Where My Heart Belongs

by MrSova

Amity woke up paralyzed in her sister's Clinic with no memory of what had happened to her. With Odalia gone, she must take upon her the role of the Blight Industries Heiress. But she had to get better before she could do any of that. To achieve that, Emira assigned her sister the best Volunteer in Bonesborough - Luz Clawthorne. Originally posted on AO3

11. Chapter 11 - What She Had Begun

Eda hurried Owlbert, and Danielle urged Ghost to fly faster, hoping they would not be too late. Willow followed right behind them, replaying the memory of how the human cried when she learned about what they found in the Laboratory.

The witch could not blame Danielle. She knew how much she cared for the distant witch. It was honestly equally impressive and heartbreaking how the human cared for Amity. Despite all that happened.

"We're too late…" Eda whispered under her breath when they landed.

The wind danced around their bodies as the sun slowly headed toward the horizon, ending the day. Neither Eda nor Willow dared to move a muscle when they noticed the horrific view they were welcomed with.

"¿Mija?" Danielle gasped before covering her trembling lips.

Amity knelt on the ground. Her feet were encased in stone, her hands were held by the rock pillars, forcing her up, and her head limply hung down. The dirty lavender hair mixed with dust, abomination goo, and blood, which kept dripping on her clothes and ground, obscured her face.

Despite all that, Danielle was relieved to see the witch breathe. Her ribs expanded irregularly, resulting in pained whimpers and shallow, raspy gasps as she fought for every breath. The human lowered her hands and hesitantly approached the woman she considered her daughter.

Eda shared a hesitant look with Willow as they did not know how to act. They wanted to rush in, free the Heiress, and start healing her, but they respected Danielle too much to approach Amity without her consent. The human knelt before the hurt witch and delicately moved the lavender hair aside.

"Mija," Danielle whispered under her breath. She did not even notice that Eda and Willow were beside instantaneously, "Háblame," She pleaded weakly, but the witch did not say a word.

Danielle lifted Amity's chin, and she barely contained her scream. The witch's face was beaten to a pulp. Deep dark purple bruises had already formed on the pale face, so swollen it was barely recognizable if not for a delicate flutter of the golden eyes. The cracked, pink lips parted, releasing a weak whimper and a generous amount of saliva-mixed blood.

"No, no, no, no, Bebé. You're not giving up!" Danielle's entire aura suddenly changed. She tied her brows, and her expression sharpened, "Willow, look for any sign of Luz," She instructed. The witch could not question a direct order as the doctor scratched the rock pillars, trying to free the unconscious witch.

"Dani," Eda placed her hand on the human's shoulder.

"No!" Danielle roared, not accepting the current situation, "Come on, Cariño. We're getting you out!" She exclaimed, increasing her digging.

"Dani, stop," Eda pleaded when she noticed how the woman bloodied her nails, scratching off the rock frantically, "Let me help," She begged and used more force to pull the human's arm.

"Eda?" Danielle asked as if she just realized her girlfriend was kneeling beside her.

"Let me help," The witch repeated softly, and the human nodded, "Keep her steady," She instructed as she drew the spell circle.

Danielle watched the stone decrease in size. Amity released a pained whimper as she was lowered to the ground, where the human helped her lay safely, eyeing her hurt body. She delicately lifted the witch's chin, opening her airways, making the Heiress gasp violently, simultaneously calming her breath.

The lengthened nails scratched the ground. The right hand was swollen as the fingers were directed in unnatural directions. The barely expanding chest was uneven, and several broken ribs altered its shape.

A sudden kick dragged the green gaze to the witch's legs. Danielle briefly stopped breathing when she noticed her daughter's right leg bled heavily. A hollow bone was sticking out of the torn trousers.

Another wheezing gasp dragged Danielle's gaze to the beaten-up face. Amity's nasal and zygomatic bones were clearly broken, but several bleeding cuts made it difficult to analyze her wounds further.

"Dios mío, who would hurt her like this?" The human wondered out loud, finally regaining the ability to speak.

"You would not believe how long the line would be…" Eda said grimmly. She glanced at Willow before returning her attention to the hurt Heiress, drawing the spell circle, "She's hurt but stable," She added, dropping the spell, "At least stable enough to transport her," She explained.

"I'll take her to the Clinic," Danielle offered, "You need to go and find Luz," She added in time for Willow to join them.

"There's no way I'm leaving you alone!" The Owl Lady opposed.

"Eda!" Danielle interrupted sternly, "Whoever did that to Amity is long gone, and Luz is missing," She pointed out, "Your daughter needs you," She highlighted and watched the witch's expression.

"Danielle's right," Willow agreed, "I found something, but we need to spread our resources," She faced the human, "Take Amity to the Clinic and stay there," She ordered, "Tell Emira everything. She and Viney will keep both of you safe," The short witch added, and Danielle nodded in understanding.

"What did you find?" Eda asked, knowing that something must have triggered this stern behavior.

"Grudby boots marks…"

"Again!?" Eda exclaimed, confusing Danielle.

"We won't know until we find her," Willow summed up, and they silently agreed there was no time to spare.

Danielle knelt beside Amity and gently lifted her injured body, causing the witch to mewl, whimper, and mumble incoherent words under her breath. Eda watched how the human held the hurt woman with love and care. It made her recall the day she had to move Luz's torn body into her nest, wait for Healers' help, unable to heal her child.

"Shh, Cariño," Danielle hushed delicately, "Let's take you home," She added before looking at the taller witch, watching her worriedly, "Come back to me. You hear me, Clawthorne?"

"I'll be back, even if it's the last thing I do," Eda promised and left a chaste kiss on the full lips, "Go, I'll see you soon," She added, and with a loud hoot, Owlbert manifested beside her, changing into a magic staff.

Danielle watched the witches hop on their staves as Eda and Willow soared through the sun-setting sky. The human stood frozen, holding the hurt, unconscious Amity, unable to look away from the Owl Lady's disappearing form.

"I love you, too… Edalyn."

"Hmm, hmm, hmm," Luz heard an annoying humm echo through the room.

She tried to move, open her eyes, or groan, but she could not even flinch a muscle. On the other side, the other senses flooded her brain with intense stimuli. The soreness of her post-transformation body was unbearable.

The bright light attacked her sensitive, closed eyes, burning her. She could swear her ears bled as everything seemed too loud. Every move, every hum, every whisper was too much for her.

"Well, look at you," The voice stopped humming, and Luz could feel that the person hovered above her, eyeing her intensely, "She did a number on you, huh?" The human felt a cold finger trail her scars, "She told me about this one," The scar on the chest was prodded painfully, "I have no idea how Amity disobeyed a direct order, but hey! Who am I to judge?"

"What the hell is happening!?" The human panicked internally, "I know that voice! Why can't I recognize it!?"

"Hoot!" The demon tried to calm Luz, but it was not working.

Clawthorne's breathing increased, eyes behind her eyelids rushed frantically, but, other than that, she was paralyzed, left at the mercy of the person hovering above her, touching her body without her consent. She knew she could not do much in this situation. She needed to remain calm.

"I read about those, too," Another poke on her cheek and leg followed, "She kept very detailed notes," Suddenly, the cold hand in a latex glove grabbed her chin and squeezed it tightly, "Iʼm gonna use those notes, get what I need, and I will do one thing she couldn't," The hand let go of Luz's chin, making her head fall limply with a loud, painful thud. The sound helped the human realize she was being held on the metal table, "I'll finally get rid of you," The voice promised maliciously.

"Come on! We gotta move!" Luz roared at herself internally, "Move! Move! MOVE!" She tried to urge herself, but her body was still unresponsive, kept in paralysis.

"Oh?" The voice appeared right above her, "Is someone back with us?" Cold fingers dug between Luz's eyelids and forcefully spread them apart.

"No, no, no, no…" The human panicked when she noticed the pink-haired triclops above her.

Even if the hazel-brown eyes could not move to focus on the person before her, she recognized every feature of the witch. The broad smile cracked the thin lips, and the fangs shone eerily in the bright, intense light directed at the human.

"It would seem someone is already awake and ready to play," Boscha husked, and her ears perked up before she let go of the human's eyelids, "Don't worry… I won't let you miss a thing," She added. Luz felt a cold metal object attached to her eye sockets, forcing her lids to remain open, "Better, isn't it?" She asked, watching Luz's reaction but slightly disappointed that the brown eyes were still immobile, "Hmm…" Her expression faded.

"Come on, Beasty! We need to do something!"

A loud screech erupted the human's throat against her will, deafening the triclops, who smiled widely as soon as she recovered from the pain. A low, dark chuckle followed, and Luz could feel this was the end. Amity had no recollection of her. No one knew she was gone, and she could not even fight back.

"Great to see you're both here," Boscha purred with delight, grabbing the scalpel, "You may not even know it, but Odalia found out that there's a physical mark of your bond," She added and placed her hand on the tan chest.

Luz could not help her situation. She felt utterly helpless. Tears rolled down her cheeks, exiting the dried, stretched-open eyes while she wanted to cry, but she could not even sob. She could only wait for fate and the end of her time in this world.

"You deserve to know," Boscha whispered heatedly, "I will enjoy every minute of this," She added and then straightened herself, "Let's begin," She concluded.

Luz did not know what was happening, but she could feel the overwhelming pain in her chest, slowly traveling to her abdomen. The skin parted, revealing her internal organs, and the strange smell hit her nostrils.

Luz's breathing hitched. Despite the complete body paralysis, she let out heavy huff and puff, fighting for each breath while Boscha reveled in her pained reaction, smiling widely. A loud clang of the discarded scalpel was heard. When Luz noticed the bone saw, she passed out.

Eda's mind raced. She looked back at Danielle standing on the ground with Amity in her arms. Ghost approached them to help them travel. She knew she needed to focus. The witch could not believe how bad of a mother she was. Letting her Kid get kidnapped for a second time this year was a one-way ticket to the worst mother award.

"Eda, focus!" Willow ordered sternly, and neither could believe how strange it felt for THE Owl Lady to listen to her so obediently, "It's no one's fault," The short witch said.

They flew in silence for a while until Eda realized they had approached the Bonesborough Police Precinct. Willow guided Eda as if she were the boss of the place, Coven Scouts bowing before her, greeting her. It impressed the older witch, but it also scared the shit out of her.

"I'm never making fun of her again," The Owl Lady thought, impressed by Willow.

"Edalyn!" Lilith's voice surprised the younger sister, making her snap out of her stupor, "Focus, Eda!"

"Calm down, please," Willow pleaded the older Clawhorne sister. Eda looked around, realizing they were surrounded by familiar witches and demons in the briefing room.

"I'm sorry," Lilith agreed, looking around, "I called you in today because we have fugitives on the run," She explained, and the room fell silent before Hunter stepped up.

"Boscha Hieron escaped during her transfer to the secured facility," Hunter explained, pointing at the map of the Fallen Titan to show where the escape took place, "Since then, the number of crimes increased," Another slide followed, "We received information about assaults here, here, and here," He pointed to Latissa, Bonesborough downtown, and Hexside surroundings, "Besides that, the…"

"Can we just cut to the part where Boots was beaten to a cryberry jam, and Luz was kidnapped?" Eda lost her patience.

"Someone assaulted Amity?" Darius asked with shock.

"Luz is missing!?" Lilith exclaimed.

"Okay, everyone!" Hunter tried to calm the people down, "Please, people…"

"HEY!" Willow roared, making everyone stop yapping, "Everyone shut up! The Golden Guard has something to say," She added more calmly.

"Sheʼs a keeper," Darius chuckled, watching how Willow regained control only to let Hunter continue.

The sounds of muffled voices were agonizingly slowly coming to the pain-flooded consciousness. Everything was too bright, too painful, and just too much. The hurting face pulsated dully while nothing made sense.

"Move her to the magic-restricting room!" Someone's warm, but panicked voice ordered.

"Come on… Move…" The Heiress urged herself. She felt her body being placed on the gurney and rolled down the corridor.

"Hold on!" Someone exclaimed, and everything stopped.

"She's coughing up blood, turn her, or she'll drown!" Another voice followed.

Amity felt someone move her body to the side, and everything ceased. She briefly blacked out. The bright, blue light filled the room, and suddenly, everything was so different. She felt a warm energy enter her body. Despite overwhelming pain and soreness, she soon could expand her chest more freely, and she felt like she breathed for the first time in years.

"Aahmmhh," A pained whimper escaped the patient's lips. She barely opened her eyes, and the new people, who seemed obscured behind the veil, appeared out of nowhere.

"Shh, everything's gonna be alright," A soft voice reassured, and despite the overwhelming panic, the emerald-green eyes brought peace to the tormented soul.

"Aah… I…" Amity tried to speak.

"Shh, Cariño," The tan Nurse whispered warmly, "Youʼre safe," She added, and she watched the panicked golden eyes roam her face from underneath the swollen, bruised eyelids.

"Ah, n-no…" The witch tried to move away, and her breathing hitched.

"Calm her down, please," The golden eyes traveled to the right, where the blurry spot of emerald green hair and pale complexion hung above her, "And get me Viney! I shouldn't be here!"

"N-no…" Amity continued with panic.

"Calm down. You need to let us take care of you," Danielle pleaded, and she touched the lavender head affectionately. The pointy ears twitched at the familiar affection.

"L-Luz…" The Heiress continued.

Amity was shocked at how everything changed for her. Just a few weeks ago, she would not care for anyone's safety but her own. Today, she was ready to sacrifice her life to get back the dork of a human who became her girlfriend.

She could not admit it to anyone, but her feelings for the goofy human were overwhelming, and despite her fear, she did not want them to stop. Luz made her life worth living since the moment she met her.

"We're looking for her, don't worry," Danielle whispered, "You need to focus on your well-being, too," She added, and the sight broke her heart.

She watched Amity's eyes roll all over the place. The witch breathed heavily, trying to regain control over her body. Another cough painted the pale chin with blood. Everything was so mind-boggling she could not understand what was really happening.

"I…" Amity gasped, trying to speak, eyeing Danielle as if she were seeing her for the very first time, "I know you…" She panted and noticed how the woman exchanged looks with her sister.

"You do, Mija," Danielle confirmed, hoping to trigger the witchʼs memories.

Amity stiffened when she heard how the Nurse addressed her. She watched the dark green orbs staring back at her as if she were someone's reason to live before she saw a flash of Boscha's face right above her, confusing her further.

"H-hurts…" Amity gasped.

Her eyes rolled up while her ears weakly slanted. It was the only thing she managed to say before everything faded to darkness.

Amity could not move or speak when she regained her sense of self. The situation looked familiar. Only the heavy weight placed on her body seemed so different and simultaneously the same, calming her.

The witch blinked rapidly, taking in a deep, raspy breath, which made her cough and panic. The golden eyes rolled around the room. She noticed a heavy yellow blanket covering her, but parts of her body were still immobilized.

"L-L…" Amity choked, trying to sit up, ignoring everything.

She tried again, hoping to get up, run, and save her girlfriend, but everything seemed too heavy, too impossible, when her body did not want to cooperate. Her ears fluttered in panic, and her breathing hitched.

"Shh, Cariño," Danielle cooed, caressing the lavender head and stroking the mauve locks.

With fear and panic, Danielle watched the witch lie in bed while her human heart broke at the sight. Amity's hand escaped the confines of the weighted quilt, looking for support while her mind punished her with the darkest of her fears. The doctor could not help herself when she caught the delicate palm in her warm one, trying to disguise her tears.

"W-w-who…" Amity gasped and coughed hard.

"Shh, calm down," Danielle whispered softly, "You were attacked and hurt, but we've got you," She tried to explain while her tone squeaked.

"You…" Amity tried to speak, but the stiffness in her swollen face did not help, "I… I know… you…"

"Shh," Danielle smiled warmly, "Rest, please," She added, smiling warmly, caressing the pale hand, helping the witch get back to sleep, "The Healer will help you shortly," She said.

"H-h-hurts…" Amity whimpered, her eyes slowly closing, drifting into a restless slumber, lolling aside.

"Mija…" Danielle whispered worriedly, watching the young woman fade away.

"Hurts…" The witch could not even cry.

"Amity…" The human tried to get her attention.

"Make it stop…" Amity whimpered, not knowing what she was saying.

Everything was too overwhelming. The pain in her swollen face, as her jaw felt broken, made it practically impossible to speak clearly. The dull ache in her leg and hand paralyzed her, making moving impossible.

"I'm here…" Danielle tried to calm the witch down, but she could not get through to her.

The human watched the hurt woman sob dryly, writhing in pain-induced fever. It was too much to handle. Danielle could not control her emotions as she, too, started to cry, heartbroken and helpless.

A bright blue light woke Amity up. She had no idea how much time had passed since she could not recall the last thing that was real. Her breathing hitched when the pain in her leg and hand made her let out pained whimpers.

"Sheʼs awake," Someone said quietly, and the Heiress tied her brows in discomfort and groaned.

"Miss Blight?" Someone asked, and Amity's lips parted, but she could not speak, "It's alright," The voice continued softly.

"Take it easy, Mittens," Amity recognized her sister's voice, "Youʼre safe now," Emira added, and the blue light disappeared just like the pain.

Amity let out a gasp of relief, and her expression softened. She whimpered again, and her ears slightly trembled when she tried to open her eyes. Her eyelids seemed too heavy. She did not see the looks that people above her exchanged.

"Miss Blight," The familiar soft voice spoke again, "You were hurt, but you're safe now. Try to rest…"

"D-Dani…" Amity choked, shocking everyone.

"Yeah, Cariño, I'm here," The woman confirmed, relief washing over her. Despite the state the witch was in, she seemed more lucid and aware of herself, "You need to rest…"

"Boscha…" Amity gasped out, and Danielle shared a worried look with Emira.

"What is it, Mittens?" The older sister asked worriedly, "Did Boscha do that to you?"

"N-no…" Amity tied her brows again before lifting them, trying to open her eyes, "Bria…" She whispered weakly, and Emira noted how her sister's nails lengthened in distress.

"Okay, okay, take it easy, Mittens," Amity felt a delicate caress on her hair. Her nails retracted, and her breathing slowed down.

"Try to rest now," Danielle softly whispered, and, with Emira's help, she tucked the younger witch under the weighted quilt.

"H-how… Long?" Amity managed to ask, feeling herself drift back to sleep.

"It's been barely a couple of hours," Emira whispered, "We need to take you up for the Healing Spell. Don't worry…"

"Luz?" Another question rolled out her sleepy lips, interrupting the Healer's words.

"There's an active search for her. Don't worry," Danielle confirmed, and with that final piece of information, Amity finally stopped fighting her exhaustion, allowing herself to fall asleep.

The witch's features softened, her breathing calmed down, and her ears relaxed. Neither Emira nor Danielle could look away from the sleeping woman. The older sister clenched her fists and let out a shaking breath.

"Thank you, Danielle," The green-haired witch finally looked up at the older woman.

"What for?" Danielle snapped angrily, "I didn't do anything to deserve your thanks," She explained, hugging herself anxiously, hating feeling helpless.

"For being a mother she deserves," Emira explained. The human's expression softened immediately, "Willow told me what happened in the Human Realm," She added and smiled warmly at the woman.

"Oh…" Danielle's very mature response was met with a slight giggle.

"Yeah," Emira mumbled, "Go and rest," She added, "It must have taken a toll on you, too," She explained, and Danielle could not argue.

"Thank you," The human whispered, "I had no idea I was tired…"

"Until I pointed it out," Emira chuckled, "I know how it works…"

With one last look at Amityʼs sleeping figure, Danielle left the witches alone and headed to the personnel room to get some sleep. She wanted to be ready before she could return to help the Heiress with her recovery.

Eda entered the Bonesborough Police Precinct with anger so clear and adamant her figure was surrounded by the golden swirling energy, making the weaker Scouts gasp. Owlbert flew before her, guiding her to one of the holding cells.

"Eda, stop," Lilith tried to reason with her younger sister, "Youʼre in no condition to go in there," She added, but Eda pushed her aside as delicately as she could.

"Don't get in my way," The younger witch growled, and she opened the cell doors with a thud.

The short, purple-haired, orange-eyed witch looked up at the older one, and for the first time since she was captured, she felt fear. Real, paralyzing, blood-freezing panic. She watched Eda take a chair, take a deep breath, and try to calm herself before glaring at the young woman.

"First, you kidnap my Kid," Eda paused to take another breath, "Then you beat my girlfriend's daughter to a pulp? Whatʼs your damage?!" She roared and was shocked to see the prisoner chuckle at her.

"No way! You were dating Odalia…?!"

"Danielle López!" Eda interrupted, her eyes illuminating with a golden glow, confusing the young woman, "Odalia was never Amityʼs mother, and you know that!"

"Well, I know she paid a hefty sum to get rid of her," Bria replied with a wide, maniacal smile, "Too bad that humans don't know how to eliminate a person properly," She continued, and Eda growled, "Then again… What a mother downgrade. From a powerful Oracle to a pathetic human…" A loud thud echoed in the cell. Eda got up so raptly that the chair fell to the floor.

Clawthorne looked at the other witch with so much raw fury she could not control when her magic erupted from her body. Her brow twitched, and her ears slanted ferociously while the younger woman smiled tauntingly, hiding her fear. Before anyone could do anything, Eda turned around and left the room. A taunting chuckle followed her out.

"What happened?" Lilith asked when she noticed her sister leave abruptly.

"I'm going to look for my Kid before I hurt someone," Eda growled in reply.

"It was fun talking to you, human-fucker," Bria taunted the older witch, who immediately turned around with a growl and was ready to strike.

"Eda!" Lilith stopped her sister, "Don't let a child get to you!" She hissed, snapping Eda from her fury.

"Don't forget to let her know who the informant was who told us where to find her. Keep me posted," The gray-haired witch hissed as she recomposed herself before turning around and leaving the Precinct.

Lilith anxiously watched her sister leave. Her Palisman perched on her shoulder and shared a worried look with their witch, cawing in support.

"Wakey, wakey, human," A low growl escaped Luz's lips when she regained consciousness.

"Oh, great… I'm still alive…" The human thought bitterly, knowing she had no hope of being rescued this time.

Luz felt her hands locked in shackles, holding her body hanging. The pain in her wrists was dulled by a sharp pain in her chest and stomach, which made her hiss in a low growl. The gravity did not do her any favors.

"Such a shame you passed out before we got to the good part," Boscha whispered viciously, lifting Luz's chin abruptly.

"Ugh…" The human whimpered, and she managed to crack her eyes open. The fanged, maniacal grin was all she could see, "W-what…?"

"Wondering what happened?" Boscha asked with a mad giggle, "I hope you don't mind this addition," She let go of Luz's chin and pointed at the human's chest. The brunette head fell limply.

"W-what did you…?" The imprisoned woman tried to ask, noticing her butchered, naked body.

An extended cut traveled from her chest down to her abdomen. It was sawn up in an irregular pattern with thick, metal-like thread. Her skin was reddened and soaked with blood and puss.

"I'm afraid without Healing Magic, I had to close you up human style," Boscha explained, faking concern, "Don't worry, it's not like it's gonna be a problem since you won't have many more mornings ahead of you," She added, and Luz looked up at her weakly.

"W-why?" The human gasped, "Si-since I'm as good as dead…" She added, and to her surprise, Boscha hummed, considering her options.

"Well, I do love to talk," The witch chuckled, taking a few steps back where she approached a small metal trolley.

"Oh, shit!" Luz's breathing hitched, and she tried to pull on her restraints, but the pain in her torso paralyzed her.

"Hoot!" She heard the calm and supportive demon's voice.

"Wait! I can hear you?" Luz shot her head up, looking at her wrists, "Oh, what a dumbass…" She thought with a small smile, realizing she was not cuffed with magic-blocking shackles.

"You see," Boscha grabbed a small tool from the tray and looked at it with fascination, "Odalia found out that the demon living inside you is one powerful creature," She said and approached the naked body, "Did you know they were around when the Archivists were still roaming the worlds?" She asked rhetorically, but Luz could not listen to her anymore.

"Do you think we can get out?" The human thought, trying to communicate with the demon.

"Hoot," They replied worriedly.

"I donʼt care if that may kill me! We need to get out!" Luz thought urgently.

"Screech!" The demon tried to talk some sense into the human, understanding her but forcing her to see the vision of Amity's worried face, stained with abomination tears.

"Are you even listening to me?" Boscha's angry question, followed by a powerful slap, snapped Luz out of her stupor, "I just told you how I'm gonna get that power for myself, and you keep daydreaming?" She asked and huffed in annoyance.

"Youʼre sick!" Luz slurred, making the witch smile.

"You took everything away from me, and I'm called sick?" The triclops asked, pulling the human's chin closer, "I can see why Odalia took her sweet time with you…" She purred, tugging Luz's chin painfully again, "I suppose we have some time for a fun detour," She added, releasing her hold before returning to the metal trolley. Luz gulped anxiously, knowing what was about to happen.

"Shit…"

Danielle stayed at the Clinic as per Eda's instructions. The human knew her partner was turning every rock and bone of the Fallen Titan, looking for her daughter, so the least she could do was prove herself helpful in caring for the hurt Heiress.

Knowing the young woman was confused and hurt, it was no easy task. Amity slept restlessly throughout the night, tossing, turning, and whimpering, keeping Danielle awake too. The human refused to leave her side for any longer than necessary.

"How's she?" The doctor asked, watching the half-witch drop the Mind Healing Spell.

"Better," Zariyah whispered, watching the sleeping woman's features relax again, "But the end will not be pretty," She added, facing Danielle.

"What do you mean?" The human asked, and the Mind Healer sighed heavily.

"Sheʼs recovered a lot of her memories, but the spell cast upon her was supposed to keep her asleep…" Zariyah whispered, "From the peek I sneaked inside her Mind Scapes, it would seem like most of the safety precautions Odalia implanted are broken…" She paused, biting down her lip anxiously.

"But?" Danielle felt this was not everything.

"I donʼt fully understand what was done to her. I'm afraid the last steps fully depend on her inner strength…" Zariyah whispered, and the human nodded in understanding.

"I have faith in her," Danielle said, "But in the meantime," She got up and fetched Amity's belongings brought from the Owl House, "Maybe this will help you help her," She gave Zariyah the journals, "It belonged to her mother…"

"Oh…" The Healer looked at the notes, "This is fascinating," She barely controlled her excitement, "Iʼm gonna get right to it…"

"Thank you," Danielle whispered with gratitude.

"No," The Healer interrupted, "Thank you, Danielle," She smiled widely, "I may have seen what special place you hold in the Heiress's life," She added, and Danielle blushed slightly.

Zariyah grinned teasingly, watching the human look aside with embarrassment. Danielle cleared her throat, trying to recompose herself, which made Amity whimper and stir in her sleep.

"I'd better go," The Healer whispered, "I wouldn't want to stress her more than she already is," She looked at the sleeping witch, "I donʼt know what Luz did, but she broke most of her defenses," She faced the human again, "Your raised her well…"

"Oh, no," Danielle smiled sheepishly, "I didn't. Eda raised her all by herself," She explained, and it was Healer's turn to blush.

"Oh! I'm sorry for assuming…"

"Because we're human?" Danielle teased.

"And you're both…" The witch stuttered nervously, her eyes roaming the shorter woman.

"Take it easy, Zariyah," Danielle giggled, "Iʼm just messing with you. I know we may look alike to you because we have similar origins. Her biological parents were my best friends. When they died…"

"Hey, do you want to talk about it?" The Healer recognized unresolved issues, and Danielle smiled warmly.

"I'd love that…"

"¿Mamá?" Amity mumbled in her slumber. The human stiffened at the witch's call.

"But once everything is over, okay?" Danielle asked the Healer, who only smiled in reply, seeing how the human's attention was directed at the hurt woman.

"Sure," Zariyah agreed, "I'll come over in a few hours," She bid her farewell and decided to disappear before the hurt witch woke up.

"Luz…" Amityʼs brows tied in discomfort before relaxing again.

Danielle sat by the witchʼs bed, ensured the cap covered her ears, and waited for the Heiress to wake up slowly. She watched the pointy ears twitch, slant, and perk up while her speech slurred. The pale hands clenched the bedding as her nails lengthened and retracted until, finally, her eyes cracked open.

The golden irises shone eerily in the dim light. They roamed the room, trying to distinguish blurry shapes, until they finally stopped at the figure sitting by her bed. Amity let out a delicate groan, and she focused her sight until she noticed green eyes looking back at her.

"Danielle?" The witch whispered sleepily.

"I'm glad you recognize me," The human replied, smiling warmly, "What do you remember?"

"Um…" Amity tried to sit in bed, "Luz forgot her elixir," She whispered, looking into the void as if recalling what had happened, "We were ambushed on our way to the Clinic…" She looked back at Danielle. Her expression faded to one filled with fear, "Boscha took Luz!" She exclaimed and immediately threw the weighted quilt off her, got to her feet, and fell when the pain of her broken leg paralyzed her.

"¡Cariño! Wait!" Danielle exclaimed, throwing herself forward, catching the young witch before she made it to the floor, "Miss Blight, you need to let yourself heal…" She added, helping the hurt woman sit on the floor, embracing her shoulders securely.

"Amity," The witch whispered, resting her head on the shorter woman.

"Huh?" Danielle murmured dumbfoundedly.

"I'm fed up with the whole 'Miss Blight' bullshit," Amity whispered, breathing heavily while Danielle held the witch's upper body secure, "Iʼm not reopening the Industries…" She groaned in discomfort, trying to move her legs, "I need to find Luz…" She looked up at the Nurse and smiled, "I knew you, didn't I?" She suddenly asked, "Before the accident…" She elaborated.

"Let's put you back to bed," Danielle offered, changing the topic.

"I can't even stand. And I want to find Luz…? Idiot…" Amity growled, angry with herself.

"Now, come on! The Healing Spell took a toll on you, and Viney could not even finish healing all your wounds," Danielle said, bringing the witch up in a bride-like embrace, "It's been barely eighteen hours. You need time to heal…"

"Eighteen!" Amity exclaimed in distress, "Do you have any idea what could have happened to her!?" She drew the blue spell circle when Danielle placed her on the bed.

"What are you doing?" The Nurse asked worriedly, watching the stubborn and determined witch.

"Healing myself," Amity growled, slanting her ears and tying her brows in concentration, "If Viney couldn't, then I will!"

"Mittens?" Emira suddenly appeared, pushing a food trolley with breakfast, "No, Mittens, you're too weak!" She exclaimed, approaching her sister.

"I'm sick…" Amity growled, releasing more energy, "Of everyone telling me…" Her body was surrounded by a bright blue, almost cyan glow, "What I can or cannot do!" A loud snap echoed across the room, and Amity yelled out in pain when her leg was brought back to its rightful place and the bone mended.

"Amity!" Danielle exclaimed when the younger witch dropped the spell. The golden eyes rolled across the room.

"I'll be fine," The lavender-haired woman whispered tiredly, bracing herself to leave the bed, "I just need to find Luz…"

"Okay, wait," Emira placed her hands on her sister's shoulders, "I see there's no stopping you, so let's do it responsibly," She added and nodded at Danielle, who pulled the food trolley closer.

"Breakfast first," Danielle said with a small smile. The younger witch eyed the two women before her, considering her options.

"Fine," Amity finally agreed, returning to bed.

The Nurse smiled and watched the Healer leave them alone. Emira was glad her sister allowed Danielle into her life despite having no memory of her. She just hoped they could find Luz before Amity finished her meal.

Willow and Hunter nodded at each other when they guided a small team of Coven Scouts into the Blight Family Catacombs. In the meantime, Lilith guided another team into the Blight Manor while Eda roamed the Industries, clearing room after room.

"Ma'am," The young Scout approached Willow, "The entire place is secured, and there is no sign of the fugitive," They reported, and the witch tied her brows in concentration.

Willow ran past the young, nameless Scout and rushed toward the last place where she hoped to find her best friend. She ran into the Catacombs and instinctively took all the right turns. Within minutes, she saw the right door and was devastated to find the empty room behind it.

"Fuck, Luz…" Willow whispered, feeling helplessness overwhelming her, "Where are you, dude?" She asked, trying to control her distress, "LUUUUZ!" She roared desperately, hoping to receive an answer, but there was none.

"Willow?" Hunter entered the room and could not say anything else when his girlfriend pulled him into a desperate hug, "Are you crying?" He asked worriedly.

He looked around the chamber, and his ears slanted in understanding. The metal trolley, the bloodied tools on the floor, the chains hanging from the ceiling - everything matched the description.

"Is this where you found her the last time?" He asked softly, trying to support his girlfriend despite considering it highly inappropriate while in service.

"Mmm-hmm…" Willow hummed in confirmation with a slight nod, "Sorry, I know I shouldn't get too emotional while in the field…"

"Shh, it's okay," Hunter reassured her, "You know I'm already one assignment away from leaving the force, and I would always choose you," He placed a delicate peck on the top of messy hair.

"I was just so sure she would be here…" Willow explained, pulling away, looking aside, wiping the unshed tears, "I am glad she's not here," She looked around the chamber, "But, by Titan, where is she?" She looked back at Hunter with teary eyes. He felt so miserably helpless.

Luz felt her body pulsate painfully. Agonizing sensations spread across her body when Boscha hit her repeatedly. Memories of Odalia doing the same flashed before her eyes, blinding her like a stroboscope light.

"Screech!" The demon's yell in her mind deafened her, cutting off the sickening thuds of the metal rod connecting with the tan, massacred body. Each hit was accompanied by a grisly, plopping, wet sound, opening her wounds.

"That's a nice workout, you know?" Boscha took a break to wipe her face off the red splatters, "I wonder…" She put the finger dipped in Luz's blood into her mouth, "Who would know? Odalia was right," She hissed like a maniac, removing her finger from her lips with a pop.

"You're sick…" Luz coughed, gasping for air with difficulty, "Just kill me already…"

"Oh?" The witch chuckled grimly, grabbing the metal rod again, "Giving up already? But we're having so much fun…" She replied and smashed Luz's torso with so much raw power that the human was thrown aside before returning to her original position like a wounded piñata dangling from the ceiling, throwing up blood instead of candy.

"We're not getting out of this, are we?" Luz thought, closing her eyes in defeat, trying to control the dull pain in her chest, paralyzing her as she could hardly breathe.

"Hoot…" She heard in her head a hopeful wish that Amity would find them.

"As if…" Luz thought before her attention was brought back to Boscha's fury-filled smashing of her entire body.

While Amity agreed to eat breakfast before rushing out, hoping to find Luz, Danielle noted every move and twitch of the Heiress. She let more people in and started caring again for those who used to be vital to her. Whatever happened in the past twenty-four hours brought the witch to the brink of breaking the spell.

"I'm done. Can I go now?" Amity asked once she placed her plate on the nightstand and looked at the Nurse like a child waiting for a parent's permission to go out and play.

"Do you even have any idea where to look?" Danielle asked, worried that the witch would just get her hopes up.

"No, but that doesn't mean I'm about to give up," Amity replied, leaving the bed and putting on her boots, "Boscha said she's about to finish what my mother started, so I'll start with the first place that comes to mind…"

"Which is?!" Danielle snapped, making the witch look at her with shock, "I'm sorry, but you have Mind Gaps, so what is the first place that comes to your mind?" She added, and Amity straightened herself to look at the shorter woman.

The Nurse seemed genuinely worried about her. There was no malicious intent to divert her from her goal. She was dating Luz's mother, so she must have also been concerned about the human.

"Luz had a panic attack when we entered the Catacombs, so I think that's the first place I'll look in," Amity explained, trying to remain calm.

"Would you accept help?" Danielle asked, and the witch raised her eyebrow questioningly, "I wouldn't want you to go alone. You couldn't speak just a few hours ago, and now you want to chase a maniac," She argued, and the Heiress could not disagree.

"F-fine," Amity whispered, trying to hide her reluctance, knowing the other woman was right.

"Thank you," Danielle replied with relief, "Please, Amity," She stopped the witch, "Let me know if I can help you," She added, and the Heiress smiled warmly.

"I will," Amity vowed, "Thank you," She added, leaving the room.

Danielle watched the witch smile at her before facing the corridor. The midday light shone at her figure, illuminating the mauve, lavender strands mixed with her natural auburn ones. The human had the strangest feeling, as if she was looking at the woman she had come to love as a daughter for the last time ever.

"Wh-what?" Amity suddenly froze mid-step, placing her hand on her temple.

As soon as the witch stepped outside her room, she was flooded with strange images and sensations. She fell to her knees and breathed heavily as vision after vision flashed before her eyes, blinding her painfully.

"Aaaaaah! L-Luz?" She gasped in a high-pitched, trembling voice, clenching her eyes shut.

While Amity stopped seeing anything around her, Danielle ran towards the Heiress, cradling her shaking body and watching her panicked expression. The human did not even notice Willow approaching them, helping her keep the fallen witch safe.

"What happened?" The shorter woman asked, never looking away from her friend.

"I donʼt know. She just left the room!" Danielle whispered with panic.

"L-Luz…" Amity gasped, blinking rapidly, "Sh-she's in… In the Catacombs…" She gulped with difficulty.

"W-what? No," Willow opposed, "We were just there. We went through every room, every chamber…"

"W-wrong… Ch-chamber…" Amityʼs gasp interrupted Willow, and her slender palm grabbed the yellow jacket forcefully, shocking everybody, "There's… Another… Hidden…" She tried to speak, "Fuck!" She hissed when another vision flashed before her eyes, blinding her painfully.

"Sheʼs not coming…" Luz's voice echoed through her head, shocking her and scaring her at how hopeless the human sounded, "No one is…"

"Amity!" A familiar voice brought her back to reality, "Can you hear me?" The Heiress blinked rapidly and noticed Danielle hovering above her. The forest-green orbs watched her worriedly.

"Willow!" Amity barked out of nowhere, pulling the other witch closer, "I promised Danielle I wouldn't go alone, so…" She gulped, gasping for air, "Would you accompany me?" The green eyes roamed the golden ones.

"Can you even move?" Willow asked in reply, and Amity snorted slightly.

"Give me fifteen seconds and… Holy fuck!" Amity grabbed her head with two hands and threw it back as her spine arched.

More people approached the witch, but Willow gestured to them to move away. Danielle held the Heiress safe and noticed Amity's eyes filled with a golden glow. The human and the short witch exchanged a quick look, knowing what that glow meant.

"We need to…" Amity tried to contain the strange sensation, "Hurry… She's running out of time," She added, struggling against the hold and slowly trying to stand back up.

Fighting the jelly feeling in her legs and shaking hands, with Danielle's help, she finally got to her feet. Amity nodded with gratitude at the Nurse before eyeing the rest of the staff, who watched her every move.

"Take a memory picture. It'll last longer," She hissed at the staff until someone snorted.

"With you? There will be the next time soon enough," A random person joked, and the small group moved away.

"Ah, Titan!" Another surge of pain coursed through Amityʼs body, "What the hell is this!?" She gasped with a slack jaw and fluttering ears.

"Amity," Willow tried to get her friend's attention, "Blight!" She tried again, and the golden eyes connected with the green ones, "Can you take me to Luz?"

"You really have to ask?" Amity sent her a mischievous but pained smile, "Help me get her back…" She eyed Willow, gasping for air, regaining her normal sensations, "Please?" She added. She was shocked to see the shorter witch return her expression.

"Since you asked nicely," Willow grinned, "Let's get your girlfriend back," She added and helped the lavender-haired woman out of the Clinic.

"Be safe… Mija," Danielle whispered, watching the two young women leave her behind.

Since the Heiress was experiencing painful visions that she could not stop, Willow held Amity close as they flew toward the Blight Manor. The Plant witch watched her childhood friend worriedly, considering telling her the truth about her current condition.

"Hold on," Willow whispered as she guided her Palisman toward the ground. She helped Amity stand and eyed the witch in her grasp, "Can you walk?" She asked, watching the feverish pale features.

"Willow…" Amity gasped, "I knew Luz before the accident, didn't I?" She asked, looking at the shorter witch with eyes pleading for an honest answer.

"I can't tell you anything," Willow replied, facing the entrance of the Catacombs, averting her gaze. The situation stressed her so much she did not even think about calling for backup.

"Hah!" Amity chuckled, letting her head limply down, "Thatʼs not a 'no'," She growled, clenching her hand on her chest, "Let's go…"

Willow nodded and guided her friend. It was so much different from the last time they came here together. Before, they hurried, barely talking, while now, Park practically carried Amity into the underground maze filled with tombstones and various chambers.

"Another turn right," Amity whispered with a pained hiss, breaking the heavy silence.

Willow did just that, and she stopped before walking face-first into the wall. She blinked dumbfoundedly before looking back at Amity, wondering if the hurt witch had made a mistake.

"Listen…" Blight whispered, and Willow noticed how her friend's ears twitched.

The shorter witch may not have had an oversensitive hearing, but she could not ignore the muffled screams behind the wall. The chills of dreadful realization ran down her spine.

"L-Luz?" Willow whispered in disbelief before she looked back at the witch leaning on her.

"Torch," Amity could not muster anything else, her eyes traveling toward the lit object.

Willow gulped nervously. Her hold on the witch tightened, and she leaned forward, pulling the torch. It clicked, and the wall before them opened as if the red bricks were incorporated into the door hidden behind.

"Why can't you just cooperate!?" Boscha's angry yell made it to Willow and Amity. The former one felt her friend stiffen, "Fuck, it was supposed to be easy! What did I miss?" The triclops asked herself and hit Luz again before returning to a journal, flipping through the pages frustratingly.

Willow did not miss how her friend grabbed her ribs. Amity froze, releasing a low growl and revealing her fangs in a slight snarl when the doors opened fully, showing what the small chamber held.

The human hung from the ceiling. Her wrists bled heavily, and her feverish face wore an expression of agony. The naked body that Amity kissed just the other day was littered with bruises hidden underneath a layer of dried blood, pus, and other bodily liquids seeping from the butchered cut, dividing her torso in two.

"I've seen that before!" Amity thought.

Suddenly, a picture of a beaten-up tan, broken body flashed before her eyes, blinding her momentarily. The vision lasted no more than a flash, but she was sure Odalia stood in Boscha's place, tormenting the human with an Oracle Spell.

"What the hell's so funny?!" The triclops growled when she noticed how Luz's barely conscious expression lightened on the swollen face. She was about to smash that smirk off her mug when she felt someone grab her hand, "What the…?" She turned around and noticed Amity standing right behind her.

"Kidnapping my girlfriend, Boscha?" The Heiress growled so lowly that even the Owl Demon would shudder in fear at that tone.

"H-how did you find me?" Boscha stuttered, her slanted ears twitching nervously, clearly unexpecting the sudden turn of events, "You weren't supposed to…" Amity left Willow's hold, pulling the triclops forward and igniting her free hand.

"You…" Luz gasped, her tired voice filled with relief, "Miscalculated," She added, watching her girlfriend with pride and pushing her worry aside.

"Titan, we'll live…" A hopeful thought emerged in the darkness of the human's mind.

Luz exhaled with relief, forcing her pain to the back of her head, watching the love of her life come to the rescue. Despite the shock of being discovered, the triclops pushed the weakened Heiress away, making her land in the shorter witch's secure hold.

"Shut up!" Boscha slapped Luz's face, and the human's blood splattered the tiny chamber.

"No!" Amity roared, and Willow was shocked to feel the weakened woman leave her grasp stepping forward.

"Ami!" Willow tried to stop her friend, but the lavender-haired witch was already gone.

Amity grabbed the triclops's throat and plastered her to the wall, snarling with fury. She eyed the piercing blue eyes that watched her with amusement. She hated the taunting smirk. All she wanted was to get revenge for hurting the human. Despite the loud roar in her head urging her to end the pink-haired witch, she resisted.

"Willow, restrain her," Amity ordered, "Youʼre not worth my time," She addressed Boscha, letting her go.

Amity did not even watch the triclops slide to the floor. She faced Luz, and suddenly, everything lost all meaning in the world. The golden eyes roamed the hurt body. From the swollen wrists to the stitched torso.

Luz smiled with relief and affection when she noticed how the witch looked at her. The hard, cold expression immediately faded from the pale face. The amount of worry, care, and probable love the golden gaze held melted the human heart.

"A-Ami…" Luz coughed, "Amity…" She whispered and noted how the witch's ears slanted and expression softened further.

"Luz…" Amity whispered with a trembling voice and quivering lips, "Iʼm so sorry," She added when she blinked rapidly, realizing now was not the time for those sentiments, "Hold on," Her gaze traveled toward the chains. She freed Luz's right hand, "Hold me tightly," She added before freeing the human's other hand.

"Oh, fuck…" Luz hissed through her teeth in discomfort, feeling Amity place her on the blood-covered, dirty floor.

They focused only on each other, ignoring Boscha's muffled sounds of protest when Willow restrained her. Amity took in how triclops butchered Luz's body, internally vowing revenge. She then noticed the bruised skin and broken bones, hoping to help the human as fast as possible.

"Here, I found your cloak," Willow knelt beside Amity, presenting the material.

"Oh… Thank you," Amity replied stupidly, realizing the human was held naked.

"Ah!" Luz groaned when she was rolled around to be covered. Her eyes closed, knowing she was safe.

"I'm so sorry," Amity whispered heavily, feeling guilty for hurting the human.

"Here," Willow added, giving Amity a vial of golden elixir, "Emira gave it to me on our way out. Morton delivered the fresh batch," She explained, and the lavender-haired witch nodded in understanding.

"Titan, she's a good friend," Amity thought, uncorking the vial, "She wouldn't survive another transformation in this state…" She realized, watching the human shiver in fever.

"Luz, can you hear me?" Amity asked, securing the brunette's head. The hazel-brown eyes cracked open, and the human looked at her weakly, "I've got your elixir," She explained, lifting the human's head slightly.

Luz gulped the potion as if her life depended on it, downing the entire vial within seconds. She hated the taste, but it was the first liquid that touched her lips in two days, which made her more than grateful.

"Let's get her to safety before these wounds get infected," Willow whispered, and Amity nodded without looking anywhere but at Luz, "Let me…"

"No!" Amity interrupted, grabbing Luz possessively, "I-I mean…" She stuttered, realizing what she had just done, "Y-you have a prisoner to take care of," She added, trying to ignore Willow's smug smile.

"It's okay," The shorter witch replied, "You take good care of her for me, okay?" She asked, trying to reassure Amity of her support.

"A-Amity?" Luz gasped again, "H-how?"

"I donʼt know… I just saw you here," Amity choked, "It was so weird… But now isn't the time," She snapped out of her thoughts, pushing her suspicions aside, shaking her head, confused by everything, "I need to get you to the Clinic before you get an infection," She added and brought Luz up in one swift move.

"My awesome girlfriend…" Luz mumbled, making Amity blush and smile warmly at the human who cuddled closely.

"Youʼre coming with us," Amity heard Willow growl, and she looked aside.

The short witch grabbed the triclops, bringing her to her feet and forcing her into a face-down perp walk. Boscha's arms were tied on her back, and her mouth was gagged with vines.

"Youʼre going back to the Conformatorium," Willow added and led the way out of the Catacombs.

"Hold on, Luz," Amity whispered, tightening her embrace, her strength returning now that they found the human, "You're safe now…" She added, following Willow through the dark corridors, feeling how the warm body trembled in her hold, wracked with fever.

"Titan, how deranged a person has to be to hurt someone like this?" Amity wondered when Luz's stitches caught her eyes.

The thick thread pulled the reddened skin, holding the wound tightly. Despite hating seeing the human hurt, Amity was sure there was no way these stitches would break, endangering her girlfriend further.

"A-ah…" Luz whimpered, trying to hold onto the witch and her consciousness, feeling her cracked chest move, parts of her sternum rubbing against each other.

"Hoot…"

"Yeah… She got us…" Luz thought, focusing on Amity's protective hold, watching the pale face twist in worry and concentration, "Just like the last time… Just like always…" She thought exactly the moment the cold air of the afternoon Boiling Isles hit her body.

"Mmm…" The human mumbled, reveling in the gasp of fresh air.

Amity looked down at the human in her arms. Her slanted ears twitched anxiously. Despite all the pain and a fever, the hazel-brown orbs cracked open, and the broken, bleeding lips parted in a small smile, which softened the witch's hardened expression.

"M-missed… You…" Luz whispered, and the witch was surprised to feel the sting of tears in her eyes.

"Save your strength," Amity replied, whispering, blinking rapidly, refocusing on her steps, following Willow toward the Blight Manor's main gate.

"Stop struggling," Willow's frustrated growl dragged Amity's attention to her friend, "I can't wait to see you back behind bars," She added venomously before the triclops suddenly pulled away from her hold.

"Tfu!" Boscha spit out the vines she bit through and looked up at the witches before her with a mad glint in her eyes, "You wish!" She hissed, smirking devilishly, focusing on the shorter woman.

Before Willow could summon the new vines, Boscha whistled, sending a powerful shock wave that threw the shorter witch to one of the stone pillars supporting the Blight Manor fence.

"No! AGH!" Willow gasped at the impact, falling to the ground with a thud.

"Fuck, move, move…" The Plant witch urged herself but could barely breathe after the collision with the column, losing consciousness.

"Now," Boscha faced Amity, chuckling darkly, "Youʼre gonna give me that filthy animal back now," She ordered. Her eyes traveled to Luz's body, letting the Heiress know what the pink-haired witch had in mind.

"What the hell do you want with her!?" Amity roared, trying to sound intimidating, but honestly, she was more frightened than she could have remembered.

"Titan, what should I do?" The Heiress tried to come up with a solution.

Willow was knocked out over two dozen yards away from her. Luz struggled to stay conscious, shivering in her embrace, and no one else knew where they were. She was all alone, left with a maniac who already poisoned her once and tried to kill the human, trembling in her hold.

"I WANT that ancient magic that resides in her!" Boscha hollered, not believing how the witch before her looked at her with disgust, "Oh, but you have no memory of that, don't you?" She said as if she just recalled Amity's predicament.

"What the hell are you talking about?" The Heiress nervously gulped, tightening her hold on the human, making the triclops chuckle grimly.

"Oh, how fun it is when you're absolutely oblivious… It's almost cute," Boscha straightened herself and looked at Luz with a strange look, which Amity did not like one bit, "That animal took the power of being SO powerful the Archivists were hunting it… Oh, right…" Boscha paused, shaking her head, "You have no idea who the Archivists were," She groaned in annoyance, and suddenly her arms were free of the vines, "Took me long enough…" She said with satisfaction, rubbing her wrists.

"What do you want?!" Amity demanded to know, dragging Boscha's attention back to her.

"I want you to give me that ANIMAL back so I can take her power…"

"And then what?" Amity stepped back, correcting her tight hold on Luz.

"None of your business, Mittens," The triclops taunted, looking at the lavender-haired witch from underneath her eyebrows, "Now…" She drew a blueish spell circle in the air, summoning a strange string-like energy, "Give it back!" She ordered in a forceful growl, sending the strings at the shocked, pale witch in a powerful whip-like blow.

Amity had no chance to react in time. She held onto Luz for dear life. She was sure the time had slowed when she watched the blue energy approach her at the speed she was unprepared for. Her hold on the human tightened further, and before she knew what had happened, she let Luz partially down.

"AAAAA!" Amity hollered in pain, her nails dug into the human's waist as she tried to keep her close.

"Amity…" Luz whispered worriedly, realizing what had happened.

When the human noticed the blueish energy fly toward Amity, she prepared for the worst. A memory of Odalia mercilessly whipping her flashed before her eyes. When she came to, she was barely standing. The witch held her up, holding her waist while she screamed her lungs out in pain, covering the right side of her face.

"Amity?" Luz repeated weakly, noticing the disturbing amount of blood oozing down the witch's neck and palm to her elbow from where it dripped on the ground.

"Oh, nice!" Boscha giggled with sick delight, "Still got that perfect aim, huh?" She cheered for herself, watching Amity cower in pain as she held her bleeding face. The Heiress's nails lengthened, and she tried to control her heavy breathing and primal reactions, "Now, let go of that animal," The triclops ordered and drew an orange spell circle.

"Fuck… You…" Amity growled, retracting her fingernails, glaring at her opponent, and pulling Luz protectively closer.

"So stubborn…" Boscha rolled her eyes in annoyance, "Fine! Be that way. If I can't have it, no one will," She added, and suddenly the ground around them rumbled.

"What the?" Amity asked confusedly, tightening her hold on Luz, trying to keep her balance, shocked by the quaking ground.

"Buh-bye!" Boscha exclaimed cheerfully, smiling at the hurt witch, waving her fingers to bid her farewell.

The ground stopped rumbling, and Amity felt the strangest sense of familiarity. She peeled her left eye out, preparing for the worst, still covering the right side of her face. She gulped, feeling her nerves reaching the highest point.

"No!" Amity thought when she noticed the thin, sharp, pointy stalagmite erupt from the ground directed at the human's heart.

A strange vision of Luz being swallowed by the ground flashed before her eyes. It was so real and vivid that it confused the witch out of her mind. Her body reacted instinctively. She stepped aside, pushing her girlfriend out of harm's way, releasing her hold on the human.

"Ami…!" Luz gasped when she made it to the ground with a thud.

The pain momentarily paralyzed the human when the impact affected her wounds. She looked up at the witch and froze, seeing the pointy rock sticking out of the slender body like a granite sword. Amity coughed hard and rapidly blinked, looking down at her chest right below her heart.

"Huh…" Luz smiled maniacally, showing off her white-gold fang, "Funny…" She added, and a sad chirp followed.

A strange vision of the human's impaled body flashed before Amity's eyes, and her heartbeat increased. The fuchsia glow illuminated her body as her aura appeared and circled her feet.

"T-that happened before…" Amity whispered absentmindedly. Her right hand finally let go of her face as her breathing hitched.

"I love you, too…" Amity whispered, hoping Luz would hear it while she caressed her dirty hair.

"Was that real?" The Heiress shook her head, not believing the visions she was seeing.

"Luz! No! Please, don't leave me!" The witch heard herself, and another unreal image haunted her.

"Please, Luz…" Amity said with tears in her eyes and panic in her voice, "I-I… I love you…" She whispered, touching the unconscious woman's face.

"What the hell was that?" The witch thought, reluctantly facing the human on the ground.

Amity eyed the hurt body. Luz was desperately holding her stitched torso. Her expression was a heartbreaking mixture of pain and fear for the woman before her. The hazel-brown eyes roamed the bloodied face rapidly.

"L-Luz?" Amity gasped, her ears fluttered, overwhelmed by the blinding visions, her aura oscillating with every other sharper breath.

"You just always have to meddle…" Boscha whispered in disbelief, shaking her head as she summoned a vermillion fireball above her palm.

"N-no…" Amity squealed pathetically.

She looked at Luz and then back at the triclops. Her slanted ears twitched anxiously, her quivering lips parted, releasing labored gasps, while her eyes teared down, mixing with blood. She then gazed at the stone spike in her chest, and suddenly, everything made sense to the witch.

"Get… Away… From MY Luz!" Amity heard her voice when a memory of an awfully similar situation flashed before her eyes.

"You!" The impaled witch suddenly growled before she was shaken up with a cough, painting her chin red. She looked at Luz in disbelief, blinking rapidly.

"How could I have been so blind…!?" Amity thought, recalling every single moment she spent with the human since she woke up.

"Ami?" Luz heard Willow's weak whisper. She looked back and noticed her friend waking up from the impact.

"You wanted Luz gone since the day you met her…" Amity continued, and her aura grew in strength, swirling around the pale body and shocking the human.

"Am-Amity?" Luz gasped when she felt her girlfriend's emotions.

"Chirp?"

"Yeah… I think she is…" The human replied internally, tightening hold on her wound, watching the witch with awe.

"You had to follow the psycho of my mother, didn't you?!" Amity continued, her breathing increased again, "That day I forced you to let Luz go…" She elaborated before another cough made her stop.

"Oh?" Boscha taunted, smiling maniacally, getting Willow and Luz's attention, "Youʼre suddenly remembering stuff?" She continued with a sinister grin, adding more power to her fire spell, "Good," The fireball reflected in all three eyes, watching it with passion, "I want you to remember how you failed over and over again…" She added, grinning widely.

Boscha looked up at Amity before her eyes diverted to the paralyzed with fear and pain Luz. The triclops's grin widened, and she reveled in how the human looked at her. For the first time, Clawthorne could not fight back, and the pink-haired witch enjoyed every second of it.

"You need to merge with abomination," Hunter said matter-of-fact-fully, "When you change to a slime, you can remove the dagger, then when youʼll regain your witch shape, you can recreate the organs, unwounded," He explained.

"No!" Amityʼs distorted tone surprised everybody.

No one saw how the Heiress's eyes turned black, and her golden irises became fluorescent green. The fuchsia aura erupted, momentarily blinding everyone. Before anyone could realize what had happened, Amityʼs abomination-merged form, surrounded by fury-filled energy, stood before the human, towering above the field, shielding Luz from harm.

"I won't let you hurt her ever again," Amity growled distortedly.

Luz watched the powerful abomination-merged witch standing before her in awe. She looked back at the stalagmite, which was clear of any blood, and then to Willow, who was slowly and carefully approaching her wounded friend.

"Youʼre the one who beat her!" Amity roared before fluidly sloshing herself at Boscha.

The triclops jumped away at the last possible moment. She grinned satisfactorily, readying another Fire Spell and throwing it at the sloshing witch. While Amity distracted Boscha, Willow approached Luz and helped her sit up more comfortably.

"Will?" The human asked weakly, surprised by a sudden presence.

"Yeah, I'm here," The witch reassured, "I messaged Eda. Backup should be here soon," She explained, covering her best friend with the cloak, "Wow…" She whispered in awe when another flash of fireball illuminated the field.

"Youʼre hurt…" Luz whispered in a strained voice when she noticed blood trickling down the witch's face, illuminated by the fight.

"I'll be fine," Willow brushed her off, "Let's take care of you two…"

"Enough!" Amityʼs distorted roar brought Luz and Willow's attention back to the fight.

The abomination-merged witch held her thrown-back head and yelled in agony. The magical aura around her body strengthened until she finally let go. She chuckled grimly and looked at the triclops with murderous intent, turning her fingers into sharp, long talons. She brought her hand up, ready to strike the kidnapper, who quickly jumped away, drawing the spell circle and holding it by her lips.

"Amity Blight!" Odalia's voice echoed across the field, making the Heiress freeze with her hand inches away from the pink-haired womanʼs face. Everyone looked at Boscha, realizing she imitated the late Blight's voice, "Good children, don't squabble, dear," She continued, and Amity's abomination form disappeared, shocking the witch.

"What the hell?" The lavender-haired witch asked dumbfoundedly, looking down at her hands, catching blood dripping from her facial laceration before raptly looking back up.

"Thatʼs better," Odalia whispered, slowly approaching her daughter, "You will not interfere with my work ever again," She forced Amity, who tried to shield Luz from her mother, to turn around.

Another clear vision blinded Amity. She grabbed her head forcefully and roared up into the sky, arching her back. More visions haunted her, and she was certain she could have heard herself in her head.

"Don't you dare get out of the Mind Vault!"

"AAAAA!" Amity continued yelling as the pain paralyzed her.

"A-Ami…" Luz whispered worriedly, watching her girlfriend fearfully as she tried to get up, but Willow stopped her.

"YOU!" Amity suddenly hunched forward like an animal readying to attack, eyeing the triclops, "You bullied Luz even though she had never done anything to deserve it!" Her eyes illuminated with a fuchsia glow, "You attacked her and almost killed her FOR NO REASON!" She continued, and the three-eyed woman stepped back, gulping nervously.

"You weren't supposed to have access to magic…" Boscha stuttered. She retrieved the journal and flipped through the pages, "Amity Blight…" She continued in Odalia's voice.

"You kidnapped her!" Amity roared. Her left hand traveled to her head, trying to control the visions that paralyzed her, while her right raised with spread fingers, the magic danced at her fingertips, "You tried to rape me!" She hollered, and the purple flame ignited from the pale hand. Her aura erupted from her body in a powerful wave.

"Is she… Is she remembering?" Willow whispered in awe, watching her friend with fear.

"Sh-sh-she is…" Luz replied, trembling as the sensations added to her pain, "W-W-Will…" She grabbed the yellow jacket in panic.

"Luz!?" Willow gasped, seeing her best friend's pained expression, helping her back to the ground, "Luz, hold on! Eda will be here soon!" She panicked as the hazel-brown eyes glowed with Amity's fuchsia glow, and her body started to seize violently.

"AAAAA!" Amity's other yell made Willow look back up in panic and paralyzing helplessness.

"Eda, hurry!" The short witch thought pleadingly, watching her friends with fear.

"Never! Again!" The lavender-haired witch growled, her aura growing stronger, "I vowed to protect the woman I love," She continued while Luz was still seizing violently. Willow's lips parted in shock, eyes roaming her childhood friend rapidly, "The woman I'll…" She paused, blinded by another vision, "Marry…" She added.

The moment those words left her lips, Amity's aura erupted violently. Her right hand ignited with a tall, purple flame. Suddenly, a bright, fuchsia spell circle appeared around the Grudby boots, transferring the Fire Spell to the triclops's body. For the first time in her life, Willow watched her bully wear an expression of honest-to-Titan fear.

"Boots?!" The familiar voice echoed the grounds of the Blight Manor, but no one even flinched.

"No, no, no, no, no…" Boscha mumbled when she realized her lost position.

"GRAAAAAH!" Amity wildly roared as she lost the remains of her self-control.

Eda approached Willow, who helped keep Luz safe when the fuchsia flame grew to unspeakable proportions, making even THE Owl Lady gasp in shock and fear at how powerful the young Blight really was.

"No, Ami…" Luz suddenly mumbled under her breath. Willow looked down at her friend and was relieved to see her seizure stopped in time for Amity to lose control over her magic.

"NOOOO!" Boscha's pained cry made everyone look up and watch how the triclops slowly disintegrated into nothingness. Amityʼs fire crawled up her body, burning her slowly. Bits and pieces of her ash and glowing embers traveled up to the sky.

"Boots…" Eda gasped fearfully, realizing she had never seen a witch just as powerful as she was. Or maybe even more.

"M-mom?" Luz gasped, immediately getting Eda's attention back, "She's…"

"Luz, calm down," Willow tried to control her friend.

"N-no… She's not in control, Will," The human tried to explain, but her weakened state left her vulnerable while her girlfriend screamed her lungs out.

Amity fell to her knees, arching her back as she kept roaring in agony as her magic uncontrollably left her body. The pale hands with lengthened nails fell limply to the ground, palms facing the sky while the witch's energy surged free into the sky.

Not only Eda, Luz, and Willow noticed how powerful the eruption was. Every denizen of Bonesborough could have seen the late afternoon sky illuminated by a purple glow that reached the clouds, interfering with its natural state.

"Ay, Cariño…" Danielle whispered, watching the sudden atmospheric discharge from the safety of the Blight Clinic before going back in to prepare the emergency rooms, pushing her worry aside.

A bolt of sudden lightning illuminated the sky, and thunder broke the silence as Amityʼs magic and her indescribable power wavered the delicate balance of nature. The witch kept screaming as she released her magic, and vision after vision flashed before her eyes.

"You can't be here! I don't want to hurt you, Amity! Please!" Luz's panicked voice echoed in the witch's head, bringing the strangest images.

"NOOOO!" Amity continued roaring, releasing an indescribable amount of power as the visions continued, bringing another wild atmospheric discharge upon the Boiling Isles.

"Luz…" The human heard a weak whisper in her mind as she tried to hold onto her consciousness.

"Amity?" Luz could not believe it was really happening.

"Kid, talk to me!" Eda tried to get her daughter's attention, but the human was too hurt and overwhelmed by everything that had happened in the past two days.

"Mi Corazón," Luz heard Amity's mind-whisper, "Iʼm free…"

"A-Ami…" Luz gasped, trying to crawl toward her girlfriend.

"GRAAAAAH!" The witch roared, releasing her magic while all recovered memories finally started to make sense, flushing her mind.

"Luz, no!" Eda tried to stop her daughter, but a violent eruption of the demonʼs magic pushed her and Willow away, forbidding them from interfering.

Thunders deafened, and lightning bolts blinded everyone as the purple and magenta clouds roamed the vermillion sky. Luz growled in pain under her breath as she crawled forward, trying to get to the woman she loved, hoping to support and help her regain control. Amity's scream was all she could focus on as she fought against her pain.

"Luz, no!" Eda's voice echoed across the field, but her daughter did not stop.

Luz entered the aura-filled proximity of Amity's body, and she immediately felt how powerful it was, taking her breath away. The demonʼs golden aura immediately surrounded her beaten-up body, protecting her as the human sat up and helped the powerful witch down into a safe and comfortable position.

"Screech!"

"I know you're worried…" Luz groaned in pain as she tried to support the witch, "We both need to stay calm… For her…" She added, feeling the demon finally work with her instead of against her.

Luz felt every nerve of her body lit up in pain. Her bruises gave out a pulsating sensation. The broken bones paralyzed her while her tendons twitched, making it more difficult for her to move or keep the witch safe. The human sat beside Amity, holding her head safe as surge after surge of magic erupted from the smaller body.

"I'm h-h-here, Amity…" Luz gasped, holding the lavender head close, ignoring every sensation her pained body sent to her brain.

"AAAAA!" The witch kept roaring in agony while visions blinded her.

Amity arched her back, her jaw wide open in a continuous feral, pained howl, showing off her fangs. The golden eyes teared, mixing with blood, escaping the deep cut Boscha left on the Heiress's face.

Luz was unsure if she had seen everything the witch experienced, but she was sure it was too much. While Clawthorne was certain the Inner Amity was finally free, she was unsure what it meant since soon everything was too much for her to stay awake.

"Amity, please, stay strong…" Luz pleaded, caressing the lavender hair, feeling her consciousness slipping away, wobbling as she sat on the ground.

"L-L-Luz…" The witch mumbled as her head rested on the human's palm.

Luz looked at the witch, and her heart broke into a million pieces when she noticed how Amity's mind was hurting her as she tried to accept and sort out all the memories released at once.

"Amity h-h-hold on…" Luz pleaded, feeling weaker with every passing moment. She released a pained squeal but never let go of the woman she loved.

"L-L-Luz?" Amity suddenly gasped, blinking her eyes rapidly and trying to focus them on the human's face. Still, she had difficulty getting the hang of reality as her body released a powerful magical discharge.

"Y-yeah, I'm here…" Luz reassured, fighting against the overwhelming weakness as the demonʼs magic, protecting the human, was slowly running out, "Not going anywhere…"

"L-Luz…" Amity whimpered pathetically, her ears slanted and her eyes teared down, "Mi Corazón, you were always there…" She gasped, trying to control her tears, feeling blood mixing with tears in her right eye.

The witch tried to caress the bruised, tan face, but her hands were shaking deliriously. The human finally grabbed the pale hand and attached it to her cheek, rubbing the knuckles delicately.

"I was looking for you, and you were right here… I was so wrong…" The witch cried.

"It's alright, Ami…" Luz whispered under her breath, looking around, trying to understand her surroundings, making contact with Eda's golden, worried eyes, "We're here now," She added, refocusing on the witch, "And I'm not going anywhere," She reassured.

"Hah!" Amity chuckled, showing off her fangs, "AAAAA!" She cried out again, arching her back before it fell to the ground. As soon as she was done, her pained expression softened, and she smiled at Luz again, "You never abandoned me, you were… Gah!" She gasped in pain, shaking in the human's hold, "You were always here… No matter how awful I was…"

"I love you…" Luz cried, sniffling loudly, their eyes meeting in a long-forgotten, love-filled gaze, "I couldn't do nothing…"

"My dorkiest dork…" Amity chuckled, showing off her fangs in a pained smile before it faded away, "It hurts, Corazón," She added, stiffening again, letting out pained whimpers and powerful masses of magic that opened the skies.

"Shh, shh… It hurts me too, but I'm not going anywhere, Amor," Luz replied, and she felt weaker and weaker, "As long as we're together…"

"I… I…" Amity stuttered, her nails lengthening and her back arching in pain, "I love you, too…" She added with a teasing smile that quickly faded into a pained expression, "No, no, no! Luz! Run!" She gasped, trying to push Luz away, but she could not do so.

"Screech!"

"RUN!" Amity added, arching her back further, her magic leaving her body more violently, creating a dent in the ground as the demonʼs magic fluctuated.

"I'm… Not… Leaving!" Luz roared, keeping the witch secure in her grasp.

The young human felt her muscles stiffen when the energy left her body. Luz and Amity tore their throats in the display of shared agony while their magic colored the afternoon sky above the Boiling Isles, opening it and making it rain.

It looked like a whole eternity until their energies slowly started to subside. Eda let her hand down from covering her face. When she regained the ability to see, she covered her lips. Her ears slanted anxiously.

"Oh, Kiddo…" The Owl Lady whispered, realizing what she was looking at.

The mixture of Luz and Amity's magic finally subsided, revealing the two young women lying in the recess the powerful eruption had created. Eda watched their bodies getting wet from the strange rain and was relieved to realize it was not boiling.

"Luz!" Willow exclaimed. She ran past the older witch and into the shallow ravine, "Come on! Don't be an ass and die on me now!" She pleaded, cupping the tan, sweaty, beaten-up face, "Amity?" She turned her attention to the witch lying beside the human. Amity's parted lips let out weak, pained whispers.

"Hey! Park! Get yourself together!" Eda entered the recess and grabbed Willow's shoulders, "They need us now," She argued, "Can you help me take them to safety?" She asked. The young witch nodded, taking a deep breath.

Eda looked at the two young women and knew that whatever happened was not good. Despite looking semi-conscious, they appeared completely cut off from reality and in a great amount of pain.

The sun shone brightly through the dark purple curtains, warming the pale body sprawled across the queen-sized bed. The pink lips smiled in contentment and smacked slightly as the witch stretched, letting her nails lengthen a little before retracting.

"Mittens, come on! Time to wake up," Amity heard Emira's voice coming from behind the thick, wooden door.

"Mmm…" The witch released a slight humm in relaxation, turning to the side, slowly waking up.

"Come on, Mittens!" Emira's voice echoed again, "I know you wouldn't want to miss Edric before he leaves for work!" She added. That made Amity shoot her eyes open.

"Edric?" The younger sister gasped in shock.

She raptly sat up in bed and looked around her room. She relaxed when she noticed she was safe in her childhood bedroom at the Blight Manor. Her ears twitched, recalling her strange nightmare, quickly chasing it away, ruffling her fluffy mane of green hair.

She grabbed a fluffy pink bathrobe and ran down the hall, the stairs, and into the kitchen. It felt strange to be so happy to see her older brother sipping his Brew. Edric looked at Amity from above his rectangular glasses. His emerald hair was neatly combed to the side. He wore a gray suit and black, polished shoes, matching it perfectly.

"Mittens?" Edric looked at her emotionlessly, "This is no way to dress…"

He could never finish his sentence when Amity threw herself at him, crushing him in a powerful hug. His ears fluttered before slanting down, covered in a slight blush. He hesitantly embraced the shorter witch, and his expression softened when she looked down and noticed how his sister held him close.

"S-sorry…" Amity whispered, trying to pull away. She was surprised her brother tightened the embrace.

"It's okay, Mittens," He whispered, "You just surprised me. You haven't shown your emotions like this in years…"

"I just had a terrible nightmare…" Amity explained, pulling away, and looked at her brother's golden eyes.

"Amity? Darling?" Odalia's voice echoed across the house.

The youngest Blight did not know why she suddenly stiffened and moved away from her brother, earning a quizzical look. The heels click-clacked across the Manor as Odalia approached the kitchen. Amity grabbed the hem of her robe as if waiting for a punishment to come, which confused her exponentially.

"Ah! There you are," Odalia entered the kitchen with a warm smile.

The green hair was tied in a neat bun. The piercing blue eyes locked with her daughterʼs golden ones, while Odalia's expression was lightened with a smile. She wore her elegant purple and white suit. Amity eyed her mother and felt that something was not right.

"Like, something's missing…" The Heiress thought, and a sudden memory of her dream flashed before her eyes, "Why would she have a scar?" She wondered, not realizing her father entered the kitchen, too.

"D-dad?" Amity stuttered nervously, feeling like she saw her father for the first time in years.

"Morning, Mittens," Alador greeted her absentmindedly, "Don't forget to meet me at the lab after classes," He added, poured himself a large cup of Brew, and left the kitchen, leaving his younger daughter with a dumbfounded expression.

"Are you okay?" Edric asked, placing his cup down, "Youʼre acting weird… Weirder than usual, I mean," He added, trying to joke, but his expression hardened when he noticed his mother.

"Y-yeah, sorry…" Amity whispered, looking to the floor, "Just a rough night," She added.

"Now, Mittens," Odalia approached her daughter, "A rough night is no reason to stutter and mumble," She said in a superior tone, "Better get yourself under control. Your girlfriend is here," She added, and Amity immediately lightened, her ears perked up, and only her motherʼs presence made her control her emotional outburst.

She tightened her robe, passed her mother, and ran into the main hall of the Manor. She did not understand why, but her joy and happiness disappeared instantaneously when the three blue eyes landed on her. The wide smile made her feel uncomfortable.

"Still in your pajamas?" Boscha asked, approaching Amity, "You better go get ready if you don't want to be late for school," She pecked the pale cheek.

Amityʼs breathing hitched, and she stiffened when she felt the moist touch on her face. She did not know why, but it felt so wrong she wanted to scream or fight. But she did not. She waited for the other witch to move away before she ran to her room as if her life depended on it.

"What the hell is going on?" Amity asked herself shakily. Her ears slanted in panic, and her eyes roamed her room as she gulped anxiously, "Why does everything feel so wrong!?"