Back again? I see you're enjoying this little anomaly of Luz Noceda, aren't you? Well now, where did we last leave off? Ah, yes.
Much to our young hero's dismay, she has now learned that her past actions have created a cult of Oscura worshippers. Feeling guilty over her past actions – which for this young heroine is par for the course – she resolves to confront the cult and find some form of peaceful resolution with them, so that they may return to their normal lives. Well, as normal as lives get in the Demon Realm.
Personally speaking, I don't see the harm in worshipping someone who has exhibited great strength, power, and leadership. I mean, look upon the glory and majesty of my Overlord! The great King of all Kamen Riders, exalted in past, present, and future! His name is Kamen Rider Zi– ahem… Sorry, I got carried away there for a moment.
The point is, I both sympathise and empathise with this cult, but it seems young Luz Noceda is not quite partial to being worshipped. Let us see if she is successful in her endeavours, even as other forces seem to be at work in this world…
When Oliver entered the viewing room, he found both Amara and Lumina drunk off their asses. He raised an eyebrow at the sight.
"You two seem...dishevelled," he commented.
"You drink a whole bottle of vintage hard apple blood, and let's see how neat and tidy you look when you wake up, lizard boy," Amara groaned.
"Ugh, this better be important," Lumina grumbled as she was nursing a hangover. "Today is not a fun day for me."
"Wait," Oliver blinked. "Are you two not aware of what's going on?"
"What?" both witches asked in stereo.
"Master Marcy, along with Tsumuri, Soaron, Gato, and Oscura, is currently trapped in the Demon Realm."
"…WHAT THE FU-!"
That evening, after Eda returned from the Blights' residence, she was greeted by Raine who had already come home from their council meeting.
"I'm back, Rainestorm," Eda greeted her spouse before taking a seat on the couch beside them. "Is Luz in bed?"
"Yeah, right after dinner," Raine answered. They had played a soothing lullaby which had lulled their little girl and King to sleep.
"Good," Eda nodded. Their little one was quite energetic and hard to get to bed. Fortunately, Raine always knew how to put Little Luz to sleep.
"So, speaking of Luz…is it really her then?" Raine asked cautiously.
"Yeah, it's her alright," Eda confirmed, unable to lie to her spouse.
Raine had not met Luz before the girl became Oscura, so they only knew of the Dark Empress who had ruled their land for months. However, Eda had helped Raine learn more about the human girl who had set foot on the Boiling Isles. They learned that she had been a good person who only wanted to learn magic before she was forced to perform a forbidden ritual which would lead to her corruption. It was why Raine agreed to let their daughter be named after the girl, and not the monster she had become.
Eda counted Luz's descent into darkness as one of her greatest failures, purposefully ignoring what her apprentice was turning into until it was too late.
"So, what's the council planning now?" Eda asked.
"They're working on keeping everyone calm while sending Scouts to go hunt her and the others down," Raine answered.
"Good luck with that," Eda snorted. "Luz ain't gonna give up without a fight."
"That's what I'm afraid of," Raine said worriedly. "I just hope it doesn't come to that."
Eda wanted to argue that Luz would not kill the Scouts this time, but she could not guarantee it. It was not a lack of faith, but history had a terrible habit of repeating itself. If the Scouts pushed Luz too far, she may just use lethal force to defend herself and her friends. It took almost four years for the land outside of the Owl House to return to something resembling its former glory since Luz cast her first Sin Spell and killed for the first time in her young life. And it was all in retribution for Eda. Luz's safety was one thing, but if the Scouts managed to harm any of her friends, or Titan forbid Amity, then the Owl Lady knew blood would be spilt.
"Me too, Rainestorm," Eda solemnly nodded. Hopefully, Alador managed to fix Tsumuri's tablet device so they could all go back to the Human Realm, and this could all blow over.
"Eda, what's going on?" Raine asked. "How is Luz back? And how does she have her powers again?" They remembered that after Witch and Amp defeated Oscura, Luz had been left powerless.
"Oh, that's the crazy thing," Eda chuckled. "It looks like she got herself wrapped up in a crazy game."
"A game?" Raine looked puzzled.
As Eda was about to tell them, Hooty stretched from the door to get between the two witches.
"Lilith's here!" Hooty announced. "Hoot!"
"We'll talk about it later, Raine," Eda sighed. She knew her sister would eventually come and pay them a visit. "Let her in, Hooty."
"It'll be OK, Eda," Raine said reassuringly.
"Oh, I know," Eda sighed as Lilith Clawthorne entered the living room to greet both her sister and enby-in-law.
"Hello, Edalyn, Councilperson Whispers," Lilith formally greeted.
"Loosen up, Lily." Eda rolled her eyes. "We're all family here."
"Right, right," Lilith nodded, composing herself. "So, you must have heard about the incident at the Day of Liberation festival in town today."
"Wouldn't know," Eda scoffed. "You know I avoid that festival for a reason."
"That's...understandable," Lilith conceded. The Day of Liberation marked the day Empress Oscura was defeated and banished from the Boiling Isles. Since then, it has been a celebration that demonised the poor human girl who just wanted to learn magic and be accepted in the Demon Realm. Unfortunately, everyone would only see her as the tyrant who nearly destroyed their world, just like Belos. "But you must have heard that Oscura has returned."
"Believe me, I've heard. It's all over Penstagram," Eda acknowledged, holding up her scroll for emphasis. "Probably some copycat trying to stir up trouble for shits and giggles, or those crazy cultists."
"Yes, that is what we thought at first. However, even though 'Oscura' appears different and displays different powers, it is a positive match according to eyewitnesses," Lilith stated.
"So, why the heck are you here, Lily?" Eda asked.
"...Has she come to see you?" Lilith questioned. "Because, if the human came back to the Boiling Isles, you would be the first person she would go to."
"Are you asking as my sister or a member of the council?" Eda questioned back, her eyes narrowed.
"I... I am not here as Councilwoman Clawthrone, and this is not an official visit," Lilith claimed.
"Well, if Luz did come to see me, why would it matter?" Eda crossed her arms and legs.
"Because I owe that girl so much," Lilith admitted. "Yes, she killed our parents and my Palisman. But truth be told, she would not have gone so far if not for me."
"And I said it before, there's plenty of blame to go around for causing Oscura's rise to power in the first place," Eda reminded. "We all failed her. I just hope the kid is in a better place now."
"Yes, I hope so as well," Lilith nodded. "But the council is up in arms out of fear."
"Yeah, Raine told me they're sending Scouts to go hunt her down and punish her for violating the terms of her banishment. That's if it is Luz, which I still doubt."
"Yes, if it is her. But can you blame them for feeling a bit overzealous? Their scars are still fresh, Eda, and they don't wish for what happened four years ago to repeat itself," Lilith said cautiously, wishing desperately that it was all just some elaborate hoax.
Gus drew a spell circle and created an illusion of himself before creating multiple illusionary copies. They all looked so lifelike that it was almost impossible to tell them apart. Then, he drew another spell circle to dispel the illusions before creating new ones that resembled the DGP players in their Rider forms. He drew their images from memory, based on the posts he had seen on Penstagram and his brief time in the Desire Grand Prix.
It was early in the morning and Gus was out in the Blights' garden, casting illusion spells. His time with the WATTs had made him an early riser, a habit he maintained until now. He would often train with the rest of the illusionists every morning so they could sharpen and maintain their skills. On the field, they used illusions to cover their escape from Oscura's Phantoms. So focused on his task, he failed to realise that he had an audience.
Marcy had spotted him in the garden and decided to study him as he performed magic. She witnessed as he created such realistic illusions that looked so lifelike.
"That was amazing," Marcy praised, catching Gus' attention.
"Marcy?" Gus asked as he dispelled the illusions. "What are you doing up?"
"Heh, sorry for spying on your spell casting. I saw you doing magic and I wanted a closer look," Marcy replied. Like Gus, she had developed a routine of rising early, a practice instilled by her parents. They insisted on early bedtimes, encouraging her to wake up with the dawn. Marcy's early mornings were often dedicated to studying before the hustle of breakfast and school. The exceptions to her early sleep schedule occurred only during sleepovers at Anne's or Sasha's. "Am I bothering you? I could go if that's what you want."
"No, it's fine."
She watched as Gus focused and created another illusion that resembled himself and his friends back when they were younger. It looked just as lifelike as the one before. His lips curled into a frown as he remembered how innocent they used to be, but everything changed right after the Covention four years ago. Luz lost her light and fell into the darkness, and he kept encouraging her to use her new powers, not realising what she was becoming until it was too late. When Luz became Oscura, he thought he had lost his friend but then two Riders from another world saved her.
"You could make a killing in Vegas," Marcy commented as she observed his work.
"Yeah, Luz told me that I could be a famous illusionist and get rich by performing on stage," Gus smiled as he dispelled the illusion. "Before I met Luz, Willow was the only one besides my dad who believed in me."
"Really?"
"Before I met Willow, I didn't have any real friends," Gus confessed. "Because I was a prodigy, I got moved up a couple of grades in Hexside. I thought I had friends, but they were just people who took advantage of me and used me to do their work for them."
"I'm so sorry," Marcy said sympathetically. She wondered what her life would have been like if she never met Anne or Sasha. Anne was the only kid back then who was not driven off by little Marcy's ramblings. They soon met Sasha not long after. If she had not befriended them, she may have been friendless and taken advantage of by others. Luckily, she had Sasha and Anne who always protected her.
She really did miss Anne.
"It's fine," Gus smiled. "After I met Willow and I started the Human Appreciation Society, I wasn't so alone anymore. Still, with my only true talent being in illusions, it's hard to get people to take me seriously."
"Why?" Marcy questioned, puzzled. "You're amazing."
"Thanks, but what I mean is that illusion magic is seen as the weakest form of magic since illusionists can't really make anything real or cast spells that do damage. We just create realistic images."
"Well, that's dumb," Sasha remarked as she joined them.
"Sasha?" Marcy questioned.
"Marcy, why didn't you wake me up?" Sasha frowned, hands on her hips, looking annoyed.
"Oh, I thought I'd let you sleep," Marcy answered. "You looked so peaceful and I didn't want to disturb you."
Sasha smiled, touched by Marcy's thoughtfulness. While she would not be mad at Marcy for waking her up early, she would have preferred it so she could share a good morning kiss with her girlfriend.
"So, I overheard you guys," Sasha began. "And I gotta say, Porter, idiots who tell you your magic is weak are a bunch of dumbasses. When they say you can't do damage with illusions, they have no idea how damaging psychological trauma can be."
"Psychological?" Gus repeated, curious.
"Like showing someone their greatest fears or something traumatic. Physical injuries can heal but psychological scars can last forever."
Gus rubbed his chin as he hummed in contemplation. He never really thought about using his illusions in such a manner. Back during his time in the WATTs, illusionists had a place in the resistance army, creating illusions to hide their troops' movements and distract Phantoms from attacking their convoys or killing their troops. It wasn't much, considering the Phantoms were resistant to the magic of the Boiling Isles, but it was still helpful and managed to save a few lives during battles and getaways.
"Wait…what you're saying, it sounds a lot like what Grom used to do," Gus pondered.
"Who and/or what is 'Grom'?" Sasha blinked.
"It's short for 'Grometheus the Fear Bringer'. It was a monster that fed on and spread fear throughout the Boiling Isles a long time ago. It was trapped under our school, and every year, we used to have a tradition where a student would be selected to battle the monster and put it down, at least until next year. Even had a whole party and dance made for it, which was ironically enough called 'Grom'," Gus explained.
Marcy narrowed her eyes as she started to make some correlations here.
"Wait, it was called 'Grom', and you had dancing, and it was like a party, and it was at school?" Marcy questioned.
"Sounds like the Demon Realm version of our 'proms' back on Earth," Sasha noticed.
"Luz said the same thing when we told her. I really need to see one of your human 'proms'. Dang it, I should've found a way to visit the Human Realm while I was in the DGP," Gus lamented.
"Eh, for what it's worth, prom's no big deal, and it was summer vacation when you guys joined, so school was out anyway," Sasha consoled.
"It's no big deal…says the most popular girl in her school," Marcy pouted. That was when Marcy's eyes widened, just now realising the fact that next year, both would have their senior proms. "Sashy! Promise me right now that you won't go to prom without me or Anne!"
"Please," Sasha scoffed. "If I have to beg my dad to get you a plane ticket back to LA for our prom, I'll do it. I want those chumps to see me walking in with two of the cutest, hottest girls around. And then watch them squirm when they realise they can't have you and Anne."
Marcy should be a little concerned about how possessive that sounded. Yet, at the same time, she was greatly overjoyed and excited at the notion of Sasha showing Anne and herself off to a gaggle of other prom-goers like a couple of trophies.
"Point being, Porter, your powers can be used to hit a person where it can do some real damage: their mind. Even the strongest fighters can be beaten if their mind isn't strong enough to deal with whatever psychological torture you put them through," Sasha explained.
"Sasha's right. Half the time, a battle is won before the fighters enter the ring, just based on mental fortitude alone. You have the chance to debilitate almost anyone. But unless you have some kind of hidden ability to see into a person's mind, you'll need to do some research on your target. General scare tactics are good, but knowing what they're really afraid of will give you a huge advantage," Marcy added.
As much as Gus did not like the idea of becoming a sort of pseudo-Grom, it was an intriguing idea. If he could give himself and his friends an advantage in a fight before the fighting even started, then he would be truly helpful to them.
"You know what, I think I'll give it a shot," Gus decided. "I'm not exactly thrilled about trying to find a person's deepest, darkest fear and using it against them, but at least it's one more way I can help besides just causing a distraction or hiding our presence."
"That's the spirit," Sasha smiled proudly.
"Glad we could help, Gus," Marcy added with a smile of her own.
"Oh, bee-tee-dubs, whatever happened to this 'Grom' thing? Do you guys still fight it every year?" Sasha inquired.
Gus winced when she was asked that question.
"Oh…uh…no, not anymore."
Sasha raised an eyebrow at his odd reaction.
"So, you're not happy that you guys don't have to keep fighting a fear monster every year?" Sasha questioned in confusion.
"Uh…no, we are. It's just…the year that it stopped, wasn't exactly a good one," Gus answered hesitantly.
"Why not?" Marcy questioned.
"Because that was the year that Oscura rose to power." Marcy, Sasha, and Gus looked towards the doors that led into the garden to see Willow. She was an early riser as well, using the time to work out and train. She walked out into the garden and stopped before a rose bush as she sighed wistfully. "And it was the same year that…well…I tried to move on from Luz, at least romantically. You see…"
Willow was kind of thrilled to be doing something relatively normal for a change. After Luz renounced her name and started calling herself 'Oscura', Willow believed she had lost her best friend, and her crush, to the darkness forever. Even when she tried to appeal to the Dark Rider, Oscura would not budge on her position to stay as the Empress so she could rule the Boiling Isles as the monster everyone saw her as. Since then, Willow had been trying to get into a routine so she could move on.
With the abolishment of the Coven System, every student in Hexside was free to wield magic as they saw fit. Mixing and matching different magic types and finding joy in learning that they had affinities for more than one type of magic. Willow didn't branch out that much. She mostly stayed in the Plant Track for her love of nature. Of course, in this new era of magic, no one was discriminated against for being a single-track or multitrack student. There were no distinctions like 'coven witches' or 'wild witches' anymore. Everyone was just a witch.
She even heard that a few students who attempted to mix magic before and were put in the Detention Track had been released once the old system was abolished. They were the first to be seen wearing the new multitrack uniforms and before long, other students followed.
During this time, Willow stumbled upon a new girl in school. She had seen her hanging out with Boscha and her crew, and from what she heard, the new girl's name was 'Morgan Le Fay'. Willow could not figure out why, but she found herself glancing at the new girl a lot. Her cheeks would flush red when she did so, but again, she did not understand why.
Since she arrived, the new girl had somehow become the most popular student in Hexside. Not only that, but she also managed to take over as leader of Boscha's clique. This caused a schism within the school's social hierarchy as someone - practically a nobody - waltzed into their school and dethroned Boscha. Not only did she have incredible physical prowess – having single-handedly overpowered the school's grudgby team – but she was also nice to everyone. She didn't see anyone as lesser than her, and she was great with her studies. In addition, for some reason, Boscha listened to the new girl. If Morgan said, 'Jump', Boscha would ask, 'How high?' The once proud, arrogant, Alpha Bitch of Hexside had been reduced to a gopher.
Willow was not going to lie as she got some sadistic joy in watching someone like Boscha being bossed around. However, she did find it strange that Boscha did not try to fight back or even attempt to retake her position as the most popular girl in school. However, Willow didn't care. All of this, combined with her initial feelings, only made her like Morgan more, and she hadn't even spoken to the new girl yet.
They shared a few classes here and there, and Willow would find herself glancing at the girl, but she made sure not to linger too much. She didn't want to look like some kind of stalker. However, that all changed when Morgan decided to approach her first.
"Is this seat taken?" Morgan asked politely as she stood at Willow's table in the cafeteria. Willow was surprised to see her without Boscha and her crew.
"No," Willow answered, trying not to sound nervous.
"Thanks." Morgan took the seat beside Willow and set her lunch tray down.
"Why aren't you sitting with Boscha's gang?" Willow questioned, suspiciously. While Morgan appeared to be nice, Willow had trouble trusting anyone who willingly associated themself with the bully.
"Because I can sit wherever I want," Morgan claimed. "And I wanted to sit with you. Your name's Willow, right? I'm Morgan."
"Oh, I know," Willow returned. "We share a few classes together."
"It's nice to formally meet you, Willow."
"So, why did you really want to sit with me?" Willow questioned. "Boscha's probably told you about me."
"I'd rather get to know someone myself instead of listening to second-hand gossip," Morgan replied. "If you ask me, Boscha's not really a good judge of character and way too judgmental. Besides, from what I've seen, you're not some 'half-a-witch' if you're one of the top students in the Plant Track. I bet if there was still a Plant Coven, you'd become the next Head."
"That is nice of you to say," Willow responded, blushing at the honest praise.
"Just being honest. You are great, Willow. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."
It had been a long time since Willow heard that from someone other than Gus. Not that she didn't like hearing it from her friend, but it was nice hearing it from another person who didn't initially know her. Just like Luz…
"You okay?" Morgan asked. "You kinda zoned out there."
"O-Oh, yeah, sorry, I was just lost in thought," Willow replied.
"Hey, Willow," Gus greeted as he came to their table and noticed that his best friend was not alone. "Morgana Le Fay? What are you doing here?"
"Having lunch with people that I hope will be my new friends, Augustus," Morgan smiled warmly.
"You know me?" Gus asked, bewildered.
"Of course, you're an illusion genius. And please, call me 'Morgan', Augustus. All my friends do."
"I will, and my friends call me 'Gus'."
"Then I hope we can be friends too, Gus."
As the trio had their lunch together and talked, Willow felt a familiar and warm feeling stirring in her heart. It was almost like they had Luz with them again.
"Hm, maybe I could drop by this Human Appreciation Society of yours, Gus," Morgan said. Gus sighed. "What's wrong?"
"His club got shut down," Willow answered. "After everyone found out the truth about Belos and Empress Oscura took the throne, people are not too keen on learning about humans."
"That's a shame," Morgan frowned. "The club sounds like a fun time." Just then the bell screamed for the lunch break to be over, causing Morgan to sigh. "Aw man, I thought I had more time. Hope we can talk some more, you guys." Morgan stood up from the table and gave Willow a wink as she said, "See ya later, cutie."
Willow watched as Morgan walked away, returning to Boscha and her crew before all of them, including some of the other students, left the lunch hall. Willow stood up as well but paused when she saw the smug look on Gus's face.
"W-Why are you looking at me like that?" Willow inquired.
"Oh, nothing," Gus teased.
"Stop it."
"Stop what?" Gus asked innocently.
"That, that thing you're doing," Willow stated.
"I'm not doing or saying anything," Gus denied.
"I know you think I like Morgan," the Plant witch accused.
Gus shrugged as he picked up his tray.
"I didn't say it, you did. But in my honest opinion, maybe you should hang out with her more often. She may be part of Boscha's gang, but I haven't heard of Morgan doing anything mean. If anything, she's helped some kids around school."
Willow couldn't dismiss that. She had not only heard of Morgana Le Fay's kind-hearted gestures but had also witnessed them herself. However, a part of Willow's heart still held onto her feelings for Luz, despite all she had done and said to them. Still, seeing Morgan did make her heart feel lighter.
"I understand where you're coming from, Gus. But I don't know if I'm ready to feel that way towards someone else," said Willow, with a hint of sadness in her voice.
"Look, Willow, as much as it hurts to admit it, the Luz we knew is gone," Gus told her. "We need to accept that and move on. Luz wouldn't want us to be unhappy."
The last bell for school screamed, and the students were dismissed while kids with after-school clubs went to their respective club rooms. Since Willow's Gardening Club was not meeting today, she was on her way out when someone called out to her.
"Willow, hey!" Morgan called, waving at her. "Wait up!"
"Oh, hey, Morgan," Willow greeted back.
"The girls and I are heading out to town. Wanna join us?" Morgan offered. Willow looked at the group warily, her eyes settling on Boscha.
"Do we really want her hanging out with us?" Boscha sneered.
"Why, Boscha?" Morgan's eyes narrowed. "You got a problem with that?"
Boscha's three eyes widened, and she instantly shook her head.
"N-no, Morgan! Of course, not!"
"Good," Morgan smiled pleasantly. "I'm glad that we won't have any problems with Willow joining us. So, Willow? Whaddya say?"
"Sure," Willow accepted. She did not have any plans, and Gus did encourage her to hang out with Morgan more often. "So, where are we going?"
"Skara knows this dance club in town that has an awesome band. We're heading there now," Morgan answered. "After today, I'm in the mood to tear up the dance floor."
Since then, Morgan and Willow would often hang out after school with Boscha and her crew. Strangely enough, Amelia, Cat, and Skara – especially Skara – were not jerks like Boscha and were actually pretty nice. It made Willow wonder why they even hung out with the three-eyed witch in the first place, but she was thankful that Morgan managed to put Boscha in her place.
On some level, it was kind of scary to see Boscha being so submissive to someone else. It was as if Morgan was the Titan itself, and one word of defiance meant complete destruction for anyone who dared to cross her path. But then Willow remembered how much of a bitch Boscha was to her and stopped caring. If anything, Boscha deserved to be knocked down a peg or two.
In class, Morgan and Willow would work together on projects. Morgan would also occasionally have lunch with Willow and Gus. Gradually, Willow soon found herself feeling more comfortable around Morgan. Strangely, talking with Morgan felt familiar, like she was reconnecting with a long-lost friend. Or rather, a long-lost love. Whatever this feeling was, it did not take long for Willow to realise that she had a crush on Morgan. At first, she felt guilty for betraying her feelings towards Luz, but like Oscura said, that girl was gone forever.
Willow's dads noticed how happy she was one morning as she sat down with them for breakfast.
"So, you seem happy," Gilbert Park observed.
"Oh, I'm going out with Morgan later," Willow replied.
"Is that a new friend?" her dad inquired.
"Yeah, she transferred to our school, and we've been hanging out."
"I'm glad to hear that, Willow. You've been so depressed since your human friend–"
"Gilbert," Harvey interrupted, shaking his head.
"Oh, right. I'm so sorry," Gilbert apologised.
"It's OK, Dad," Willow said. "I've accepted that Luz is gone, and I need to move on. She wouldn't want me to be sad."
She had cried herself to sleep that night after she, Gus, Eda, and King visited Empress Oscura. Her dads had tried to cheer her up, but as well-intentioned as their efforts were, they just didn't understand the depths of the loss Willow had suffered. The guilt she felt for not stepping in sooner, for not standing up for Luz, and for losing her best friend whom she harboured romantic feelings for. Nonetheless, they did the best they could, and Willow appreciated their efforts. In the end, they were just happy that she was recovering and moving on from all that.
As more time passed, Morgan had become more than just a close friend to Willow. In fact, Willow had fallen in love with her new friend. Days flew by and it was near the day the annual Grom Night was to be held. Willow decided that this would be her only chance to show Morgan that she wanted to be more than just friends by asking her to go to the dance together. She was still worried, however, for more than one reason.
First, she was worried that she was just using Morgan as a substitute for Luz. As Willow got to know Morgan, she discovered that her crush shared many qualities with Luz. Maybe that was why the Plant witch was so drawn to the girl, or maybe Willow had a type - her type being dorky, quirky girls who were also strong and tall.
Willow was also worried that Morgan might not feel the same way and would be put off by the Plant witch asking her out. Nevertheless, she decided she was going to be bold and ask Morgan to go to Grom with her as her date.
It was in the hallway when Willow walked up to Morgan, who was talking with Boscha and the rest of their crew by the lockers. When Morgan saw her, she smiled in a way that caused Willow's heart to pound in her chest.
"Hey, Willow," Morgan greeted, waving.
"Morning, Morgan," Willow smiled. She greeted the rest in turn, "Morning, Skara, Cat, Amelia." Her frown fell when she looked at Boscha. "Boscha."
Boscha wanted to retort but caught Morgan's cold glare and wisely shut up.
"So, it looks like Grom Night is coming soon," Morgan stated as she saw the decorations being put up. "You have a date yet?"
"Actually, that's what I wanted to talk to you about," Willow blushed, looking away shyly. "I was wondering, perhaps..." She held her hands together in front of her, shuffling her feet. "If you could go with me as my date?!"
"Yes."
"Oh, OK. Sorry to bother you– wait, what?" Morgan's answer finally registered with Willow.
"Yes, I would love to go to Grom with you, Willow," Morgan smiled. "I was gonna ask you to be my date actually, but you beat me to it. Way to show initiative there."
"So, you're going with me?"
"Yes."
"As my date?"
"Yep."
"OK," Willow exhaled. "Excuse me." She opened the door to the empty classroom and stepped inside. Moments later, a loud squeal could be heard from the other side. "EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" A moment after that, Willow stepped out with a happy smile on her face. "Thank you so much, Morgan!"
"So, what time should I pick you up?" Morgan asked.
"I'll meet you at school," Willow said. "I promise you'll have a great night at Grom."
"Of course, I will," Morgan smiled, taking Willow's hand to kiss her knuckles. "I'm going with a cute little cinnamon roll as my date."
{Would Morgana Le Fay please report to the principal's office?} the PA system went off.
"Me?" Morgan pointed to herself.
{Yes, you,} the PA system responded.
"Guess I'm off to see Princy B," Morgan shrugged. "I wonder why."
"Are you in trouble or something?" Skara asked.
"I sure hope not. The school day hasn't even started." Morgan then smiled at Willow. "See ya later, babe." She did finger guns and winked at Willow before going to meet Principal Bump.
"Park, are you sure about asking Morgan to be your date?" Boscha asked Willow once Morgan was out of earshot.
"Boscha, whoever I ask to be my date is my business and mine alone. So, kindly, stay out of it," Willow retorted, feeling bold. Ever since Morgan put Boscha in her place, Willow had stopped fearing the three-eyed witch. Boscha gritted her teeth but held her tongue.
"Fine, do whatever you want," Boscha huffed before she stomped away.
"I gotta ask, does Boscha…have a thing for Morgan?" Willow asked.
Cat, Skara and Amelia glanced between each other, now pondering the question in earnest.
"Now that I think about it, there was that one time that Boscha and Morgan walked off, and were gone for a long while," Ameilia remembered.
"Yeah, actually, it was after that when Boscha started doing what Morgan said," Cat pointed out. "You don't think–?"
"IT COULD BE ANYTHING OR NOTHING!" Skara interrupted, shooting her friends a glare. "L-look, Willow, don't worry about it. I don't honestly think Boscha has a crush on her. I've known Boscha since we were little, and Amity's been the one she's crushed on. Although…I do wonder why she listens to Morgan. Only Amity had that kind of clout over her. But again, I mean, it's probably nothing…maybe… I'm going to stop talking now!"
Willow wasn't worried about it, but now she kind of was. The idea of Boscha having a crush on Morgan never really came to mind, but it kind of made sense in a way. Why else would someone as proud, arrogant, and strong-willed as Boscha Barbtalone submit to Morgan's every whim and back down whenever the tall witch girl glared at her? And Skara just said the only other witch that Boscha listened to and respected was Amity, but Amitty's family was wealthy and part of the nobility, she had the power and skill to back up all she did. But Morgan…she was strong, kind, skilled, but as far as she knew, Morgan wasn't wealthy or part of the nobility.
'I really hope that's not the case…'
Several minutes went by after Morgan was called in to see Principal Bump, and the young Plant witch couldn't help but feel nervous. As far as she knew, Morgan had not done anything wrong to warrant being called into the principal's office. So, what could it be about?
Thankfully, her worries seemed to subside when she was walking through the hallway, heading to her next class, and it was then that she spotted Morgan with her usual confident smile.
"Morgan!" Willow called out.
"Hey, there's my precious cinnamon roll," Morgan smoothly replied, causing Willow to blush.
"So, what did Principal Bump want?" Willow asked as Morgan sat beside her in class.
"He told me I was Grom Queen," Morgan answered.
"Oh, whew, that's a relief– Wait, PRINCIPAL BUMP SAID WHAT?!" Willow exclaimed.
{Attention, Hexside students. I'd like to officially announce that this year's Grom Royalty is…Morgana Le Fay!}
The other students gasped, but at the same time, they didn't look worried. By this point, many of the Hexside students were aware of Morgan's magical skills and her physical prowess. It only made sense that she would be crowned as Grom Royalty this year above everyone. Amity was absent from school for obvious reasons, at least obvious to Willow and Gus, but even if she was here, Willow could easily see that Morgan would be at the number one spot for Grom Queen.
"You've only been here for a couple of months. That hardly seems fair!" Willow complained.
"Willow, it's fine," Morgan reassured. "If Princy B. thinks I can do it, then I'll do it."
"But…facing Grom is not something to just brush off."
Morgan stepped closer to Willow and hooked an arm over her date's shoulders.
"Willow, babe, relax. It's going to be fine. We'll get dressed up, we'll dance, we'll laugh, and then I'll slay a fear monster. Simple," Morgan said fearlessly.
Willow was still uneasy about the whole thing.
"Let me do it instead. I'll switch places with you. I'm stronger than I used to be!"
The tanned witch girl smiled, leaned down, and kissed Willow on the cheek. This caused the pink blush on Willow's face to darken.
"Willow, I really appreciate that you'd do that for me, but I can handle Grom."
Willow was still worried about Morgan's chances of defeating Grom. Even some older students who were picked before had trouble defeating the Fearbringer, some just barely managing even though they were facing their greatest fears. Morgan was confident, but so were others before her. Willow just hoped that confidence would carry her date through the night. But with that in mind, there was still a bigger dilemma ahead of Willow.
'What am I going to wear?!'
It was Grom Night, and everyone was dressed to the nines.
This would be the first Grom Night since Oscura took over and abolished the Coven System, which meant a student wouldn't be limited in their magic, allowing them access to a wider range of spells. Many thought this would give whoever would battle Grom a huge advantage as they could basically fight like a Coven Scout.
This year, the Grom Queen was going to be Morgan Le Fay. Her popularity, skill, and magical prowess had earned her the right to be selected as Grom's slayer this year. Willow was a little worried for Morgan. While she had faith in her date's abilities, Willow had seen her fair share of young witches become total wrecks after facing Grom.
It was one thing to fight a monster, but another to face a monster that could manifest your deepest, darkest fear, literally become it, and kill you with it. Thankfully, the teachers were ready to step in case that occurred. Still, it didn't make Willow any less worried.
Willow appeared at the dance in a nice green dress while Morgan had come in a dapper suit, making the Plant witch blush hard upon seeing her.
"You look beautiful, Willow," Morgan complimented as she moved a strand of hair from Willow's face.
"T-Thank you. Y-you, um, you look handsome in that suit, Morgan," Willow sheepishly replied.
"Heh, I gotta look dapper for my girl, and to also look cool when I annihilate Grom."
"Oh, but you're missing something," Willow noted, drawing a spell circle to put a corsage on Morgan's lapel. "There."
"Nice," Morgan complimented before taking out a corsage of her own. "Here, for you." She pinned it onto Willow's dress. "Now you look more beautiful."
Willow smiled but was still on edge. She tilted her head to the right and grimaced when she noticed Boscha standing behind Morgan.
"Ugh…what is she doing here?" Willow groaned.
Morgan glanced over her shoulder and chuckled.
"Oh, wow, I almost forgot she was there," Morgan joked. "Don't worry about Bosch. She's just my shadow for tonight. A shadow who will get us whatever we want. Isn't that right, Bosch?"
"Y-yes, Morgan," Boscha nervously replied.
"In fact, unless spoken to, Boscha is going to be a nice, quiet shadow," Morgan stated as she raised an eyebrow at the triclops, practically daring her to say otherwise.
"No, Morgan– I mean yes! Yes, Morgan!" Boscha corrected in fear.
Morgan nodded and then offered her hand to Willow.
"Shall we walk around? I wanna show off my cute date tonight."
"M-me? C-Cute?" Willow stammered.
"Of course you are," Morgan assured.
"Pfft, more like an overstuffed, nerdy–" Boscha began to mutter.
Morgan swiftly turned around and glared at the three-eyed witch girl.
"Sorry, Boscha, I didn't quite hear you. Care to repeat that?"
All three of Boscha's eyes widened with fear as she straightened up.
"N-Nothing, Morgan! I-I'm sorry!"
"Humph, damn right you're sorry." Morgan turned around, swiftly changing her scowl to a smile as she offered her hand to Willow, again. "Sorry about that, so, ready to go?"
Willow smiled back and took Morgan's hand before hooking her arm around her date's. The two of them began walking around the gym. They were greeted by the other students, congratulating Morgan on becoming Grom Queen. It normally wasn't a thing to be congratulated about, but it seemed that the student body had high confidence in Morgan's ability to defeat Grom with ease.
Willow didn't think it was fair as they were putting a lot of pressure on Morgan. She didn't even know what Grom Night was until a few days ago. And now, she was going to have to face a monster that would make her experience her greatest fear.
'If anything happens, I'll go down and save her, Grom be damned. Although…I don't know what'll happen to me if it sees what I'm afraid of… I don't know if I can…'
The Plant witch tried to keep such thoughts from invading her mind. She was at Grom Night with the most popular girl in school, someone who was nice, caring, a good friend and…her possible girlfriend before the end of the night, Titan willing.
The hours passed, and the time for Morgan to face Grom was nearing. The students had taken to the dance floor as the band played, and Willow and Morgan were among them. The tall witch girl put a hand around Willow's hip while the Plant witch put a hand on her date's shoulder. Their remaining hands were linked together as they began to sway to the music.
As they danced, the Plant witch was lost in Morgan's eyes as she looked up at her. Morgan made Willow feel safe as if these arms would protect her. It was silly, but she liked it. Right now, they were in their own world, with the music surrounding them. Nothing else mattered except this beautiful and romantic moment.
'Am I really falling in love again?' Willow thought as she danced with Morgan. She was so tempted to kiss her right now but resisted. She was not going to steal a kiss in the heat of the moment, not before she confessed her feelings to her.
After their dance, Willow and Morgan went to a table and sat down. It wouldn't do Morgan any good if she was too tired from dancing to face Grom. So Willow suggested they take a break.
"Man, I'm parched after that. Boscha, mind getting us some drinks?" Morgan asked her, causing her to flinch.
"Yes, Morgan," Boscha nodded before she went to get drinks for Willow and Morgan.
"Um…since Boscha's gone, I have a question," Willow timidly said.
"Of course, ask away," Morgan encouraged.
"I'm sorry if this sounds stupid or insecure as all heck but…do…do you like Boscha? Or-or does Boscha like you? Is that why she does whatever you want?"
There was a long pause after that. This only made Willow more nervous about even giving breath to the question. However, just after the question was asked, Morgan broke out into a laughing fit, holding her sides as she stamped her foot on the floor.
"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh! Oh, man! Y-You think– that Boscha is– AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Morgan laughed.
Willow blushed and looked away.
"It's not that funny…is it?"
Morgan finally got her laughing under control and sighed.
"Sorry, sorry. I'm not laughing at you, just the thought of someone like Boscha liking me like that."
"Does she?"
"Eh, even if she did, she's not my type. I mean she's hella toxic, and I know you know this better than anyone, am I right?" Willow nodded her head. She most definitely knew of Boscha's toxic personality and behaviour. "I just had a few choice words for when we first met. She's just like any bully anywhere. Show them strength, show them that you're not about to take their shit, and they'll back down pretty quickly. And being awesome also helps to drive the point home."
Willow raised an eyebrow and smirked, "Wow, modest much?"
"Hey, I can't help it if I rule. I mean, I have the cutest, best witch as my date for Grom. I'd say that's awesome in and of itself," Morgan mentioned.
Willow's face heated up from the compliment, but she tried to play it off as she crossed her arms and looked away.
"Compliments aren't going to work on me."
"I'm just speaking the truth."
"Smooth talker."
After a little lighthearted back-and-forth, Willow's gaze fell on the gym floor, knowing just below them was the lair of Grom, and that her date would have to go down there and face the monster herself. Of course, this did not go unnoticed by the tall witch.
"Not enjoying yourself?" Morgan asked.
"I am, it's just, I wish Luz was here," Willow confessed.
"Oh, who's that?"
Willow realised that she hadn't spoken with Morgan about Luz before. Her grip on her arms tightened a little, considering that mentioning her former crush's name came with a mixture of emotions.
"I guess you wouldn't know, but that's who Empress Oscura used to be, and she was my best friend."
"Oh…wow, you knew Empress Oscura? Guess you hate her now, huh? For betraying you and all," Morgan inquired.
Willow sighed heavily, "Even after all that's happened…I still can't bring myself to. I probably should, but I can't. Because I know that the person sitting on the throne is there because I let her down."
Morgan raised an eyebrow at that.
"Why would you say that?"
"Because…I don't know…maybe I should've done more?" Willow began unconsciously rubbing at her arm and as she did, she rubbed off the concealer that was there.
"That looks like it hurts," Morgan observed.
"What?" Willow looked down and saw that her bite mark was showing. The bespectacled witch hurriedly used her hand to cover it, feeling ashamed. "I…I'm sorry. I didn't tell you about it."
"Who did that to you?"
"…Luz did… Don't be angry with her. She did this when she was having a breakdown. She was hurting herself, so I wrestled with her to make her stop. In the process, she bit me. I probably could have a Healer to make it go away, but…" Willow sighed. "You'll think it's pathetic…"
Morgan reached over with her right hand and wrapped it around Willow's left.
"Willow, I never, nor will ever, think you're pathetic."
Willow smiled as she gave her answer, "I don't want it healed because…I consider it like a badge of honour, in a way. I wanted to protect my friend. I got it for–"
"Someone you loved?"
Willow's eyes widened, quickly looking up at Morgan, ready to tell her that Luz, rather, Empress Oscura, no longer had any feelings for the Plant witch and that she didn't have to be afraid of being with her if that was the case. Or…maybe she was afraid that Willow still harboured feelings for the Dark Empress? As much as Willow would deny it to everyone who asked, she still had those feelings for Luz — clinging onto some desperate hope that her former best friend and crush would find the light again and return to them.
"Yes…I-I did love her, but…she doesn't feel that way towards me. At least, not anymore," Willow answered sadly.
"…Willow, I…I– where is Boscha with those damn drinks?!" Morgan griped.
"Here! I'm here!" Boscha shouted as she sprinted to the table, panting, and sweating once she stopped. "S-sorry, Morgan! T-there was a line! I-I would've just blasted them away, but you told me not to do that kind of stuff anymore…"
Morgan wordlessly took one of the glasses and drank.
"Attention, everyone!" Principal Bump announced. "It is time for our Grom Queen to do battle with Grometheus the Fear Bringer! Please clear the dance floor as we open the arena!"
Every student hurriedly got off the dance floor and made their way to the bleachers. Skara saw that the night's festivities were about to begin, and immediately tore off her clothes. Some would think she didn't have anything underneath, but they would be wrong. Skara was wearing a jersey and a new pair of pants under her clothes, and printed on the shirt was the word 'GROM'. The Bard Track witch hooted and hollered as she waved around the tattered remains of her Grom clothes in excitement for tonight's battle.
Morgan sighed heavily as she got up from the table, but not before glancing at Willow.
"Willow, thank you," Morgan told her gratefully.
"For what?" Willow asked in confusion.
"For letting me experience this time in Hexside. For letting me feel like I belonged among you. And…just know that I didn't do this to hurt you. I had so much fun here in Hexside, and most of that was because of you and Gus," Morgan confessed.
Willow stood up and looked at her date worriedly.
"Morgan…why are you talking like that? What are you going to do?"
Morgan began walking towards the dance floor.
"I'm going to end Grom tonight…" Morgan resolved.
"Morgan, wait!" Willow cried out. However, before she could go after her, a potion bottle hit the floor, right around Willow's feet. The moment it did, the liquid spilt out and began transforming into a gelatin-like substance that wrapped around Willow's legs. The gelatin suddenly hardened, becoming very heavy and forcing Willow to the floor.
"Boscha! You bitch! What are you doing?!" Willow yelled.
"Believe me…Park…it's for your own good. And…it's what she told me to do," Boscha answered.
"Morgan…but why?!" Willow asked in a mix of shock and disbelief.
"Just watch…"
Willow did indeed watch as the floor opened up to reveal Grom's lair as Morgan approached it. Two walls of weapons arose on either side of her. Willow watched as her date glanced at the assembled weapons for her use and saw her forgo any weapons before she descended into the arena. Willow dragged herself towards the edge of the opening, frantically looking for Grom as Morgan stood near the entrance. The witch wasn't even taking a defensive stance, nor was she preparing any spell circles.
Gus, the MC, decided to offer commentary at this time.
"Looks like Morgan has chosen not to use any weapons in her fight against Grom! A bold move. Is she planning on relying solely on her own physical ability and magic skills to defeat Grom?!"
Willow didn't like this. Morgan looked so calm, almost nonchalant about the whole situation. It was as if this was a tedious chore that she was waiting to get over with. But soon, the signs of Grom's coming were seen. Particles of black ooze started to rise from beneath the floor. Bit by bit, more and more of the ooze floated out of the floor until it was coming out in thick black streams. The streams coalesced into a single round sphere, and as the sphere formed, it began to create clawed arms and legs until it was a large creature that stood about ten feet tall, dwarfing Morgan's height. The amorphous blob that was Grom shrieked upon seeing the one who was going to face it in battle this year.
"So, you're Grometheus," Morgan casually remarked. "I thought you'd be scarier."
Grom shrieked threateningly as tentacles began to rise from its body. Two of the tentacles lashed out at Morgan, but the witch girl easily dodged them, backflipping away from them, and nimbly landing on the ground with ease.
"Holy Titan! Morgan's really moving! Strangely, Grom doesn't seem to be using its fear powers. Normally, around this time, Grom starts manifesting their opponent's superficial fears! But instead of that, it's going straight for its tactic of reading the opponent's mind to see what they fear most! And like a nimble cat, Morgan is dodging every single attack that Grom is throwing at her!" Gus announced.
As grateful as Willow was to see that Morgan could dodge Grom's attacks, she knew that her date couldn't keep that up forever. It would only take one mistake, one misstep to allow Grom to latch a tentacle onto Morgan and read her mind.
"Boscha, seriously! Get this stuff off me, now!" Willow demanded.
"Look, I would if I could, but she told me not to!" Boscha retorted. "And the last thing I want is to get on her bad side any more than I already am! I'm not risking that for you, Park!"
"What did Morgan do to you that got you so scared of her?!"
Boscha didn't answer. She only pointed her finger back at the arena below, as if silently telling Willow to watch. Willow returned her gaze to the arena and watched as Morgan kept dodging Grom's attacks. The witch girl stopped flipping around and stood still before Grom as if mocking the Fear Bringer. It was as if she wasn't even taking Grom as a serious threat.
"I'm not sure if you used to be a person before you became this thing, or if you have always been this way. Either way, I can't let you continue to live. There's only one being here that can strike fear into everyone, and I don't feel like sharing the limelight."
Grom shrieked again and doubled its size, producing more tentacles that were lined with spikes and tipped with spear-like barbs, readying itself to kill Morgan right then and there. The teachers who were watching were getting ready to jump in and intervene to save Morgan, but that was when the witch raised her left hand. A flash of violet light went off and, a second after the flash, a belt appeared around Morgan's waist. At the same time, an all too familiar ring manifested on her left ring finger.
Willow's eyes widened with shock as she looked upon these items, and realised who Morgan Le Fay truly was.
"…Henshin."
[Darkness, Now!]
A violet magic circle appeared under Morgan, releasing a bright violet light that blinded everyone in the gym. Even Grom had to look away. When the light faded, everyone gasped in shock and horror at who now stood in Morgan's place.
Donned in her familiar white coat, black mesh suit, and crystal chestplate, was none other than the Empress of the Boiling Isles herself, Kamen Rider Oscura. The Dark Rider's back was adorned with six black feathered wings, and her helmet's visor glowed intensely.
"All of you, stay where you are. I want you to bear witness to the end of this monster."
Oscura slipped on one of her Seven Sin Rings, one that had a red gemstone in it. The Dark Rider changed the position of the DesWizarDriver's Hand Author and scanned the ring.
{WRATHFUL DESTRUCTION, NOW!}
A burning crimson light formed around Oscura's right hand, and Grom the Fear Bringer shrieked in fear as it looked to run away. However, it would not be able to escape as Oscura reached out with her left hand and used the power of the Darkness Ring to hold Grom in place.
She made sure to layer her aura over every inch of the monster as she was not about to take the chance that Grom could reform itself if a single piece of it remained. To that end, she was going to make sure nothing of Grom would be left.
The sphere of crimson light in her right hand grew bigger and bigger and bigger, now becoming the size of a boulder that she now held over her head. But then, that boulder-sized sphere of power rapidly shrunk down until it was the size of a marble. Oscura positioned the marble-sized sphere of energy between her thumb and index finger, aiming it like a marble shooter. Once Grom was in her sights, Oscura flicked the small sphere with her thumb, launching it straight at the fear monster.
Grom was helpless at this point, unable to move, and unable to do anything to prevent its upcoming demise. That was when the sphere stopped about two inches away from its body before the ball of crimson light rapidly expanded into its original size, its power roaring with the fierceness of a raging dragon. No more shrieks were heard as Grometheus was completely engulfed in the power before the sphere immediately vanished, taking the Fearbringer along with it.
Nothing was left of Grom as not a single bit of the monster remained. It didn't surprise Willow or Gus. They knew full well what that spell could do. Whatever that spell hit was reduced to nothing, not even ashes remained.
Luz, or rather Oscura, had brought an end to Grometheus the Fear Bringer forever. The Dark Rider's body glowed, and in the next moment, she returned to her civilian form as the black wings dispersed into a cascade of black feathers around her. Oscura had forgone her disguise, allowing everyone to gaze upon her in all her scarred glory. The Dark Empress walked out of Grom's lair and back onto the gym floor. She turned to face the students of Hexside, along with its faculty, and addressed them.
"As of tonight, Grometheus the Fear Bringer will never return. Hexside will no longer refer to Grom Night as a night where a student is picked and made to battle a monster. It will be a night for you all to dance, have fun, and make memories with your friends and those you…love…" Oscura glanced at Willow, and then towards the stage where Gus continued to stare silently.
Oscura walked to where Willow and Boscha were. The latter of the two had fallen onto her rear, shaking like a leaf in a windstorm. Boscha had known all along who Morgan was, but even so, seeing Empress Oscura standing before her again, in her true form, was still absolutely terrifying.
"Boscha, I say this with all due sincerity, try not to piss yourself," said Oscura.
Willow didn't know what to say. Although now she understood why it felt so nice to be around Morgan, why it was so easy to fall for a girl she barely knew all that well. It was because she already knew her from the beginning.
"Lu–!"
"Don't say that name, Willow."
"…Oscura…why?"
Oscura knelt before Willow and smirked at her.
"I got bored sitting on the throne. I fixed most of the problems on the Boiling Isles practically overnight, so I thought it'd be fun to pretend to be a student. I told you once before, that I always wanted to join a magic school, make friends, and learn magic spells in a cute uniform. And now I can cross that off my list and move on to the next item."
"Was pretending to like me and be my date part of the 'fun', too?" Willow asked with a slight edge to her voice. "Were you just making fun of me?"
Oscura furrowed her brow as she held out her left hand. Boscha averted her gaze, afraid to witness someone getting murdered in front of her. Willow lowered her head and closed her eyes as if accepting her fate. However, what followed was the sound of cracking, and then something shattered and clunked against the hardwood floor. That was when Willow felt that her legs had been freed. The bespectacled witch opened her eyes and looked down as she realized that Oscura had freed her from the Ensnarement Potion Boscha had used.
"I knew you'd run into that pit to protect Morgan, so I had Boscha make that potion just in case." Oscura stood up and turned around with a fluttering of her cape. "I would never hurt you like that, Willow. I am sorry though, I needed to come to Hexside and deal with this little matter personally. I don't need a monster like that in my Empire." Oscura then turned her attention to the students and faculty. "Sorry for souring your night. Do try and have fun."
[Transport, Now.]
The students and faculty watched as Oscura formed a spell circle underneath her, and steadily sunk into it before disappearing completely.
"Holy shit…" Sasha gasped.
"Luz destroyed the monster just like that?!" Marcy exclaimed.
"Yeah, but even with Grom gone, we still have Grom Night to celebrate Grom's destruction. Besides the party, it involves having a big papier-mâché version of Grom made for the Grom King or Queen to smash with whatever they want, blindfolded," Gus explained.
"Like a piñata," Marcy noted.
Sasha was scratching her head as she tried to figure out something from Willow's story.
"Hold on, this doesn't make sense. When Luz was Oscura, she ruled this place and was so powerful that she could do anything she wanted, right?" Sasha asked.
"Yeah, she was, and she did," Willow answered.
"So then why bother pretending to be a student? She could've just waltzed right into the school, had them open up that thing's lair, and then she could've vaporised it. Why did she wait so long to do it?"
"You're right," Willow smiled as she replied, "She could've just gone right in and destroyed Grom whenever she wanted to. I asked myself that same question after it was all over. But it wasn't until later that night that I put the pieces together. I believe that Luz did all that because she missed us. She wanted to enjoy a school life with me and Gus, even if it was only temporary. When I realised that, it gave me hope that she was not too far gone."
"...But then she completely lost it," Sasha added, and Willow's smile fell.
"Learning that you have another version of yourself living their best life, while you somehow got stuck with the shitty version of your life. That would cause anyone to snap," Gus defended. "Especially with how bad things went for her, seeing another Luz live the dream she hoped for, pushed her over the edge, and she was already hanging on by a thread."
"Do you think…maybe…if Luz never saw a glimpse of that alternate reality, do you think she would've come back to you?" Marcy asked.
Willow and Gus glanced at each other. It was a question they had often asked themselves time and again. They knew it was a pointless question to ask, but with the existence of the Multiverse, they often wondered if there was another version of themselves where Oscura actually found her way back to the light and became Luz again.
"I think that her ring would've continued to corrupt her, and she would eventually reach that point by herself. Seeing that other reality just made it happen sooner," Gus admitted.
"We might've had more chances to bring her back, but Gus is right. That ring just fed on Luz's negative emotions and then magnified them. Not a day goes by when we wish we hadn't stopped her from going to the library and finding that book, or finding her before she completed that ritual," Willow stated.
Marcy rubbed her chin as she thought aloud, "So, the Philosopher's Stone wasn't inherently evil. It was just a power source that fed on its user's negative emotions and amplified them, creating a kind of feedback loop. Now I'm wondering what would've happened if Luz didn't make it with negative emotions, but positive ones instead?"
Gus shrugged. "Probably would've turned her into an all-powerful witch goddess. A benevolent, virtuous, and just ruler that could make the impossible possible, turn the Demon Realm into a thriving utopia free of any strife and fear."
"Damn, you guys almost had a goddess for an empress," Sasha commented.
"Eh, she's still a goddess to me," said Willow.
"Still simping for her, I see."
"Never said I wasn't, Waybright."
"I actually wrote a whole fanfiction about that," Gus confessed. Willow, Marcy, and Sasha looked at him in confusion. He drew a spell circle, and from it, he manifested a fairly thick book that read, 'Kamen Rider Luz: The Light of the Boiling Isles ' on the cover. The young illusionist began to blush when none of the girls said anything. "I was trying to find a way to cope with everything after Luz left…so…I kind of wrote out a story based on the stuff the other Luz told me, and what I remembered during that time when Luz was Oscura. The result was this…lengthy fanfic, although, now that I look at it, it's more like a novel. I guess I haven't really gotten over it if I've wasted years doing this…kinda feels like I'm trying to rewrite history…"
Marcy walked up to Gus and placed her hands on his shoulders as she looked the young man in the eyes.
"It isn't a waste. We all cope with the bad things that happen to us in our own way. Some are less healthy than others."
Sasha nodded, acknowledging her own shortcomings when dealing with Anne's death.
"This novel isn't about you wanting to rewrite history. If nothing else, this is you trying to give your friend the life she wanted, the life that she hoped for. You're a true friend for doing that, Gus. Maybe you can show it to Luz? I'm sure she'd love to read it," Marcy suggested.
Gus vehemently shook his head. "No way. You guys have more important things to do. And…I don't want to make Luz feel bad. If she read this, she might start spiralling."
Sasha and Marcy couldn't deny that. Given what Luz had been through, there was a possibility that she could take Gus's novel the wrong way.
"Maybe, but then, maybe it's what she needs?" Willow suggested. "Besides, Luz knows you, Gus. If anything, she'd be impressed by how hard you've worked on that."
"But…"
"Writers and artists pour their hearts and souls into their work, and you're no different, Gus. I've only known Luz through our time in the DGP, but just that time alone has taught me how much she cares about her friends and those she loves. And when she reads your story, she'll see how much you care about her too, how much you wished she had the life you wrote in that book of yours," Marcy insisted.
"Okay," Gus smiled as he felt confidence rise within him.
Hm...it would appear that, despite becoming empress and having all the power at her fingertips, Oscura still wanted to enjoy a happy magical school life with her friends, even for a little while. It is curious what her life would have been if she never learned of her alternate self's life and fell further into the abyss. It was quite tragic since she honestly enjoyed her time with her friends before that happened. Perhaps she and Willow could have rekindled their romance. The universe was truly cruel to her, but we cannot dwell on the past.