The Emperor Strikes Back
Before you read: I do not own anything. This story takes place shortly after the final battle of "Watching and Dreaming". This story will foreshadow some of the things we saw in the epilogue. Imagine this would be like a feature-length movie to sort of wrap up the series and makeup for them cutting the third season so short. Enjoy.
Slow Changes
It was a bright and sunny day on the Boiling Isles and all of the residents were hard at work rebuilding their homes and businesses. It had been five days since Luz, Eda, King, and Raine had saved the Boiling Isles and destroyed Belos. Things were slowly starting to go back to the way they were before the Day of Unity, still some things would never be the same again. The left arm of the Titan was still high in the air and the people who lived there were having much difficulty rebuilding their homes. However, things were starting to return to normal at Hexside as the teachers helped the students get things back on track and all the children were reunited with their parents. Luz was in her Hexside uniform as she enjoyed her first day back at school with Gus, Willow, Amity, and even Hunter. In between classes, Luz was standing in front of some other students with Stringbean floating beside her as she told them about her battle against Belos.
Luz smiled as she held her left hand out to refer to Stringbean while she happily said, "And with the power of the Titan and a little help from Stringbean I was able to save Eda, King, and the Collector and together we all stopped Belos for good."
The other students were amazed, and among them were Boscha, Skara, Amelia, and Cat as they listened to Luz's story.
Boscha had her arms folded as she shrewdly eyed Stringbean while she said, "Okay, good story but what is your Palisman supposed to be anyway? A cat-snake?"
Luz smiled proudly as she looked at Stringbean and said, "She's a snake-shifter! She can be anything, just like me! Show them Stringbean."
Stringbean then used her shapeshifting powers and changed into three different forms while the other kids watched in awe. First Stringbean made her body segmented with tiny legs, making herself look like a centipede, then she took the basic shape of an eel with fins, then she sprouted legs and had a body similar to a lizard's.
Everyone was amazed, even Boscha couldn't help but smile as she said, "Okay, that is pretty cool."
Stringbean then changed back to her regular form and nuzzled Luz affectionately as Luz said, "She's the best Palisman I could ask for."
Suddenly she heard Amity shout, "Luz!"
She turned to see her, Willow, Gus, and Hunter waving back at her with smiles on their faces as motioned for her to join them.
Luz started walking toward them with Stringbean on her shoulder as she waved at the others and said, "Bye. See you later."
She hugged Amity and then smiled at the others as she happily said, "Hey guys! Haven't seen much of you since everyone was freed from the archives."
Willow smiled politely as she said, "Yeah, sorry about that. We've been busy catching up with our families and rebuilding our homes."
Hunter glanced to the side with a slightly sad expression as he said, "Yeah, our homes."
Noticing Hunter's expression, Willow smiled supportively as she held his hand, causing him to smile and blush bashfully.
Luz then looked at Amity and said, "Speaking of which, how's it going with your family hermosa?"
Amity folded her arms with a blank expression as she said, "Well yesterday, my dad divorced my mom."
Luz sympathized as she said, "Oh, sorry."
Amity did not change her expression as she said, "Don't be. We all agreed it was best for the family."
Luz was surprised and said, "Oh. Well, how's Ed doing?"
Amity smiled as she said, "He's doing great. With the Coven Heads free we managed to get the Healing Coven to help us and now he's almost back to his full health."
Luz smiled happily as she said, "That's great!"
Gus pointed his finger as he smiled and glanced around while saying, "And Mat got me back into the Human Appreciation Society. I'm still not president but they all want to hear about my time in the human realm."
Luz smiled slyly as she pointed both fingers at Gus and said, "With what you went through in the human world, I have a feeling they'll make you president in no time."
Gus smiled as he pointed his right thumb at Hunter and said, "I'm also gonna work on getting Hunter in the HAS too."
Hunter smiled with appreciation as he said, "Thanks Gus."
The bell started screaming and Luz said, "Okay, see you guys. Gotta get to class."
She started to leave when Amity grabbed her hand and made her scroll appear while she happily said, "Wait! One quick selfie first."
They both smiled at her scroll and then made kissy faces next to each other while they took the selfie and then Amity posted it on Penstagram.
Later after school
All the students went out and Stringbean changed to her staff form as Luz sat on her and then flew into Bones Borough. She looked around at the shops and stuff, some were up and running but others were still destroyed. As she flew over the buildings some people she knew smiled and waved up at her as they watched her fly through the air. Sitting an alley by herself was Kikimora, who had her arms folded as she bitterly glanced up and saw Luz.
She looked away as she coldly said to herself, "Human."
Luz landed in front of Morton's stand and noticed it was still a mess as he was struggling to put up his new sign.
Luz smiled as she generously came up and said, "Hey Morton, let me give you a hand with that."
Morton looked at her as he reluctantly said, "Are you sure about that Luz?"
Luz smiled as she held out her staff and said, "Yeah, I'm getting better at this."
A glowing purple aura surrounded the sign as she made it float up and then made four nails hold it in place on the roof of the stand.
She stopped and Morton smiled gratefully at her as he said, "Thanks Luz. You helped me a lot."
Luz smiled as she politely said, "You're welcome. Hey, can I get some elixir for Eda and Lilith?"
Morton smiled as he pulled out a big sack of elixir and said, "Sure. I just stocked up today. Here, on the house."
Luz was surprised and flattered as she said, "Morton you don't have to do that."
Morton smiled as he solemnly said, "It's the least I can do. You, Eda, and the others saved us all from Belos."
Luz took the sack and hung it over her shoulder as she happily said, "Thanks."
She started walking on the sidewalk when suddenly Hunter came up to her and shouted, "Luz!"
She was surprised as she turned around as Hunter came running toward and stopped in front of her as he panted for a moment.
She looked at him and said, "Hunter, what's up?"
Hunter caught his breath as he put his fingertips together, smiling while he said, "Luz, I know this is kind of sudden but I need a place to stay."
Luz was confused as she said, "I thought Darius was letting you stay at his place?"
Hunter glanced around as he honestly explained, "He did, but he agreed to let me stay with him for a while until I could find somewhere else to stay. He and the other Coven Heads are really busy trying to organize a new government for the Boiling Isles now that Belos is gone."
Luz smiled happily as she said, "Yeah, I have a feeling things are going to start changing for the better around here."
Hunter smiled at Luz as he said, "Anyway, Darius doesn't trust me alone at his house while he's working and you once offered to let me stay with you and Eda at the Owl House, so…"
Luz immediately cut him off as she happily said, "Yes! Of course you can stay with us!"
Hunter was surprised as he hesitantly said, "Really? You sure Eda won't mind?"
Luz smiled as she reassured him, "Nah! Lilith and Raine are staying with us too to help us fix up the Owl House. Eda won't mind another witch helping out."
Hunter then became nervous as he said, "Lilith?"
Remembering their history in the Coven, Luz held Hunter's arm as she reassured him, "Don't worry. You both put that life behind you. I'm sure she'll be fine with you staying with us."
She then sat on her staff and floated in the air as she held her hand out toward Hunter, urging him to come with her. Hunter was still nervous but trusted Luz as she sat down on her staff behind her and then they flew off into the sky. As they flew, they were being watched by Odalia, who had a bitter expression as she stood in an alley.
Odalia watched them fly as she bitterly said to herself, "That human took everything from me! Things were so much better before she came to the Boiling Isles!"
As they flew, Luz and Hunter looked at the Titan's left arm raised high in the air and they both showed stumped expressions.
Luz was a bit concerned as she said, "I'm not sure what we're going to do about the people there."
Hunter kept staring at the arm as he said, "Darius says the Construction Coven can build new homes for the new altitude on the arm, but it could take a couple years before their finished."
Luz kept flying as she looked ahead and said, "Well I'll do what I can to help with that too."
Luz flew down and landed in front of the Owl House as she and Hunter got on their feet, Stringbean changed to her living form laid on Luz's shoulder. Luz carried the sack of elixirs over her other shoulder as she walked to the front door while Hunter followed her. The Owl House was still a mess, though it had been cleaned up a bit since Eda and the others moved back into it. It still had the graffiti but the windows had been fixed, and Hooty was back in his place in the front door.
They stopped as Hooty smiled at them and happily said, "Hoot hoot! Welcome back Luz! How was school?"
Luz smiled politely as she said, "It was good Hooty. Now let us in."
Hooty did not pay attention to her as he stretched his body out of the door and approached Hunter as he said, "Ooh! You brought a friend! The angry blonde Golden Guard."
Hunter looked at Hooty uncomfortably as he said, "Uh…"
Hooty stretched his body out and curved it behind Hunter's head as pressed his face against Hunter's cheek and said, "Now I have a new special friend to spend time with. Hoot."
Hunter then grabbed Hooty and lifted him off him and impatiently said, "Okay bird tube! Enough with your creepy affection. Let us in."
Hooty glared at Hunter with an annoyed expression as he said, "Alright, alright! Jeez, you're as big a party pooper as Eda."
Hunter was a bit surprised as Hooty opened the door and let the two teens inside was they walked into the Owl House. Hunter looked around at the living room and noticed it was still a mess and there was hardly any furniture at all.
Hunter looked at Luz as he said, "The Owl House doesn't look much better from the last time I saw it."
Luz looked at him over her shoulder as she honestly said, "Yeah, we've been cleaning up but there's still a lot to do. Raine says they can get back our stuff the Coven Scouts confiscated, but no such luck."
Hunter followed Luz into another room; Camila was with Eda, Lilith, Raine, and King in the kitchen as Eda was trying to cook something.
Eda was stirring something in a pot on the stove while honestly Camila said, "The Boiling Isles isn't as bad as I thought when I first came here but it's still pretty scary and strange. I know Luz loves it here but I don't see why she feels so at home here."
Eda kept stirring as she smiled proudly and said, "You gotta look at it from a different perspective."
Raine agreed as they said, "You need to try and see the beauty in everything."
King agreed as he happily said, "Yeah."
Camila smiled as she picked up King and scratched his belly affectionately while she said, "Well I do see why she loves you so much."
King moved his arms and legs around with his eyes shut as he laughed happily as Camila kept scratching his belly.
Luz walked in with Hunter as she happily said, "Hey, we're back. And we brought someone."
Hunter waved his hand as he said, "Hi."
Camila was still holding King as she happily said, "Hunter! Mi hijo!"
Hunter smiled nervously as he said, "Darius said I need to find somewhere else to stay and Luz said it would be okay if I stayed with all of you."
Eda stopped stirring and pointed at Hunter with a friendly smile while she said, "Sure blondie. You can stay as long as you want, just as long as you help out around here."
Hunter nodded in agreement and then noticed Lilith standing next to him, and he nervously said, "Lilith, I know me being here might be hard for you. I understand if you don't-"
He was interrupted when Lilith suddenly hugged him with a loving smile as she shut her eyes, much to Hunter's shock and confusion.
She kept hugging him as she tenderly said, "All of that is behind me now. I'm just happy to have you back."
Hunter was still surprised but showed a warm smile as he hugged her back, then they pulled away from each other and looked at the others. Camila and Luz showed warm smiles while the others all showed shocked expressions as they stared at the two of them.
Camila kept smiling as she happily said, "That's so sweet!"
Raine raised their finger to their chin as they said, "But unexpected."
Eda expressed confusion as she said, "Yeah, I thought you didn't like him, Lilly."
King agreed as he said, "Yeah, you called him a brat."
Lilith smiled as she held Hunter close and sincerely said, "I only said that because I was angry and jealous of him. When we were in the Emperor's Coven Hunter was one of my best students before Belos officially made him the Golden Guard, I was so proud of him. We got along wonderfully until he made me take his morning shifts, keeping me from doing my historical studies."
Belos looked up at Lilith as he honestly said, "I never wanted to make you take my shift. Belos made me do it."
Luz narrowed her eyes with hatred as she said, "Something tells me Belos wanted you to hate him."
Lilith waved her left hand down as she proudly said, "Anyway, that is acid under the bridge now. Belos is gone and all is forgiven."
Hooty then stretched into the kitchen and wrapped himself around Hunter and Lilith as he happily said, "Any friend of Lulu's is a friend of mine! Hoot hoot!"
Hunter showed an uncomfortable expression while the others watched, then Lilith smiled politely and said, "Thank you Hootsifer but could please let us go now."
Hooty complied as he smiled at them while Lilith affectionately petted his head while Luz opened her sack and pulled out some bottles.
She held one in each hand as she happily said, "I stopped by Morton's and he gave us a bunch of elixir, no charge!"
She tossed the bottles to Eda and Lilith, who both caught them as Eda commended, "Nice work kid."
Raine politely pulled the cork off the bottle and Eda started drinking the elixir, and Lilith did the same thing as Hunter watched.
She stopped and Hunter curiously asked, "Why do you need an elixir?"
Lilith looked at Hunter as she answered, "Since the petrification ceremony my sister and I have shared the curse."
Hunter was surprised as he said, "You share it?"
Lilith looked at the empty bottle in thought while she said, "Yes. Now neither of us can do magic and we both need to take an elixir."
Hunter was interested as he pointed at Lilith and said, "So does that mean you can turn into a harpy too?"
Lilith's eyes widened as she looked at the others, who all looked back at her with clueless expressions, unsure.
Lilith was uncertain as she looked at the bottle and honestly said, "I… I don't know. If I don't take the elixir I'll turn into a beast like Eda, but I don't know if I can turn into a harpy. I would love to find out."
Hooty moved his head closer to Lilith as he smiled and said, "I can help with that."
Eda, Luz, and King all glared at him as they simultaneously said, "Hooty!"
Hooty looked at them with an offended expression as he said, "I was just offering."
He looked away from them and then smiled as he spotted a bug and ate it, then Hunter looked down as King walked up to him.
He looked up at him and curiously said, "So you're living with us now too?"
Hunter immediately got on one knee and lowered his head to King with respect as he said, "Yes and I vow to do anything I can to serve you King Clawthorne, last of the Titans."
Luz smiled with an amused expression while Eda started laughing, and Raine and Camila also smiled as they watched.
King then pointed at Hunter as he said, "You know, you're a lot like Lilly."
Hunter raised his head in surprise while Lilith smiled and helped him up as she said, "Yes Hunter, he may be a Titan but you don't have to grovel before him. Trust me I know."
King agreed but then showed a happy look in his eyes as he said, "Yeah, but I do like the idea of having an older brother."
Hunter was surprised but then smiled with a flattered expression as he said, "Oh. Uh… Thanks."
Eda smiled as she joked, "Looks like the King of Demons has a Grimwalker for a minion."
Hunter was shocked and nervous as he said, "What?! You know?!"
Luz looked at Eda as she said, "Eda!"
Eda showed regret as she said, "Sorry kid. Luz told us everything the day after we pulled you both out of Belos' mind."
Hunter calmed down a bit as he looked down sadly and said, "Oh."
Lilith looked at Hunter as she sincerely said, "It was shocking, but not nearly as much as Belos being Philip."
Raine agreed as they said, "Yes, that was a lot to take in."
Eda then put her hand on her hip as she curiously said, "Say, do you kids have any clue who he's a copy of?"
Luz reluctantly answered, "Actually, while we were in the human realm we did learn about Belos' origin. Back in Gravesfield he had an older brother named Caleb and they met a witch from the Boiling Isles, then they both came to the demon realm and never returned."
Eda, Lilith, Hooty, and Raine's jaws dropped in shock as Eda said, "Whoa."
Hunter looked down as he sadly said, "Yeah, that was the night Belos…"
Raine raised their hand and sincerely said, "Stop. Luz and Camila told us about Flapjack."
Eda glared daggers as she angrily said, "Yeah that leach really got what he deserved for that!"
Luz smiled as she placed her hand on Hunter's chest and sincerely said, "But Flapjack didn't die for nothing. He saved your life and gave you a gift."
Hunter then smiled as he said, "Yeah, and now I can do magic."
Lilith was shocked as she said, "You can?!"
Hunter then teleported across the kitchen in a flash of yellow light and then Camila, Raine, and Lilith applauded for him.
Eda smiled proudly before she started stirring the pot again while she said, "Not bad blondie. Now can someone give me a hand with cooking dinner, because I really need one."
Luz smiled as she walked over to help Eda as she said, "Sure Eda, I'll help."
Camila smiled as she curiously asked, "What are we having?"
Eda looked at her out of the corner of her eye and answered, "Tentacles and eyeballs."
Luz smiled as she happily said, "Ooh yum!"
Camila cringed in both disgust and shock as she was amazed by how her daughter was eager to eat something that sounded so disgusting.
Later that night
Odalia was in an old abandoned shack by herself as she sat in a small chair with some old food leftover from her dinner behind her. As she sat in the chair she used her scroll to look through images on Penstagram with a bored expression.
As she scrolled through images she complained as she said to herself, "A woman of my class forced to hide a rat-infested shack like this!"
She stopped when she saw the selfie that Amity took of herself and Luz at Hexside and she angrily said, "All thanks to that human!"
She angrily threw her scroll away and walked toward the window as she looked out at the Boiling Isles and saw everything.
She put her hands on her hips as she bitterly said to herself, "Belos may have been an evil monster, but things were better when he was around."
Odalia's eyes widened as thought came to her mind and she smiled deviously with her finger against her temple as she got an idea.
She looked down and held her amulet in her fingers as she said, "Perhaps it's time to ask for a little help from the dead."
Author's note: That's the end of the first chapter. I have big plans for this story. We will see many things I wish we'd seen in the third season. We will also see some things that the creators were planning to do but couldn't because the series was forced to end early. We will also learn more about Philip, Caleb, and Evelyn in later chapters. For now you'll have to settle for this. Please review.
