Chapter Text
Was the world always so dark? She could have sworn that colors used to be... brighter?
Oh yeah, she messed up again, as always.
She had no clue where it went wrong as her memories were hazy. Her entire body aching from pain. She felt cold.
"...uz!"
"...Luz...!"
She noticed a bunch of different people around her. She couldn't remember their names no matter how hard she tried. The one with pink hair captured her attention. She was so pretty! She tried to raise her hand to touch the crying girl, but her hand refused to do so.
"Luz, stay with me... Please." The girl said. Her voice was so broken, there was so much pain in it.
Amity...
She felt tired. She smiled at the girl whose name she couldn't recall and slowly closed her eyes for a small rest.
When she opened her eyes, she wasn't in her body. She could see her body and her friends crying loudly.
"Amity! I'm here!" She yelled and tried to touch her beloved girlfriend, but her hand simply went through her. That's when the realization hit her.
She died. She was now probably a ghost, who will forever haunt the Isles. She failed her friends, and she couldn't keep her promise to her mom.
Something broke in her.
She would never see her mom. She won't know what happened. Tears started to pour from her eyes. This wasn't supposed to happen. They were gonna kick Belos' ass and laugh and celebrate...
"That was a sad way to go," said a voice that sent shivers down her spine. Next to her was floating a boy around her age, with red eyes and white hair. His face reminded her of moo--
"Collector!?"
"Hello!"
"Why... are you here?" She asked him he just looked confused at her.
"I've always been here! A better question would be.. why are you here in tears?" He was watching her, his eyes filled with curiosity. He was like a child that had no clue about what was right or wrong. She knew that the Collector was a powerful being, probably a god. Immortal being that experienced things that most people wouldn't.
"I... I died." He simply nodded.
"Everyone eventually dies. So why is there sadness in your eyes?"
"Well..."
He is like a child.
"I have friends, that I will never see again. I won't be able to spend time with them. I won't be able to see my mom..." She sat and hugged her knees. The Collector sat on the opposite side of her.
"So you are human?"
"You never seen a human before?"
"I've seen Belos, but he is... pretty inhuman."
"Well, everyone is their unique person, human or witch! We all choose our way, and sometimes it's good, sometimes it's not. Some try to improve, some just drag on their lives." She explained to the boy, who just nodded, hooked to her words. He sort of reminded her herself, how she came to Boiling Isles with so much curiosity and wonder.
"Will you miss them?" He asked. She looked at her friends who were still crying. She saw her body wrapped in Willow's plant magic, no thorns to be seen around, which surprised her.
"I will. A lot. They are my friends and... sort of family?" He didn't respond. Under him appeared a circle and tons of weird scrolls started to fly around him. He grabbed one of them while the others vanished. On the Collector's face appeared a smile.
"I could help you! But I want something you to do!"
"Whait?" She facepalmed herself. "Wait... What? How?"
"You will be my friend and play games with me when I say so! And I will bring you back with a small "Woah""
"What's this 'woah' supposed to be?"
"A small price to pay! Curse and memories will be away!"
"I will... forget everything and everyone?"
"Expect me! You will be free! Have the entire world to see!"
She stared at him. Maybe if she took this devil's trade, she could eventually find her way back to everyone. But what would this curse be? Maybe something that Eda has?
"Can... you wait before I make the decision?"
"Okay!" He then proceeded to watch her friends. He was tapping with his foot as he watched, probably bored.
Taking his offer would give her a second chance. But would it be worth it? Losing her memories of everything sounds... Scary. She would forget Eda, King, her mom, friends, and... Amity. It reminded her of Azura's choice in the 3rd book, where she had to forget everyone she loved to stop the evil magic spell. Hecate with the power of love managed to make Azura remember. With a kiss of true love, of course. But she then just denied it and said she hit Azura on the head really hard.
Maybe... Maybe Amity would be able to save her like that as well! With true love's kiss!
"Collector?"
"Mhm?"
"I take your deal." Collector looked at her, a smile on his face. It was kinda creepy if she should be honest. He cracked the seal on the scroll and started to read it out loud. After he finished reading, Luz could feel a loud roar in her mind, and her body felt like it was on flame. Once again, she was in pain.
"Don't fight the curse! You will only make it worse!" there was a tint of worry in his voice, but the girl thought she imagined it.
It didn't take long before her world faded into darkness once again.
"Where am I..." The girl said and looked around. She was in the middle of a forest. Nothing seemed familiar.
"In a forest!" Said a voice she was sure she heard once before, but couldn't remember from where.
"Who's there?" She looked around but saw no one.
"Down here!" She looked at the ground and saw a smiling shadow being, which caused her to jump a bit. The shadow laughed.
"I was getting bored and lonely!" He pouted.
"I'm sorry... But who are you?"
"I'm Collector, your friend!" He said, and the girl smiled.
"Well, I can't remember much, but nice to meet you, Collector."
The shadowy boy was amazed, even after losing her memory, she was still a nice huma--... Well, not really a human. This was their new beginning, and he was excited about how this game would turn.