just let her have this," King deadpanned, as Eda didn't appear to want to see her father.
She slammed open the door to her house, revealing her disguise.
"Ha ha!" she exclaimed, pulling out her stick and dashing forward. "Not today, suckers!"
She was ready to take off on her staff when she paused and gasped suddenly. Her father stood in the distance, gazing up at the sun.
"Am I too late again?" he asked, casting a short peek over his shoulder. There was a bright cardinal palisman on his shoulder. "Well, fly safe, witchlet. Perhaps I'll catch you next time."
She averted her gaze, knowing she couldn't escape anymore or turn him away. Owlbert lowered his wings.
"Hi...Dad."
Back to Lilith, Bijou, and Luz...
When the three looked up, they startled as they realized Phillip had led them to an ice-covered hallway. There was a large door at the end of the hallway.
"Whoa," Luz said in wonder. "Where are we?"
Phillip got to his feet but did not respond. Luz peered through a hole, going forward and staring down. She gasped hard when she realized they were inside the Titan's skull, or at least the Deadwardian version of it. "We're in the head of the Titan?!"
"Really?!" Bijou flinched backwards, surprised.
"W-We're what?!" Lilith stammered, perplexed that they had arrived. "B-But this is sacred ground!"
"I suppose that's why no one wanted to accompany me," Phillip said as he staggered across the corridor. They followed. "But every legend told me that the Collector lies there. Behind that door. I just can't figure out the mechanisms to open it. If I weren't so frail..."
He gasped in anguish and clutched his leg again.
"It's okay," Luz said, bending down to him. "We can help! Puzzles are in my blood."
Lilith and Bijou strolled by them.
"Literally. My mom and had to stop me from eating puzzles when I was a kid. You stay here and rest up."
"Thank you for your kindness, crab maiden," he said, placing his hand on Luz's shoulder. "Perhaps we were destined to meet."
She smiled sweetly and dashed up to the two people who were inspecting the entrance.
"This mechanism is unlike any I've seen before," Lilith explained, as the elder human girl pondered. Something about this was bugging her just now... "It'll make a remarkable addition for my exhibit. It's just..."
She flinched as she stopped caressing it, a finger beneath her chin.
"Come on, we can't stop now," Luz said her. "We're getting everything we could've hoped for!"
"That's just it," Lilith countered. "Look. Most of this puzzle has already been solved. And Phillip..." She paused at his name, embracing herself as she glanced back at him. Luz raised an eyebrow at the man, who had his back to them.
"The confidence, the compliments. He says everything you wanna hear. It feels...uncomfortably familiar."
"And what Phillip said regarding this door makes no sense," Bijou commented, staring at them. "He can find all the glyph symbols and make a shortcut all the way here, but he can't even open this?"
"Some of this is pretty weird," Luz admitted to them. "But...it's the Boiling Isles. Everything's a little weird, right? Hey, why don't you keep working on this, and we'll go talk to Phillip?"
She smiled and nodded, relieved that she did not have to confront him directly. The human girls proceeded towards him, as Lilith continued to touch the puzzle.
As they approached, they looked at what Phillip was writing in is diary.
"I single-handedly defeated the beast behind the door. Tragically, I could not save my companions?"
He rose up slowly, and Bijou gasped, backing away in front of Luz, who was standing behind her.
"Phillip...why did you bring us here?"
"And what was that beast on that page?" Bijou inquired, gazing at him. Suddenly, the earth trembled, and they turned to discover Lilith had opened the entrance.
"Ah! I did it!" She waved at both of them. "I solved the puzzle!"
Both Luz and Bijou were surprised that she figured it out so quickly, but they were also scared of Phillip at the moment.
"Aunt Lily, get away from the door!" Bijou exclaimed as Phillip closed his book.
"I needed a sacrifice," he acknowledged, and Bijou flinched before gently turning around to face him.
"You needed a what?" she exclaimed angrily.
"What'd he say?" Lilith inquired, before a claw materialized and grabbed her. She screamed as she was carried away.
"Lilith!" the girls said in fear.
"Well, with the beast distracted, I can finally get through those doors," Phillip stated cheerfully, seemingly unconcerned about what had just occurred.
"You tricked us!" Luz said, just as enraged as Bijou, as she yanked Phillip down by his collar.
"It was-"
"Destiny? Balderdash," Luz said with disgust, while Bijou narrowed her eyes and clenched her fists.
He simply chuckled at them.
"I was going to say inevitable. You three were easier to trick than Blue Fang. Hopefully you two and Aunt Dirtrude can last longer."
They both looked surprised at how he had changed his manner, and then Lilith screamed.
"I really wanna give you a well-deserved beatdown, but we have to go save her. But the next time we see you, you're gonna wish you didn't!" Bijou pointed at him while gritting her teeth, and the two girls turned around and ran into the room. Phillip simply adjusted his jacket as if the threats meant nothing to him.
When they entered the area, they noticed a gigantic beast carrying Lilith in its hand.
"Lilith!" Luz exclaimed as they saw her.
The beast shrieked at them before racing ahead. Luz cast down an ice glyph, and Bijou blinded it with a blinding flash. It screeched in anguish before slipping onto the ice, colliding with it and dropping Lilith. The two rushed by and grabbed her hand before racing forward. While they were fighting off the creature, Phillip reached a platform in the room. He took out a shovel as the beast began chasing the trio. He began digging, and Lilith noticed.
"Hey! That better be your own grave you're digging!" she exclaimed, waving an angry fist.
"We'll deal with him in a minute, we've got bigger problems," Bijou informed her as the beast continued to attack them. Luz produced more fire glyphs in her hands to distract the beast, and they took off again.
Phillip smiled as he picked up a round mirror. He gazed at his reflection, which showed a moon symbol. "Found you."
The three crouched behind a pillar, with Luz staring at him as they approached the platform.
"I know you want to get home, but nothing is worth hurting people!"
She yelped as Lilith drove them both down, and the beast's tail broke the pillar. It growled as it rushed passed Phillip.
"Oh, I disagree," he stated, clutching the shovel. "It was nice making a cat's-paw out of you."
He turned the shovel around and traced the teleportation glyph with the end.
"Good luck with your...crab castle or...whatever. You witches come up with the worst lies," He touched it, and the platform flashed, catching the beast's eye. Luz grabbed Lilith and Bijou as they hid behind another pillar.
"Is this how it all ends for Lilith Clawthrone?" Lilith asked, terrified. "Her body lost to time?"
"You guys were right about that jerkweed. I'm so sorry."
"It's okay, amie," Bijou said softly, patting her on the head. "I just hope we can't lose him so that we give that man what for."
"Oh, your humility before death truly heartens me," Lilith said, smiling down at the girl.
"Yeah, I should have listened to you..." She gasped, recalling something. "Wait. I did listen to you!"
"Eh..." Lilith waved her hand, noticing Luz's lack of attention to what she had just said. Luz then ran away. "Luz!"
"Trust her, Lily. She knows what she's doing," Bijou grinned, perplexing the woman because the older human girl, who had been with Luz for weeks, showed no concern for her companion. Luz dashed up to the beast, who turned around to confront her.
"Eda's gonna kill me. Eda's gonna kill me. Eda's gonna kill me!" Lilith closed her eyes to avoid seeing, and suddenly there was a thud. Bijou simply grinned, and Lilith looked up to see Luz scratching it behind the ears.
"It's one of those Stone Sleepers from the Hecktaceous period!" Luz informed the woman. "It must have been hibernating in here for ages. Aw," she continued to scratch it. "Do you like that, boy?"
"You were listening," Lilith said, wiping a tear from her eye, as she didn't think Luz had listened earlier. Bijou put her hands behind her back.
"I didn't know until I saw the ears and the body type."
Phillip was walking out of the woodland and writing in his journal.
"And so I doggedly limped home, but I had my prize," he said, taking out the mirror to check it again. "How to describe you? Oval? Oblong? A round boy?"
A thud was heard behind him, so he looked over his shoulder. He heard it again and turned around to see the same Stonesleeper he had just escaped standing directly in front of him. It roared down at him, causing him to gasp loudly. Lilith, Bijou, and Luz got down from the beast and charged up to him.
"Tell us how that thing's gonna help you build a portal to the human realm," Luz demanded, pointing at him aggressively.
"And if you don't cooperate with us, Phillip, I'll sic this Stonesleeper on you." Bijou pointed a thumb at the giant creature.
He gazed down at the mirror, then presented a blank expression. "Oh. No, I need this for something else."
"No?" Luz demanded angrily, leaving the other two stunned. "What do you mean no?!"
"All of that, and you didn't even need it to get home?" Bijou yelled at him.
"I mean, if it's information you want, perhaps we can make an exchange," he said, placing his hands together and hoping to get something out of it. "I'll probably require another sacrifice sooner or later."
Lilith stepped forward instead.
"If you or your aunt want to-"
Lilith punched him in the nose, and he fell to the floor.
"You hateable sorcerers!" he hissed at her, covering his nose. Bijou then came forward, Luz and Lilith cringing as they turned away, having heard her hit him. Phillip held his lower body while Bijou crossed her arms.
"This is what you get for using us as bait for the Stonesleeper!" Bijou growled at him, raising her head and returning to the others.
"So stay mad," Lilith said, glancing at the girls. "Come, Luzura and Bijana, we're finished here."
Luz just stepped away, pointing at him and smiled with delight. "Cool aunt and big sis."
They all hopped onto the beast, with Lilith and Bijou exchanging high-fives. The beast knocked Phillip over with one of its legs. Luz looked down, thinking Phillip was a wonderful guy, but she was mistaken...and they got nothing out of the whole deal. Bijou, meantime, murmured, still resentful at Phillip.
"And I don't even want to ask him about whoever created this magical bangle. That man is not even worth my time," Bijou said angrily.
"You know, Luz, if some jerk like Phillip can build a portal, then I'm sure you and Bij can too."
She placed one hand on the girl's shoulder.
"Thank you, Aunt Lily. That means a lot," Bijou said with a smile.
"Thanks. Hey...we have a little time before the tide comes in. You wanna do something...exciting?"
Lilith seemed perplexed by her.
Someone was making balusters, which she enthusiastically noted down.
"Balusters, girls! Deadwardian balusters!"
The two simply smiled and fist-bumped one other. It wasn't as much fun as they thought it would be, but it made Lilith happy.
Meanwhile, with Eda and Dell...
They sat together and watched the sunset.
"Sorry I haven't been in touch," Eda said hesitantly. "There's been a lot going on."
He merely sighed gently and paused.
"...You disappear from Bonesborough, you're fixing up my old tower, and then suddenly I see you on a wanted poster. And your mother tells me about the petrification! I wish you'd let us help..." He tilted his head slightly. "But...I do hear I have a grandson now?"
"Heh heh," Eda said, glancing away. "Yep, King's a Clawthrone. He can be a handful, but-"
"It's been over 20 years, witchlet," Dell said bluntly, frowning and discarding her easygoing demeanor. "I can't chase you anymore."
"Then stop!" She swung around to face him. "I ruined your life. Have you even been able to carve a new palisman since I attacked you?"
He lifted his scarred hand, which shook, and gave her the response she required. She looked away with guilt, knowing that she was legally to blame. Despite being cursed, she never forgave herself for what happened when he returned home that fateful night.
"Stop trying to forgive me. I don't deserve it," she jumped up and walked out. He put a hand on her shoulder, halting her, and she looked back. His left eye and hand were both covered in scars.
"Don't worry, I'm not here to try that again," he said her, reaching out his hand. He opened it up to show something.
"What...is that?" She gazed up, perplexed.
"It's a palistrom seed," he told her. "My palisman-making days are over, but I've been helping the Bat Queen replenish her forests, so someone new can learn the trade."
"Did you come all the way here just to brag?" Eda asked her father jokingly.
"Yes! But also to say..." He handed her the seed. "Let the past stay in the past, witchlet. It's okay to move on. And give Owlbert my regards."
She glanced at him as he passed by her.
"Carving him with you is one of my dearest memories."
She smiled at her father, tears in her eyes, moved that he had never been angry at her acts...
"We got lucky today, girls," Lilith said as she and Bijou flew their staffs to settle beside Eda, who smiled. "Next time those time pools show up, they could be on the other side of the world."
"Hey nerds!" Eda turned around to face them, with her normal demeanor. "How was your nerd quest? You find that dead nerd?"
"Layin' it on a little thick there, Eda," Luz said, as Lucila pouted and crossed her arms. "But yeah, we found Phillip."
"Whoa, seriously?" Eda remarked, surprised.
"That man was not who we think he is," Bijou said dryly.
"Yeah, he stunk," Luz sighed, Lilith nodding in agreement.
"I punched him in the face. Bij got him even harder though."
"Groovy, auntie," Luz said with hand movements, to which she responded. Eda cast a gaze between the two.
"Uh, you guys—you guys need to stop that..."
"Just let them have this," Bijou said.
Back to Phillip...
Phillip groaned with pain as he arrived at his home, which was a cave. He slipped and kicked a rock violently. He grasped his nose, his eyes burning with wrath.
"Those barbarians, those...those..." He lowered his hand, gritting his teeth at the red and throbbing bump on his nose and the scar. "WITCHES!"
He tightened his fist as his voice resounded. He took out some light glyphs , and his arm began to expand due to the number of glyphs on it. After a few seconds, the swelling subsided, and he sank to the floor. He looked about before picking up the palisman he had in his luggage and tearing it apart. He absorbed its essence, much like someone else in the Boiling Isles.
He took a long breath and sighed. "It doesn't matter."
He began sounding quite familiar to Belos...
"I just need to live long enough to see this through."
He touched the mirror, which projected stars, moons, and a sun with a face onto the wall.
"And you're going to help me...Collector," he said with a nasty grin.