Well, it almost took me a whole year, but I managed to finally update this chapter. And it's a short one. Yeah, sorry to disappoint you guys, but like I said this one's probably in the least of my priorities for me, so it might take me another whole year to update this, with this pace XD .
Still, I appreciate you for checking it out. Hope you enjoy the follow up.
"…Are you sure this thing is safe to eat?" Octavia stared down at her cone, topped with…well certainly not ice cream. No flavor of the stuff even in Hell, had a mouth that would eat someone if they weren't careful.
"Yeah, it's great!" The little demon beside her insisted, as he happily licked his cone, apparently 'goreberry' flavored. "Just as long as you don't face it or let it melt, you'll be fine."
"Right," Via muttered, as she looked at her cone, hesitantly giving it a lick. Thankfully, the taste wasn't bad, just different. Very different from what she was used to.
"So, Octavia was it?" Luz then spoke up, walking beside the two carrying the bags of groceries, the owl demon nodding in confirmation. "Would you mind telling me a little more about where you're from and how you got here? It could help us in getting you back home."
Octavia looked at the human girl with hesitation, still not fully sure whether or not to trust her. Yes, she had helped her from getting arrested, but she also didn't know anything about the girl other than she had also come here from another world. With how fucking backward this realm was who was to say she could be trusted. "I thought I already told you a while back. You know, when you first pulled me out of there."
Luz shrugged a bit embarrassed but still hopeful: "Well yeah I got most of it, but were there any parts you might've missed? Like how you got here for instance? I mean, if it's too sensitive that's fine, but any details about the how would be really helpful."
The human looked at her with a genuine smile, the first one Via had encountered all day. She seemed to want to help her, despite having only just met, and yet was not trying to force her into anything. It put Via more at ease. Finally, Octavia sighed and decided to tell her the cliffnotes version. "Look, I just wanted to be on my own for a bit, okay? My father does a bit of magic, so I figured…"
"You guys can do magic too?" Luz exclaimed in a starstruck cry of excitement, causing Octavia to recoil in surprise, as the human calmed herself. "I mean, I had a feeling given your situation, but wow. I can't believe there's magic aside from the Demon Realm. Do you guys also use a coven system? Would you describe your magic as more arcane or divine? King, did you and Eda know anything about this?"
"Luz, I didn't know about other magical Realms outside of your own, until now," King explained, a little surprised too at the reveal of other forms of magic. His eyes suddenly widened with a possibility. "Wait, do you think maybe they could help you-"
"I'm sorry, I thought we were trying to get me back home?" Via asked with crossed arms, a bit ticked off and confused by the human's sudden outburst.
"Oh right sorry; I'm really into magic and fantasy stuff, so I got a little carried away there," Luz laughed nervously, looking away for a moment to hide her embarrassment before clearing her throat and motioning Via to continue. "You were saying?"
"Well anyway, this book was supposed to transport me into another realm. I tried using it to go someplace I wouldn't be found which is how I ended up here." She gestured to the Boiliing Isles around her and then her spellbook, still ruined and singed from the Coven Scouts' blast, some pages even seeming to be ruined beyond repair, as she muttered bitterly. "I tried using it again to escape but as you can see, it's all burnt up now."
Luz and King examined the mysterious book in Via's arms. With all her time in the Demon Realms, Hexside and the Bonesborough Library the human had seen her share of ancient magical grimoires, but this one felt…different. She couldn't quite explain it but the aura and the feel of the book, it wasn't like the magic she had grown accustomed to all this time. It was darker and, ironically, more demonic. "May I?"
After a pause, Via reluctantly handed her book over to Luz, who started flipping through the pages at surprising speeds. "Woah, I don't think I've seen this kind of magic from the Boiling Isles. Looks like something out of a Fantasy RPG or a Dark Young Adult Fantasy Epic," she said to herself as she looked over the pages. Luz wasn't able to read any of it, it was written in a language she had never seen before, but the illustrations and the wording of the book seemed to suggest a completely different world of magic than she had seen. Turning to Octavia she asked: "Where did you say you were from again?"
Via shrugged. "Hell."
"Hah, that's a good one," Luz chuckled in good nature at what she assumed was an attempt at humor only for her laughter to slowly die down, as she noticed the confused look on the young owl demon's face. "Hehe, you-you are kidding, right? Right?"
Via shifted a little uncomfortably but shook her head. "No? Why would I joke about that?"
Luz at first seemed to take it well, blinking in response. "Huh…so I guess Hell is real." She calmly walked a few paces, as if nothing was wrong. Then suddenly the full weight of what had been said racked her brain. She dropped her bags on the floor and started hyperventilating in a fearful panic attack. "¡Santo cielo! Oh my gosh-oh my gosh-oh my gosh, Hell is real! King, Hell is REAL!"
"Hell is real?!" King exclaimed in shock. And then asked confused: "What's hell?"
Luz ignored his oblivious question as she curled up into a ball, horrifying implications racking through her brain as every wrong she had ever committed, small or large, long ago or terrifyingly recent, flashed before her head as she rocked in terror: "Dios mio, the books were right! There is an afterlife. There's a Heaven. There's a Hell! Oh mierda, I'm going to HELL! I ran away from home, endangered several people and I'm a runaway fugitive working with a wanted criminal, to topple an official government! I'm a bisexual atheist! I'm an awful, sinful human being! I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO HELL! I'M GOING TO-"
Via was on the side, watching this human girl have a complete breakdown from what she thought to be a casual answer to a question. Seeing her get increasingly terrified and emotional was honestly weirding the already uncomfortable owl demon out. "Ohhh…there, there?" She said awkwardly, patting Luz on the shoulder, having no idea how to comfort someone. "Is…is she okay? Does she do this often?" she asked the younger demon, also looking at her in concern.
"No, not unless she's on a very stressful mission or her Azura book got spoiled," King noted, himself also pretty worried. "This Hell place must be really intense; what's it like?"
"It's a bad place, King! THE BAD PLACE!" Luz proclaimed in anguish, still struggling to control herself. "Where the sinful and the wicked are damned forever after they die! I'm going to spend the rest of my afterlife burning in damnation for my sins! Tortured, mutilated, my soul being torn apart bit by bit! All because-"
"What? Do you people actually still believe that crap?" interrupted Via with an amused snort, baffled by the human girl's description of her home. "You know that's all a load of bull right?
"Huh?" Luz asked, her terror turned to confusion by the owl girl's reveal.
Via just shrugged nonchalantly as she explained: "I mean according to what my d-" she stopped herself from mentioning a certain demon, fighting back a frown before continuing. "-from what I've been told a lot of bad humans get sent down there, but there's no torture or whatever you're talking about."
"There's…there's not?" Luz said, her previous dread dropped, now sounding more intrigued by the reveal that there was more to Hell than she had been told. "Oh, then what's it like?"
Octavia struggled to form an explanation. She didn't often leave her mansion or even her neighborhood, the closest she got from it being when she escaped to the Living World to try and see the meteor shower. "I mean, I guess it's pretty much like any other regular place. There are cities, people go to work, have families, go on the internet, stuff like that. I guess there's more murder and crime and the sky's all red. And there's plenty of demons there."
"Oh well, that's way more mundane than I expected. And hoped," Via didn't know how to feel, that the human sounded a bit disappointed by the news. At the very least it was better than her being a panicking mess, so there was that. "But that's fine. It's fine! Guess, I don't have to worry about that. Just the horrifying existential reveal that the afterlife is real, and my loved ones may or may not be forever separated from me between realms."
"I'm…sorry?" said Octavia extremely awkwardly, not sure how to respond.
"No, don't worry about it. Not your fault! I'm fine now." Luz tried to reassure Via and King, and mostly herself. "I'll be fine…probably. Worst case, I'll see if I can pluck that little memory out."
"Right." Octavia said, considering ditching this human and possibly finding someone else less emotional. At least she seemed less weird, that most of the other humans, she had meet in the Living World. "Are you still going to help me or-?"
"Oh right, sorry, sorry. Guess I got a little carried away there. I'll pack up that dread inside my brain for now," Luz apologized quickly, shaking her head, taking a deep breath, and seemingly dropping her terror for her usual peppy self; relieved to have something to keep her mind off her mortality. "Okay, let's keep going. The Owl House Isn't too far away from here."
Luz picked up one of the bags and motioned the Goetia to follow. Via was about to, when she was stopped by King, who grabbed her hand. "Wait, so there are all kinds of Demons in your world too?" the young demon asked, suddenly sounding very intrigued by Hell and even a bit hopeful.
"Yeah, I guess," Octavia shrugged as she listed them off. "There's imps, hellhounds, sinners, the Ars Goetia, the Seven Deadly Sins, and of course the Morningstar family, and so on."
"A-are there any demons, like me there? Except maybe taller and more muscular and stuff?" The little guy asked, with stars in his eyes that made it hard for the owlet to not squee.
"Eh, sorry, but I think I'd remember if I saw someone like you there," Via answered gently, after giving it some thought, thinking back to the few demons she had met, none of which resembled the little guy.
"Oh," King deflated a bit, looking down in disappointment. "Well, that's okay, I guess."
"Hey, you guys coming?" Luz called out from the front. "Owl House is just a few more feet ahead!"
"Coming!" King rushed ahead, picking up the other with a bit of a struggle. Via let the little guy take the lead, while she followed behind them. Despite the human girl's odd moments, she seemed nice enough, and very knowledgeable on magic. And with no better options, she was hopeful they'd be able to do something to help get her back…home. To her parents, probably still arguing about something.
Octavia sighed coldly at the thought, and tried to forget about them as she followed her new acquaintances.
"There it is! Octavia, I humbly introduce to you…the Owl House!" Luz declared upon arrival, her arms out wide as she gestured to the lovely cottage near the forest, that she had made her home for the last few months.
"Oh," Octavia muttered a bit unimpressed. With how much the human had built the place up, she had expected something grander. "Well, it's…nice."
"Don't let its humble appearance fool you, Octy," Luz said, undeterred a brimming smile on her face. "Inside this seemingly innocent home, lives the mighty Eda Clawthorne. The scourge of the Emperor's Coven, the saleswoman extraordinaire, and the most incredible, most powerful witch on all of the Titan. She's the one who taught me everything I know about magic! And she used to travel to my world all the time, until…recently. If anyone can get you back home, I guarantee it will be her!"
"And also Hooty lives there," added King.
"Who?"
"HIYA LUZ!" All three travelers recoiled in surprise, almost dropping their bags, at the high-pitched, annoying voice that had suddenly cried out from behind them. And there beside the girls was Hooty, looking as happy and weird as ever. "Did you get me anything?"
Luz, the first to recover from the shock, chuckled a little annoyed while Hooty noticed their newcomer. "No Hooty, I got caught up. Had to help out a-"
"OOOOOH, is that a new PAL I SEE?!" Hooty asked excitedly, as he zoomed in close towards Via, much to her absolute discomfort.
"What the actual fuck is that thing and get it the FUCK away from me!" Octavia cried, greatly disturbed by the long tubey owl and his lack of care for personal space. His black, unblinking eyes reminded her of the animatronic horrors from Loo Loo Land.
"Aww come on, everyone loves the Hootster! Come and hug me! OW!" The house demon was stopped from getting closer, thanks to a quick kick from the human.
"Back! Back! Hooty, what did we talk about personal space?" Luz the human sternly lectured Hooty, who shook off the attack and slithered back, with a pained whine. Turning back to Via, the Goetian princess still recovering from the sudden jumpscare, the human helped her up with a nervous chuckle. "Heh, sorry about that. Should've warned you about our eccentric doorman."
"You think?" Octavia snapped as she dusted herself, annoyed. "I've already been through even enough bullshit as it is, I don't need another fucking heart attack today."
Luz, panicked by Via's use of swears, quickly covered King's ears, much to the little demon's protests, til she was finished. "Okay, I'll let you have that, considering the whole spook, again sorry about that, but could you please tone down the bad words a little? There are children present!"
"Aw come on! Knowing swears makes you cool!" King protested, glaring at his friend for her insistence.
Luz just gave the young child a stern look and shook her head. "No swearing until you're 30! And that goes for you too!" She pointed towards Octavia, though with a softer look. "Please?"
Octavia crossed her arms and let out an annoyed grumble: "Ugh, you sound like my dad. Fine, just keep that a-" Luz gave her a stern glare, causing her to swap her words begrudgingly. "Keep that THING away from me."
"Yeah, good luck with that. He's been living with me & Eda for years, and still never learns." King said dryly. Then turned to Luz with a teasing: "You know aside from Luz's girlfriend." Noceda tried to hide her growing blush, which got an adorable chuckle out of Via.
"W-well, let's not keep Eda waiting any longer. This way to the Owl House," said the now embarrassed Luz, grabbing her grocery bags and skirting over to her home away from home. The other two followed shortly after, with Luz opening the door for Octavia. The princess noted the cottage looked a bit more impressive on the inside, though not by terribly much. This it was cozy, with the multiple candles, stained glass windows, the fireplace, and the odd decorations. Wanted posters, large curtains, and weapons on the wall, and the most interesting to her was the mounted minotaur skull and really beautiful glowing owl on the ceiling.
"Eda! We're home!" Luz called out, she and King gently placing their bought wares by the door. "And we eh…brought something extra."
An older, gruff woman's voice answered in the other room. "About time kiddo, was getting worried there for a sec. Did you get the AB? Please tell me you remembered to pick up the strong stuff this time-" The owner of the voice emerged from the other room. She looked almost human apart from the pale skin, pointed ears, massive head of hair, and the single tooth sticking out of her mouth. Octavia briefly wondered if the woman might've been a demon in disguise, given her wild appearance. The woman, identified as Eda paused when she noticed the out-of-place guard. "Oh, I guess we've got a guest. Another mouth to feed for the day. So, who's this? One of your new schoolmates?"
"No actually, Eda this is Octavia," Luz quickly introduced, an excited grin on her face as she did. "And Via, this is my mentor, the one and only Eda the Owl Lady! "
"H-hi," The Goetia greeted a bit shyly.
"Sup!" Eda greeted back more casually as she turned to her student. "So what's her story?"
"I met her at the market; some of Belos' goons were trying to arrest her." Eda seemed a bit worried about where this was going, causing Loona to quickly reassure her. "Don't worry, nobody saw it was me. I remembered to use the invincibility glyphs and ran out before they knew it was me."
That helped ease many of Eda's worries, as she sighed. "Appreciated you playing it safe kid. Especially with Belos' goonies getting more annoying these days. But next time, try to be a little safer." With her motherly lecture over, she leaned in with a sly smile and whispered in Luz's ear. "Did you at least give'em a good kick, while you were there?" The human gave her a small nod in confirmation, causing the witch to ruffle her hair.
Luz chuckled but then frowned a little more seriously, as she turned towards Octavia, who was pulling the ruined book out of her backpack. "Well, I also brought Octavia here because she needs your help." She turned to Octavia, as if asking her to tell her mentor.
Octavia sighed, deciding to trust Luz "Look, I just want to go home alright? I came her because I was stupid, and now I can't get back." She handed Eda the burnt book, the owl lady very curious by the grimoire by the curious book, unlike any she had seen in a while. "I need to get this stupid book fixed so I can get home. Any chance you can do that?"
Eda listened closely, but didn't answer right away, as she was examining the tome, flipping through pages with squinted eyes as if she was struggling to read. After a pause, she whistled. "Woah! Well, this isn't something you see every day. Are you from a different Titan or something."
"Not exactly-"
"Octavia's from another world. Like me!" Luz couldn't help herself as she interrupted. The reveal caused Eda's eyes to widen in surprise, not expecting that. She opened her mouth to ask several burning questions before Luz quickly clarified. "Well, not from my world exactly, but she's from this totally different realm. Well, turns it's not really THAT different after all, and it's technically connected with mine but; look it's kinda hard to explain-"
"I'm from Hell."
"Oh, no fooling?" said Eda casually, then let out a small annoyed grumble. "Guess I lost that bet."
"So, can you help me or not?" asked Octavia, pointing towards the book.
The Owl Lady booked again the otherworldly tome, still struggling to make everything out, something that only made Via more worried, before she closed it and turned to Luz. "Tell you want, why don't you help make your new friend comfy, while I take care of the groceries and look at this thing some more."
She left to the kitchen with the books and the bags, leaving the two girls and King on their own. As the trio went to relax in the living room, and Luz noticed Octavia still seemed a bit unsure about the whole matter.
"Don't worry Octavia, I know Eda can figure it out," Luz assured the still-worried owl demon. "She's the most powerful witch in the Boiling Isle!"
"Technically she used to be the most powerful witch on the Boiling Isles," King corrected softly. "You know, since she lost her magic and stuff."
"King, not no," Luz said sternly to her little surrogate brother, before he could damage things further. "Look, magic or no magic, Eda's probably the smartest person I know when it comes to traveling between realms. She's helped me and King through more scrapes and close calls than I can count."
Octavia still seemed pessimistic about her chances, but Luz's confidence and assurances seemed to be enough to make her a little at ease. She sighed: "You better be right. I've had a bit too many letdowns lately."
"Trust me, I know Eda can figure this out."
"Yeah, I have no idea what any of this is."
Luz and Octavia looked shocked by the witch's blunt declaration. "Wait what? Eda, are you sure there's nothing you can do?"
The Owl Witch gave her pupil an apologetic shrug as she sighed, just as let down as the girls: "Sorry kiddo, but I specialize in wild magic, not whatever's on this book; this stuff's way off from what I'm used to. Not to mention, it's written in a language I've never seen before. Honestly, I can barely understand half the words here."
While Luz looked disappointed by the reveal, Octavia seemed to be in the middle of a breakdown. "So that's it then?" she laughed bitterly, as she struggled to control herself. "I'm going to be stuck in this fucking, stupid monster world for the rest of my life, all because of a dumb accident! Another fucking lie today!"
Luz immediately went to try to comfort the shaking Octavia, gently holding her shoulders and assuring her. "Via, no, no, we'll figure something out. I'm sure there's someone here who knows about this." She turned to Eda with an almost pleading look, the owl lady looking worried by the owl's sudden turn. "Eda, please. Octavia really needs our help. Isn't there anyone on the Isles who might know about this stuff?"
Eda gave it a thought and soon managed to think of one person who might fit that bill. "Hmmm, Lily might. She was always more into history and folklore than I ever was. Plus being an Ex-Cover, chances are she might know more about other magic, than everyone else. I can give her a call tonight and see if she can't take a look at this thing. But I don't think I can get her here until tomorrow."
"Yes, perfect! Lilith probably knows loads about this stuff." said Luz excitedly, hoping it would ease the anxious Via. "You hear that Via, it's going to be okay. Once Lilith comes by tomorrow, we'll be able to figure this all out."
But while it did calm her down, she didn't seem convinced by their optimism. "Great…so I'm stuck here for another miserable night," Via said bitterly, a bit louder than she had probably intended causing everyone to look at her uneasily. "Fucking terrific." She pulled her beanie to cover her face, not wanting to face anyone at the moment.
Luz and Eda gave each other a knowing look, both understanding the princess' plight. Luz especially could feel the distress of homesickness, after she last spoke with her mother. What she wouldn't give to see her again. "H-hey, come on it's not that bad," she softly spoke, "I know what it's like to miss home and feel overwhelmed by this place, but once you get used to it, you'll be fine. You've had a rough day, but I'm sure once Lilith sorts this out, you'll be back home tomorrow. Maybe one more day, but I promise, we'll get you back home to your parents."
"You listen to Luz there kiddo," Eda chimed in confidently, giving the princess a gentle pat on the shoulder, as she spoke in a motherly way. "If there's anything she's taught me these last months, it's that she's too damn stubborn to let something like this stop her. Whatever it takes, she'll get you back home."
Even King was getting in on it, giving Via a small hug on her arm. Instinctive she reached down and rubbed his side; which he didn't mind so much. It helped cool her down.
Octavia peaked up from her beanie, small tears still welling up in her eyes. She didn't say anything, still overwhelmed by it all, but smiled a bit and gave a small nod which they took as thank you.
"Well, in the meantime, you can spend the night with us, for however long this's going to take," said Eda with a motherly voice. "Should be enough space up stairs, to fit both you and Luz."
"I'll get the futon ready!" declared Hooty, who entered the room unannounced, before he started to retch. Everyone looked on in disgust as the bird tube barged out an inflated air mattress at Octavia's feet, the princess looking ready to throw up herself. "Don't forget your pillows!" With two loud coughs, Hooty spat out a pair of pillows. At which point the traumatized owl fought back a bike of vomit. "You're welcome! Hoot-Hoot!" Hooty returned to the door leaving behind some thoroughly shaken people.
"…why don't you take my bed?" Luz suggested softly.
Thanks as ever for reading! See you in a year probably with Chapter 3 XD.
In the meantime though, I've got a lot of stuff planned soon. Finally working on the next Loona Goetia chapter, I might do another YAMRD and I may or may not be dappling into Hazbin Hotel for the first time with one or two short stories focusing on Blitzo & Charlie. Hope you decide to check those out :D