Loisse felt a chill as she waited at the restaurant for her date to arrive. The soft glow of candlelight and the faint murmur of other diners created a cozy atmosphere, but she couldn't shake the nervous excitement building inside her. But she was probably worrying over nothing. That could be it. She had already met him once before.
"Hello, Loisse," Superboy said as he approached the table, flashing a charming smile. "I hope you didn't wait too long." Loisse couldn't help but smile back, feeling a wave of relief wash over her as they settled in for what turned out to be a delightful evening of a hot meal and easy conversation.
"No, you didn't keep me waiting at all," she replied. "And you are here; that's all that matters."
Loisse knew this was a dream. She was an oracle; she knew when she was awake or dreaming. After all, Superboy's appearance kept changing between that and Dell Whispers. Perhaps this was her mind telling her she had feelings for both of them. Still, the warmth of Superboy's, or was it Dell's, presence felt so real that she couldn't help but savor every moment, hoping it would never end.
A low growl emerged from the darkness, interrupting their peaceful moment. "What was that?" Loisse whispered, feeling a sense of unease creeping in. Her heart skipped a beat as she looked around. "Hello?" she asked, her voice echoing back. "Who's there?" There was no response.
"Loisse, are you okay?" Dream Superboy asked, concern evident in his voice. Loisse shook her head, trying to shake off the dread in her chest.
"I think we should get out of here," she said, grabbing for Superboy, but there was nothing to hold. He was gone. The scenery around her changed from a peaceful restaurant to a desolate wasteland.
Loisse felt a chill run down her spine, shuddering her entire body. She looked up to see the night sky replaced with a bloody eclipse, casting a red glow over the barren landscape.
Out in the distance, I saw them—bodies lying motionless on the ground, their eyes wide open and staring blankly into the sky. Life drained out of them like color draining from a painting, leaving only emptiness and despair behind. Eerily, they all chanted one word, "Unity."
"No!" Loisse screamed, but there was no sound. She knew she uttered the words, but they did not sound. "Help!" She repeated, but there was still nothing. "Why can't I speak?"
Her heart thumped a mile a minute, her whole body sweating, and panic enveloped her senses. "Wake up!" she screamed, still with no sound. "Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!"
Then Loisse saw it. A hulking creature shrouded in darkness and what looked like spikes protruding from its form. It had red eyes that seemed to pierce through her very soul. She felt a cold dread wash over her as the creature slowly advanced toward her, its presence filling her with a sense of impending doom. In its hand, it was holding Superboy—bloodied and lifeless. It killed him.
The beast roared and charged at me as if I were its next meal. Its speed was unlike anything Loisse had ever seen before. There was no way she could run. Nowhere for her to run. All that was left was to face the creature that was about to take her life!
Then she woke up, panting and covered in a cold sweat. She was back in her room, away from that nightmare. She tried to calm her racing heart. But the image of Superboy's lifeless body lingered in her mind, haunting her even after she had woken up. She saw her Focus glow faintly, then stopped.
Loisse got out of bed and went to the kitchen to make herself a cup of tea, hoping to soothe her nerves and shake off the lingering fear from her dream.
"Loisse?" Uncle Bjorn's voice called out from the living room, making her jump in surprise.
She quickly composed herself. "Hey, Uncle."
"You're usually not up this late," he remarked, concern evident in his voice. He looked her right in the eye. "Loisse, is everything okay?"
Loisse wiped her eyes. "Yes," she lied, forcing a smile, not wanting to worry him. "Just had a bad dream," she replied, hoping to brush off the topic and avoid discussing the details of her nightmare.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Uncle Bjorn asked, his expression softening with concern.
Loisse shook her head. "I'll be fine," she assured him, grateful for his concern but not wanting to burden him with her troubles. There was enough to worry about already. "Good night, Uncle."
Dell walked with Willow, Gus, and Viney down Hexside's halls to their next class. This morning, as Dell walked to school through Bonesborough, he saw the aftermath of Belos revealing Superboy's identity as an alien and Meta-Witches' existence.
People who used to be friendly to one another now look at their neighbors, siblings, parents, and even children with fear and suspicion. They're afraid that any of them could have powers that did not originate from a bile sac or a magic staff and were, therefore, a threat to society.
Dell passed by a team of Coven Scouts; they were breaking up a scuffle between two groups of teens from Glandus that threatened to escalate into a full-blown magical brawl. One group had defaced a mural the other side had made for Superboy, painting over in big black words "ALIEN! FREAK! SCUM!" across it.
Dell tried not to let it bother him; he wasn't doing it for recognition or admiration, but a part of him felt sad. The same people who cheered, thanked, and supported him as a hero were so quick to turn against him. Were they so quick to dismiss his actions and trust the Belos' words?
"Un-freakin'-believable!" Viney said loudly enough to snap Dell out of his thoughts. "Can you believe this?"
"Believe what?" Dell asked, wondering what had got her so mad.
"I'm scrolling through Penstagram, and there's a whole thread dedicated to bashing Superboy." She shook her head in disbelief as she showed Dell, Willow, and Gus the posts.
"People are calling him a fake hero," Gus added, his expression sour. "And anyone who disagrees is being called 'alien sympathizers' and traitors to all of witchkind."
"I can't believe how quickly public opinion can shift," Willow remarked. "It's not fair."
"Y'know, if I were in Superboy's shoes, I'd stop saving the day and see how these people would fare without him," Viney added. "I bet they'd change their tune pretty quickly."
"But that's not who Superboy is," Dell pointed out. "Just because some people are ungrateful doesn't mean he should stop doing what he knows is right."
Viney sighed, "True, but seeing him constantly under attack for doing good. It's frustrating! My dad and cousin would've been killed if it weren't for him."
Willow nodded in agreement. "It's a shame that some people can't see past their biases to appreciate what he does."
"My dad has a saying," Gus chimed in. "When people are scared, they jump onto that bandwagon before checking who is driving. He always reminds me to think for myself and not just follow the crowd."
"Your dad's pretty smart," Dell said with a smile. "I can see why Loisse likes him as her boss."
"Oh, Delly!" Emira exclaimed from behind the group of friends as she and Edric approached them. Luz had told him about her trip to the library last night and how they secretly planned to steal Amity's diary and post it all over the school. They were also partly responsible for a giant monstrous version of Otabin nearly killing Luz and Amity, so Dell wasn't too keen on being around them.
"What do you two want?" Dell asked, crossing his arms defensively.
"Have you seen Mittens lately?" Edric asked, using his sister's nickname. "She has been avoiding us all day."
"Frankly, after what you two pulled last night, I don't blame her," Dell replied sternly, eyeing Edric and Emira suspiciously.
"What happened last night?" Willow asked.
"You would be better off asking Luz for the details," Dell told her before looking back at the Blight twins. "But let's just say they caused a lot of trouble. And I'd suggest you leave Amity alone for now."
"Come on, Dell, we just want to say sorry to her," Emira pleaded, her eyes filled with regret. "We promise we won't—"
Craaaank!
Dell's super-hearing picked up the sound of something about to come loose. Something big. "Get down!" Dell shouted, pushing Edric and Emira out of the way just in time as a large metal beam crashed down from above. If he had been a split second slower, they would have been seriously injured or worse.
Everyone in the hall stopped in their tracks, shocked by the near miss. They all looked up to see that one of the metal beams holding the next floor had fallen without warning. "Holy Titan, that was close!" Edric exclaimed.
"What's going on here!" Principal Bump rushed over to assess the situation, his face pale with concern. "What happened? Was anyone hurt? Please don't sue the school."
"We're fine, Principal Bump," Emira assured him, still shaken from the close call.
"Everyone get to your classes; I'm going to call the Construction Coven and have them inspect the entire building immediately," Principal Bump instructed, relieved that no one was hurt. The students quickly dispersed.
"Okay, a Poltergeist has to be after us," Edric muttered as he and Emira stood and dusted themselves off.
"What makes you say that?" Dell asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Because this is another of many strange incidents that happened to us today," Edric replied, his voice tinged with worry. "This morning, when I was making breakfast, the toaster exploded for no reason. One moment, I made some toast, and then BOOM! I was covered in crumbs and burnt bread."
"While I was in the shower," Emira continued, "the water suddenly turned ice cold and then scalding hot, even though I didn't touch the knob. I also had the disturbing feeling that someone was watching me. Then, when Edric and I were walking to school, our backpacks started floating in mid-air, with us attached to them, before dropping us back down."
"I landed on my face," Edric muttered.
"Are you guys sure you're not just being pranked?" Viney asked the twins.
"No, because the only witch whose pranks can match our own is Ozzy Loomis," Emira replied. "And he's transferred to Glandus."
"Still, it probably wouldn't hurt to consult a teacher from the Oracle Track to see if they have any insight on what's going on," suggested Dell.
"But if it is a poltergeist, we'll need an exorcist to help us get rid of it," said Edric. "And that's a whole other problem on its own."
"Why's that?" Gus asked.
"Because exorcists are hard to come by and even harder to convince to help," Emira explained. "Even if you somehow convince one to assist, they usually come with a hefty price tag."
"I mean, we're rich, but Blights aren't made of money, no matter what the media might say," Edric quickly added.
Emira concluded her rant with, "Not to mention that they are some of the rudest people you'll ever meet."
Cough! Cough! Cough!
John Constantine coughed into a white rag, turning it red from the blood he had just thrown up. "Bloody 'ell," he muttered under his breath, glaring at the cigarette pack on the table. Still, he took another drag, the smoke filling his lungs with a temporary relief.
"You're not looking too hot, Johnny," Balthazar, the demon sitting at the poker table, remarked with a smirk. "Maybe it's time to consider quitting those cancer sticks." The way he said it was mocking—he knew Constantine would never give up his beloved cigarettes. Plus, Satan had stock in tobacco companies.
The demon had been winning hand after hand for the past hour, and Constantine was starting to suspect foul play. He just chuckled, the corners of his mouth turning up in a wry smile. "We all gotta die sometime, Balthazar," the exorcist replied nonchalantly, exhaling a cloud of smoke.
"John, you do remember why we came here, do you not?" Jason Blood, the only other "technically" human at the table, interjected. He was talking about a particular relic he had been after for years, one that allowed the wielder to control their inner demons.
Constantine took another drag of his cigarette, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "I remembah, mate. Bu' a li'l righ' fun nevah hur' anyone." He said with a smirk, causing Jason to roll his eyes in exasperation. "Y'know, ya coul' always brin' ya bettah' alf ou' t' spee' thin's up."
"No." Jason sighed. "Look, the sooner we get the relic, the sooner we can leave this God-forsaken casino and return to the House."
"Me mos' 'umble apologies; I didn' realize helpin' ya ge' da bloomin' thin' was interferin' wit' yer 'ourly broodin'." Constantine ridiculed, exhaling a cloud of smoke. "Dis's why I don' like brinin' ya anywhere lovely—always so bloody serious."
"Gentlemen," Balthazar interrupted, leaning back in his chair with a bored expression. "Stop bickering like an old married couple so I can return to winning big at the tables."
"Alrigh'." Constantine put his cigarette out. "I raise."
Balthazar raised an eyebrow. "With what? Your soul isn't even worth the chips in front of you. And it isn't worth this beauty, that's for sure." He toyed with the artifact in his hand, which made Jason squirm.
"Really? Cause I hear yer boss 'as 'is eyes on me soul. Willin' t' come up 'ere an' drag me down t' Hell 'imself. No, I'm bettin' dis." Constantine snapped his fingers, and the House of Mystery—the current occupation of John Constantine, Jason Blood, and other magic users who seek refuge—materialized outside the window. A cloaking charm only made it visible to the mystically inclined so no one else on the streets would panic. "Dat's righ'. An' I'm includin' everythin' inside."
"What?" Jason asked, his eyes widening in surprise.
"You're mad," Balthazar smirked, a glint of excitement in his eyes. "Looks like we've got ourselves a high-stakes game now. I accept."
"John, what are you doing?" Jason asked, a hint of concern in his voice.
"Playin' fo' keeps," Constantine replied with a mischievous grin, already planning his next move. "A li'l faith wouldn' kill ya, mate."
"Alright, Johnny, show me what you got," Balthazar said, leaning back in his chair with a challenging look. Constantine showed his hand, which was full of low cards and had no potential for a winning combination. Balthazar laughed. "Looks like Lady Luck isn't on your side tonight." He showed his Full House. "Better luck next—" Suddenly, the cards changed to reveal it was worse than Constantine's hand. "What?"
"I coul' sense da illusion bein' cas' on dose cards miles away," Constantine said with a smirk. "You're tricks are gettin' sloppy, Balthazar."
"You cheated!" Balthazar exclaimed, slamming his hand on the table, breaking it in half, and sending chips and cards flying everywhere, and fire filled the demon's hands. Jason leaped from his seat and grabbed the artifact before it hit the ground. "You're not leaving here with that!" Balthazar roared, but before he could react, Constantine clocked him in the jaw with silver knuckles and crosses engraved on them.
"Technically, we both di'. I was jus' bettah, issall." Constantine said, dusting off his coat as Balthazar groaned on the floor. "Nex' time, try no' t' be so apparen'."
"Rip his heart out!" Balthazar ordered as several demons emerged from veils of smoke, ready to attack Constantine.
"Oh, bollocks!" Constantine cursed. Before they could make a move, he pulled out a vial of holy water and splashed it on two of the demons, causing them to scream in agony. "Convertere aquam benedictam in glaciem!" Constantine's spell instantly caused the consecrated water to freeze, trapping the demons in ice. The remaining demons rushed Constantine with their weapons drawn, but he was prepared. "Claustra flammarum exsurgunt et defendunt me!" The magic created a barrier of flames, forcing the demons to retreat. "Jason, now's a goo' time t' call 'im ou'! Like righ' bleedin' now!"
"No, this is not worth the risk," Jason said, hiding the artifact under his jacket and trying to hide from the chaos around them.
Balthazar jumped through the flame barrier, burning away part of his human form to reveal the demon hiding beneath. "I'm gonna roast your flesh and have a feast fit for a king," Balthazar growled, his eyes glowing with malice.
Constantine dodged out of the way before Balthazar could strike. "Obtemperate mihi ac repete!"The spell hit Jason, forcing him to say Constantine's words, "Gone, gone, the form of man."
Flames engulfed Jason as he morphed, concluding the rhyme, "Arise the demon—Etrigan!" Etrigan emerged from the fire, his demonic form towering over Balthazar. "Balthazar, prepare for your demise. Etrigan's power, you can't surmise." Etrigan materialized a sword and proceeded to charge at Balthazar, ready to end the battle with a swift and decisive strike. As powerful as he was, neither Balthazar nor his minions were prepared for Etrigan's sheer force and ferocity.
Etrigan vanquished the demons with one swift strike, then ran his sword through Balthazar's chest. The impaled demon turned to look at Constantine. "This isn't over, Johnny. I'll get a new host and return to finish what I started. I will not rest until I personally—" Balthazar's threat was cut short as Etrigan's hellish flames incinerated his human form, leaving nothing but ashes in his wake as the demon was forced back into Hell.
"Keep tellin' yaself dat, ya soddin' wankah," Constantine said, lighting a new cigarette.
"Balthazar has been sent back to Hell. To Constantine, I say farewell." Etrigan turned back into Jason Blood, who turned to Constantine angrily.
"Well, dat wen' bettah dan I—" Constantine began, only to get punched in the face by Jason. "Da 'ell was dat fo'?"
"Do you know the danger you put us in by summoning Etrigan without warning?" Jason Blood snapped in an anger-filled voice. "What if I was unable to control him? He could have gone on a killing spree."
"Bu' 'e didn', di' 'e?" Constantine replied, rubbing his jaw. "An' ya go' wha' ya wanted, righ'? Ya welcome, fo' dat."
"You are a real bastard, John Constantine," Jason muttered, shaking his head in disbelief. "You never cease to amaze me with your inability to think of anyone but yourself." Jason began walking to the House of Mystery, which opened its door and created a magical walkway leading him inside. "If smoking does not kill you, your recklessness will."
"I nee' a bloody drink," Constantine muttered. But he was not in the mood for any alcohol here. He was in the mood for some apple blood. Constantine reached into his trench coat and pulled out a book; he opened it, and it turned into a suitcase; he opened that, and it turned into a door that would take him to the Boiling Isles.
After school had ended, Amity strolled through Bonesborough's downtown area to meet up with Boscha and Skara at their secret hideout. Today was not a good day for her. All day, one strange thing happened after the other. First, she had forgotten her homework, which she was sure was in her backpack. Then, she tripped and spilled her lunch all over herself and nearly got impaled by a sharp metal rod sticking out of the ground. After that, she found what looked like a doll version of her in the school courtyard, missing its head.
All of this had to be some sick pranks from Edric and Emira. It was bad enough that they planned to expose her diary to the whole school, but now they were taking it to a new level. She had been avoiding them all day; it would be too soon for her liking if she saw them.
Amity stopped at a cafe where she liked to spend time alone, hoping to clear her mind before meeting up with her friends. She would also take the opportunity to go over what homework she had to do tonight and plan how to fit her other responsibilities into her schedule. She took notice of the statue of Emperor Belos standing proudly in the center of the street as if it were overlooking the shops.
Before she could enter the cafe, her scroll buzzed with a message from her friends asking where she was. She decided to text them while walking, which resulted in her accidentally bumping into someone.
"Watch it, nitwit!" Amity told the person she bumped into, then realized who it was—Alexander Luthor as if today couldn't get any worse.
"If I were you, I'd watch who you call a nitwit, Blight," Alexander replied.
"What are you doing here, Luthor?" Amity asked, her annoyance evident in her tone.
"I just came to grab something to drink; enjoy the view," Alexander replied. "But you being here is ruining it."
Amity rolled her eyes and retorted, "Well, I suggest you find another spot then."
"It's no wonder you have no friends with that attitude," Alexander said.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Amity questioned, crossing her arms defensively.
"I think you know exactly what I mean. Your so-called 'friends'—the grudgeby player and bard girl—are as fake as you are," Alexander sneered.
Amity's face turned red with anger. "That's not true."
"Sure, keep telling yourself that," Alexander scoffed.
"Lex, is everything alright?" Amity recognized the voice of her former mentor as she entered the shop.
"Ms. Lilith?" Amity said in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
"Oh, Amity, I heard some commotion and thought I would check in." Ms. Lilith answered. "Is everything okay?"
"Nothing to worry about," Alexander replied. "Your former apprentice was having a conversation with her current one."
"Current?" Amity's eyes widened. "Wait… Ms. Lilith? She's your teacher now?"
"Yes, she is," Alexander confirmed. "She offered me the spot after you left her. She's been teaching me a lot."
Amity felt jealous, realizing her mentor had quickly moved on to someone else.
"We should be on our way now," Ms. Lilith said, sensing the tension in the air.
"Yes, we don't want to take up the Emperor's Coven leader's time," Alexander added as he and Lilith left the shop.
Amity's face reddened as she watched them go, and she felt a mix of emotions she couldn't quite place. Then she inhaled and exhaled sharply. "I almost passed out there," she muttered, trying to regain her composure before leaving the shop just as Edric and Emira entered.
"Mittens, there you are," Edric called out.
"Great," Amity said as she walked out the other shop exit, and the twins followed her.
"Amity, stop," Emira called out, catching up to her.
"Can we talk?" Edric asked, concern evident in his voice.
"I have nothing to say to you," Amity replied coldly, avoiding eye contact with both of them.
"We just want to explain," Emira pleaded, touching Amity's arm gently.
"Explain what?!" Amity exclaimed, pulling away. "You both made it clear last night you don't care about me or my feelings."
"Okay, so things got out of hand—" Edric began.
"Out of hand?" Amity interrupted, her voice rising. "You both were planning to humiliate me! I don't need an explanation for that. That's not even counting that your stupid prank nearly got Luz and me killed last night. And your pranks on me today."
"What are you talking about?" Emira asked, confusion evident in her voice. "We haven't been—"
"Just leave me alone!" Amity began to walk away from her siblings, feeling anger and hurt. "I don't want to hear any more excuses or lies," she said, her voice breaking slightly as she tried to hold back tears.
"Mittens… Amity, we…" Emira began.
Creeeak!
A creaking sound interrupted Emira's words as the statue of Emperor Belos started to move on its own, causing the Blights to freeze. "What the heck?" Emira whispered. The statue walked towards them, its eyes glowing ominously as it raised its hand and swiped at them. The twins grabbed their sister out of instinct and jumped out of the way.
"What are you two doing with the statue?" Amity accused.
"Amity, this isn't us!" Edric protested. The statue continued to move menacingly towards them, ready to attack.
Amity traced a spell circle. "Abomination, rise!" She summoned an abomination to stop the statue. The abomination attacked it, but the statue seemed unfazed and continued its advance.
Dell was returning to the Owl House, where he came across Hooty giggling maniacally as he played in the mud. "Hoot! You'll never guess where I got mud this time! Hoot!" The house demon exclaimed proudly at the mess he was making.
"Hooty, why?" Dell bemoaned.
"Because I'm bored when you're not here! Hoot!" Hooty answered. "Luz and King get to go on adventures with Eda! Raine gets to train students to be bards! You are Superboy! I feel left out!" Suddenly, a beetle flew past Hooty. "Oh my gosh, a bug!" He ate the beetle in one swallow, burping loudly.
"Hooty, that's disgusting," Dell scolded, not for eating the beetle but for burping so loudly.
"What were we talking about?" Hooty asked, completely forgetting his previous complaints. "Nevermind! Back to the mud! Hoot! Hoot!" Hooty started rolling in the mud, forgetting about feeling left out and embracing his carefree nature again.
Dell's super-hearing then picked up the sounds of trouble happening in Bonesborough. He didn't know what, but he knew people were in danger. "Gotta go, Hooty!" Dell said as he quickly flew off towards the town, removing his Concealment Stone mid-flight to become Superboy!
Dell arrived on the scene to see the statue of Emperor Belos attacking the Blight siblings. Perhaps the twins were right; they have a Poltergeist problem after all. Dell wasted no time jumping into action, using his super strength to try and stop the statue from causing any more harm.
"Superboy!" Emira shouted in relief.
"Oh, thank Titan," Edric added, grateful for the timely arrival.
All it took was a single punch from Dell to shatter the statue into pieces, saving the Blight siblings from further danger. As the dust settled, Dell asked them, "Are the three of you alright?"
The Blight siblings nodded, still shaken. "Yeah, thanks to you, Superboy," Amity added with a grateful smile. "We owe you one."
"No problem," Dell replied with a smile. "Just doing my part to keep the Boiling Isles safe."
"Oh my Titan, Superboy just destroyed a statue of Emperor Belos!" Someone shouted from the crowd that had gathered.
"I can't believe he would destroy public property like that!" The crowd began to murmur in disapproval. "He is a menace, like the Emperor's Coven said he was."
"What?!" Amity exclaimed, shocked by the accusations against Superboy. "Are all of you stupid? Superboy just saved us!"
"Oh, the Blights are now sticking up for the alien, huh?"
Amity's face turned red angrily as she defended Superboy against the crowd's accusations. "All of you are a bunch of ungrateful idiots! How many times has Superboy risked his life to protect us from danger? You should be thanking him!"
"A— Ms. Blight," Dell interjected, trying to calm the situation. He almost slipped up and called her by her first name but caught himself just in time. "You don't want to worsen things by escalating the situation."
"These people are attacking you," Amity said, her voice shaking with emotion. "I won't let them disrespect you after you've done so much."
"I appreciate it, but let's not stoop to their level," Dell replied, placing a hand on Amity's shoulder. "I'll leave if that means keeping the peace."
"No, you shouldn't have to leave because of them," Amity protested.
"It's okay," Dell reassured her before flying away.
"Yeah, get out of here, you alien freak!" "The Isles was better before you came along!" "Don't show your face here!" Dell heard their insults but chose to ignore them. It never mattered to Dell what the Isles people thought of him; he knew his worth and didn't need their approval to feel validated. All that mattered was doing what was right.
Now that he knows a Poltergeist is targeting the Blights, he must find an exorcist—particularly one who would not charge him a fortune for their services. And if there was one person on the Isles who knew where to find cheap yet effective exorcists, it was Mom.
He placed his Concealment Stone back around his neck, changing from Superboy to ordinary Hexside student, Dell Whispers. He went to the market district, which was practically dead, to find Mom's stand.
"Whew! Okay, let's try this again." Dell saw Mom behind the table of Eda's Human Collectibles, looking… awkward. "And strut, strut, strut. I think I got— AH!" She fell, knocking over a box and lamp. "How does Eda wear these all day?"
"Uh, Mom? Are… are you okay?" Dell asked, not sure what to make of the situation.
Mom looked up, her face flushed with embarrassment. "Oh, hey, Dell," she sheepishly replied, "just a little stumble! Nothing to worry about! Yeah, just me… your mom… trying to be stylish and failing miserably…"
Something about Mom was off; it took Dell a few seconds to realize why. "Luz? Is that you?"
She sighed. "Yes, it's me."
"Did Mom do a body swap spell?"
Mom… Luz chuckled nervously. "Yeah. This is just like my favorite early 2000s movie! 'Freaky Friday'. This is a bet between Eda, King, and I: Whoever can prove their new body has the easiest life gets out of cleaning Hooty." Luz shuddered at the thought. "Plus, I was bored out of my mind."
"Well, did Mom tell you where she went?"
"She said something about wanting to experience life as an adorable demon," Luz smirked, obviously talking about King. "I have a feeling she's regretting it now."
"Well, do you know where she may have gone?"
"Sorry, but I don't have a clue."
Dell sighed. "I need to ask her for some help. To find an exorcist."
"An exorcis' ya say?" An accented voice interrupted, causing Luz and Dell to turn in surprise, spotting a man holding one of the on-display potions up to his face. He had short blonde hair, blue eyes, and a five o'clock shadow. He wore a white shirt with a simple red tie, tan suit pants, and a rumpled yet fitted beige-tan trench coat.
"Can I help you find something?" Luz asked him.
"I'm jus' browsin'," the man replied. "An' befo'e ya ask, I know abou' da 'I break it; I buy it' rule, alrigh'. Ya're no' da firs' t' tell me dat today." He continued examining the potion in his hand. "Y'know wot? I'll buy dis." He reached into his pocket and placed a few snails on the counter. "Keep da change." The man put the potion in his coat pocket before looking at Dell. "An' I hear righ' dat ya nee' an exorcis' 'roun' 'ere?"
"Yeah," Dell replied cautiously. "Friends of mine have been experiencing some strange occurrences lately. Do you know someone who can help us with that?"
"Ya're in luck." The man reached into his coat pocket and pulled out two thin paper cards. "Let's propahly acquain' ourselves." He handed one to Luz and Dell. The card read: "John Constantine—Exorcist, Demonologist, and "Dabbler" of the Dark Arts."
Dell looked up from the business card to the man claiming to be an exorcist. "I feel like you're not offering your services out of the goodness of your heart," Dell said, eyeing the man suspiciously.
"If ya was dinkin' I'd 'elp ya fo' free, ya're mad. I AM a professional, an' me sahvices don' come cheap," the man replied with a sly smile before lighting a cigarette and taking a long drag. "We can talk paymen' latah."
Dell did not know what to make of this John Constantine character, but if he could genuinely help with the Poltergeist that had been terrorizing the Blights, he would entertain the idea of hiring him. However, Dell made a mental note to watch this exorcist closely. "You have a deal, Mr. Con-Stan-Tine."
"It's Con-Stan-Teen, mate," John corrected. "An' befo'e we ge' goin', I'll nee' a few details abou' da hauntin'. Y'know where we can 'ave a drink?"
"I do. The most recent sighting was at a cafe. I can show you." Dell walked ahead of John, leading him to where the Emperor Belos statue came to life and attacked Amity, Edric, and Emira.
"No, I mean'…" Constantine began but sighed. "Whatevah." He followed behind Dell.
Loisse observed as the Emperor's Coven investigated the scene where the statue of Emperor Belos came to life and began wreaking havoc. Or so some people have said. Others, mostly Penstagram influencers looking to boost their follower count, believe that Superboy just showed up and started destroying out of nowhere. She's seen comments on various pages that Superboy retaliated for Emperor Belos, exposing him as an alien to the public. In contrast, others speculate that the Emperor orchestrated a deliberate attack to gain sympathy and support for his regime. Those posters have gone silent.
"Scout Commander Turpin, is there anything that you can share with us about the situation?" Perry Porter, who was covering the breaking news story, asked urgently.
Turpin hesitated momentarily before responding, "I can confirm that our team is actively investigating the incident and will provide updates as soon as we have more information. Please allow us time to thoroughly investigate before jumping to conclusions."
"Do you believe the rumors that Superboy actively caused this attack?" Porter pressed, hoping to get more insight from Turpin.
Turpin maintained his composure and replied, "At this time, it would be irresponsible to speculate on the involvement of any individual without concrete evidence. Our priority is to ensure the safety and security of Bonesborough. We will not rest until justice is served. Please let us continue our investigation; we will remove you from the scene if necessary."
Turpin did not confirm nor deny the rumors of Superboy. Loisse felt a little better knowing that not everyone in the Emperor's Coven was against him. Her nightmare still bothered her, seeing that… that thing killed Superboy. But was it indeed just a nightmare, or was it a premonition of what would come? Only time would tell, and the wait was agonizing.
"Pardon me, gents." A strange accent caught Loisse's ear as she turned to see what appeared to be a homeless man approaching a coven scout and holding a Hexes Hold 'em card up to their face.
And he was accompanied by… "Wait, Dell?" Loisse exclaimed.
"Me an' da boy 'ere are wit da Emp'ror's Coven's oracle division," the man said. "An' we need t' investiga'e da scene fo' any supahnatural involvemen'."
Loisse had seen the Emperor's Coven's oracle division in action before, and their reputation for uncovering supernatural mysteries was well-known. She knew this man was not one of them. He was pretending a Hexes Hold 'em card was his ID; he wasn't even trying to hide that he was a con artist. And he somehow roped Dell into helping him with his scheme.
"You two can go ahead," the scout said, believing them.
"What?!" Loisse exclaimed. A part of her knew that the coven scouts were not the brightest bulbs, but she never expected them to fall for such an obvious ploy.
"Consider me chuffed," the con artist said, leading Dell into the crime scene.
Loisse tried to approach them but was stopped by another scout. "Sorry, miss, you can't go past there," the scout said firmly.
"But they can?" Loisse pointed at the con artist and Dell.
"They are with us, so yes," the scout explained. "Now leave, or you will be removed from the premises." Not wanting to cause a scene, Loisse reluctantly backed away, her mind racing with possible ways to expose the con artist's scheme. She would question Dell about this once she could get him alone and find out the truth.
John Constantine is here on the Boiling Isles. I was trying to write what his Cockney accent would be like if it were written. I hope I did it okay. The investigation of the Poltergeist continues next time.
As some self-promotion, if you haven't read it yet, check out my other "Owl House" & DC Superheroes crossover story, "Raisin' Some Hell," which also stars John Constantine.
Fun Fact: "A Family Stronger Than Steel" and "Raisin' Some Hell" were initially intended to be part of the same universe. But to make it work, I would've had to rewrite the latter story to fit the timeline of the former. However, some "Raisin' Some Hell" elements will be incorporated into future chapters.
If you enjoyed the chapter, please favorite, follow, and leave a review; feedback is appreciated.