Chapter Text
The two stood there for awhile. Not sure what either should do next.
King eventually plucked up the courage to shift through the petals to pluck out the pendant with a mournful expression. He’d grown to like Phillip, and he knew that taking care of him made Eda and Raine happy. Now he wasn’t there anymore.
“I don’t understand.” Luz slumped onto the ground, moving her eyes away from the bed. He was fine at the party… wasn’t he?”
Looking back King didn’t really think so. There’d been something off the whole time, but he did his best to pretend like there wasn’t anything wrong. He held the pendant in his paw. It still felt warm, almost like it was alive, with the last lingering traces of Phillip’s body heat.
Everyone was still waiting downstairs for them to return. For this whole mess to have a happy ending.
Luz’s heart ached as she thought about how they’d react. “How are we going to tell them, King?”
…
Phillip gasped for air as he surfaced from the familiar dark waters, choking a little as he struggled to bring himself above the surface.
He was an adult again, but not the same as when he’d left this place that was for sure.
The moment he could feel the thrum of his heart beating, the forgotten past swept over him like a wave slamming into a rocky shore. All at once the raw pain came back, the guilt, the horrifying realization of all he’d done pressed down on him.
Worst still, he remembered all of the good things that had happened over the years. Over these last few months. All of it.
It was like he’d been thrown into the boiling sea.
He bent over, clutching at his chest as tears began to trickle from his eyes. How could he have been so horrible? Had he really let his own grief blind him for this long? Let it consume him to the point where he’d lost his humanity, not only literally, but spiritually as well? It felt like the truth of his past became much more clear.
Eventually, the tidal flow of tears let up enough for him to see his reflection in the dim dark water beneath him. Even though he could recognize that it was his face, it felt as if he was staring at a stranger. There were things that had changed and remained so even after turning back to this. He didn’t regain his awful beard, the bridge of his nose remained smooth and unscarred, his ears were still pointed but now they were slightly longer and more narrow. It almost looked like he’d almost grown into them. A sad cruel twist of fate given what he’d just experienced.
Despite the whirlwind of emotions, a creeping voice of reason shook him out of his despair. The curse was meant to make it so you didn’t exist. Yet his soul was here, and technically that meant he still existed. But curse had worked so he shouldn’t be here.
Why was he here?
Then Phillip felt something else. A familiar slimy presence that seemed to creep up behind him. The damp hot breath breathing down his neck. The stench of death. That familiar guttural groan.
He quickly whipped his head around just in time to see the grasping hand shooting towards him. With a swift ducking motion, he managed to dodge the first attack, but there was still more to come. He got to his feet and began to run. There wasn’t anywhere to hide in his void, but he at least hoped the floating cubes that were in his way could put some distance between them. There was a horrifying screech as the creature continued its pursuit. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the rotted limbs barely holding together, the dark empty sockets with glowing blue lights for eyes, the horns, the horrible, mangled shape of what remained of his alter ego.
Phillip was running for his life, trying to get away from Belos.
Away from himself.
…
“They’re sure taking their sweet time.” Eda mused. Standing around by the cliff side overlooking the isles. The moon would be at its peak soon, when their magic would be at its strongest. If they wanted to cure this curse it’d have to be now.
Raine shuffled over still red in the face with a drink in hand. Something was on their mind and she could clearly see it. Well, she could worry about the kids later.
Eda’s attention turned towards them offering a smile until she noticed Raine holding one arm behind their back. “Everything okay Rainstorm?”
“Well. Yes … no. Er I mean… Eda for so long I thought… what I mean is… there were so many times our future together was uncertain, and I know that’s mostly my fault…” Raine stumbled through their words like they were on stage trying to give a speech or perform. “But the thing is… I’ve known how I’ve felt about you for a very long time… this probably might not be the best time to… it’s just… I don’t want to lose this chance again so I… I just wanted to let you know that, you’re the most wonderful person I’ve ever met…I want to… I’d like to ask…”
Eda’s eyes lit up. “Raine…”
“Lemme finish …” Raine shook his head holding up one free hand. Drink still in the other.
“Raine, you just dropped it.”
The bard glanced down to the grass and saw the red flower they been holding holding laying beside them. Quickly they ducked down to grab it. Getting down on one knee. “Titan-dammit! Eda will you me marry, I mean marry me?!”
For a moment Eda just stood there. Not saying a word. Then she cracked a smile before setting her glass down on the ground to pull out something from her pocket. A small gold colored flower this time. “Actually. I was going to ask you. But I guess you beat me to it.”
Looks like they both had the same idea. Each one holding a flower as a sort sort of stand in for an engagement ring. For now at least.
They knew the other liked the sappy kind of romantic stuff.
They two witches then started to laugh as they embraced. Slipping the flower into one another’s hair tucked behind an ear. They couldn’t wait for the kids to come down so they could share the good news with everyone.
…
There was nowhere to go in this endless void. No matter how far he ran there was no beginning and no ending. There were obstacles such as ships, ruins, and other structures that had sunken into this forgotten place, but nowhere that he could be safe from the monster that pursued him.
The very same monster he had created.
He wasn’t sure how much longer he could keep going. Every fiber of his being was growing increasingly fatigued.
He quickly ducked into a cluster of ruins with a dark crevice to hide in. Just for a little to catch his breath. If he stopped moving for too long, his past would catch up with him.
As he leaned back against the wall, raggedly breathing with his heartbeat thrumming in his ears, he noticed something. Small glowing lights floating in the air around him, that seemed to appear as if out of nowhere. It was strange and worrying at first, but then he realized exactly what it meant. It meant that he actually had a fighting chance.
He tested it out by casting a spell which resulted in a brief flickering of flames. Even with such a small circle his magic was clearly very strong.
The sound of a deep animalistic hiss echoed in as Belos actually began to speak. “How could you let those witches twist your mind after everything they’ve done to me. To us!”
Phillip readied himself to fight. He moved as quietly as he could to get a better angle. Thinking about it all they really hadn’t done anything.
If anything, all they had done since from the beginning was do their best to help him. Even when they didn’t really want to. Despite him being… utterly irredeemable, all that they’d ever done was try to help. Even Caleb. All he wanted to do was help him. And he was so foolish as to claim he was doing the opposite.
“Stop lying.” Phillip’s voice cut through the near silent void. He crawled out of his hiding place, reluctant but ready to face his own inner demons for once. All the same it was really quite terrifying to be staring back at your own self the way others saw you. He took a deep breath as he shouted at the creature. “None of that is true. And you know it!”
“Not you too. How could you let them poison your mind… twist your sense of reality.” Belos reared up on his hind legs as the beast sneered. Showing off its skeletal teeth as it did so. “Just because they took pity on you and coddled you in a weaker form, that just erases it all? All the pain? The anguish.”
“They weren’t responsible for any of that. Witches didn’t even really exist in the human realm, it was just… something humans used as a way to put the blame on all the bad things that happened.”
“They destroyed our family!”
“Our mother died of illness.” He shouted as he dodged the arm that shot towards him. “Father was killed by a man. Not by a witch.”
“They took him from us!”
Phillip dodged flying arms thrashing wildly. He slid left, then slid right. One stray claw nearly got him in the leg, but he was able to get out of the way in time.
“Caleb left. He left to start a family of his own. As much as it hurts to say, he left because he wanted to grow up… we didn’t lose him to the witches. But we very well may have pushed him to it. His death was by our… by my hands alone. It’s our fault all this happened.”
“He needed to be saved!”
“No. He didn’t. We just wanted to be the hero in a story of our own making. Look at you. Can’t you see what you have become? What have … we have become?”
“You’re right…” The beast hissed before attempting to pounce on him. “I can see they’ve turned you as well. No matter. I will eliminate every one of those hellish creatures if it means I may save myself from the same fate.”
Just before Belos could wrap his hands around him, Phillip was able to cast a spell of fire in the direction of the beast. Temporarily blinding it so he could dart out of the path of immediate danger. He knew he couldn’t keep this up forever. He needed a plan.
Sadly, Phillip wasn’t given much time to think. A swift backhand sent him flying against a nearby wall, hitting it with a loud reverberating thud. It felt almost like he’d been thrown against a sturdy pane of glass. Despite the pain that surged through him, in that moment, he knew what he had to do.
“Seems I have no other choice but to take over until you return to your senses.”
“You’re nothing but a mask.” Phillip retorted. Moving into position. “You’re just a mask I wore because I was a scared and lonely child. Because of that I hurt innocent people. Well, I’m not going to let you hurt anyone else anymore!”
“So be it.” Belos gave one last glare towards his previous self, as he let out a shrill shriek of displeasure. Pain blooming all over what little he had left in terms of a body.
With what little fight he had left he began casting numerous spells, dozens of them. Any spell that he knew all directed towards the looming figure. It was all for show of course. He just needed the one spell. Or else it would all end here. For him and possibly for everyone else. He couldn’t risk that.
Again and again. The barrage of spells hit one after another, until it was finally time for his final spell.
Belos tunneled towards him. Running at full speed towards Phillip’s shape. He galloped like an animal on all fours, lunging with malicious intent. But just as he did so, the figured turned into a blue plume of smoke. The brief illusion fading just as he got there, sending the monstrous being careening into the wall.
In the reflection of the wall he could a very weary Phillip standing a fair distance behind him, having used the illusion to escape from his wrath without incident.
The collision sent shockwaves throughout the whole space. Disorienting them both.
When Belos shook off the horrible ringing in his ears, he wearily opening his eyes again all he could see was his own reflection. He turned to run towards his ungrateful self but stopped a few feet when he realized he was no longer there.
All around him was a black mirror like void, where the only thing he could see was his own reflection.
What Belos didn’t know then was that he’d slammed into the wall, he had passed through it, and managed to trap himself in a mirror realm. Not just in his own reflection. But every single reflection there ever was, or ever would be. He was nothing but a movement in the corner of your eye when you starred in the mirror. No one else around him but his own horrific vissage.
With no way out.
Phillip could hear the distant cries of his foe getting further and further away. Fading into nothingness. His eyes were shut tight until he felt a hand on his shoulder.
…
Meanwhile upstairs, King and Luz were still sitting in the room. Still trying to think of how they were going to break the news to the others.
It was so quiet now. Without the crying or laughter, the room felt empty strangely empty.
King fiddled around with the locket in his hands until he felt a sharp pinch in his paw.
An invisible sharp edge of metal had drawn blood. “Ow! What the …”
“What happened?”
“The stupid thing cut me. We have to get the flower out of the – huh?” King had opened the locket to prevent the blood from staining the little flower inside, but stopped when he saw the closed bud begin to glow as the titan’s blood turned some of its petals from white to a vibrant deep blue. It seemed almost like it was meant to happen.
The two watched this change, and King decided it was time he tried something. Using the cut on his hand he dripped a little blood onto the flower. It continued to change and then began sprouting stems and roots. As it grew newer, smaller dark blue buds began to form.
“What is it doing …”
The little titan couldn’t really explain why. Something deep inside told him that something was about to happen, and what to do next. “We have to get it outside!”
“King?”
“Trust me! We don’t want it to grow in here!”
Luz wasn’t willing to argue with that. Like a bolt of lightning the two bolted out of the house, King pushed past everyone as the cluster of flowers began to overflow from the locket. He almost knocked over Eda and a few others as they went. He ran out towards the open spot of the clearing and dropped the expanding mass of blooms.
“Woah!” Eda barely managed to keep her balance. “King! What in Titan’s name is going on?!”
“No idea!” Luz shouted as she ran after him. She was just as clueless as everyone else.
King ran as far as he could, only to stumble and trip when he reached a cleared spot in the woods. From there the blooms seemed to explode in growth. They swept across the ground in all directions. The closed buds reached up towards the moonlight. They reached up as far as they could before bursting open. All at once. Releasing a tsunami of blue petals. Everyone did their best to shield their eyes from the bright light.
When it all settled there was a slight haze in the air. Everything felt oddly calm and still.
The flowers had spread all across the Boiling Isles. From a single bud millions had sprouted all over covering every inch of grass visible.
But that was far from the most amazing thing they would see that night.
For when they looked up, no one could believe what they were seeing.
…
Phillip couldn’t believe what he was seeing. He covered his mouth in shock, trying to keep his composure but finding it nearly impossible to do so. It took everything just to keep him from becoming a blubbering mess. “It’s … its you. But how… I thought… the curse it… I don’t understand.”
Caleb said nothing, at first, only extending his arms out in a welcoming gesture. Signaling for a hug.
He didn’t hesitate to embrace his brother for the first time in over 400 years. As the salty tears of joy and regret came streaming down, he apologized. Over and over again, he apologized for all the wrong he’d done with each shuddering breath. No more excuses, no more justifications, no more lies. “I’m sorry Caleb. I’m so sorry. I can’t even begin to… I never… I’m so so sorry. I would take it all back if I could. Oh, Caleb I … I’m so sorry.”
“It’s alright my dear Pip” His voice still as warm and gentle as he remembered. “Shh. It’s alright, its over now.”
He clung on so tightly, fearing if he let go Caleb would disappear again. “I was wrong. I was wrong about everything! I should never have… You were right. You were right about everting..”
“We both made mistakes,” The elder brother looked to the ground sadly, “some greater than others. But that’s in the past now. I forgive you, and…I… I’m sorry as well.”
He supposed that meant it was all over now. They could both pass on together. As they got up from the ground he began to wonder if Evelyn had passed on already. He couldn’t sense her presence, nor could he imagine she’d let him face that thing alone if she’d had a choice. She probably wouldn’t be happy to see him but at least he could made amends.
Though, there was still a lot left to do on the Isles in terms of healing. The damage he’d dealt ran quite deep. It would take a long time to restore what had been lost. The thought of just leaving without fixing any of what he did, it didn’t sit quite right with him.
Then there was the Owl House and all its residents. Would they miss him? Surely not but… he couldn’t put it out of his mind the idea that they might be saddened by his sudden passing.
He’d been awful to Hunter. A sorry excuse for an uncle in all ways. And he’d done the same to countless others before him. Even still, throughout his whole ordeal Hunter only ever shown him kindness and sympathy.
Why couldn’t he have done the same back then?
“Phillip?” Ever so vigilant, Caleb turned back to look at him. He could always tell when something was troubling his younger brother, time made no difference. “What is it?”
He stammered as he stepped away from Caleb. “I…I can’t leave yet.”
Caleb’s face seemed to turn at that moment. From gladness to fear. “You can, Pip. Everything’s been forgiven.”
“No. It hasn’t.” He said with a deep sigh. “I haven’t done anything to deserve forgiveness and there’s still so much that needs to be fixed. I can’t just leave these things as they are.”
Even if he wanted to, Phillip knew that he wouldn’t be able to leave. Not now. The water beneath his feet felt stiff. It was holding him up rather then pulling him further down. Then again, he also knew that Caleb wouldn’t leave him. Not after they’d been separated for as long as they had.
He could hear it in his brother’s voice the sheer exhaustion he was trying to conceal. “It’s okay, we’ll make it through this. Together this time. I promise.”
Not again. The last thing Phillip wanted was to put him through that all over again.
He knew what he had to do. He placed his hands on his brother’s shoulders, giving him one last smile. “You were a better brother than I deserved.”
Caleb did his best to look hopeful. Setting his hand over Phillip’s. “I could’ve been better.”
“Thank you for still believing me after all this time.
“Of course. You’re my little brother’s …” Caleb wanted to continue but he felt his feet give out underneath him as he fell back into the water. His eyes grew wide as he realized that Phillip had pushed him. Not in an act of malice but in one of mercy.
“I had always hoped I’d get to see you again. Now this time, I have to be the one to push you away. For your own sake.” He choked back tears as he stepped away. “You’ve kept her waiting long enough.”
It all seemed to happen in slow motion in his eyes, as he watched as his brother fell back into the water, quickly disappearing beneath the dark water to the other side. Finally moving on from a life of pain and strife.
He may not have deserved peace, but his brother certainly did after everything he’d sacrificed for Phillip’s sakes. There was only one chance for him to make this right. “Goodbye Caleb. I’m … so sorry.”
Now he was alone. No friends. No foes. Only silence and the dim light that hovered around him. Cubes floating past him just out of reach.
At least his brother could be happy now. With his wife, and the child he never got to meet. He could finally have a life… well an afterlife free of his little brother’s problems.
Defeated, he slid to the ground, burying his face in his hands. His brown hair was a tangled curtain blocking out the void as he brought his knees to his chest. Maybe for awhile he could just let time pass. Phillip could pretend he was still at the Owl House enjoying cake as he looked back on it all. Wishing things had been different.
His solitude was interrupted for the third time by an unfamiliar gruff laughter. Followed by a deep yet kind voice. “Well, I certainly didn’t expect that.”
Phillip quickly raised his head in order to look and see who it was. Sweeping back his hair only to receive an additional shock once he caught sight of his surroundings. He was no longer in the space in between instead he was somewhere lively and colorful. A sky of soft pastels that swirled together with clouds of lavender cotton. The grass was vermillion with a ruby like sheen as the light reflected off of it. There were tall twisting trees that reminded him something of the oaks from his realm, though the butterfly-shaped leaves on these trees seemed to transition between an array of colors. Starting from a bright lemon to a sweet pink, jumping suddenly to a crisp mint green, rolling into a deep violet, before shifting back again. He couldn’t be sure, but the shoreline was visible from where he was followed by a sweet-yet-salty breeze that seemed to come from all directions. Sweeping up all around him.
Phillip turned to look at the source of the voice, only to fumble back in surprise at the sight of the Titan standing behind him. In sweatpants and a bad-girl coven shirt no less. Despite his rather soft looking exterior, and his shorter then expected stature, he was still quite intimidating.
“I don’t blame you for being at a loss of words. It really is quite a stunning place.” Papa Titan said using his claw to pick up an inchworm from a nearby blade of grass. It shimmered in the light just before a silver butterfly took its place. “Everything here manages to find new ways to take you by surprise.”
“Where exactly is… here?”
“A very special place indeed.” The Titan looked at him warmly with his single eye, Phillip couldn’t really tell but it seemed like he was smiling at him. “This place exists between things. Unlike the In Between realm we were in before, which was a space in between realms as well as a limbo between life and death, this realm works a little differently. It’s a realm between beginnings and endings. Where things start and where they stop. In this case…”
Using both hands, Papa Titan turned Phillip’s whole to face the portal door waiting for him in the tree line.
The very same that brought him to the Ilses all those years ago. There was a certain draw to its presence. It had a magnetic pull that drew him closer to it, but Phillip stumbled back into Papa Titan with fear and concern.
“I still don’t understand…”
“This pathway leads back to the demon realm. Go through that doorway and you’ll be back on the other side.”
“Wait a second! If this doorway is a way out, how come you never went through it yourself?” Phillip balked, stepping back a bit in shock. “I mean, wouldn’t you want to live again? Given all that has happened…”
“There are two reasons for that. The doorway is only open to those who have yet to finish their story, while at the same time have yet to begin it. My story began long ago and has already reached its conclusion. I have no more business in the living world that needs to be resolved. That and well… there is also the small issue of what comes next.”
“An issue?” Phillip watched as an aging tree several feet high shook before suddenly shrinking down to a sapling with two leaves swaying in the breeze.
“The tradeoff of being given new life is that whoever passes through this gate forfeits all memory of their former life. Essentially it makes it so that you’re a blank slate.”
They both watched as the butterfly fluttering about Papa Titan seemed to split in half, growing a new copper colored wing complementing
“You mean… if I go through that portal. I won’t remember anything?”
He’d only just gotten all his memories all the good, and the bad. He needed to remember all the horrible things he’d done if he wanted to fix them. Selfishly he also didn’t want to forget his family. His mother’s long hair and comforting smile, his father towering figure and warmth that seemed to envelop him when he thought back on those happier times. And of course, Caleb…even though he was gone, and he’d accepted it he wanted to remember him as well.
“I understand that you may not want to forget. But from what I’ve seen you’ve managed life without your memories just fine.”
“But that was different. I didn’t have a choice back then. I was different. I was cruel. The only reason I changed was because I could still remember certain things… even when that faded I knew deep down what I had done.” Phillip began packing in the grass, kicking up bubblegum pink colored dandelions as he went so that they floated all about him. “What if… what if forgetting everything makes me turn into something worse than what I already was. What if I just end up becoming Belos all over again? Even if that’s not the case, still. How am I supposed to fix the wrongs I’ve done if I don’t even remember that I did them?”
His pacing was ceased when the Titan picked up under the arms like he was some kind of cat. Stopping his worried ranting before it went further.
“Woah. Hold on a minute there. You are overthinking thinking this.” Papa Titan sighed, still holding him so he was eye level. “You’re assuming that you won’t be a good person because you’ll just end up making the same mistakes you did before.”
“Won’t I?”
The titan just gave a hearty laugh. Phillip didn’t think it was very funny, but he had to admit the creature’s voice put him at ease. “Well, some things are unavoidable. Though I doubt you’ll make all the same mistakes. Not with the people who will be looking out for you.”
The Titan set him down, just a few paces in front of the doorway this time.
“Why are you doing this for me?”
“You surprised me.” The sagely Titan admitted. “And I know the others would be sad if you were gone. You really managed to worm your way into their hearts.”
At that moment a little owl worm tried coming out of his empty eye. Starting to run its squeaky yet oddly familiar voice. It was interrupting the whole vibe which ended up forcing the Titan to push it back in.
“Ah. Sorry about him. Poor choice of words.” The titan just got a long sigh as he tried to get back on track. “Well at any rate, are you ready to go? I don’t mean to rush you. I just have somewhere I need to be.”
Phillip stared at the portal door for a little while. Taking a deep breath in before taking that first step through door. He learned to live without his memories once before, he could do it again.
Maybe this time he could be a generally good witch, instead of a witch hunter general.
Before he could go all the way through, he turned to look back at the Titan. “One last thing…”
“If it’s an apology there’s no need.”
“Not that. I wanted to say … thank you. For giving me this chance. I will try to do better this time.”
The Titan simply nodded.
With that Phillip disappeared into the portal door. Not quite sure what awaited him on the other side. Even with how daunting the prospect of starting over was, he was excited to find out.
…
“Are those…” Luz pointed up at the looming figures.
All above them, looming over the island engulfed in a light blue glow, were titans. Full grown, island sized titans staring down at them. They didn’t seem malicious at all. Instead, they seemed oddly content.
“No way!” The Collector shouted in disbelief knelt down to the flowers as small heads poked up from beneath. Tears starting to trickle down his cheeks. “Spiral! Cosmo! Stone! You’re all here! I missed you!”
He was hugging a group of small baby titans, not much younger than King. All of them crowding around them with wagging tails. Their happy squeaks and ‘weh’ noises echoing slightly as they swarmed the celestial being with hugs. Knocking them to the ground as he collapsed into a heap of giggles. Of course, the collector didn’t mind at all. He was just happy to see his old friends after so long.
Luz and King watched on. The human looking up above them in utter disbelief. “These are… the titans?”
“Yeah! These are my old friends. We used to play everyday together.”
The group couldn’t do much more then watch on. Stunned and unsure what was going to happen next.
…
Caleb fell back onto the ground with a hard thud. It didn’t hurt, the shock of what had just happened was painful enough. He tried to scramble back to his feet as quickly as he could, of course by then it was too late. There was no way back. They’d been separated once again. This time it was his choice.
Realistically, he knew he should be proud of his little brother, but now there was nothing more he could do to help him. Phillip was on his own now.
“Hey there. Why the long face.”
Caleb glanced upwards, only for his eyes to meet with his fiery haired angel. Unchanged from when he last saw her in those foggy last moments. She was just as beautiful now as she was then, bathed in an ethereal heavenly glow. Now to come to think of it, so was he.
None of that was really important though. What mattered was that she was here. They were together again. He wasted no time picking her up and spinning her in the air. Twirling them both as he fought back tears of joy. “Evelyn! It’s you! Oh, my lovr!”
“Yeah. Yeah, it’s me.” She cupped his face with her hands. Smiling with joy. “We’re finally together again after all this time.”
“I can’t believe it. I never thought I would… I never imagined this day would actually come. I always hoped but I …” His joy soon became subdued as he set her down. Gazing softly down at his hands, relieved yet defeated. “If I’d only done more…”
“There’s nothing we can do about it now.” She took his hands into her own, caressing them softly. “It’s not your duty to look after him anymore. It’s out of our hands. Between you and me though, I think he’ll be just fine.”
The two lovers leaned in close. The rest of the world seemed to melt away as the two leaned in for their first kiss in hundreds of years.
If this was all Heaven had to offer, Caleb considered himself to be a lucky man indeed.
But Evelyn had another surprise for him. When their lips finally parted, while the taste of her lingered, he was dragged along into the trees by his wife’s vice like grip. It felt almost like one of their games when they were alive. Sprinting off into some new adventure.
Only this time his prize was something far more precious.
His heart almost skipped a beat seeing the young man standing in the clearing in front of him. Caleb knew him from the moment he laid eyes on him. Even though they never met in life, he couldn’t have been prouder of who he was facing at that moment.
“Dad?” The young man asked hesitantly before approaching them slowly. Even though Caleb knew he’d passed a very long time ago, getting to see his child for the first was something almost magical.
Once their arms were around each other, the three of them collapsed to their knees in tearful reunion.
They were finally together as a family.
…
The group watched on, a little unsure how to react.
Eventually Lilith spoke up, deeply confused. “I don’t understand. I thought all the titans were… you know.”
“I think they are.” Luz spoke thoughtfully as she looked up at the ghostly figures. It was the only explanation given everything they knew. “To be honest I always thought ghosts would be more… I don’t know…”
“Dead looking?” Another Titan apparition, much smaller but still pretty large, dusted away something from his pants that looked pink and fuzzy “Sorry I’m late. There were a few things I kneed-ed to get squared away.”
King looked up at Papa Titan, his arms withdrawn and nervous. He knew who he was from the moment he made that bread pun. This was his dad. Would he be happy to see King? Would he be disappointed?
All his fears were put to rest however, when he felt himself being scooped up from the ground by the cool but gentle grip of familiar shaped claws. The titan gave a long sad sigh as he raised him up high. “I’ve been hoping for this day for a very… very long time. It’s so good to finally meet you, my son.”
Everyone was a bit teary eyed as King leapt out of his grasp and wrapped his little arms as far as they could reach around his neck in an attempt at a hug.
“I can’t believe you’re really here!”
“Yep. Guess you could say I’m back from the bread.”
The little titan’s laughter was well worth all the trouble. “Haha! Bread puns. That… that never gets old.”
“So uhh…” Eda spoke up after a minute. “Not that it isn’t nice to see you but could you explain what exactly is going on here ?”
“Oh right! Silly me. Well we’re still waiting on one more person, so might as well provide you all an answer to your questions in the meantime.” He set King down though eagerly kept hold of him. “Ahem. Fire away.”
“Maybe you could start by explaining what’s happening here?” Hunter said pointing to their surroundings.
“Ah yes. You see that flower bud. The last bloom of its kind, it was once known as Titan’s tears.” He spoke solemnly.
Papa Titan went on to explain how the flower worked and what purpose it served. They’d bloom all over deceased Titan bodies, and once every thousand of years on , a very special moonlit night, it would summon the spirits of lost loved. It so that they might be able to reunite with them for a brief while. Titans lived longer than most creatures, so few others had ever seen it occur. Early witches being among them. Over time this knowledge was lost and hidden away. The purpose of the flower being entirely forgotten until a handful of witches discovered its other properties, which eventually led to their extinction after it was deemed too dangerous.
“The presence of Titan’s blood initiated the ritual, restoring the plant.”
“Sounds like something out of Cosmic Frontier.” Hunter commented before glancing up at the titans again.
An unfamiliar voice came up from behind him. “I know right?”
The group turned again. This time to face a man with a beard who in many ways looked an awful lot like Luz.
“Reminds me of Chapter 10 in book 3, when Captain Avery’s team land on a planet to look for O’Bailey, who got stranded when the escape ship he stowed away on crash landed because of the enemy lasers, when they come upon these crystals and… oh I’m sorry. Am I rambling?”
Luz and Camilla stood silent for a minute before they both tearfully grappled him.
“Mi amor? Mija? Mis queridos.”
“Dad…” Luz pressed into his side, drying her tears against his shirt. She could feel how tightly her mom was holding onto them both. Afraid they’d just slip through her fingers. Luz felt the very same way, doing her best to hold it but failing in the process.
“You’ve grown so much.” He said, cupping her face with one hand. A proud smile on full display. “I can’t believe I’m looking at my same little girl.”
“I miss you so much.”
“I know. But I’m always watching over you. Even when it doesn’t feel like it. I’m just glad to get to hug my family one more time.” He hummed, before he noticed. Hunter and Vee stood off to the side and pulled them in by the arm. “What are you two standing over there for. Get over here!”
“But we aren’t…”
“Oh shush. Just get in here. You over there as well!” Manny defended. Hugging everyone present as best as he could. His actions spoke volumes about how he felt over his daughter’s friends and new family. It almost made Luz and Camilla start sobbing all over again.
They all had a wonderful time getting to know both dads. For some it helped them forget their sadness for a little while. For others it brought a great deal of closure. Luz wished the night could go on forever but when the sky started to change color, she knew that she would have to say goodbye again as well as face the truth.
When it came time to part ways, she gave him one last iron grip hug before finally letting go.
Papa Titan did the same with King before letting him scamper back to Eda with a sigh. “Thank you again, for caring for him when I could not.”
“I should be thanking you. You saved Luz and helped us take down Belos. I can’t imagine what it’d be like to lose her again.” She said shrugging it off.
Both fathers turned, though a little sad to be leaving so soon, the smiles on their faces remained.
It wasn’t until then she remembered that Phillip was still asleep upstairs. In all the chaos they’d neglected to ask Luz where he was. As as she did though, she immediately regretted it.
No one said a word. King’s fallen expression told her everything. From the beginning she knew it was a long shot, but she really thought that they’d be able to overcome the curse. Guess some things… really weren’t meant to be.
Raine grabbed her only remaining hand and squeezed it tight. No matter what, they were going to be there for her. Ups and downs.
But their sadness didn’t last long as Papa Titan turned back suddenly. “Oh. I forgot to mention. Good luck with taking care of Phillip.”
“But he’s…”
“It was the yeast I could do after all you’ve done.” Papa Titan winked with his only eye. “Just roll with it.”
The Collector gave tearful goodbyes to all of the titans, as well as a heartfelt apology for everything that had happened to them. He waved to them as they slowly began to fade away with the arrival of the morning sun. Then the little titans as they disappeared too among the swaying flowers that slowly began to turn white again.
“Farewell, Luz the human. Eda the owl lady. King. Farewell to you all…” Papa Titan’s visage faded into the trees as the difference between light and darkness came into view.
Manny was the last to go, blowing one final kiss to his family as the breeze sent him back to where came.
Luz gave a little wave back. Wiping away the tears on her sleeve. When she looked at Hunter standing there beside her, still and silent, she couldn’t help but feel bad for him. He was keeping his cool but Luz couldn’t even begin to imagine how he must have felt hearing the news. In hindsight, she should have admitted it from the beginning.
“Hunter, I…”
“Luz. Stop.” He said quietly.
“I’m sorry. I should’ve told you all from the moment we-” Luz was about to start apologizing again when Hunter’s hand flew over her mouth. Stopping her from making a single sound. At first she thought he was upset but then she realized he was listening for something.
Hunter’s twitched as he picked up on a sound, half-hidden by the rustle of the leaves in the wind and distant crows of demons awaking from slumber. “Do you guys hear that? It sound like…”
“No way…” Willow gasped as she heard it too.
All the witches began to turn their heads towards the direction of the noise. It was faint but unmistakable to their sensitive ears. Down the hill towards the house, nearby where they’d just been.
Eda and Raine took off towards the source, displacing petals as they went. The others took off after them. Luz followed behind last, rocked with disbelief at what she was hearing. Unfortunately for her, the flowers obscured a tree root, so she tripped and fell underneath the sea of petals with a loud thud.
…
Luz Noceda hit the ground with a loud thud as she rolled off her bed onto the hard wooden floor with a groan. It was a dream, a snippet of a dream anyway, about what had happened nearly four years ago. Maybe they’d over done their celebration of her ‘King-cera’ last night. Her head was still pounding from all that excitement, loud music, and way too much of that amazing bi-colored cake. Still at least she could get back into bed and sleep until mid-day.
That was the plan until she heard a giggle from up on her bed. She slowly sat up as a familiar pair of bright wonder-filled blue eyes starred into hers “Luz!”
“Morning Phillip…” She mustered a smile despite feeling almost dead-inside.
Yes. Indeed, they managed to save but he wasn’t the same person he was before. Phillip Wittebane was no more. In his place there was Phillip Bloodwilliams Whispers Clawthorne, of course he was more often than not referred to by one of his endearing pet names that he’d acquired as time went on. He’d grown a lot since then that was for sure. She could hardly believe that tiny baby witch they’s all found in the dirt was about to start school in a little while. They both were in a way.
Luz almost managed to nod off when a plush hand hit her in the face. He was using Sprig to try and get her attention when he noticed she was falling back asleep. “Luz! Luz, wake up!”
“Ugh. Pip. It’s too early…”
“You promised!”
“Huh?”
A yawn from the door heralded the arrival of the equally exhausted parents as they came in with apologetic eyes (as far as Luz could tell they were mostly shut). Phillip immediately dropped what he was doing and ran over to them, padding over in his soft hooded titan onesie before being lifted up by Raine. He wriggled in their grip until they were comfortably settled in a way, he could still see Luz and his parents at the same time. Of course, the bard didn’t mind it anymore. They weren’t afraid of dropping him.
Not anymore.
“Sorry about that Luz. Didn’t think we’d all still be feeling it tomorrow.” Eda mumbled an apology as she tried to shake off the incredible hangover that she had from drinking contest last night. Still, she could take solace in the fact she wouldn’t suffer alone. Yesterday they’d convinced Phillip to go to bed earlier than usual. That way they could finish setting up and so that way there’d be no interruptions from an overtired kindergartner up past their bedtime. The only caveat was that he could get up early and celebrate Luz’s birthday with her the next day. “Look on the bright side, you’ve got the next four years staying with us to look forward to.”
“Come on, Eda. You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” She chuckled before they all headed downstairs for breakfast. By the delicious smell in the air, it was clear he’d already awoken most of the household. There was just one more person to wake.
“Hunter! Luz is here! Wake up” Phillip didn’t hesitate to run into the living room before jumping onto the couch so he could pull off the covers. He never wanted Hunter to miss out on anything. Ever. Especially not pancakes. “We’re going to do the thing now!”
“I hear you; I hear you. Don’t worry I’m up.” The carver stretched as he forced himself into a seated position. Almost sending Phillip off the edge much to his sheer delight. The rise in laughter nearly made everyone’s ears ring.
Luz looked to Eda, covering her ears. “Please tell me there’s a hangover potion.”
“One that gives you hangovers, or ones that take them away?” Eda cracked a wry smile as she followed after Phillip into the kitchen.
Most of the guests from last were surrounding a lopsided stack of pancakes with a candle stuck through the top prepared just for her. The only ones not present were the palisman who were given the luxury to sleep in. Everyone else who was present looked absolutely terrible apart from Gus. Then again, he was an illusion master. She shuffled in front of her cake still in her pjs as she gave a sleepy smile at King. He was just as tired but doing a much better job of hiding it.
“Make a wish!” Phillip cheered from behind. All of their close friends and family beginning to sing a very drunken/off-key version of Happy Birthday.
It was kind of funny, this chapter of her life began and ended just like it had for many of them these past few years. With someone’s birthday.
With that in mind, it also meant this was going to be another new start. So, Luz closed her eyes tight, took in a deep breath, and blew out the candle.