to Raine as they stir from slumber. She laid a hand on their chest from across the bed, running her fingers along their scars. "Raine, it's morning," she cooed.

Raine pressed their palms to their eyeballs then slid them down the tear stain shaped scars on their face. "Mmmgh, what time is it?" they said. Eda poked them. Raine took Eda's wrist in one hand and held hers with the other.

Eda drooped her eyelids. "Didn't ya hear me, dummy? I said it's morning." Eda didn't have another hand with which to bop them on the nose, so she settled for a tactical lick instead.

"Eugh!" Raine shot up, almost colliding heads with Eda. They narrowed their eyes and looked out the window. The sun had nearly risen to its zenith. Late morning, then. They looked down and Eda's eyes sparkled back up at them, framed by her short, wild hair. A sly grin spread across Raine's face. "Good morning, lovebird," they said.

"Mornin' Rainestorm," Eda replied.

Raine put Eda's hand on her chest and held it there. They flitted their eyes back up to hers. "What's King doing?"

"Mm, I don't know," Eda murmured. "I've been watching you sleep."

"So he's just loose in the house now?" asked Raine, a note of concern on their voice.

"He's been home alone before," Eda muttered.

"With a breath weapon?" Raine asked.

Eda shot up. She jumped out of bed — the blanket flying off of her — and donned her robe before sprinting out the door. She returned moments later, relief on her face. "He's just playing with Jean-Luc."

"The flesh monstrosity?" asked Raine. Eda's eyes popped wide open. Then they heard a shout come from downstairs, one with power behind it. This time, they both shot out of the room. In the living room, King stood next to the flesh and stone construct on the floor, its appendages leaking red ooze. King stared up at one of the windows, once again shattered, but turned to Eda and Raine when they hurried into the room.

"Eda, look what I can do!" shouted King before turning once again to the broken window. "Weh!"

Eda and Raine had leapt to stop him, but froze when the resulting bolt — not a shockwave — of King's energy shot from his lips and flew through the hole already in the window. "Huh," Eda said. "You learned to focus the energy."

"I know!" beamed King. "Isn't it so cool!"

"Yeah!" said Eda. "But did you have to break my window with the first one?"

"Oh." King looked at the window again. "Sorry."

Eda sighed. "It's fine. Raine, do you mind?" Raine summoned their violin and played a short melody. The glass shards danced back into place and fused together within the window sill. "I swear every time these windows break the mosaic gets grainier."

"I'm gonna be honest," replied Raine. "I don't remember what they looked like before so I've just been putting the pieces in wherever I can get them to fit."

"Ooohh," said Eda. "I thought I'd finally lost it."

King went back to playing with Jean-Luc's inanimate form. "Eda, you went crazy a long time ago."

Eda huffed and threw her hand up. "Are you gonna let him talk to me like that?" she said to Raine.

"I'd be lying if I said he was wrong," Raine quipped.

"You think I'm crazy?" Eda pointed.

Raine smirked. "Crazy beautiful."

"Uuuggghhh!" Eda threw her head back. "King, get that thing out of my living room." Eda pointed at the offending object with a twisted finger.

"No!" King stood defensively over Jean-Luc and the tone in the room shattered.

Eda softened her face, and knelt down to the small titan. "Okay. King, what's wrong?"

King sat down on the floor. "I just… I miss Francois."

Eda's eyes widened then considered King with a thoughtful gaze. "Well, Francois is keeping the Collector very happy right now."

"I know," said King. "And I'm glad the Collector has somebody to watch out for them… but still."

Eda pulled him in for a hug. "I feel ya, kid." King nuzzled into Eda's breast and they shared the moment together until Raine spoke up.

"King, I know it could never replace Francois, but what if we went to Totems R Us and got you a new toy?" Raine smiled as they lowered to one knee. "I'll let you pick out anything you want, on me."

Eda gave them a grateful smile. King glanced sidelong, brushing away the wet in his eye. "Yeah. That sounds fun. Is that okay, Eda?"

Eda turned her gaze back to King. "That sounds wonderful, kiddo."

King glanced between the two options he had narrowed the entire toy store down to. One of them was a fluffy purple demon with black and white striped horns and angry red eyes. The other was a nightmare shadow creature that loomed with its five legs, and featured 7 chilling phrases activated by a button on its head. Eda and Raine had waited patiently as King picked through every toy in the store. He worked quickly, finding a flaw in every toy within a few moments of examining it. Now however, King spent some time comparing these two options. Eda glanced at Raine, who glanced back — a nervous look on both their faces.

"Hey King." Eda softened her voice as she knelt down, making the sarcasm in her tone obvious. "We gonna be here all day or what?"

"I'm just…" King waved her off. "Trying to decide."

"What's got you caught up?"

King looked at Eda surprised, like he was thinking. "Well… this one—" He pointed at the shadow monster. "—is obviously way cooler and I like most of the phrases, but one of them is really annoying."

"Which one?" asked Eda.

King pushed the button until the toy spoke the phrase he was referring to. "The Shadows gather—" "Feel my chilling—" "Die!" "I'll haunt your dreams and make you scream!" King gestured to the toy at the last phrase and said, "None of the other phrases rhyme! It just ruins the whole aesthetic!"

"Hm, I can see how that would be a problem," Eda feigned understanding.

"And this one looks tough." King pointed at the other toy. "But he's soft." King poked the plushy for emphasis. "I don't think he would make it in my army." King turned his nose up at both toys.

"Wasn't Francois pretty soft?" asked Eda.

"Don't talk about Francois like that!" King shouted. Eda threw her hand up and Raine reached out with theirs. "Maybe Francois isn't the strongest minion physically, but he's an expert tactician and a master assassin!" Eda nodded quickly.

"King," Raine spoke up. "What's wrong?"

"I just… I don't know." King's eyes dampened. "I can't decide."

"Well, you don't have to decide today," said Raine. "Maybe you could sleep on it and we can come back tomorrow?"

"No!" King spat. "I want one today!"

"King," said Eda. King looked like he was going to explode with how much these two were stressing his name. "Is this really about a couple of toys?"

"Yes!" King said. "I mean— No. I don't know. I miss Francois!" King pleaded.

King fell into Eda's arms as Eda thought for a moment. Then an idea struck her. "Is Francois the only one you miss right now?"

King thought. "No," he said. "I miss Luz, too."

Eda and Raine shared a look. Revelation. Eda sighed as her focus fell on King again. "I miss her too, kiddo."

"It's just," King started. "It's been weeks. And before that it was months! I get that she needs time after everything that happened but it's like she doesn't want to spend any time with us at all! And… what about what I need?" King sank further into Eda's arms.

Eda tightened her grip. "I get it, King. I understand. Luz is delicate right now. If we push her, she might push back. Or we might push her away."

King searched Eda's eyes for some kind of answer, one he did not find. "I just want my sister back!"

"I know." Eda held him tight and King fell into full-on sobs. "I want her back too." King sat in Eda's lap as he broke down in the middle of the store. Other shoppers gave the group some quizzical looks, only to be met by Raine's harsh glare.

When the tears subsided, Raine knelt down to the pair and put a hand on King's shoulder. "I'm happy to buy you both toys, King," they said.

King looked up at them, eyes still wet. "No thank you, Raine. I just want to go home."

Raine nodded. "We can do that too." The family returned to the Owl House in the evening. Eda gawked at the gaudy state the Collector had left the face of her house — just as she always did coming home nowadays — but Hooty had insisted on keeping it and Eda thought the worm deserved something nice after everything he had done for their family. Besides, Eda didn't want to mess with the Collector's magic, just in case the portal closed — or something stranger happened. Just as Hooty opened up to them, a crow landed on the door. Its beady eyes stared pointedly at Raine. Trepidation on their face, Raine turned to Eda. "Why don't you take King inside and play a game or something?" they said. "I'll see what this is about." Eda nodded and took King inside. They tried to play a game of Krom but King quickly nodded off. Eda laid him down on the couch as Raine returned inside. The serious look on their face made Eda's fall from any maternal affection she'd just felt. "Darius contacted me," said Raine. "He said something is stirring at the left arm. He wants me to make sure it's not happening anywhere else."

"Okay, I'll come with," said Eda.

Raine palmed the back of their neck and smiled. "I've spent a lot of time working covertly," they said. "I'll be lighter of foot on my own."

Eda chuckled. "I'm not gonna slow you down, Rainestorm."

"It's not that," they said. "I just can't afford to be distracted." Eda narrowed her eyes. Raine took her hand in theirs. "I promise I will come right back here."

Her eyebrows lifted. "You better," Eda said. Then she leaned in for a kiss. It was quick, like that of two passing lovers who would see each other again before the day's end. When she pulled back, Eda realized she wished she had kissed them longer. She could tell by the blush in Raine's face that they wished it too, but Eda stayed back. If Raine wanted more, they'd have to come back quickly. Raine pressed their brow together. The two locked eyes and smiled to each other. Then Raine tore away and headed for the door.

"Raine," Eda said when the door opened. "Come back safe."

Raine smirked. "Is that worry I sense in your tone? I never thought Eda the Owl Lady…"

"Don't you have some spying to do or something?" Eda smirked back. They stared for another moment, then Raine closed the door and left. Eda took a long look at the home she and Raine had rebuilt together and found herself unable to maintain the smile she had given them. Then she swept King up to his room and returned to hers to look at herself in the vanity. She took a shock of short, wild hair in her hand and inspected it. Eda didn't hate it short — it had been practical during the Collector's reign, when she didn't have access to all the product necessary to maintain longer hair — but she missed her long, flowing locks. Her sister had taken it even shorter. Lilly never did care much for her appearance. She had only maintained the exhaustively straightened, black-dyed look for the Emperor — and out of habit after that — but Eda thought she looked cute with it cut short. Maybe not that short, but still. Edalyn dipped a fingernail into the wrinkles under her eyes and around the corners of her mouth, stretching them flat against her face. Her curse really had taken a toll on her though, she supposed, her curse wasn't entirely to blame; she was getting around that age. Lilly had grown some wrinkles in too. She missed Lillith. Eda made a mental note to visit her big sister while Raine was away.

Then, after she-didn't-know-how-long, Eda heard yelling coming from the window. She peered out to see Camila shouting at Hooty in Spanish. "Hooty, let her in!" Edalyn called. They stopped speaking and looked up at her. Hooty opened. "I'll be right down, Camila!"

Eda walked into her living room. Camila hd paced the floor and surged toward Eda when she saw her. "What's happening to my daughter!" she burst.

"Woah Camila, slow down." Eda held up her hand. "What is happening with Luz? I haven't seen her in weeks."

Camila opened her mouth to speak, but the full weight of her words caught in her throat and Eda could see the tears welling in her eyes.

"Hey, hey," Eda comforted. "Sit down." After letting Camila down gently on the sofa, Eda put a blanket over her shoulders. "Let me get you a cup of apple blood."

Camila waited patiently as Eda rummaged through her kitchen. She took the time to collect herself. She took deep breaths and centered herself from the emotional peak that had spurred her to visit the Owl Lady in the first place. When Eda came back with the cup, she was ready to explain everything.

"Okay, Camila." Eda handed Camila the glass and sat in one of the armchairs. "Tell me everything, no rush."

Camila sighed. "Ever since we came back to Earth, Luz has been… different."

"How so?" asked Eda, though she already had an idea.

Camila took a sip of her apple blood and subsequently gagged, so she set it down. "She's distant. With everyone," Camila got out. "And she's angry. She's never yelled at me before but… she's just spiteful. And she won't talk to me or anyone about anything. Quiero decir, she's always been closed off, sabes ella quiere lidiar con todo ella sola pero she's pushing away everyone that tries to help." Camila remembered Willow's and Gus' faces when they stopped to say goodbye before they left. "I think it has something to do with what happened when you fought Belos, pero no lo sé."

Eda stared. "She hasn't told you?" Camila shook her head. Eda stood, determination brimming behind her eyes. "Well that's not okay."

Camila became wide-eyed. "What are you going to do?"

"I'm gonna go get my son and then we're gonna visit my apprentice because he misses his big sister."

"Luz!" King shouted as he burst through the door. He charged the girl in the kitchen, attacking her with a hug.

"King!" Luz smiled as she hoisted him up. Then Eda and Camila walked through the door together. "Eda," said Luz, eyeing the pair of women suspiciously. "It's good to see you guys." Her skepticism did not diminish her smile.

"It's good to see you too, kiddo," said Eda. "I thought maybe since the world isn't ending anymore, we could take a walk and you could show us around Gravesfield."

Luz narrowed her eyes. "Why do you want me as your tour guide? You've been coming here longer than I've been alive."

"Maybe," Eda shrugged. "But only as a tourist. I've never lived here. You know this town better than I ever will. And besides, I want to see it from your perspective."

Luz shrugged. "Okay," she said. "Let's go."

The four headed to the front door, but Eda stopped Camila at the door frame. "I don't want to gang up on her," she said under her breath.

"Oh." Camila frowned. "Right."

"Let me just get a sense of what's going on with her, then we'll come back and the two of us can handle it together."

Camila smiled halfheartedly. "Okay. Sounds like a plan."

Eda put on the most reassuring smile she could muster, then turned to explore Gravesfield with Luz and King. Luz took them to the secluded spots first: the forest, the creek, the little bay she found sticking out of the pond. As King took it upon himself to start climbing the tallest tree he could find, Luz glanced between Eda and her brother. Luz felt a bursting joy at sharing these places that had become so important to her with people she had come to love so much.

"What's that smile for?" asked Eda.

"Nothing," said Luz. "I just missed you guys."

"Aw." Eda wrapped her arm around Luz's shoulders. "We missed you too, kiddo."

As they shared the moment, Eda's task began to darken her face, something she failed to hide from Luz. "What's wrong, Eda?" the girl asked.

Eda sighed and removed her arm to pinch the bridge of her nose as she prepared to say what she needed to say. "Okay kid, I hear you're giving your mom a hard time," said Eda.

"Ugh! You too?" said Luz.

"You haven't told her what happened when we fought Belos?" asked Eda incredulously.

"How am I supposed to—!" Luz stroked her eye sockets with her palms and groaned. "I'm not talking about this."

"Luz." Eda stared hard into Luz's pupils. "She deserves to know. She raised you."

"I know! That's why—! Ugh! I'm done, Eda!"

"We have to talk about this, Luz! You have to talk to somebody!"

"No! If this is all you came here to do, then just go back to the Owl House!"

Eda reeled from the shock, but composed herself. "Alright, fine. If that's the way you're going to be," said Eda. "Then I challenge you to a witches duel! If I win, you have to talk!"

"I'm not fighting you over this!" said Luz.

"Then fight to prove you can still do it!"

"What would be the point?" Luz shouted. "I don't have my magic!"

"You have Stringbean, don't you?" pointed Eda. "You remember the Palisman forms!"

"Smite, Shield, Stride!" Luz recited. "It doesn't mean anything if I haven't had a chance to practice them! I could never beat you!"

"Fine, I'll only use the basics if you're so scared," said Eda.

"Whatever. I have nothing to prove to you." Luz turned and began to walk away.

Eda sensed a note of regret in Luz's voice — maybe the cue she needed to pull out the big guns; maybe the big guns would ruin everything. Eda shook her head. "I guess Belos should have won, then."

Luz stopped dead. "What?"

"You heard me," Eda continued. "If you're just going to give up on everything, then I guess Belos ought to have destroyed it all!"

Luz turned a glare on her mentor, trying to discern her sincerity. In the end, it didn't matter. "Take it back," she warned.

"Nope." Eda held up her chin, keeping one eyelid half-open to observe Luz's reaction.

Luz's eye twitched. "Take it back!" she demanded.

Eda looked right into Luz's eyes, a devilish grin playing on her face. She taunted, "Not. Unless. Ya make me."

Luz roared a battle cry as she took Stringbean in her hands and let loose the mightiest blast she could summon. Eda twirled Owlbert in her one hand and deflected the attack effortlessly, sending it toward a hapless tree. "Shield beats Smite, apprentice," Eda lectured. "If you need it that bad, we could have a quick lesson before we really get going."

Luz's face flared. She closed her eyes and focused Stringbean's violet energy around her. When she opened her eyes, her image fizzled out and reappeared behind Eda. "Stride beats—" Luz began, but Eda stopped her by grasping her face, letting Owlbert hover autonomously beside her.

"Smite beats Stride," Eda stated bluntly, firing a beam of energy from her palm directly into Luz's face. Luz flew backwards, skipping against the brush a few times before she dug Stringbean into the dirt. Luz blinked in and out — a few paces closer to Eda each time — before emerging in front of her with a shield ready to block whatever attack Eda threw, but Eda wasn't there. Eda had teleported behind Luz and bashed her in the back with a swing from her staff. Luz tumbled forward. "Stride beats Shield." Eda checked her nails. "Is that what you were trying to say earlier?"

Luz growled as she picked herself up. She unleashed a torrent of tiny blasts in the Owl Lady's direction. Eda waved her staff and blocked each one with equally tiny shields, covering a yawn with her stump. Luz dashed forward into a speeding bubble Shield. Eda slammed her staff into the ground, summoning a bolt from the sky that split the bubble in half. Luz caught herself as she rolled out and huffed. "But Shield beats Smite!" she complained.

"Luz. As my apprentice, you should already know," began Eda. "The rules don't always apply."

Eda tipped her staff forward, letting another blast of energy commence from it. Luz was ready and brought up a shield to block the attack. The Owl Lady's concentration pressed into her — to the point that her barrier began to crack — but just before Luz let it shatter, she disappeared. Reappearing behind Eda, Luz whipped her staff into her mentor's back, finally scoring her first touch against her opponent. Eda stumbled forward and was unable to block the next few blasts Luz let out. Once she had, the two women paused, staring each other down. In the blink of an eye, they erupted toward each other, clashing staves and streaking across the water into the forest on the other side. Where Eda stayed one step ahead of Luz with her experience, Luz adapted with her youthful flexibility and quick thinking. As the battle tore through the forest, Luz finally caught up to her mentor and readied the final blow. When Eda blinked out, Luz stayed. She wrapped her magic around a tree and twisted it back, releasing it right when Eda appeared where Luz knew she would. The tree flicked Eda into another, slamming her into the crumbling bark. Luz charged one final blast—

"Weh!" The force of King's shout knocked Luz into her own tree. She could not catch herself from falling onto the ground, but she stood back up holding her head.

"Stay out of this, King," said Luz. "This is between me and Eda."

"No it's not," King warned. "And if I have to prove it, then I'll fight you too."

Luz surveyed the battlefield. Blast marks lay everywhere, several trees felled. Eda looked exhausted even if she had managed to pick herself up. Luz felt exhausted too. She looked to her little brother, ready to go at it with her all over again. Luz's face softened as she let out heavy breaths. "Fine," she said. "I yield." Eda looked across the battlefield at her student, heaving as much as she was. "I'll talk," Luz concluded.

"Then I'll take back what I said." Eda smirked. "Man, the one time your stubbornness actually worked in my favor."

Luz led Eda and King out of the forest, to a park Luz used to play at growing up. King ran off to scramble up the slide while Eda and Luz took up a seat on one of the benches.

"That was some good work, kid," said Eda. "You even worked in some Telekinesis at the end there. Pretty advanced stuff. And your hamster ball Stride was very creative."

"Would I have done as well if you weren't only using basic forms?" Luz asked.

"No, if I could've used Telekinesis, I would have schooled you," Eda admitted. "But still very impressive."

Eda used the lingering silence to look over her protege. Luz sat stiff, back straight, hands folded in her lap, looking straight ahead to where King was now jumping to reach the monkey bars. "What's going on, kid?" Eda asked.

Luz's back somehow straightened even more. She took a deep breath, letting her shoulders rise and fall with the motion. Finally, she spoke. "I can't go back to the Boiling Isles."

"Snorse shit."

Luz gaped at the Owl Lady. Despite Eda's whole bad girl vibe, she didn't really curse all that often. Luz only realized now the kind of weight it gave her swears. "I mean it, Eda. It's too dangerous for me without my magic." "You just proved you could hold your own against the most powerful witch on the Boiling Isles." "You're not, anymore, and you just told me you were holding back." "Did Camila put this in your head?" Eda considered the possibility that she and the latina woman were not on the same side after all. Luz shook her head. "No, she doesn't know anything. I'm just being realistic." As easily as the thought entered her mind, Eda pushed it out.

"Look kid, you got a little shaken up." Eda softened her tone. She reached out for Luz but the girl flinched, so she pulled back. "It happens. And it will pass."

"I didn't get shaken up, Eda!" Luz stood now. "I died! Have you ever died? It's terrifying! Everything you love gets ripped away from you! All you get is nothingness! And the worst part? You fail every single person that loved you!"

Eda stared at her pupil, an intense look festering in her eyes. She knelt down and took Luz's hand. "Now listen here, Luz Noceda. I don't know what's on the other side but you oughta know this: You could never fail me. Life is… it's complicated and it's messy and it's scary. Just about the only comfort you can take from it is that you get to choose what you do with it. Sometimes that means you spend it. Hell, I'd be lying if I said I hadn't nearly killed myself for you and King a few times. But in those moments, when we choose to sacrifice our lives for something other than ourselves, we know exactly what we're doing. Don't act like you were surprised what happened after you jumped in front of the Collector."

"I was surprised," said Luz. "But not because I died. I was surprised by my decision. What if I make that choice again? What if I waste that one chance on something stupid?"

Eda shook her head. "I trust you, Luz. If you decide to spend your life on something then I'll know it was worth it." Luz's eyes filled like pools. The wet kept brimming on her sclera and dripping down her cheeks. Luz hugged her mentor and Eda hugged back. "But seriously, try not to die before I do. That would be like the biggest bummer ever."

"I'll try," said Luz. She smiled. It was the first genuine smile she had felt on her face since she had last spoken with the Collector. Then it fell. "Where were you? Why didn't you come see me?"

The comfortable smile Eda had put on fell now, too. "I'm sorry, kid." Eda's eyes drooped. "I got distracted," she admitted. "But you could have come to visit me too."

"I know." The smiles returned to the women's faces. "I'm sorry."

"Can I expect you home anytime soon?" asked Eda hopefully.

Luz thought as she glanced away. "I'd like to but…" She looked into her mentor's eyes. "Something happened here, in the Human Realm. Vee's already looked into it and… I didn't help her." Eda gave her an understanding smile. "I can't just let this play out. I have to do something about it."

Eda gazed proudly at the determined glint in her student's eye. "It's good to hear you talking like your old self. If I can help with anything, I'm just a portal away." Eda stood, turned, and waved her hand. "Now come on! King misses you and I haven't seen you in forever."

"Where are we going?" asked Luz.

"You're gonna take us to that restaurant you're always going on about. I wanna know what chimichurri is!" Edalyn called King over from the playground. She turned back to Luz when the girl didn't follow her. "Come on!" The women exchanged a longing smile before walking into step together.

Luz's laughter echoed through the house as the front door opened. "You can't tip in gold!" she chided.

"The waitress didn't seem disappointed!" Eda rebounded.

"That's because it was a ridiculous amount of gold!" said Luz. "Where did you even get it?"

Eda glanced sidelong sheepishly. "Oh, you know, magic."

"Ha!" laughed King. "I wish I could see that waitress' face when the illusion disappears!"

Luz gasped and she stared daggers at Edalyn. "You didn't!"

Eda just shrugged. "Tipping is dumb! I don't understand why humans do it!"

"It is dumb!" As hard as Luz tried to give Eda a stern look, she couldn't stop smiling. "But waitresses still rely on tips to make a livable wage."

"They don't get paid a livable wage?" asked Eda.

"No!" Luz barked.

"Oh." Eda rubbed the back of her neck. "Well now I feel bad."

"And I can't go to my favorite restaurant ever again," Luz contemplated.

"You went to Chimi's?" asked Camila from the kitchen table.

The trio looked at the woman, faces falling. "Uh, yeah," said Luz. "Eda wanted to know what chimichurri was."

"Hey Luz!" King grabbed her arm as the excitement returned to his face. "I want to play on your Zcube! I've always wanted to play Zombies, Guns, and Gore 2!"

As King dragged Luz out of the room, Camila and Eda exchanged looks. Eda resumed rubbing her neck. "I don't think she's all the way through it just yet but, I think she's doing better now."

"She is," said Camila. "I haven't heard her laugh like that in… a long time."

Eda reflexively responded to the look in Camila's eyes. "Sorry we didn't come to get you for the restaurant. It was kind of a spur—"

"What worked?" asked Camila. "I've been trying to help her for weeks. You come in and make that kind of progress in a few hours."

"Oh," Eda thought. "Well she was stubborn, that's for sure. Had to fight her in a witch's duel to get her to open up. Then, I guess, we talked and I told her the truth."

"That's it?" Camila asked. "You had a magic fight and then talked? What am I supposed to do with that? How am I supposed to compete with magic duels?" Camila's head fell into her arms.

"You don't have to compete." Eda put her hand on Camila's shoulder. "Luz is a complicated girl — too much for either of us alone. When she was trapped in the Demon Realm, I honestly didn't know what to do with her most of the time. So let's look out for her together. Please?"

Camila looked up at her with an indignance that told the Owl Lady she had overstepped. "What happened to her when she fought Belos?"

Eda swallowed and removed her hand to palm her neck once again. "I know she should have already told you but, it's still her story to tell. It's something you should hear from her. I promise."

Camila raised her head and looked Eda over. Eda gulped. "You're right. She's too much for me. We need to work together." Camila held out her hand. Eda considered it, then knelt down to hug the woman. Camila threw her hands up, eyes wide. Then she let her weight fall onto Eda's shoulder.

I had fun codifying the details of palisman magic. I do think Smite, Shield, and Stride cover the basic applications we see palismen perform in the show, but the whole rock-paper-scissors relationship between them is more strategy advice used between duelists than anything real in the world.

That's it for now. I'll be putting this out in releases, groups of chapters that may or may not be connected in some way, and they will come out when they are ready. This one took around three months to write. The next releases are going to be shorter; I just wanted to get a good body of work out with this one, but I suspect each one will probably take about the same amount of time. So see you in three months probably

This is a living draft. I will be updating chapters as I get a clearer idea of what I want this story to be and it may not look the same as the last time you read it if you are coming back to it after a while (not that someone would want to reread this but hey some people have even more brainrot than me and I just don't want those poor babies to get spooked by any changes I make)