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The world was desolate. A barren desert. But Edalyn couldn't help appreciating the view it gave her in the mornings. As the sun rose through the haze of smoke and dust, giving off a beautiful fiery red appearance, she took a deep breath, feeling the smells of fire and food cooking over them fill her nostrils. She looked above her at the fading stars and setting moon, leaning back to admire them in a greater capacity, her arms stretched out behind her to halt her from falling back all the way.
“I always forget how beautiful this place is.” She muttered, as she took a glance down at her right arm, which wasn't even an arm anymore. Not a real one, anyway. She brought it closer to her face and clenched her bronze fist, once again surprised by how lightweight it felt, though she knew from experience that it could punch a hole through a stone wall, even one as thick as the one that surrounded Blight Manor. She still wasn't sure what to think of the gift from Alador, but she could see that he was trying to be better, even if he was mixing his repentance with a bit of bribery (he had also made some adjustments to Raine’s viola and helped Lilith with creating the vehicle they now traversed the wasteland in).
Eventually, she heard her sister calling her name, and Eda summoned her palisman so she could descend from her lookout point atop one of the Titan’s ribs. She saddled herself onto Owlbert and kicked herself off the ground, taking one last look at the sunrise finishing its course before heading down to the group of travelers that was waiting below.
The group aforementioned was small but mighty, currently consisting of Lilith, Hooty, Darius, Eberwolf, Raine, the remnants of the B.A.T.S., Alador and his twins, and Eda. They all looked half-asleep, all except for Lilith, who was standing in front of the group, impatiently tapping her foot.
Eda stood in silence for a moment, unsure of what was occurring. Finally, she spoke up. “Everything alright, sis?”
Lilith's scowl deepened and a spout of air exhaled through her nostrils before she spoke, “I've been looking for you for an hour.”
“Woke us all up with her yelling,” Edric muttered before yawning; his head was on his sister’s shoulder, his eyelids dark and droopy, just like everybody else’s.
Eda, who had no recollection of hearing her sister’s voice before thirty seconds ago, thought through what could be the best response and decided to merely say the truth. “Yeah, sorry, I must’ve zoned out,” She pointed up at the peak of the towering rib behind her. “I wanted to catch the sunrise.”
But this only seemed to frustrate Lilith further. She furiously stamped her foot down and exclaimed, “Now is not the time to be taking in the view, Edalyn! Don't you understand that now more than ever we need to work together? How are we supposed to do that if you keep ignoring me?”
“Alright, alright, quit your yammering.” She sighed. “Is there a reason why you were looking for me?”
“Yeah, I’d also like to know that, please.” Edric cut in. “Not to see if I can go back to bed or not, I'm just wondering. But if I can go back to bed—”
“Stop talking,” Emira interrupted, wrapping an arm around him and pulling him closer, taking in Lilith’s expression.
Lilith took a deep breath and continued, “I'm sorry. I was awake all night because—”
“Wait, then how do you look more awake than anyone here?” Darius exclaimed.
“—Which is why,” She went on, ignoring the former head of the Abomination coven. “My emotions are especially strained at the moment. I'm sorry.”
Eda placed her metallic hand on her sister’s shoulder. “Don't sweat it, sis. We're all on edge right now, what with the end of the world and all.
“Anyway, what’s up?”
Lilith exhaled and nervously looked up at her sister. Eda could see it in her eyes that what she wanted to discuss wasn't something Eda would be happy to hear. With a start, Eda fervently checked her companions to make sure they were all there, grateful to see them all present, all except for Steve, who had been missing since this calamity began.
“What's wrong?” Eda cautiously asked her.
Lilith seemed to realize what Eda was thinking and quickly shot her hands up, speedily replying, “Nothing! Well, nothing besides the obvious, but otherwise, nothing. I just... I had a thought.”
Eda put her hands on her hips. “Ok... And that was?”
“I've been trying to put together a plan for how to fight against the Collector and I thought that perhaps... well, I thought we could...”
It seemed that Alador had lost his patience, for he exclaimed, “Well, come on, Lilith. Spit it out!”
“I think we should visit the Owl House!” She cried out, her eyes squeezed shut, afraid of her sister’s response to her request.
The Owl House. The magical dwelling that had housed Eda for years; she had built it herself, with her own two hands (and a spoonful of her magic). So many memories were in those breathing walls, too many memories. But now, it was just a husk, nothing but four walls and a roof. Why did Lilith want to go there now, after four months out in this barren wasteland?
Raine’s eyes swiveled back and forth between the two sisters, their troubled eyes betraying the calm expression painted on their face. Hesitantly, they called Eda’s name.
Eda blinked. “Sorry, I'm not sure if I heard you correctly. I could've sworn you suggested that we should drive across a barren wasteland to find a shell of a house that might not even be where we think it is. Or did I hear you correctly?”
“That pretty much sums it up,” Emira muttered.
“Edalyn, I understand it's difficult for you but—”
“Why would it be difficult for me?!”
“You just have a lot of memories in that place—” Raine began, but they were cut off by Eda’s stare.
“What, so you think I'll have some weird post-traumatic stress thing going on? Like that's actually a thing—”
“And that whole thing with slashing out Dad’s eye and being affected by those memories for years?” Lilith asked.
“That’s not the same!” Eda argued, “Also, not cool!” She added.
“Listen, don't you think we should at least hear Lilith out?” Raine asked, shooting a glance at the small crowd behind Lilith, who were all watching the two sisters quarrel like they were spectating a tennis match.
Darius, catching on, quickly stuttered, “Y-y-yes! I think that’s a good idea.” Eberwolf growled in agreement. “Anyone else?”
The others mumbled their approval, or at the very least their indifference, and the C.A.T.S. headed their way to their mobile base of operations, the Abominabile. Eda had to give it to Hooty; it was a pretty good name.
The crew headed inside, hauling themselves up to the door (it was elevated quite a bit off the ground to avoid any creatures that might be scurrying past; although they could still be flattened by the massive wheels adjoining the sides). They made their way to a small room that was mostly taken up by a wooden table fastened to the floor, an outdated map of the Boiling Isles pinned on top.
Lilith walked behind the table and placed a book on top. “I've been doing some research—”
“You always are,” Eda chuckled, shaking her head.
Lilith rolled her eyes. “Someone has to know how to get you out of the messes you make.”
“Ouch.”
“Anyway,” She continued. “I've been delving deep into Hootcifer’s journals and—”
“Hooty has journals?” Edric asked Lilith, herself being interrupted once again. Eda could see her nostrils flare as she exhaled a frustrated breath through them.
“Of course I have journals!” Hooty exclaimed, popping out of his little birdhouse on Lilith’s back.
“But how do you type them? It's not like you have—”
Hooty twisted and turned until he was face-to-face with the Blight twin, his dark eyes reflecting the frightened expression plastered on his paling face.
“Wanna finish that sentence, Blight?" Hooty growled, his voice dropping down an octave.
Edric could barely muster the strength to shake his head. Hooty gave a satisfied nod and shrank back into the hovel on Lilith’s back, leaving Edric collapsing on her sister’s shoulder.
Eda, unfazed by this moment's distraction, turned back to Lilith. “You were saying?”
Lilith gave a grateful grin and continued. “As I was reading the journals, I came across a passage that discussed the events taking place in the Tunnel of Love, a place Hooty made for...” The room suddenly got a little more somber. Lilith quickly hurried on. “I knew about it all already, of course, but rereading about it all made me notice something new.” She pulled out of her bag a rolled-up piece of parchment and unfurled it across the table, and the others swarmed around it to catch a glimpse of what was on it.
“Is that a diagram of Hooty?”
Lilith smiled. “I've never met anybody like him. He's incredible! I've made it my duty to discover everything I can about him. This,” She lovingly waved a hand over the paper. “Is a culmination of all that research over the past year.”
Eda turned so that she was facing the paper the same way as Lilith. “Dang. I gotta hand it to you, this is probably the most impressive useless thing I've ever seen.”
Lilith rolled her eyes. “As a matter of fact, I believe that now more than ever this could be the most useful to us, sister. Look at this.” She pointed at a margin of text written underneath the drawing of Hooty’s head.
Eda squinted at the passage of words. “Why did you write it so small?”
Lilith looked offended. “So I could have room to write more!”
“But it's so small I can't even read it. Here, let me borrow your glasses.” She said, reaching her hand out.
“They're not your prescription!” She adamantly refused.
“Lily, I don't even have a prescription! I don't wear glasses!”
“Here, try mine,” said Edric, passing his glasses over to her.
She tried them on. “Bleh, I can barely see out of these things.”
“Would you just read it?!” Lilith bellowed.
“Alright, alright!” She handed back Edric’s glasses and leaned up close to the minute text, making Lilith roll her eyes.
“ Has a special magical compartment whilst connected to Owl House. ” She looked back up at Lilith. “You mean the basement?”
“No, underneath the basement. It's incredible! Hooty made that entire Tunnel of Love, and where did he get all of the decorations? I think it's safe to assume that he conjured all of it! Imagine what we could do with that kind of power!”
“Wait,” Hooty said, popping out. “Were you just being my friend so you could learn more about me?! Was I just your science project?”
Lilith scratched underneath Hooty’s chin. “Of course not, Hootcifer. You were always my friend. The research was simply a bonus.”
“Hm. Alright then.” He sank back into his home.
Emira put her hands on her temples. “Let me get this straight. You want to magically connect that bird worm to a house so we can unlock a secret room that could possibly give us what we need.”
“Precisely!” Lilith jovially exclaimed.
“And what purpose would it serve to do this?” Darius asked, skeptical as always.
“Do you not understand the possibilities this discovery creates? What if we could find a way to defeat the Collector? What if we could find something to restore the Boiling Isles? Think about it!”
“I think you're reaching,” Darius responded.
As the group continued trading remarks, Eda stared down at the diagram of Hooty. She traced the lines that came together to form his skull and found another note, so she leaned in closer to inspect it.
May have materials for portal.
She surfaced back up into what had now become a full-blown argument, and tapped Lilith on the shoulder. The group quieted down as she spoke. “Can I talk with you? Alone?”
She pulled Lilith out into the desert outside before she turned to face her. “I know what this is about.”
Lilith, although looking more troubled than usual, continued with her haughty attitude. “And that is?”
“You still think they're alive.”
Lilith’s smug face disappeared.
“Edalyn—”
“No, it’s my turn,” She said, cutting her off. “You realize it's been four months, right? Four months. Don't you think we would've had a sign from them or something by now?”
“Not if they're not able to!” She retorted. “How could they signal us if they're trapped in the human realm?”
“How could they be trapped in the human realm, Lilith? How?!”
She stuttered, “I don't know, but it's possible!”
Eda sighed. “Yes, it's possible. Alright, I admit it. But, I mean, come on, Lilith! You're telling me you want to travel across miles of barren desert to my house on a hunch? You have to know that’s not like you.”
“And what about you?” Lilith bit back. “I don't understand how I'm the only one looking for them!”
“I am looking for them!”
“No!” Lilith shouted. “You're hoping they'll pop up out of nowhere like she did last time.”
“That’s not true—”
“Well, hope won't cut it this time!”
“Lilith—”
“They need us, Eda! And we're just standing here arguing while they're probably doing everything in their power to find a way back to us—”
“THEY’RE DEAD!”
Lilith fell into a breathtaking silence, her mouth gaping open midsentence.
Eda didn't mean to shout. But Lilith continually speaking as if they were alive, as if there was still hope... It was just too much. Eda wrapped her arms around herself and squeezed her eyes shut, her knees falling to the ground. Lilith crouched down next to her and put her hand on her shoulder as her sister’s eyes welled up with tears.
“I'm sorry, Eda, I didn't mean to—” But her voice faltered. She sat down next to her sister and bowed her head. “I’m sorry. I just... I don't want to lose hope.”
“Neither do I, Lilith.” She sobbed, looking up at her sister. “She was like a daughter to me, alright? King, Luz, I loved them. And now they're gone.”
Lilith returned her hand to Eda’s shoulder. “We don't know that.”
“We don't know they're alive!” She retaliated. “How could we possibly know? How could you be so sure?”
Lilith sat silent for a moment before she answered. “I'm not.” She admitted. “I know it's hard to hope for the best, Eda, because the best doesn't usually happen. But hope can accomplish so much. I know it's not the best example,” She chuckled before continuing. “But the things I did while serving Belos, always with the hope that I could help you and your curse... Hope is a powerful thing. And maybe if you let a little in,” She said, putting her hand on her sister’s chest. “Who knows what could happen?”
Eda stared at Lilith. The silence became deafening before she bellowed out a fantastically bright laugh. The laughter went on for much longer than she intended, but she couldn't stop. The tears she was holding back finally fell in her moment of delight as she laughed and laughed, heedless of her sister’s frightened stare.
The rest of the C.A.T.S. suddenly flew out of the Abominabile, Raine in front. “Everything alright?” They asked, their eyes on Eda.
Lilith shrugged, but Eda waved a hand at Raine. “Yeah, yeah, everything’s fine. Sorry, it’s just something Lilith said that cracked me up.” She gave a satisfied sigh and rose up, extending a hand to her sister to hoist her up along with her. “When did you get so soft?”
Lilith, although her eyes remained uneasy, began to share her smirk. “When did you get so tough?”
“Oh, come on, I've always been tough!”
As they walked back into the Abominabile, bickering all the way, Raine managed to tap Eda on the shoulder and the two of them split off from the group to converse.
“Are you really okay?” Raine asked.
Eda stared at them for a second before letting out a small, exasperated chuckle. “You didn't only hear me laugh, did you?”
Raine stayed silent.
Eda sighed. “Look, I'm okay enough. Maybe not as much as I should be, but I'll get over it.”
“Well, um,” Raine unexpectedly seemed to grow more tongue-tied, their cheeks reddening slightly. “You can still talk to me if you want. I'll listen,” They added, stuttering slightly as they rubbed the back of their neck.
Eda smiled, blushing slightly as well. “Thanks, Raine.”
The duo took the short walk back into the meeting room, where Eda immediately came up to Lilith.
What she was doing, she wasn't sure. But that short talk with Raine had somehow changed something in her, so she told her sister three simple words: “Let's do it.”
Lilith took a bewildered look around her before returning her gaze to her sister. “What?”
“Let's go to my house.” Eda elaborated.
Lilith broke into a surprised smile. “Really?”
Eda shrugged. “Yeah, what's the worst that could happen?”
“How about dying?” Edric suggested.
“Besides that.” She responded. She turned to the rest of the C.A.T.S. and asked, “Who wants to take a trip to my house?”
“Let's take a vote,” Lilith proposed. “All in favor of going to the Owl House?” Every single one of them raised their hands.
“What was the point of that again?” Eda asked.
Lilith shrugged. “I feel better when we deal with things diplomatically.”
“Well, I feel better when we're doing something, so let's get a move on!”
The C.A.T.S. nodded and left to prepare the Abominabile, leaving Lilith and Eda alone.
“You happy that you got what you wanted?”
Lilith nodded. “It may not lead us anywhere. But at least we're doing something besides waiting for nothing.”
Eda chuckled. “Jeez, she really rubbed off on you, huh?”
Lilith chuckled. “I suppose she did.”
Eda patted her on the back. “Let's hope this leads us somewhere.”
The two of them stared down at the diagram of Hooty still stretched out across the table.
Lilith muttered, “Let's hope.”