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Chapter Text

Luz winced as she saw the chaos that had erupted within the Owl House. “I was gone for five minutes.” 

“Miss Teacher! Miss Teacher!” Lilith chirped, thrusting an ice statue of Luz into the teenager’s hands. “What do you think?” 

“Excellent job, Lilith.” Luz smiled at the older witch, then looked at Eda. “Eda, I distinctly remember asking you not to combine Glyphs yet.” 

“I don’t recall that conversation.” 

Luz let out a sigh. “Eda…” 

“What’s—“ Vee cut herself off as she poked her head in behind Luz. “Um.” 

“Eda attempted to combine Glyphs,” Luz told her.

“Okay, that’s actually on brand for you,” King noted. 

“Well, I was the master of chaos at Hexside,” Eda said with a grin.

Luz laughed. “Come, we need to clean up.” 

Ah-ah-ah-ah…

Luz looked up sharply. “What was that?” 

A loud crash sounded. 

Luz massaged her temples. “Eda, my looking away was not an excuse for you to combine more Glyphs.” 

“Or was it?” The witch grinned at her mischievously. 

Shaking her head, Luz turned to the door. “Hooty, would you mind?” 

“Suuuuuuuuure!” the demon shouted. Elongating himself, he zipped about the living room, gleefully gobbling up the mess of Glyphs Eda had created. Another dream the night before had shown Luz a Plant Glyph; teaching this to Eda and Lilith had resulted in a variety of vines and flowers covering the walls and floors of the Owl House. Hooty went after the vegetation with especial relish. 

Vee looked slightly ill. “I feel like there was a better way to deal with this.” 

“He does get it done,” Luz observed, wincing as a loud crash sounded from one corner. “Oh, dear.” 

Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah…

Jumping, Luz whirled around, looking for the source of the call. “Did you hear that?” 

Vee frowned at her. “Hear what?” 

“Do you mean Hooty chasing bugs?” King asked dryly. 

“No - wait, pardon?” Luz turned, only to find that Hooty had abandoned his previous task and was now tying himself into knots attempting to catch a particularly evasive insect. “Hooty!” 

The demon froze. “Oooooops! Sorry, Luz!” In a flash, he had unknotted himself and returned to his original job. 

Amused, Luz left him to it. 

“Are you feeling alright, Luz?” Eda asked her, placing a hand on Luz’s shoulder. “You’ve seemed kinda distracted all day.” 

“Well…” Luz hesitated.

Lilith darted forward, pressing the back of her hand to Luz’s forehead. “Are you feeling ill? Do you need to lie down? I can take you up to your room—“

“Perhaps,” Luz admitted, “lying down may do me some good.” She looked at Eda. “Would you wake me for lunch?” 

“Of course, kiddo.” Smiling gently, Eda ruffled the younger witch’s hair. “You get some rest.” 

Smiling back, though the look held a hint of uncertainty, Luz turned and made her way up the stairs to her room. Behind her, she could hear Eda scolding Hooty and King about being quiet, causing her smile to become more genuine. Upon reaching her room, she collapsed onto her bed, falling almost instantly into a deep sleep.

The dream was different. 

Luz could sense immediately that it was a dream upon opening her eyes. This was unsurprising. What startled her was that she was not occupying a body, seeing through their eyes and going through their motions. Instead, she hovered in the air, floating over the Boiling Isles.

Beside Luz flew a large, sapphire blue dragon. Her soft brown eyes were focused on a point far ahead. Three pairs of wings protruded from her sides, each split into two separate, delicate-looking pieces. 

She was the most beautiful creature Luz had ever seen.

Together, the dragon and Luz glided above the treetops, finally reaching what Luz recognized with a sinking feeling as Belos’ palace. The man himself stood upon a balcony, antlered mask firmly in place, robes flapping behind him in the wind created by the dragon’s wings.

Tilting his head back, Belos raised a metal-gloved hand in greeting. The dragon roared, piercing the sky with the sound, before turning and flying off in a completely different direction. Luz followed her, feeling a sense of relief to get away from that place, even if it was only a dream.

What was that? she wondered as her dream body followed the dragon. A dragon was never seen in the castle. Especially not one so large. How does he know one?

Luz looked over her shoulder as her body continued forward. Belos was getting smaller, but she could still see his hand raised, almost in farewell, as he gazed after the dragon.

Shivering, Luz looked away. Strange. 

They had reached the Boiling Sea. The waves bubbled, and something seemed to poke above the water, but it disappeared in a flash, too quick for Luz to catch more than a glimpse. 

The flight continued over the water, the Boiling Isles eventually disappearing from view when Luz glanced behind her. On the horizon, something else glowed in the dim sunlight, growing closer and closer.

And all around, a familiar voice began to sing: “Where the north wind meets the sea, there’s a river full of memory…” 

Luz felt her heart reaching towards the unknown place she and the dragon flew towards.

Suddenly, the dragon turned to look straight at Luz, its eyes piercing. It opened its jaws, and suddenly Luz realized the dragon had been singing.

“Come, my darling, homeward bound,” the dragon sang, maneouvering herself in front of Luz. Both of them stopped, hovering in the air. The dragon had a knowing look in its gaze. “When all is lost…” 

Luz reached forward. “Then all is found,” she whispered.

Before her fingers could make contact, shadows enveloped her, causing her surroundings to disappear. 

Chapter Text

Luz awoke with a gasp.

Ah-ah-ah-ah…

Startled, Luz glanced out the window. It was nighttime. The voice she had been hearing was still there. 

Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah…

A sudden thought occurred. Was the voice connected with her dreams? 

Ah-ah-ah-ah…

Luz shook her head. It was likely another dream from the past, as she suspected all her other dreams to be. There was no point in paying attention to it.

Ah-ah-ah-ah…

…Was there? 

Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah…

Huffing, Luz wrapped her arms around herself. A glance to the side revealed Vee asleep in her bed, snoring softly. Keeping her voice low, Luz addressed the voice. “Why should I pay you any heed? I was forced to escape from one terrible situation; you will likely lead me to another.” 

Ah-ah-ah-ah…

Frowning, Luz uncrossed her arms, walking to the door and slipping outside, careful not to wake Vee. “Even my nights are not safe from you. I wish I could ignore you, I wish you would leave.” Sighing, she approached the stairs.

Ah-ah-ah-ah…

Experimentally, Luz hummed back. 

Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah…

Annoyance growing, Luz stalked down the stairs. “You are not here,” she declared. “Even if I heard you — and I don’t,” she hastened to add, “it would only mean more trouble.”

Reaching the living room, she glanced back up the way she came. 

“My family is here,” Luz said, smiling softly. Then she glared. “I do not need another adventure. I refuse to follow you into the unknown!” 

Ah-ah-ah-ah…

With an exhausted sigh, Luz went to the door, stepping into the front yard. 

Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah…

“What do you want?” she pleaded. “I cannot sleep, I cannot focus … why are you distracting me?” 

Her dream returned to her, and Luz paused. 

“…Are you like me?” she whispered suddenly. “Stuck in what feels like two separate worlds, unable to find closure in either one? I don’t even know who I am.” She removed a pre-prepared Ice Glyph from her sleeve, infusing it with her magic and creating a snowfall. “Even with these Glyphs, my magic continues to grow stronger. Soon, I doubt I will be able to control it, by myself or with Glyphs.” A small smirk tugged at her lips. “I suppose a part of me does long to go into the unknown…”

Ah-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah…

“Ah-ah-ah!” Luz responded. “Are you out there?” She threw one hand in the air, creating a burst of icy magic. “Do you know me?” Another burst, this time with the opposite hand. “Can you feel me? Can you show me?” Her ice spiraled around her, seemingly under its own influence. 

As Luz harmonized in tandem with the voice, her ice created different shapes in different colors: a tangle of vines and leaves, the scurrying form of a reptile covered in fire, and finally a burst of snow similar to light. 

Upon creating the last image, Luz’s ice swirled around her before taking off towards the Boiling Sea nearby. 

“Where are you going?” Luz cried, racing after it. “Don’t leave me alone! How do I follow you into the unknown?” She created a bridge of ice over the Boiling Sea, stopping at its edge and reaching for her magic.

Ah-ah-ah! the voice sang out.

Instinctively, Luz threw her arms out. Icy diamonds appeared around her, carrying the different Glyphs.

Instinctively, Luz knew how to translate them. “Plant, light, fire…” she breathed. “Yet no ice.” She touched a Light Glyph, which transformed into a ball of light and floated in the air.

In the sky above, a bright light caught Luz’s attention. A snowflake shape made of three different-colored diamonds appeared, before vanishing in a burst of flames. The diamonds fell to the ground around Luz, who ducked down to avoid getting hit.

“LUZ!” 

Whirling around, Luz saw the inhabitants of the Owl House running towards her.

Eda grabbed Luz by the shoulders, examining her. “Are you okay? Vee woke up and couldn’t find you, and then we heard a commotion outside!” 

“What are these?” Lilith asked, picking up one of the ice diamonds. “Luz, did you make them?” 

“Yes — Hooty, put those down.” Luz glared at the owl demon, who ignored her and proceeded to swallow his mouthful of ice diamonds. Immediately, he began choking. Luz pinched the bridge of her nose.

“Hooty…” Eda grumbled, wrapping her arms around the demon and squeezing him hard. The ice diamonds flew from his mouth to drop on the ground.

“Do not eat those,” Luz warned Hooty.

“Awwwww!” he complained.

“Hooty, you nearly choked to death on them,” Eda deadpanned.

“Guys!” King interrupted. “What’s that?” He pointed to the woods, which were rustling.

The three witches tensed; Eda and Lilith grabbed their staffs while Luz removed an Ice Glyph and let her hands glow with magic. Vee and King scooped up some nearby diamonds, preparing to throw them in self-defense.

“It’s us!” a familiar voice shouted. 

“Don’t shoot!” shouted another.

“What does that even mean?” demanded a third. 

“It’s a human thing,” the second voice explained.

“Willow? Gus? Amity?” Luz lowered her hands, tucking the Ice Glyph away. “What are you three doing here?”  

“We saw the diamonds,” Willow explained. “We knew it had to be you. I met Gus and Amity by the town’s edge and we came here as fast as we could.” 

“Are you alright?” Amity asked, stepping closer in order to see Luz more clearly.

“Yes,” Luz assured. 

“Dude, what happened?” Gus inquired. “This is weird even for you!” 

Luz bit her lip. “Shall we go inside? I would prefer to discuss this over hot shockolate.” 

“I’ll start the stove,” Eda volunteered, herding the kids into the Owl House. Lilith and Hooty trailed behind, bickering as they went. 

Once the hot shockolate had been passed around, Eda lowered herself onto the carpet, letting King curl in her lap. “So?” 

Luz took a long sip of her drink, appreciating the tingly buzzes that popped up on her tongue. After swallowing, she finally spoke. 

“Ever since we returned from the castle, I have been hearing this … this voice. It calls out to me, no matter what I am doing or where I happen to be, and no one else seems to hear it.” 

“So this morning,” Vee said slowly, “when you asked me if I could hear anything…”

“Yes,” Luz nodded. “It was the voice that caught my attention.” 

“What changed?” Lilith asked. 

Luz took another sip of hot shockolate. “This evening, I had a dream. It was … strange. None of it made sense. And when I awoke, I could still hear the voice. So, I decided to answer it.” 

Eda shared a look with Lilith. “I’ve never heard of such magic,” Lilith said, frowning. “And to create these…” She held up one of the ice diamonds, examining the glyph on it closely. It was a Plant Glyph. 

“It happened without the use of my Ice Glyphs,” Luz explained. 

“So you can control your magic to some degree,” Amity said thoughtfully. “But only when you’re not concentrating on it very hard?”

“Possibly,” Luz admitted. “Still, I would rather continue using the Glyphs for the present.” 

“Hey,” King said, “there aren’t any Ice Glyphs on these diamonds.”

“I also noticed that,” Luz replied with a nod. “I am unsure as to why.”

“So what’s the plan?” Vee asked. 

Luz frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Well, obviously this voice, whatever it is, wants something from you. And knowing you, I’m sure you’re planning to follow it.” The basilisk gave her sister a knowing look. 

Luz avoided her gaze. “Of course not. That would be foolish.”

“Yes it would,” Eda agreed. Then, she grabbed her staff. “Alone, that is!” 

Luz’s jaw dropped. “Eda—”

“I suppose this would be an interesting experience,” Lilith murmured. She brightened. “And an excellent time to practice Glyph combinations!” 

“Wait a minute—“

“I’m in!” Gus shouted, pumping a fist in the air. 

“Me too!” Willow added.

“Anything to get away from the house,” Amity grumbled, but she was smiling.

“We’re not letting you go alone,” King declared, wrapping an arm around Vee, who nodded firmly. Luz shook her head.

“You don’t know how dangerous this could be!” She looked at the Clawthornes. “You two can barely control the Glyphs, let alone combine them yet.” She turned to her friends. “I cannot let anything happen to any of you, and the voice was calling me.” She looked at King and Vee. “I have my powers to protect me, you two do not.” 

“Uh, we helped rescue you and Eda without powers!” King protested.

“It’ll be easier to go in a group in case something dangerous happens!” Gus pointed out.

“You’re bringing adults,” Eda said dryly. “I promised to protect you, kiddo, and I’m not planning on breaking that promise.”

Luz stared around at them all, despairing. “I could not bear it should any of you be hurt because of this.”

Amity placed a hand on her shoulder, causing them both to blush. “It’s our choice,” she said. “It’s not like you can really stop us.” She grinned a little. Luz’s blush deepened, and she glanced to the rest of the room.

“You will come whether I let you or not?” It wasn’t really much of a question, and the firm nods confirmed this. Luz closed her eyes. “Very well. We will need transportation.”

“I’m more than happy to steal from Blight Industries,” Amity grinned. “They’ll have something we can use.” 

“I’ll drive,” Lilith said quickly. 

“Yes, Miss Lilith!” Amity agreed. Eda looked as though she were about to protest, but seemed to realize that no one would agree to let her drive given her nature. Scowling, she crossed her arms. 

“I’ll get the snacks!” King exclaimed, rushing into the kitchen. 

“WAIT FOR MEEEEEEEEEE!” Hooty screamed, elongating after him. 

Amity had a disturbed look on her face. “What—?”

“Best not to ask, kid,” Eda told her. “Even I’m not sure what he is.”

“Creepy,” Lilith muttered, shuddering.

Eda frowned at her sister, then grinned mischievously at Amity. “Hey, kid, you interested in having a partner-in-crime?”

“Um,” Amity replied, looking uncertain.

“That’s the spirit!” Eda slung her arm through Amity’s and dragged her outside. Moments later, there was a whoop and a scream. 

Luz sighed. “Well, I suppose Blight Industries is going to be in for a big surprise.” 

“Soooo, what’s the plan?” Gus asked.

“Hm?” 

“Is there a plan for where we’re going?” Willow elaborated. “Or what we’re doing? Or what will happen once we get wherever we’re going?” 

Luz tilted her head. “I am going to follow this voice.”

“That’s … not a plan, Luz,” Vee told her. 

“I can only follow,” Luz replied with a small shrug. “I do not know who calls me, or where they may lead us.” 

“This could be a trick,” Lilith pointed out. “An elaborate ruse set up by the Emperor to imprison and Petrify us.”

Luz shook her head. “No. The Voice was leading me across the Boiling Sea. The palace is in the opposite direction. And…” She hesitated, fiddling with her hands. “And I believe whoever is calling me is good.” 

“How do you know?” Willow asked. 

“My magic can feel it.” Luz paused, then smiled. “I can feel it.” 

“That’s slightly creepy,” Gus commented.

Luz gave a surprised laugh. “I suppose it is. But it is true. Something tells me this voice, whatever it is, does not wish to hurt me.” 

“Okay, but I don’t think we should be basing this off your magic and intuition,” Willow pointed out.

“She’s right,” Lilith put in. “Neither you nor your magic know for certain what might happen should you follow the voice. We don’t know what dangers lie beyond the Boiling Sea.” 

“Then perhaps it is time to find out,” Luz replied with a small grin. 

Vee groaned. “I know that face. You’re planning something, aren’t you?”

Luz didn’t reply, though her face seemed to give it away. Vee groaned louder.

“We’ve got the snacks!” King shouted, riding Hooty back into the living room. “Hooty ate most of them, but these are the ones I managed to save.” He dumped several bags of chips on the ground.

Hooty burped loudly, then smiled. “Food is good!” 

“Why do you think I have been trying to get you to eat something other than bugs?” Luz asked him. 

A loud crash sounded from outside. “HOP ON BOARD, WE’VE GOT THE BOAT!” Eda hollered.

Lilith put her face in her hands. “Why is she like this?” 

Chapter Text

Apparently, Emira and Edric had insisted on joining the adventure as well. 

“We can’t very well leave our baby sister to journey into the unknown by herself!” Emira said, slinging an arm around Amity’s shoulders.

“Plus, anything to get away from Mom and Dad,” Edric added, doing the same on Amity’s opposite side.

“I am not a baby,” Amity muttered, dodging the twins’ grasp. “And you guys can just make up some ridiculous excuse, like you always do.” 

“Eh, this sounded more fun,” Edric shrugged. Emira nodded in agreement.

“Emira, Edric, it is good to see you both again,” Luz smiled warmly at the twins.

They gasped. “OUR HERO!” They fell to their knees, beginning to bow repeatedly to a very confused Luz. 

“Amity?” Luz asked, eyeing them warily. 

Amity groaned loudly. “Ignore them. They’re just happy you managed to get on Bump’s bad side in less than eight hours.”

“That’s impressive, even for us!” Emira told Luz.

“Yeah, it took us twenty-four!” Edric added. 

“I find that difficult to believe,” Amity said under her breath.

Luz had settled herself between Amity and Vee, King curled happily in her lap. “And your parents have no idea?” 

“Trust me,” Amity replied, “the twins may have, like, no discretion, but it does come in handy from time to time. Mom and Dad will think they’re up to something instead. Which, to be fair, they usually are.”

Luz stifled a laugh. 

Lilith put the boat in motion and navigated away from the shore. Her driving involved quite a bit of jerking the boat, causing its passengers to grip their seats. “Have you done this before?” Eda asked her sister, raising an eyebrow. 

“No,” Lilith admitted through clenched teeth, “but I’m a quick learner.” 

“Uh-huh.” Skeptically, Eda pointed at the Boiling Sea, which was starting to live up to its name. “Care to learn quicker before we’re all burnt to death?” 

“It’s a slow motion,” Emira put in. “You’ve gotta ease yourself into it.”

“No, no,” Edric interrupted, “you have to give it a nice, heavy thrust.” 

“Those are two separate things!” Lilith snapped at them.

They shrugged. “Never driven it on water before,” came the simultaneous reply.

“I’m not sure I like the implications of that comment,” Amity muttered, eyeing her older siblings. The boat jerked violently, sloshing water towards the group inside. With a yelp, Amity summoned some Abomination goo to protect them. 

“Sorry!” Lilith called. 

“HOOTY WHAT IN THE TITAN’S NAME ARE YOU DOING?!” Eda shouted. 

Luz turned sharply to see the demon happily gulping any water that came near him. “Drinking!” he gargled, before returning to his task. 

“Your family’s … a little weird,” Willow told Luz and Vee.

“We know,” Vee sighed. “Good luck telling them that.” She looked at Luz. “What was your dream about?” 

Luz tensed. “What do you mean?” 

“I know your tells, Luz. You were dreaming before that Voice woke you up.” Vee reached over to squeeze Luz’s hand. “Whatever it was, you can tell us.” 

“I’ve been waiting for this moment!” Gus squealed. “Finally, I can interpret someone’s dreams!” 

He received blank looks. 

“It’s what humans do!” he elaborated. “They go to these weird old ladies and talk about their dreams and the old ladies tell them what the dream meant!” 

“That’s not disturbing at all,” Amity said sarcastically. 

“I know, isn’t it great?” 

“I do not believe my dream has any potential meaning,” Luz admitted. “And I am not quite sure it was a dream.” 

“What do you mean?” Willow asked.

Luz reached up to rest a hand against her heart. “It felt like a memory,” she said softly. “Not one of mine, but it was far too vivid to be anything else.” 

“So you can read minds?” King piped up. He had given up on trying to sleep and was now gripping Luz’s waist tightly so he wouldn’t be thrown overboard. Lilith was still attempting to navigate the ship’s controls, with “help” from her sister, Hooty, and the twins.

Luz shuddered. “I hope not. Otherwise, I fear he could do the same in return.”

Vee stared at her. “Wait. You think it was one of Belos’ memories?” 

Luz nodded silently. 

There was a long silence. 

“On second thought,” Gus said, “perhaps this is a case of possession.” 

Luz sighed. “I can promise you, it is not. I would know.” 

Gus gasped. “That’s exactly what a possessed person would say!” 

Willow put a hand on her friend’s shoulder. “Gus. You need to let that one go. I think we’d be able to tell if Luz was possessed.” 

“But you never know,” Gus said ominously. “Not until it’s too late!” 

Lightning flashed and thunder boomed, making the group jump. “Where on the Isles did that come from?” Willow asked. 

“The Titan agrees,” Gus declared solemnly. 

Luz shook her head. “Gus, I think of you as one of my best friends. However, please do not fill our minds with horrors at the moment.” 

“But it’s sky-ence!” her friend cried. 

“What?” 

“OH-kay,” King said loudly. “Luz, what was your memory-dream-thing about? And why do you think it was a memory?” 

Luz bit her lip. “Because I have had memories before. Several, in fact.” 

Her friends gasped. “Wait, what?!” 

Luz looked away. “I never gave them any credence,” she said softly, “for they did not seem possible. And they were not my memories, but those of someone else. And yet.” She removed a Glyph paper from her pocket, tapping it. A ball of light floated into the air. “Those memories showed me the Glyphs.” 

Amity frowned. “Why don’t you tell us all the memories in order, as best you can remember them? We might be able to piece something together.” 

Luz nodded. “Very well.” She thought back, recollecting everything she could about the Glyph dreams. “The first was merely a jumble of sound and song. I awoke upon seeing the Light Glyph.” 

“I remember that night!” King exclaimed. “You were talking about it with Eda the next day!” 

“I was. My second dream occurred after singing the lullaby to King.” 

“What lullaby?” Willow asked. 

“It’s a song about a magical river,” Vee explained. “Luz would hum it when she visited me while I was…” She trailed off, curling around herself. 

Luz placed a hand over Vee’s. The two sisters smiled sadly at one another. The memories of their treatment under Belos had never faded, and likely never would. It was still difficult to talk about. 

“Where did you learn it?” Gus asked. 

Luz looked at him curiously. “Pardon?” 

“The lullaby. Where’d you learn it?” 

She opened her mouth to reply and let it hang there. Slowly, it closed. Luz blinked. “I … I do not know.” 

“Surely someone must have sung it to you,” Willow pointed out. “Belos, maybe?” 

“Wow, thank you so much for that mental image,” Amity muttered, rubbing hard at her eyes. 

“Sorry,” Willow replied sheepishly. 

Luz was shaking her head. “No, it never came from Belos. I think I have known it for as long as I can remember.” 

“Well, this is getting creepier by the second,” King commented.

Luz saw her friends exchange unsettled glances. “We can figure that part out later,” Willow decided. “What was your dream about that time, Luz?” 

“I was with my brother,” Luz replied slowly. Seeing the oncoming questions, she held up a hand. “I do not remember who it was. I merely knew him to be my brother, somehow. We were tucked in by our mother. My brother mentioned something about witch hunts.” 

“Creepy,” Gus muttered. “Those haven’t happened since Belos came to power.” 

“They have occurred before?” Luz inquired. 

“Yeah, it’s all in the history books.” 

“Hm.” Saving that thought for later, Luz continued. “The dream changed. My brother and I were in the middle of a fire. Our mother screamed for me to take my brother someplace safe. When she turned to me, I realized that she had no face. Then I was awoken by Eda.” 

“I definitely remember that one,” King said. “You were screaming your head off.” 

“I apologize for waking you.” 

King shrugged. “No problem. I prefer knowing you’re in trouble than not.” 

“And no Glyph this time?” Amity asked. 

Luz shook her head. “Nothing. Another Glyph did not come to me until my imprisonment in the castle. I was pregnant. My lover did not know, though I believe my Palisman did. The Fire and Ice Glyphs were revealed as I was making tea. My Palisman became alarmed, and I followed him outside. A stranger was there, I believe he was the brother to Caleb, my lover. He thought I had bewitched Caleb. He stabbed him and injured my Palisman, resulting in a curse being cast upon him by myself. That is the moment that I awoke.” 

More silence. 

Once again, Gus broke it. “Are you sure you’re not possessed?” 

“Gus!” Willow lightly whacked his head. 

“What? It’s the only thing that makes sense!” 

Willow rolled her eyes. “Continue, please, Luz.” 

Smiling with faint amusement, Luz complied. “The night before, I dreamed of flying beside a dragon. We circled the palace. Oddly, Belos was there, raising a hand in farewell to us, though I do not believe he was aware that I was present. As we flew across the Boiling Sea, the dragon began to sing the lullaby. I sang the last verse, but as I reached out to touch her, the dragon faded, and I awoke to the Voice calling once more, beckoning to me.” 

“None of these dreams make any sense,” Vee said, confused. “Not to mention this newest Glyph.” She held up one of the Plant Glyph diamonds Luz had conjured. “What’s this one? I’ve never seen you use it before.” 

“A Plant Glyph,” Luz replied without thinking. She hesitated, putting one hand to her head. “I am unsure how I recognized that Glyph. I have never known of its existence until last night.” 

Gus opened his mouth. 

“Don’t even think about it,” Willow warned. 

Gus closed his mouth.

“GUYYYYYYYYYYYS!” Hooty’s shriek cut through the tension, startling the others.

“WHAT?!” King shouted back, annoyed. 

“STORM!” was the owl demon’s reply. 

Luz leapt to her feet, hurrying to the prow of the boat to examine the horizon. True to Hooty’s word, dark clouds were gathering, approaching their position at a rapid pace. “How long has this storm been brewing?” she demanded, gripping the side of the boat. 

Lilith’s hands were clenched about the wheel, her jaw just as tight as she fought to guide the ship through increasingly choppy waters. It was Eda who answered. 

“Came out of nowhere!” the Owl Lady called over the wind. “Fastest gathering storm I’ve ever seen!” 

Luz shook her head. “It cannot be natural! This storm was created by magic!” 

“Strongest magic I’ve ever seen!” Eda returned. 

Luz acknowledged the truth in the older witch’s words. 

“Is it Belos?” Amity asked as she joined them. 

“This is far beyond his power,” Luz refuted. “And I am not certain he is aware of our destination, or that we have left the Isles.” 

Something white was falling from the sky. Emira stuck out her tongue to catch one, then immediately spat it out. “Is that ash?” 

Edric copied her. “Sure seems like it!” 

“Why did you eat it?” Amity asked her brother. 

“Only way to find out!” 

“There were other ways to tell!” 

“Well, at least they’re not copying Hooty,” King said flatly, pointing. The owl demon was happily swallowing mouthfuls of ash at a time, clearly enjoying himself.

Luz sighed. “I wish he would cease eating such things…” 

A particularly fierce wave sent them all to the floor, screaming, as the boat tilted. Lilith managed to right it, but there was another problem. 

“The hull’s damaged!” Amity cried, scrambling back to her feet, trying to balance on the ash- and water-flecked deck. 

“I shall help you reinforce it!” Luz called, struggling to stand as well. She was thrown off-balance by another wave, crashing into Amity’s arms. Heat flooded both their faces and they tried to avoid each other’s gazes.

“Guys! Hurry!” Willow shouted, pointing at another hole that had been created in the boat. 

Snapping from her thoughts, Luz managed to stand fully and pull Amity up. Leaning on each other, the girls staggered towards the closer hole. 

“Are you able to create some rope?” Luz asked Amity. Nodding, the greenette summoned a string of Abomination goo, which wrapped neatly around Luz’s waist and tied itself to part of the ship’s railing. Luz felt herself blush once more at the intimate gesture, but shook herself out of it. Now was not the time to be considering her feelings.

She hauled herself onto the railing, swung her legs over so they dangled above the sea, and pushed, one arm snaked around the rope. To her relief, it held tightly. The ship dipped alarmingly, and the water neared Luz, but she summoned a wall of ice, which impacted the threat and prevented more than a few drops from splashing her. Luz hissed in pain, but began her work. 

Summoning more ice, she began to coat the Abomination goo of the ship in it, reinforcing its walls in the hopes of preventing more damage. Amity was busy using her powers to fuse any holes together, a difficult task as the waves got angrier and created even more. 

That was when the balls of fire began to fall from the sky.

“OH, COME ON!” Luz heard Eda yell. She had to agree: this was a bit much considering they were already fighting against one element. 

“Willow?” Luz shouted, hoping her friend could hear her. 

“On it!” Luz returned her attention to the boat, trying to avoid the waves and the fireballs, but was startled by a desperate cry. “I lost them!” 

A word she had never purposefully used, though she had heard it quite often from the Emperor’s guards, escaped Luz’s lips. She gripped the rope and hauled herself back onboard. “We have no time,” she panted as the twins pulled her on deck. “I cannot protect the ship from the damage this fire will cause.”

“What do we do?” Gus asked. 

Eda looked sad. “We stay together. No matter what.” 

The group huddled around Lilith, still desperately trying to control the boat, and engaged in a tight hug. 

“I love you all,” Luz whispered. “Thank you. For everything.” 

A fireball impacted. The ship was thrown into the air. The last thing Luz saw was a small orange fox racing to meet them.

Chapter Text

Ah-ah-ah-ah…

When Luz awoke, it was to the Voice in her ears and a sloth in her face. 

She blinked at it. It blinked right back.

“Oh, you’re awake? Good.” 

Startled, Luz jerked into a sitting position, trying to inch away from the figure standing above her. The sloth clung to her, unbothered by the shift. It yawned, closed its eyes, and went to sleep. 

“Sorry,” the stranger said. “It’s been some time since we’ve had visitors. I had forgotten how jumpy they can be.” 

“Who are you?” Luz choked out. 

“My name is Thorn,” the stranger replied. She pointed at the sloth. “That’s Lazybones.” 

“Hello,” Luz said to the sloth. She got no response. 

Thorn rolled her eyes. “Honestly.” She frowned at Luz. “What are you doing so far from the Boiling Isles? No one’s found us in decades.” 

Luz opened her mouth to reply, before her memories came flooding back. “My friends!” she shouted, looking around frantically. “What have you–?” 

“Relax, they’re fine.” Thorn sighed. “One of ours is looking after them. You’re the first one to wake up.” She crossed her arms. “It’s a miracle Treble found you when she did. And it’s even more of a miracle that you survived that storm. The Spirits don’t take kindly to intruders, and many believe these waters to be cursed because of it.” 

Luz’s head was spinning. “I … I do not know what you are referring to,” she said weakly. 

Thorn raised an eyebrow. “Seriously? Never heard that one before.” She thought for a moment. “Hm. This may be a situation for Raine to handle - if I can pry them away from your grey-haired friend.” 

“Eda?” Luz looked up. “She is alright?”

“I told you, your friends are fine.” Thorn extended a hand. “Come on, up you get. “I’ve had questions since Treble saved you and I’ve waited long enough for answers.” 

Luz hesitantly took the proffered hand. Thorn’s grip was surprisingly strong as she pulled Luz to her feet. Almost immediately, the woman began walking. Luz stared after her, not quite sure what was happening. 

A few feet away Thorn stopped, turned, propped her hands on her hips. “Well? You coming?” 

Luz considered the question. The woman didn’t seem to be any danger … but then again, you couldn’t always take things on the Boiling Isles at surface level. 

Thorn sighed, clearly frustrated. “Look, kid, I don’t bite, but I am the leader of this island, so I’d appreciate it if you’d show me some respect and not disregard every single order I give you.” 

That snapped Luz into motion. She hurried to Thorn’s side. The woman sighed once more, turning on her heel and beginning to walk once more. Luz had to take two steps for every one of hers. 

“May I ask where I am?” Luz asked cautiously after several heartbeats. 

“Glyph Isle,” Thorn replied without looking at her. “We do things a little differently here.” She dug in her pocket and removed a piece of paper. Tapping it with her finger revealed a glowing orb of light, which hovered in the air beside Thorn. 

“You use Glyphs,” Luz realized. 

Thorn raised an eyebrow, actually turning to face her. “You know what they are?” 

“I have used them many times in the past few months,” Luz explained. “My magic is not innately born as it would be for another witch.” 

“Hm.” Thorn pursed her lips, resuming her brisk pace. “Never had an off-lander who could do that before.” 

“You do not use the magic of the Palismen?” 

“Oh, we do. But we connect with our Palismen differently. Lazybones over there,” Thorn pointed at the sloth, still happily snoozing as it gripped Luz’s collar, “enhances my magic.” 

“Curious,” Luz murmured. Absently, she rubbed her gloved fingers against her opposite hand. 

Thorn snorted. “You off-landers really are weird. What’s your name, kid?”

“Luz.” 

“No last name?” 

“What’s yours?” 

“Touche.” A smile tugged at Thorn’s lips. “I like you. Still don’t trust you, or your friends mind you, but I like you.” 

“I am most grateful,” Luz replied, somewhat sarcastically. 

Thorn snorted. “You’ve got some spunk.” 

Luz paused as she heard the praise. Looking back, she realized that she would never have been confident enough to retort in such a way a year ago. She had changed since arriving at the Owl House, that much was clear.

Thorn seemed to notice her distraction. “Something on your mind?” 

Luz hesitated. “Nothing,” she replied finally. “Nothing of importance,” she amended when Thorn raised an eyebrow.

She could tell Thorn wasn’t convinced, but the older woman merely shrugged. “Alright.” 

Luz searched for a change of subject and realized that the scenery had changed. It had been vibrant before, but now the vegetation was truly flourishing. There was also the addition of small huts. Children darted about, laughing, chasing each other and Palismen through the tall grass. Parents chatted in the front gardens, many with griffins or dragons curled at their feet.

“What is this place?” Luz breathed. 

Thorn grinned. “Welcome to the village of the Northuldra. We are the People of the Sun.” 

“The Northuldra?” Luz stared at her, certain that she was dreaming. “Impossible. They were eradicated centuries ago.” 

Thorn’s face darkened. “That’s what your dear emperor would like you to think.” Her voice was full of ice. Luz flinched, startled at the change. “In truth, our ancestors escaped the Boiling Isles upon witnessing the tyranny of Belos’ reign. We came to this island, and have been protected from outsiders ever since.” 

Luz thought back to the storm. “The ash and the waves … that was you?” 

Thorn snorted. “Of course not. We’re hardly that powerful. That was the work of the Spirits.” 

Luz paused. “The Spirits?” 

Ah-ah-ah-ah…

Luz looked up sharply.

“What is it?” Thorn was studying her intently. Luz couldn’t shake the feeling that the woman knew more than she was saying. 

“A trick of the wind,” Luz told her. She didn’t fully trust Thorn yet, and until she did, there would be no mention of the Voice. “Forgive me for interrupting. However, I have never heard of the Spirits.”

Thorn shrugged. “Few have. There are three: the Spirit of Light, the Spirit of Greenery, and the Spirit of Fire. For centuries, they have protected this island and its inhabitants. Those who choose to leave are allowed to return, but the secret is well-guarded. This is our first time meeting outsiders since we arrived here.” 

Luz shook her head in disbelief. “You and the Northuldra people have been trapped here since your exile?” 

“Why should we care?” her companion asked. “This is the only life we’ve ever known. One or two of us have ventured to the Isles, but they always come back. In fact, our most recent voyeur is the reason you and your friends are alive right now.” 

“The fox Palisman I noticed, right before I fell unconscious,” Luz puzzled slowly. “Was that –?”

“You’re quick,” Thorn noted. “Ah, we’re here.”

Luz looked up. They had stopped in front of a hut, larger than the others. It could almost be called a house. Several Palismen were lounging on its steps, clearly enjoying the sunshine. 

“Your friends are already awake,” Thorn told Luz. “I’ve been bringing them here so they can wash up. They’re waiting for you.” 

“What of Lazybones?” Luz looked down at the sloth, who was still clinging to her and showed no signs either of waking up or letting go. 

Thorn rolled her eyes. “May as well keep him ‘til he wakes up. There’s no use trying to pry him away when he’s sleeping, and he’ll sleep for as long as he likes. Where do you think he got his name?” 

Luz giggled. 

Thorn waved a hand. “Alright, in you go. Can’t have my advisors thinking I’m avoiding them.” 

Luz tilted her head. “Given your hesitance here at the door and your eagerness to engage me in conversation, I would say you are, indeed, attempting to avoid your advisors.” 

Thorn gave her a look. “Yeah, but they don’t need to know that. In.” 

Smiling, Luz ascended the steps and opened the doors. She was greeted by a cavernous room, furnished with rugs and cushions set upon the floor. Her friends were scattered around the place. Eda was chatting animatedly with a green-haired witch in one corner; Amity spoke quietly with Lilith not far away; Gus and Willow were cheering Vee on as she shifted into different forms. The twins were smirking at a group of older witches nearby, all of whom were shifting uncomfortably. Clearly they had been on the receiving end of Edric and Emira’s pranks. As for King and Hooty…

Well. It looked to Luz as though Hooty were trying to eat King. She hoped she was reading that incorrectly. If she wasn’t, she really didn’t want to know. 

Edric and Emira, surprisingly, were the first ones to spot her. Luz wondered whether their penchant for mischief had caused their senses to heighten so as to avoid repercussions to being caught. “Luz!” Seconds later, she was wrapped up in a tight hug. 

“We thought you were dead!” Emira said dramatically.

“Or kidnapped!” Edric added. 

“Or injured!” 

“Or being tortured!” 

“Or drowned!” 

“Or–” 

“Stow it,” Thorn snapped, looking annoyed. She glanced at Luz. “We’ve been dealing with them for hours now. Do they have an off button?” 

“Even if they did, I doubt they would allow you to discover it so easily,” Luz shrugged. Thorn huffed, muttering under her breath.

“LUZ!” Amity, Willow, Gus, and Vee were the next ones to trap Luz in a hug. 

“We were so worried!” Vee cried, gripping Luz’s hands in hers. 

“Are you okay?” Willow demanded. 

“Are these people really aliens from outer space?!” Gus shouted.

There was a brief silence.

“Gus, I thought we’d settled this,” Willow groaned.

“No we have not! I’ve noticed several odd behaviors that have allowed me to conclude–” 

Amity rolled her eyes. “I’m glad you’re okay,” she said to Luz.

Luz blushed. “As am I that all of you are. I thought us dead upon encountering that storm.” 

“Rainestorm’s quick thinking saved the day,” Eda cheered, scooping Luz into a crushing embrace. “Glad you’re alright, kiddo!” 

“Eda, you might wanna let her breathe,” said the green-haired witch, an amused look on their face. 

“Breathing’s for amateurs,” Eda declared, but let Luz go anyway. 

“Breathing is necessary,” Lilith deadpanned. “Alright, Luz?” 

“I am. Thank you, Lilith.” The two smiled at each other. 

“Alright,” Thorn interrupted. “Someone control the two demons over there.” She pointed at King and Hooty. “And now, introductions. You all know I’m Thorn. My advisors are Ray, he/him pronouns; Melody, she/they pronouns; Rose, she/her pronouns; and Ash, she/him pronouns.” 

Each advisor nodded in turn. Ray was tall, with pale yellow hair, dark skin, and green eyes. Melody wore their silver hair in a bun, their soft name contrasting with the stern look on their face as she gave a short nod to Luz. Rose had thorny vines growing from her curly red hair, and a mess of freckles scattered across her almost-white skin; she gave Luz a cheery wave. Ash’s charcoal-grey bangs covered one of his eyes, and she had a distinct gloomy aura surrounding him. For some reason, she was the one who most caught Luz’s attention. 

I suppose she reminds me of myself, Luz realized. 

Ash had noticed Luz staring at him and quickly turned away to face the wall, though not before Luz saw a bright red blush covering his face. She winced, feeling awkward for causing him such embarrassment. 

“Don’t mind Ash, she’ll warm up to you eventually,” Thorn told Luz. “Finally, I’d like you to meet Raine, they/them pronouns. They are my baby sibling." 

Chapter Text

“You never told me you had a sister!” Eda accused Raine.

“To be fair, I couldn’t have introduced you to her,” Raine pointed out, though they looked sheepish. “I know you, Eda. You would have insisted on finding her, somehow, someway, if I told you she existed.” 

“Most stubborn witch I know,” Lilith muttered under her breath. 

Eda made a rude gesture.

“They’re dating,” Willow explained to Luz. “Or they were. I dunno, Gus is trying to wrangle it out of them.” 

“From what I have gathered, they were dating and now they are still dating,” Gus put in. 

Luz blinked. “Are those not the same things?” 

“Nope!” 

Willow rolled her eyes.

“So who are you all?” Amity asked. “Our studies never taught us of witches beyond the Boiling Isles.” 

“They wouldn’t have, with Belos in charge,” Ray grunted, crossing his arms. “He wanted to make sure no trace of ‘wild’ witches could be found that didn’t agree with his policies.” Ray picked up a nearby book, brandishing it in the air. “It’s why we’re villainized in all your histories.” 

“You must be descendants though,” Vee said. “Witches can’t possibly survive for this long.” 

“We are,” Raine nodded. “Generations upon generations of wild witches have survived on this island.” They grinned. “Though we’ve had help, of course.” 

“The Spirits,” Luz murmured. 

Everyone looked at her with surprise. “The what?” Lilith asked. 

“You know?” Melody said simultaneously. 

“Thorn explained a few things during our walk here,” Luz said. “The Spirits protect this island from outsiders.” 

“Which explains why we had such trouble getting in,” Amity guessed. 

“Yep,” Thorn agreed. “The Spirits don’t take kindly to intruders, especially after what happened with Belos.” 

“Wait, does that mean the Boiling Isles used to have Spirits?” Gus’ eyes were wide with stars. “THIS IS AMAZING!” 

“Used to,” Melody replied. “Not anymore. They came here with us. Belos was after their power.” 

Rose muttered something under her breath; it sounded like a completely different language. Thorn rolled her eyes. “Yes, we’re all aware of your thoughts on the matter, Rose.” 

“Not all of us,” Vee pointed out, shyly raising one hand. 

Rose raised her voice, shouting something as she shook her fist at the sky. She was definitely speaking a different language. 

“EEEEEK!” Hooty wrapped her up in a crazy twisting and turning of his body. “I CAN’T BELIEVE I FOUND ONE!” 

“Hooty, put her down !” Eda shouted, glaring at the owl demon. 

Rose growled something in her hoarse tongue. 

“She doesn’t mind,” Thorn shrugged. She frowned as Rose said something else. “...Mostly. Anyways, I’m not surprised your little demon would be so excited. Last I heard, Witchspeak died out on the Boiling Isles when Belos took charge.” 

“I haven’t met anyone who knows it,” Rain added. “Belos brought his language with him from wherever he came from.” 

Ah-ah-ah-ah…

Luz looked up sharply. Vee looked over, concerned. “Luz?” 

“Nothing.” Pursing her lips, Luz returned her attention to the conversation, doing her best to ignore the Voice. “Are you familiar with what type of demon Hooty is?” 

“Is that his name?” Thorn mused. “He was squawking so loudly we couldn’t catch it. But yes.” 

“He’s a Parasite,” Melody explained. “They used to take root in Titans before all the Titans died out.” 

“Raine told us you had one,” Ray commented. “Didn’t believe them until I saw this one with my own eyes.” 

“You used to live in a Titan ?” Lilith looked as though she didn’t know whether to seem disgusted or fascinated. 

“HOOT HOOT!” Hooty screeched, which … was not an answer.

“Getting back on track,” Thorn said loudly, clapping her hands together. 

“But you’re the one who changed the subject…” Ash mumbled from his corner. She quailed when Thorn glanced his way. “Sorry,” she squeaked. 

Thorn sighed. “You’re not wrong, I suppose.” That didn’t comfort Ash whatsoever. She continued trembling, though this time it was even shakier than before. 

“Is she okay?” Amity asked. 

“She gets nervous around strangers,” Raine explained. “Or other witches. Or … well, anyone really. Ash just isn’t much of a social fairy.” 

“But don’t let that fool you!” Melody laughed. “She’s the most powerful witch here. Besides Thorn, of course!” 

“True,” Thorn agreed. “Now, can we get on with this?” 

Murmurs of assent came from the room. Hooty had finally untangled himself to some degree and was curled up on the floor, Rose still in his clutches. She didn’t seem to mind. In fact, they were both talking quietly together, in that same strange language that Luz had never heard. 

“Hundreds of years ago,” Thorn began, “we lived peacefully in the Boiling Isles. Witches could use any magic they chose, and they usually knew several different types. It was a time of peace and prosperity.” 

“But then,” Melody continued, “Belos came. No one knew who he was or where he came from. But he claimed to speak with the Titan. He had an assistant, hidden behind a golden mask, who spread Belos’ word from town to town. You would know him as the Golden Guard.” Luz flinched. Could Hunter really be so old…? 

“At first, people paid no attention to what Belos said.” Ray was next to speak. “After all, who could possibly have the power to speak to the Titan? He was long-dead, and no one had ever heard his words before. But then,” his face darkened, “he proved his control over the Spirits.” 

“It hadn’t happened before,” Raine said. “They were all stunned. But many began to trust Belos’ word. The Spirits were revered on the Isles, and Belos’ ability to tame them and control them was viewed as otherworldly. What people didn’t know was that the Spirits had been tricked.” 

A loud rumble sounded from outside. Everyone looked up anxiously. “Just the Spirits,” Thorn grunted. “They hate reminders. Anyway, Belos had told the Spirits that he was hoping to unite the Isles and lands beyond. He needed the Spirits’ help for that.” 

“But you said things were peaceful,” Lilith protested. 

“Not quite,” Thorn said grimly. “There was unrest, especially after Belos arrived. He must have sowed discontent since he first set foot on the Isles, and we’re not even sure when that was. But either way, the Spirits didn’t know he was the one who was causing problems. They took him for his word. By the time they realized what had happened, it was too late: Belos was far more powerful than anyone had expected.” 

“He started going after ‘wild’ witches, those who wouldn’t bow to him,” Ray explained. “Forced people into Covens, gave them sigils. The Spirits tried to stop him, but he had the power of the Palisman Queen on his side – we’re not sure how he coerced her.” 

“The Palisman Queen?” Willow asked. 

“Like the Bat Queen?” Gus guessed. 

“Not quite,” Raine said, smiling. “The Palisman Queen was the strongest of all Palismen, one of the only ones with the known magics to take a human form. That’s long since been lost, but she became Belos’ consort. Even the Spirits were no match for her magic.” 

Another rumble.

“Hurry,” Ash whispered, trembling. “They’re angry.” 

“The Spirits gathered a small group of ‘wild’ witches who remained in hiding,” Melody continued, their cadence growing faster as she glanced out the window. “They came to this island, which the Spirits hid and have protected ever since. Those witches who escaped kept up the practice of learning multiple magics. They discovered the island was full of Palismen, and those who had lost theirs to Belos bonded with new ones. The tradition has continued on down.” 

“Why not come back and help us fight Belos?” Amity asked them. “Surely with your numbers–” 

“It wouldn’t be enough,” Raine said, shaking their head. “He’s too powerful. And everyone has some idea of the greatness Belos holds. They’d never turn against him after everything they believe he’s done for them.” 

“Oh, come on,” Emira pleaded. “Not even a little mischief?” 

“Dung bombs? Poison pie?” Edric suggested. “Oo!” 

He and Emira spoke together: “Anarchy!” 

“Where did you even learn that term?” Luz asked them, bemused. 

A shrug was her only answer. 

“No,” Thorn said firmly. “I will not risk the lives of my people for such a foolish endeavour. You have to understand, our ancestors came here for a better life. We are safe here.”

“But you may not be for long,” Luz said quietly. Everyone turned to her. “Belos is gaining strength. I have not seen any evidence of his consort, but if he had the ability to manipulate the Spirits at one point, then who is to say that it will not happen again?” 

“It won’t,” Thorn growled. Rose shouted something. “ No , Rose.” 

“Why were we brought here, then?” Luz demanded. “Why was I called here if I am not meant to convince you and your people to help us fight Belos?” 

“Called here?” Melody leaned forward, eyes sharp. 

Realizing her mistake, Luz searched for words. “You see — I only –” She gave a frustrated huff. Ice spread from her feet as her emotions flared, coating the ground. Everyone lost their balance and fell to the ground. “I am so sorry!” Luz exclaimed, gathering the ice back. “I did not mean to–” 

Rose growled something, eyes wide as she stared at Luz. 

Raine was watching Luz as well. “How did you do that?” 

Luz sighed. There was no use trying to hide things now. “I am not sure,” she admitted. “I was born with these powers. I have never wanted them, yet they remain.” 

Ray hummed. “She must reach the river.” 

Raine whirled on him. “Are you out of your mind? The Spirits will kill her before they let her do that!” 

“If she is the one, she can pass the test,” Ray said evenly. 

“What test?” Eda snapped. “Raine, what’s going on?” 

“A prophecy,” Ash mumbled. The group looked at him, and she squeaked, but continued. “Someone with magic can undo the past.” His voice got quieter throughout the sentence, until it was barely a whisper. 

Thorn huffed. “We don’t know if it’s her.” 

Rose growled something. 

“I agree,” Melody said. “It fits the pieces.” She came forward to kneel before Luz. “Child. Would you like to uncover the secrets of the past?”

Chapter Text

Eda was unbending. “She is not giving up her life for some fairy-brained prophecy!” 

“She is standing right here,” Luz grumbled, “and she can take care of herself.”

“Haven’t you nearly died multiple times?” Amity asked her. 

“That is very unhelpful, Amity.” 

“I’m aware.” 

Melody sighed. “I know you’re all nervous about this, but I think the decision is ultimately up to Luz. She’s the one the river is calling.” 

“Hold on—" Eda began. 

Rose growled, teeth bared. 

Raine looked at their sister. “You know the consequences. We all do.” 

“But if she is the one,” said Ash softly, “then she could do it.” She squeaked as everyone turned to look at him, quickly ducking behind Thorn. 

“I want to do it,” Luz said before any more protestations could be heard. 

“Luz—" Eda began. 

“Absolutely not!” from her friends. 

“HOOT HOOT!” Hooty shrieked. Grumbling, Rose wiggled a finger in her ear. 

“She has spoken,” Ray said solemnly. “Her choice has been made.” 

Thorn nodded decisively. “It is her decision,” she said. “You can’t stop her if she truly wants to go.” 

“I would like to find answers,” Luz said softly. “I do not wish to live in the dark any longer. Belos kept me there far too long.” 

After that, there was really nothing more they could say. They couldn’t keep Luz in the dark the way Belos had. 

Edric cheered. “Road trip!” 

“We just finished one,” his sister pointed out. 

“No, that was a sea trip,” he corrected her. “This is a road trip!” 

“Is it really if we’re going to a river though?” Gus asked, furrowing his brow. 

“I mean, road trip until we get to the river,” Edric shrugged. 

Lilith gave a long-suffering sigh. “I hate you all.” 

Thorn looked at her sibling. “Raine, you’re going with them.”

Raine sighed. “I was hoping you wouldn’t say that.” 

“Good.” Eda’s eyes were sparkling. “Because we gotta talk, Rainestorm.”

Raine gulped. 

“Soooo,” Vee inquired, slithering up beside Luz, “when are you gonna tell her?” 

Luz gave her a puzzled look. “Tell who what?” 

Vee rolled her eyes. “Tell Amity you love her, obviously!” 

Luz’s cheeks reddened considerably. “Pardon? 

A mischievous smile crossed Vee’s face. “Come on, Luz, it’s been ages! You clearly like her, so why not just come out and say it?”

“Because there is nothing to say,” Luz said quickly. 

Vee snorted. “Mhm.” Over her shoulder, she called, “Guys, back me up here!” 

Edric, Emira, and King were immediately by their sides. “Did she do it?” Emira asked excitedly. 

“I’ll get the balloons!” Edric declared. 

“I didn’t know you could get that red!” King exclaimed, staring at Luz. 

“She thinks she’s not,” Vee interrupted, pouting a little. 

The twins and King gasped, horrified. Several exclamations culminated in a very confused group and a very red Luz. 

“Is … everything okay?” Raine asked cautiously. 

“Absolutely wonderful,” Luz said before Vee or the twins could interject. “Are we close?” 

Confused, Raine nodded. “Um, yeah, just over that rise—“ 

“Excellent.” Luz quickened her pace, cheeks burning, hoping to avoid more probing questions. 

No such luck. “Luz!” Amity ran to catch up with her, grabbing her by the wrist. “Hey, are you okay?” 

Luz swallowed, gave a nervous smile. “Of course. Why would I not be?”

Amity frowned. “You’ve been acting weird ever since your dreams started. And it’s unusual for you to not share anything with us.” 

“I apologize,” Luz said quietly, glancing away. 

“Hey.” Amity slipped her hand into Luz’s, squeezing gently. “It’s okay. I’m not mad. Just worried.” 

Luz met her gaze, and felt her cheeks darken. She was surprised to see Amity’s do the same. Is it possible—? 

“Um, guys?” Gus said nervously. “What’s that?” 

Breaking away, Amity and Luz looked in the direction their friend was pointing. Something was zipping towards them across the flat plains, something small and bright and fast. 

Raine looked alarmed. “Light Spirit!” they shouted. “Everyone move!” 

Luz and Amity dove to one side, barely avoiding a collision with the Light Spirit. Luz scrambled to her feet, turning to find the Light Spirit swooping around to make another go for King and Vee. Luz thrust her hand forward, shooting a burst of ice at the Spirit. That diverted its attention, but also made it angrier. 

It began to increase in brightness, filling the surroundings and blinding the others. Luz instinctively covered her eyes, only to feel something slam into her chest. She was thrown backwards, landing with a pained grunt. She lifted her head, blinking to try and regain her vision, but was unsuccessful as another beam of light hit her eyes, blinding them once more. 

She thrust her ice in the light’s general direction, hoping to hit the Spirit. She heard the shouts of her friends as they joined, still half-blind but trying to help. 

Enough of her vision had returned to notice a small blob of light, which Willow was struggling to hold in her vines and Gus was distracting with illusions. Amity tried enveloping it in her Abomination goo as Raine whistled, hoping to throw it off balance, but it escaped. The collision of all that magic centered at one place created a strong backlash that threw her friends to the ground. 

Gritting her teeth, Luz took a breath to calm herself and summoned her ice, shooting it towards the Spirit once more. The Spirit dodged. Another blinding flash of light and Luz’s vision was gone once more. 

Luz felt her breathing getting heavier. The Light Spirit is impossible to defeat, she thought hopelessly. It is far too quick, and can blind us with only a thought. We can hear it coming, but that is not enough if we are distracted by our loss of vision — Wait! Luz caught her breath, eyes widening. She had an idea. 

“Amity!” she shouted. “Create Abomination goo for your eyes, and the others!” 

“What?” Willow cried. “But we can’t—“ 

“See? That is exactly the point!” Luz called back. “We have already been blinded by this Spirit multiple times. But we have our remaining senses -- have you not noticed?” 

Lilith gasped. “We can hear it!” she exclaimed. “It’s so fast it creates noise as it passes through the air! Oh, that’s so incredible, I wonder if—“ 

“Not the time, Lily!” Eda grumbled. 

Luz created her own eye coverings from snow. Clambering to her feet, she inhaled, exhaled, and focused. “Alright,” she called. “It seems to be targeting me, mainly. I believe it senses the ice magic within me. Therefore, I am the bait.” 

“Bait?!” came the unanimous cry. 

Luz ignored them. “I will lead the Light Spirit to you all. Trust your instincts — by working together, we will defeat this Spirit.” She listened carefully. The Light Spirit had just swooped by and was now hovering, seemingly confused. Luz lifted a hand to get its attention. “You are angry with me? Why not come for me then?” The darkness surrounding her became slightly brighter; the Light Spirit must have attempted its blinding attack again. She heard it swooping towards her. 

Luz waited til the last second, then dodged out of the way. The Spirit missed her. Grinning, Luz sprang to her feet. She dodged the Spirit once more. 

It began to get angry, its movements more erratic and desperate. That was just what Luz had been hoping for. It became easier to dodge the Spirit, and soon she was leading it in the direction of her friends. 

“Now!” she heard Eda shout. Noises, overpowered by Raine’s whistling, filled the air. Triumphant cries, then a gasp.

“It’s still not holding!” King cried. 

“Luz!” Vee shouted. “What do we do now?” 

Luz could no longer hear the Spirit, as it was being held in place at the moment. She dissolved her eye coverings and blinked into the sudden light. The Spirit was encased in several layers of Abomination goo and thorny vines, but was somehow managing to overpower all of that. Raine was whistling to slow its movements, but that wouldn’t hold it for long. 

Luz ran forward. “On my signal, you must let it free!” 

“What?!” 

“Trust me!” Luz kept her eyes on the mass. Almost there… “Now!” she cried, throwing herself into the air with an ice pillar. As the Spirit was released, Luz simultaneously grabbed it in her arms, clutching it close to her chest.

The Spirit, frantic and enraged, zipped about as fast as it could, hoping to lose her. Luz refused to give up, curled around it as best she could. She infused it with her ice, cooling the heat that made it shine so brightly. 

Finally, it was no more than a dimly-glowing object, exhausted, having given up. It slowly drifted to the ground, waiting until Luz’s feet were firmly planted before it snuggled into her arms. 

She smiled. Without its halo of bright light, she could now see that it was a golden star, two points serving as its arms, the bottom two points serving as its legs. It blinked up at her. “Hello there,” she greeted. “Are you feeling a little calmer now?” The Spirit floated into the air, but made no move to escape or attack. Instead, it floated forward and booped Luz’s nose, creating a shower of sparks. With a delighted giggle, the Spirit did a backflip in midair, quite pleased with itself. Luz laughed, too. “It feels quite nice when you refrain from burning yourself so brightly, hm?” The Spirit zipped around her, then settled on her shoulder with a yawn. 

“Luz!” She turned to find her friends running towards her. “Stand back!” Amity snapped, summoning her Abomination goo. “I’ll get it—“

“Wait,” Luz called, placing a protective hand over the Spirit, who was frowning. “It is friendly.” She wiggled her fingers. “Come, little one. Would you like to meet my friends?” The Spirit floated up to be level with Luz’s cheek. Smiling, she patted its head. “Everyone, this is the Light Spirit.” 

Vee looked fascinated. “It’s drenched in magic,” she marveled. “I’ve never seen anything like it!” 

The Spirit floated over to Vee, beginning to bounce up and down, golden dust floating from its body. Vee happily opened her mouth. 

“Don’t eat that, you don’t know what it is!” Eda protested. 

Vee had already swallowed, snake-like tongue licking her lips. “Mm, that’s some good stuff!” She patted her belly.

The Spirit swirled around King and Hooty (who tried to eat it before Lilith stopped him), bounced atop Eda’s, Raine’s, and Lilith’s heads, tapped Willow’s, Gus’, and Amity’s noses, and squeaked excitedly when it saw the twins. 

They, two, squealed in return. Emira grabbed it and immediately began crushing it in a hug, not that it seemed to mind. “I’m naming you Puff!” 

“Puff the Light Spirit!” Edric agreed, snatching the Spirit from his sister and giving it the same treatment.

Raine raised an eyebrow. “Well, I’ve never heard anyone name a Spirit before. Much less name it Puff.” 

Amity groaned loudly. “I apologize for my siblings’ behaviour.” 

“Was that the test?” Eda asked Raine. 

“One of them, yes.” The witch looked uncomfortable, rubbing the back of their neck. “First time anyone’s even passed that one, so no idea what the other two Spirits will be like.” 

“Rainestorm, if I wasn’t in love with you…” 

“KISS! KISS! KISS!” Gus, King, and the twins chanted. Puff began bouncing excitedly, squeaking its agreement. 

Luz sighed. “I am beginning to wonder if it was a good idea to bring you along.”

“You wouldn’t have been able to stop them,” Amity said dryly. 

Luz knew she was right. “Come along,” she called. “We must continue.” 

Chapter Text

Luz and her friends had elected to take a quick rest for dinner. Well, Luz had been uncertain, wanting to follow the Voice, but she was outvoted and therefore settled with the rest.

Raine was curled up near Eda, quietly strumming their lute. Hooty, Lilith, and King had made some sort of weird, twisted pile. Amity and Willow were talking together. Vee and Gus sat with Luz, watching the twins play with the newly-dubbed Puff.

“Think it’ll sparkle brighter if I surprise it?” Gus asked, already summoning an illusion. 

“Please refrain,” Luz told him. “You may startle it badly enough that it will resume attacking.”

Gus pouted but waved the illusion away. 

Luz began humming the lullaby once more. Puff actually turned and drifted over, listening intently. Laughing, Luz reached out to pet it. “You enjoy music, hm?” 

“Where did you learn that song?”

Startled, Luz looked at Raine, who was sitting up, gaze intent. “It was an old song from my childhood.”

“So your parents were Northuldra?”

Luz shook her head, puzzled. “To my knowledge, they were not. Why?”

“That’s a Northuldra lullaby.” Raine once more plucked the strings of their lute.

Automatically, Luz sang along. “Where the north wind meets the sea, there’s a river full of memory. Sleep, my darling, safe and sound, for in this river all is found.” She gasped. “You know of it!” 

“Only our tribe knows it,” Raine explained. “One or both of your parents had to have been Northuldra to teach it to you.” 

“I never knew my parents,” Luz admitted. “The Emperor raised me from birth. I have vague memories of a woman singing, but I am unsure whether they are real or implanted.”

Raine nodded. “I’m sorry. That must’ve been hard, growing up with Belos.” 

Luz’s mind flashed to Vee and Hunter. “For some more than others.”

“My sister may have been right in assuming you could help us find the bridge,” Raine mused.

Eda raised an eyebrow. “What bridge?” 

“The bridge between the magic of nature and witches,” the bard explained. “I think Puff proves Luz is something more than any of us believed. We lost the bridge when the Palisman Queen disappeared.” 

“Disappeared?” Willow gasped. 

“Palisman Queen?” Lilith’s eyes were bright with scholarly interest.

“ Can I eat it?!” Hooty demanded. Everyone turned to stare at him. He blinked back innocently. “What?” 

“He raises a good point,” Emira mused. 

“Anything is edible if you want it to be!” Edric declared, picking up a nearby rock. 

“ No. ” Amity summoned her Abominations to slap the rock from her brother’s hand.

“Who is the Palisman Queen?” Luz intervened to get them all back on track. 

“The mother of all Palismen,” Raine explained. “She disappeared years ago, and the Spirits have been imbalanced ever since. No one knows where she is or why she left, but ... we’ve always assumed it had something to do with Belos.” 

Luz closed her eyes. “I would not be surprised.” 

“Is that why the Spirits are angry?” Willow asked. “Because they’re imbalanced?” 

Raine nodded. “If the bridge could be remade, it would change everything.” 

Luz considered this. “How could it be remade?” she asked Raine. 

The bard shrugged. “If the Palismen Queen could be found...” 

“I take it that’s not happening any time soon,” Eda said dryly. 

“Not soon, no,” Raine agreed. “Though having Luz here gives me hope that perhaps she’s not as far away as we think she is.” 

“Why?” Luz asked, surprised. 

“Did you or did you not just tame the Light Spirit?” Gus asked her incredulously. 

“I did,” Luz admitted. “However, I believe that could have been done by any witch were they so inclined---” 

“We wouldn’t have tamed it without you,” Willow interrupted. 

“Don’t try to argue,” Amity said, seeing that Luz was preparing to do so. “You’re not gonna win this one.” 

“I do not think---” She was interrupted by Puff’s frantic squeaks. The Light Spirit was darting about frantically, clearly trying to gain their attention. “What is it?” 

Pink flames engulfed the ground before them. 

“Fire Spirit!” Raine shouted. “Run!” 

As the group scattered, Puff stuck close to Luz, squeaking urgently. “What is it?” Luz asked it. Puff zipped towards her, then away. Luz finally understood. Turning, she thrust out her hands, sending a wave of ice to smother some of the flames. “Everyone!” she shouted. “Ice glyphs!” 

Raine looked confused, but the others immediately understood. They took out the pieces of paper Luz had given them with the ice glyphs and started slamming them down, hoping to diminish the Spirit’s flames. 

Luz herself ran after the Spirit, attempting to catch it with a burst of magic. She heard her friends shouting after her, but ignored them, determined. She wouldn’t let them get hurt. 

The Fire Spirit backed itself into a corner. Luz stalked forward, prepared to deal with it permanently, then paused when she noticed how tiny it was, and how its flames were diminishing drastically. Peering closer, she saw a small, lizard-like creature, its eyes wide with primal fear, looking around frantically for an escape route. It saw her approaching and threw a pink fireball at her. She ducked. The fireball hit a nearby tree, and she put it out with her flames. 

“It is alright,” she soothed gently. “I will not harm you.” 

The Spirit paused, tilting its head. Its flames were mostly out, merely creating a line of fire down its back. 

Smiling, Luz extended her hand.  Cautiously, the Fire Spirit climbed on it. Luz hissed with pain, it was still burning hot, but eventually the flames dissipated completely and the Fire Spirit stretched out happily on her cupped palms. 

Realizing that it was enjoying the coldness of her hands, she laughed, allowing it to stretch as it pleased. “You are enjoying yourself, hm?” she asked it. 

The Spirit chirped. 

Puff darted forward, circling about its fellow Spirit’s head. The Fire Spirit chirped again, bouncing up and down in Luz’s hands. 

“Luz!” Eda slammed into her, hugging her tightly. 

Vee and King were quick to follow. “Don’t you dare ever do that again!” Vee cried, tears streaming down her face. 

“You were awesome !” King shouted. Eda and Vee gave him exasperated looks. “What? She was!” 

“Yeah, bigger problem,” Amity grumbled. They turned to see the twins whispering frantically to one another. 

“What’s up with you two?” Gus asked them. 

“Oh boy,” Willow sighed. “Please tell me you’re not trying to come up with another name.” 

“FOOD!” Hooty lunged towards the Fire Spirit, which immediately burst into flames again. 

“Hooty, stop!” Luz exclaimed. The demon reluctantly did so. Luz quickly sent a flurry of snow the Fire Spirit’s way to calm it. “This is our friend, not food.”

Hooty pouted. “But I’m HUNGRY!” he wailed. 

“Oo! I think I have some bugs somewhere.” Lilith began digging in her pack, muttering to herself. 

Eda eyed her. “I think Lily’s been replaced by an impostor.” 

Luz stifled a laugh, stroking the Fire Spirit’s back. 

The twins straightened triumphantly. “Food!” they announced. 

“That’s its new name,” Emira continued, pointing at the Fire Spirit. 

“Food!” Edric added. “Thanks for the recommendation, Hooty!” 

“You’re welcome!” The words were garbled with his mouth full. 

Lilith poked him. “Swallow before you speak!” 

Hooty immediately began gagging. 

“And chew !” 

Chapter Text

Luz deadpanned as she stared at the giant vine and Abomination monsters towering over her. “You must be joking.” 

“Um...” Vee peeked over her shoulder. “Are they supposed to be so ... big?” 

“Unfortunately, yes,” Raine sighed. “We’ve never gotten a close look before, but we always knew it was big.” 

Willow looked around. “Anyone seen Puff and Food?” 

“FOOD?!” 

“The Spirit , Hooty!” 

“Oh, they headed off,” Edric said. 

“Yeah, these guy’s are clearly in command,” added Emira. “Though I bet underneath it all they’re nice and soft.” A calculating look came into the twins’ eyes and they began whispering to each other.

Amity rolled her eyes. “Can you please think of ridiculous names later ?”

The twins pointed at the vine monster. “Cuddles!” They pointed at the Abomination monster. “Slimer!” 

Everyone stared at them. 

“...You want to name the scary giants Cuddles and Slimer ?” Gus asked.

“Why not?” 

No one could really think how to untangle that logic. 

Willow and Amity stepped forward. “I think we can probably handle these guys,” Amity told Luz. “Think the rest of you can cause a distraction?” 

Luz nodded. “Willow, Raine and I will help you with ... Cuddles.” She sighed at the name. “The others will help Amity. Illusions will likely work better against Slimer.” 

A plan being set, they scattered into their groups. Willow grabbed Cuddles’ attention by tangling it in vines to trap it. Of course, that was only a minor distraction, only making Cuddles angrier. It roared, breaking free and sending a wave of thorny vines in the group’s direction. 

Luz sent them all backwards with a wall of ice, quickly melting it and stomping her foot on the ground. Ice spread in a slippery sheen in Cuddles’ direction, making the Spirit slip and tumble. Raine whistled sharply, the magical vibrations enough to keep Cuddles down. “Hurry!” they shouted breathlessly. “I can only keep this up for so long!” 

Willow’s vines became bigger and bigger, wrapping the Spirit up, helped by Luz’s ice. The Spirit was trapped, unable to get out. Luz ran forward, using her ice to separate the vines, forcing her way to the center. 

Finally, the vines fully retracted, becoming smaller and smaller until --- 

“A hedgehog ? ” Luz asked incredulously. 

The hedgehog who had formerly been a giant vine monster bristled, spikes waving. 

Luz knelt down, slowly extending her hand. “It is alright. I shall not hurt you.” 

The hedgehog hesitated. Suddenly, Food darted in from out of nowhere, chirruping. Cuddles chirruped in reply, the two seemingly communicating, before Cuddles settled down and crawled happily onto Luz’s outstretched hand. 

Luz raised an eyebrow at Food. “You could not have helped earlier?” 

Food blinked at her innocently. 

“I think the others took care of Slimer,” Willow commented. 

Luz looked over her shoulder to see a tiny Abomination hugging Amity as Puff darted about her head, making excited noises. 

Ah-ah-ah-ah...

Luz gasped, turning. Mist shrouded the land before them. The Voice seemed to be coming from within the mist. She hesitated, looking at Food and Cuddles. “Any suggestions?” 

They both chirruped. 

She laughed. “Should I know what that means?” 

A vine grew from Cuddles’ back, wrapping around her ankle and gently tugging on it. 

Luz nodded. “Into the mist.” 

She walked forward, the others at her back, and touched the mist. It separated at her touch, revealing a vast lake of water. Luz bit her lip, turning to the others. 

“I believe only I can cross. None of the rest of you have the ability to walk on water.” 

“We can fly,” Eda protested, referring to their Palismen. 

Raine put a hand on her shoulder. “Luz is the one being called,” they said softly. “She needs to be the one to go.” 

Eda hesitated. Luz hugged her tightly. “I will be alright,” she whispered.

Eda hugged her back fiercely. “You’d better be.” 

One by one Luz hugged the group until only Amity was left. She nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her pointed ear. “So. Be safe.” 

“I will.” Luz hesitated a moment, then stepped forward and kissed Amity’s cheek. “That is my promise to you.” 

Before anyone could react she turned and ran towards the gently crashing waves, preparing to face her destiny. 

Chapter Text

Ice coated the water beneath Luz’s feet, allowing her a firm surface to walk upon. She had lost sight of the shore some time ago, and was now guided forward only by the Voice. 

Something glowed faintly in the distance. Luz squinted, attempting to make it out, but she was still too far away. As she got closer, she realized what it was. “A glacier,” she whispered. Where the north wind meets the sea, there’s a river full of memory. “Glaciers are rivers of ice.” The realization brought tears to her eyes. The song had been right.

Ah-ah-ah-ah...

Luz gasped. The Voice sounded closer than ever. She began to walk faster. “I hear you,” she whispered, “and I am coming.” 

She broke into a run, aglow with wonder and delight. “I can feel myself trembling,” she breathed. “This place feels so familiar ... yet I have never been here before.” She reached out. “I know you are there,” she whispered as she reached the steps of the glacier. It was even more magnificent up close. She couldn’t help but breathe in sharply, amazed by its grandeur and beauty. “Show yourself!” she called. “Who are you? Will you not tell me that I have arrived?” She paused for a moment. “Ah-ah-ah-ah!” she called out. 

The walls of the glacier lit up in a multitude of colours. Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah! the Voice called, shooting forward. 

Luz turned, smiling, and began to chase after the lights. “I have never felt so certain about who I am meant to be. But I know you called me here for a reason --- could it be the reason why I was born?” She arrived at a large pit. Smiling, she backed up, and got a running start, leaping into the air and creating icy pillars from the ground up to catch her as she arrived at the opposite cliff edge. “I have always been different compared to everyone on the Boiling Isles --- are you the one who can tell me why this is?” 

The light led her to a pile of icy pillars blocking a triangular opening. Racing forward, she thrust her arms aside, sending the pillars flying. 

“Show yourself!” she shouted. “I’m no longer trembling!” She continued to use her ice to move the pillars aside. “Here I am! I’ve come so far!” A sheen of ice blocked the next entrance. Luz waved her arms, splitting the ice into different-coloured diamonds. She frowned when she saw the dark room before her, seemingly no way to continue forward. “Let me see who you are!” 

The diamonds begin swirling around her in the shapes of the Spirits she had tamed before forming larger versions of themselves floating in the air. Realizing what she had to do, Luz raised her arms, lifting the diamonds higher into the air. She waved her hands, making the diamonds circle, then lowered them into position. Stepping in the center caused a white square to light up, and in a burst of colour, she was in a different room, watching memories of her old life. 

A familiar voice sang. “Where the north wind meets the sea, there’s a river full of memory.” Luz turned to face a beautiful woman, with Luz’s eyes, skin, hair, smiling warmly at her. “Come, my darling, homeward bound.” She opened her arms. 

Tears filled Luz’s eyes. “I am found!” she sang, racing into the woman --- her mother’s --- arms. 

Lights filled the room. Luz gasped as they swirled around her, creating a deep blue witch’s outfit and a circlet about her head. “ You are the one you’ve been waiting for,” her mother told her gently. 

Luz covered her mouth as the tears fell. “Thank you,” she whispered. “Thank you.” 

Her mother smiled mischievously, then transformed into the same dragon Luz had seen in her dreams. Luz gaped. The dragon flew around her in a circle, stirring the mist that filled the dome. Understanding, Luz turned herself, controlling the mist with waves of her hands. 

She and her mother, the Voice, harmonized together. At the last, Luz spun in a circle, bringing the mist down about her.

When she stood, she found herself and her mother in a different space, still full of memories, but this time in the shape of solid ice. Her mother, back in human form, smiled at her warmly. “Hello, querida. ” 

“Mama!” Luz rushed into her mother’s arms once more. The embrace lasted a long time before Luz finally pulled away. “What was that?” she asked. “How were you able to transform into a dragon?” 

“You can too, with practice,” her mother told her.

Luz blinked. “Pardon?” 

Her mother laughed. “I was the Mother Palisman, centuries ago,” she explained. “The Titan and I worked together to fashion them. But then Belos came.” Her face saddened. “His arrival spelled my doom. It is why I am trapped here, unable to leave, more a memory than alive.” 

Luz gripped her mother’s hands. “I will find a way to free you,” she promised. “Now that I know I am the bridge.” 

Her mother smiled, cupping her cheek. “You will do wonderfully, querida. I have every faith in you. And whenever you need me, you will know what to do.” 

Luz hugged her once more. “Belos is the reason you are here,” she murmured. “I cannot allow him to win.” 

A strange look crossed her mother’s face. “Be careful,” she warned. “Belos is not who he seems. There is a reason I was fooled by him.” 

“What do you mean?” 

She shook her head. “You will know with time. The memories will come when you need them most. You cannot stay too long, else this place will consume you as it did me.” 

Luz sighed. “I was afraid you would say that.” Leaning forward, she kissed her mother on the cheek. “I will be back,” she promised.

“I know,” her mother replied simply. 

Raine had chosen to return to the Boiling Isles with the others. The rest of the Northuldra were determined to stay. It had involved a lot of screeching on Rose’s part, which led to much eye-rolling from her companions. 

“ Alright ,” Thorn interrupted finally. “We get the point, Rose. Zip it.” 

Rose pouted. 

“We will be staying,” Ray said stoically. “This is still our home. Though if you ever need us, my lady, merely call and we shall be there.” He bowed.

Luz pointed warningly at the twins, who looked delighted. “Do. Not. Even. Think. About. It.” 

The twins began whispering excitedly to one another.

“Yeah ... I don’t think you’re getting rid of that,” Amity told her.

Luz rolled her eyes.

“Are you sure you want to go?” Ash asked softly. His eyes were brimming with tears. It looked like it was taking all his courage to even ask the question. 

“I will be back,” Luz told him gently. “But thank you for your concern.” 

Ash squeaked, diving to hide behind Melody. 

“She’ll be alright,” Melody said dryly. She glanced at Raine. “Can’t believe you’re going. Not to say I’m surprised, mind you. But it will be odd without you here.” 

“I’ll visit,” Raine promised. “But I think I can do more good on the Isles than I can here.” 

Melody looked distinctly unimpressed. “Uh-huh.” 

The Northuldra had rebuilt their ship. Luz stood at the prow with Amity, waving until the island was out of sight. Then she turned and smiled cautiously. “Were you alright with the kiss?” 

Amity blushed. “Yeah. Yeah, I was.” 

“Good. So was I.” 

Holding hands, they turned to face the horizon. 

“LITTLE SIS IS GONNA MARRY HER MAJESTY?!” the twins shrieked, popping up from out of nowhere.

Luz and Amity blushed furiously. “Call me that one more time ---”