At the library, Luz had just finished talking to Amity about needing to reach the forbidden stacks.
"I don't know, Luz. That stuff is forbidden for a reason." Amity said.
"I know but... this stuff could help me immensely." Luz said.
'Please, Amity? Help us?' Angel side said.
'We'll give you a kiss if you do!' Devil side added.
'She can't even hear you.' Luz thought, 'To everyone else, you don't exist.'
'We're trying to help!' Angel and Devil side shouted.
While Luz argued with herself, Amity was still considering the positives and negatives of breaking into the forbidden stacks for Luz.
'On one hand, it would help, Luz, that's a big positive.' Amity thought, 'On the other... I could get in serious trouble, maybe even fired.'
Both of them had a choice to make and they had to make it now.
"Luz, I can help you get in, but... I don't think I can help after that." Amity said.
"…I know and that's enough. The last thing I want is for you to lose your job, Amity." Luz said with a soft smile. "I'll find my own way out so long as you make a way for me to get in."
"My badge should be able to get you in." Amity said.
"Then lead the way, Preciosa esmeralda (precious emerald)." Luz said with a smile.
Amity didn't know what it meant, but she started blushing.
'Smooth, very smooth. Compliment her in a language she can't understand yet.' Devil side said.
They walked towards the giant doors. Made of solid stone, giving off a foreboding yet familiar feeling to Luz. Almost like she was seeing the gates of Hell back home for the first time. It was kinda comforting.
"Nice door." Luz said with a smile.
"Thanks, I guess?" Amity said, a bit confused, before she approached the ID scanner on the side. "Let's hope this works."
She put her badge against a symbol on the door and it began to glow and open. This made Luz and Amity look in awe as they saw the inside of the forbidden stacks, a dark and ancient looking library compared to the one they were standing in.
"Well, guess this is where we part ways for now." Luz said, smiling at Amity. "Thank you for this, and if you need a favor in return, don't hesitate to ask."
Amity held up her wrist, showing the pentagram.
"I mean I do kinda owe you after all." Amity said.
"I can count this as returning the favor." Luz said.
"No, I'm doing this because it's important to you, not because I owe you."
'Maybe we need to clear it up that this could be a freebie?' Angel side asked.
'We'll worry about that another time.' Luz thought.
'Yeah, let's hurry and get inside before the door shuts.' Devil side said.
Nodding to Amity and giving her a quick hug, Luz rushed into the Forbidden Stacks as the doors slowly closed.
"Alright, time to see what we can find." Luz said.
(Line break)
Eda glared at Lilith.
"Edalyn?! What are you don't here?!" Lilith asked in shock.
"Back at you, sis." Eda said as Gus remained hidden, not making himself known to Lilith.
Lilith stood tall, not backing down.
"You don't intimidate me, Edalyn, you are magicless and-"
Eda threw a fireball and hit Lilith right in the stomach with it.
"Uuuh!" Lilith groaned as she falls to her knees, dropping the galderstone.
"Answer the question, Lily, or I might not be so nice soon." Eda said, holding another fireball with her finger.
"H... how did you-"
Eda threw another one at Lilith. Lilith summoned her staff and deflected it.
"Leave. NOW." Eda said as she slowly walked towards her sister. "I never truly hated you, sis, but if you take these stones, then I will never forgive you."
"Sadly, I can't do that." Lilith said, "I have my own mission."
"Then I guess I'll have to beat you hard enough that you'll have to drag your broken body to that damn castle." Eda said, rushing towards Lilith.
Lilith put her arms up to block... but Eda's punch was strong enough to send Lilith back first into one of the grave's statues.
'... She's always been strong... but not that strong!' Lilith thought.
'I should've sold my soul to someone a long time ago!' Eda thought as she grinned a bit, rolling her shoulders.
"Come on, Lily, get up... I want you to stand when I smash your bones into a powder." Eda said.
"Ugh, you must have a power glyph from the construction coven. That must explain your strength." Lilith said as she got up.
"See you gonna keep talking or are you going to fight and get your ass kicked?" Eda said with a smirk as she pulls Owlbert from her hair.
Lilith glared at Eda.
"I cannot allow you to ruin my mission."
"And I can't let you rob these graves. So, let's fucking do this already!" Eda shouted as her entire body was set ablaze in Fire!
Lilith took a step back in shock.
'What is this magic? It doesn't feel like witch magic!' Lilith thought before shaking her head. 'Focus on that later, my mission comes first!'
Lilith rushed at Eda. Eda did the same as they clashed, smashing fire and lightning against each other as Gus took cover behind the grave he hid behind!
"Don't even try and mess with me, Lily, I am far stronger than you!" Eda said.
"Maybe but I'm faster!" Lilith said before teleporting away, rushing around the graveyard as a lightning bolt.
But despite her sister's speed, Eda could keep up with her movements as she block an attack from above and then an attack from her right side! Lilith back elbowed Eda's head in response, only for Eda to punch her and send her back.
"Cheap but weak, Lily." Eda said before jumping at Lilith with her staff ready!
Lilith drew spell circle, creating a shield. Eda hit the shield with such strength that Lilith was knocked back. It didn't stop there as Eda set Owlbert ablaze and smashed her staff into her shield repeatedly!
'My shield won't last long! I need a-' Lilith glanced to the side and saw a galderstone waiting to used by her.
Eda shattered the shield. Thinking quickly, Lilith dived for the galderstone, grabbing it with a tuck and roll! She then shot lightning at Eda.
"Oh ple-" Eda was cut off as the lightning launched her through a grave statue and two trees!
Lilith stood up and smiled... until she saw Eda stuck hanging above the ground by a tree branch going through her chest.
"EDALYN!" Lilith yelled, rushing over to Eda, "Oh no, I'm sorry! I... I didn't mean to-"
Lilith was cut off as Eda reached her hand out and grabbed her by the neck, slowly choking her.
"Okay... NOW I'm mad." Eda growled.
Lilith looked shocked and horrified as Eda used her other hand to break the brach from behind and land on the ground. Eda lifted Lilith up and threw her across the graveyard, her back hitting a statue. Eda grabbed the broken branch and pulled it out of her chest.
"I can safely say that was one of the most painful experiences in my entire life." Eda said, looking at the hole in her chest, right below her gem.
'Oh Titan!' Gus thought, feeling sick and horrifying by this.
"H-How?" Lilith whispered in fear.
Eda turned to look at her.
"None of your fucking business."
Creating another fireball, but this time she molded it into a giant flaming hand!
"… oh shit." Lilith said.
"Exactly." Eda said as she flung the flaming hand at Lilith, grabbing her!
"AHHH!" Lilith yelled as it burned.
Eda didn't stop as she slammed Lilith around the graveyard, hitting the trees and the ground without touching the galderstones or the graves.
'Hmm, I wonder if these stones work with Hell magic?' Eda thought but mainly focused on smashing Lilith around.
She slammed her right into the ground, glaring at Lilith.
"Leave." Eda said.
Lilith groaned and grunted as she tried to stand up, her body aching and burned from the mercilessness of her sister.
"N-No. T-these stones are too important." Lilith stuttered out.
"More important than the grave of a child's mother?" Eda said, gesturing to Gus.
"I don't have a choice... Edalyn." Lilith said.
"Then I guess I don't either." Eda said, "Come on, use your strongest spell... I can take it."
Seeing a galderstone by her foot, Eda decided to be a "good sister" and kicked it into Lilith's hands.
"Here. Use that if you like, it won't change the outcome." Eda challenged as the hole in her chest fully healed.
Lilith picked it up.
"Edalyn, please, don't make me do this." Lilith said, warning/begging Eda.
"Lilith, either you attack me or I kill you where you stand." Eda said darkly.
"Sister-"
"No, you don't get to say that after everything you've done." Eda growled, "We may be blood but we are NOT sisters!"
Letting out a small yelp, Lilith felt something break inside of her as a small tear fell from her right eye.
"…Fine, if that's what you want, but don't blame me for what happens." Lilith said, slowly standing up and gripping the galderstone tightly.
Eda stood there, practically begging Lilith to do it.
'Let's see what Lilith's got when she doesn't hold back.' She thought, crossing her arms as she waits.
Holding her right hand out, Lilith drew a spell circle and created a ball of lightning on her finger. Charging and growing with every passing second.
'I'm sorry, Edalyn.' Lilith thought.
Gus was still watching from the sidelines, worrying about Eda despite being seemingly invincible. Lilith blasted Eda.
'This is gonna hurt but not sure how much.' Eda thought, letting the giant lightning ball consume her.
A blinding light consumed the area as thunder roaring could be heard for miles around. When it stopped, Lilith fell to her knees, breathing heavily. Even with the aid of a galderstone, that had been the most magic Lilith had ever put into an attack before.
She looked at the ground.
'I'm sorry Edalyn... but I couldn't let you stop my mission.' Lilith said, feeling tears come to her eyes.
A heavily charred hand grabbed her by the dress collar and hold her above the ground.
"Was that all you got?!" Eda asked as her body slowly healed.
Lilith at her sister in shock, awe, horror, and relief that she actually survived such an attack! An attack that could kill a group of witches at least twice over!
"Well... Lilith... it's time for you to die." Eda said, pure venom in her voice when she said Lilith.
"N-No! P-please!" Lilith said, grabbing Eda's arm. "Sister, please!"
"I already told you. We are NOT sisters." Eda said.
Lilith felt her lungs screaming for air, and she slowly went limp. Eda dropped her.
"... Your lucky Lilith, if it wasn't for the kid here, I would've killed you the second I saw you." Eda said, picking up Lilith unconscious body, "You do what you need to, Kid, I'm going to go drop her off at the edge of the nearest town, when she wakes up she can drag herself to that castle."
"O-Okay." Gus said, not looking directly at Eda for two reasons.
1. Because she was still healing and looked slightly gross as a semi burned living corpse.
2. She was half naked as her outfit wasn't repairing itself from the attack.
She left and Gus went to his mothers grave.
"Hey, mom. It's me again." Gus said, wiping some dirt and leaves that got in her grave. "Sorry this visit had to be kind of…explosive, but I can explain why."
Gus felt tears come to his eyes again.
"I wish I could see you to tell you better or…even remember you." Gus said, slowly hugging the gravestone.
He really wished he got to know her better before she died.
(Line break)
At the library, Luz was sneaking around the corner of the forbidden stacks.
'Should've asked what the library system of this place was or if there was a written log I could use.' Luz thought.
She looked around and saw some of the books, they looked older than her uncle.
'How long have some of these been here?'
Luz dragged her finger across the book, collecting some dust on her finger.
'Is the information we need still readable here?' Devil side asked.
'Who fucking knows.' Luz thought.
'Maybe if we get to higher ground, we can find some sort of index book to find what we need?' Angel side suggested.
'Maybe but we still need to be careful if the head librarian is prowling around.' Luz thought as she began to climb a bookshelf.
A few mice ran by, making Luz lick her lips.
'Easy Luz, you can have a snack later.' Luz thought.
'Does it not brother you that those mice had skulls for heads?' Angel side asked.
'No.' Luz thought as she reached the top and got a better view of the forbidden stacks.
'Okay, what to see from up here?'
'Anything that looks important.' Luz thought, looking around.
'Like something in the center of this giant maze of a library?' Devil side asked, 'Cuz I think I see something.'
'Alright, what is it?' Luz thought, 'Where is it? Don't leave us in suspense.'
'Follow my lead.' Devil side said.
Nodding to herself, Luz began jumping from shelf to shelf through the forbidden stacks.
'Try and be careful, we have no idea what's in here.' Angel side said.
'We're the Antichrist. We'll be fine.' Devil side said.
Luz kept moving. She jumped off a random flying book, slowly getting closer to a sort of center of the stacks as she saw a large being looking over some sort of giant book.
'Sweet fucking uncle.' Luz thought.
What Luz could only describe was some sort of eagle man in regal robes, his eyes glowing green as he gazed at the book with deadly focus.
'If this is Amity's boss, it's no wonder she didn't want to come in her. He looks like a killer.' Luz thought.
As if he could tell Luz was here, his head raised.
'Oh shit!' Luz thought as she quickly climbed down a bit, hiding behind a book shelf!
'Can he sense us?!' Angel side asked.
'Like home if I know! Let's just be still and be quiet and hope he doesn't see us!' Devil side said.
The sound of movement was heard as he began to search for the intruder.
"Hmmm." He hummed, his glowing eyes sharp as his nose was sniffing the air for anything besides dust and mold.
"I know you're here." He said.
'No, I'm not!' Luz thought, slowly and carefully moving away so he doesn't see her.
"I can hear you shuffling the dust." The bird demon said.
Luz moved around a corner, trying to be quiet... only for a hand to slam against the corner.
"There you are."
Malphas turned the corner and saw Luz. He unfurled his wings and flapped, rushing at Luz at high speed. Luz jumped over him.
"Shit!" Luz shouted as she ran.
"No cursing in the library!" Malphas shouted.
He chased after her.
'This is terrifying… but also kinda awesome!' Luz thought.
'Can you not enjoy this?!' Angel side shouted.
'Plus, we could just kill this guy. Sure he's Amity's boss but a new guy will be hired.' Devil side said.
'No, we are not killing him!' Luz thought.
Devil Luz groaned as Luz turned a corner, jumping between a bookshelf and dodging some flying books.
"Let's see him follow me through that." Luz said aloud.
He made it through. He literally smashed through the book shelves before they out themselves back together, as if he never destroyed them in the first place.
'Okay, how is that fair?!' Luz thought, seeing that Malphas could cause all the damage he wanted without worrying of damaging the Forbidden Stacks.
Luz attempted to run, but was grabbed.
"Got you, little trespassed." Malphas said as Luz struggled in his grip.
"Let me go! I'm not done yet!" Luz shouted.
"Yes, you are."
Malphis kept his grip on Luz as he headed for the exit/entrance to the Stacks. He had an idea of who let her in.
'Oh Amity, I expected so much more from you.' Malphas thought.
Once outside of the Forbidden Stacks and calling Amity into his office, Malphas was standing before Luz and Amity with a more relaxed but disappointed expression.
"So, care to explain how this one managed to get inside a sealed door?"
"I broke in, simple." Luz said.
"Don't try to lie, kid. That door as special magic in place that prevents break in and would alert me if someone did break in by force. So, the only way that you got in, i if someone let you in." Malphas said before gazing at Amity, who was looking down as she fidgeted with her hands. "Amity, I can tell this is a friend of yours, so why did you do let her in?"
"She… she needed help." Amity said.
"Help with what exactly? You know what's in the Forbidden Stacks is forbidden for a reason, Amity." Malphas said.
"It also holds the oldest known records of knowledge that hasn't been scrubbed clean under Belos's reign, right?" Luz asked.
"Correct, knowledge that can't be given to just anyone."
"Even if it's for something your evil king mislabeled?" Luz asked with her arms crossed.
"Luz." Amity said, clearly panicking.
"Belos is not evil, young lady." Malphas said.
"Tell that to all of the wrongfully imprisoned people he put in jail. Most of them didn't do anything wrong outside of refusing to be a part of his stupid coven system." Luz said, ignoring Amity.
"The coven system helps people control their magic, dude. It keeps them face from themselves." Malphas said with a hand on his chest.
"I don't believe that." Luz said.
"So you don't believe in the Titan?" Malphas asked.
"Oh I do. I just don't believe your asshole emperor can speak to it." Luz said as Amity kept giving her a panicked expression, "I know a lot of people that claim stuff like that… all are wrong."
Malphas sighed as he rubbed his forehead.
"Look little dude, when you break the rules, you get punished for it." He said as he turned to Amity. "Like this. I'm sorry, Amity, but I'm gonna need to let you go. So please, turn in your badge."
"What!?" Amity said, clearly panicked.
"YOU CAN'T!" Luz shouted at him.
"I can, despite liking a model employee like Amity, but she broke an important rule and there are consequences to breaking the rules." Malphas said, holding his hand out to Amity. "I won't ban here from the library because of her long history with us at least."
Amity slowly handed her badge to him.
"I-I'm sorry, sir." Amity said, looking down in shame.
Malphas said nothing as Amity then walked out.
Luz got up to follow her, only for Malphas to stop her.
"As for you, little trespasser, you are banned from the library like Edalyn Clawthorne." Malphas said.
Luz just flipped him off.
'We aren't done with this, bitch.'
Luz ran off to find Amity, seeing her walking out of the library in shame and sorrow.
Amity put a hand up to stop Luz.
"Don't." Amity said, "I... Just want to be alone right now."
Amity felt tears form as what had just happened finally sank in.
"I loved this job, more than I loved anything else... more than myself at times." Amity said, "I felt good being able to take care of kids, it gave me a sense of usefulness... the one thing that bitch of a mother still has over me, even now that she's dead. Without it... I... I need to be alone."
Amity walked away, while Luz looked down.
"Way to fucking go." Luz said, "Dad would be so proud, causing chaos and trouble everywhere I fucking go. Time to make things right."
Luz looked at the doors and growled... before stomping inside... nothing was going to stop her.
You know, if this wasn't split into three chapters, this would be the longest chapter of the fic. Follow, Favorite, and Review for more