Archive of Our Own ^beta

Luz didn’t bother to suppress the groan as she fell to her knees, taking her hat off in hopes of hiding the shame she felt. Amity knelt beside her, talking in hushed tones to offer her support. It was sweet of her, but Luz found it hard to feel anything but defeat in this moment. She lost count of how many failed attempts they had at building a door between the two realms. When King had used his powers to get her and her friends through the portal door, summer was still in full swing. Now, the season was nearly over, and fall was beginning to take effect. The days were getting shorter, the summer heat dissipating in a cool autumn breeze as the leaves slowly started to show hints of brown and orange.

“Maybe it’s best if we try again tomorrow,” Vee suggested, placing the now-empty fire extinguisher on the ground by their bags. She rolled her eyes as she saw Gus poking at the nozzle. She was going to have to have a talk with Camila about teaching the witches the importance and understanding of fire safety.

Luz wasn’t the only one who let out a groan. Looking up, she saw Hunter hanging his head in shame. “You guys, I’m sorry,” feet kicking out the two charred gloves lying on the ground. When the explosion occurred, he was standing right by the door and took the brunt of the blast. Thankfully, he wasn’t injured, but the gloves he had been wearing caught fire and were now burned.

“Hunter,” Willow came to stand by his side, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder, warm, steady, grounding. The tremor in his chest dulled just a fraction. She didn’t need to say anything yet; her silence alone was an anchor, a reminder that even if the world saw him as broken, she didn’t.

Cheeks turning a soft shade of pink, he gave her a grateful smile. “I helped Belos build the portal that we used to get here. I saw the plans he crafted and how it was done,” shaking his head, he gripped at the short, ashy locks that the witch standing beside him had helped him cut just a few nights ago. “It should be easy to remake another one.” He’d gone over those same plans in his head a hundred times, memorized every line, every angle. But what if he hadn’t?

The thought coiled tighter around his chest with every breath. His palms prickled with heat even though the basement air felt cool. It was like the walls themselves were inching closer, pressing the word failure into his ribs until he could barely breathe. He could almost hear Belos’s voice in the back of his head, smug and disappointed: useless, broken, replaceable. If the others found out that their families were waiting—suffering—because of him, because his memory was a jumbled mess, they’d hate him. And Titan, maybe they should.

Turning away from the red can that put out the fire, Gus took a stance at the other side of Hunter and rubbed his side with his elbow. “Don’t beat yourself, dude. It’s not like we have the same materials that were at the castle.” While they were able to utilize a lot of the items from Camila’s basement and other finds around town, much of it didn’t closely resemble what made up the original door. That had used magic and specially designed objects for the purpose of creating a door that could travel between realms. Luz said a lot of the stuff they had was mostly just junk people threw away.

“It’s not just that,” Hunter sighed, taking in a deep breath as he tried to put his thoughts into words. It was still such a strange concept to him. He was with a group of people who would listen to him speak; they valued his opinions and often let him speak what was on his mind without dismissing him. “I keep wondering if I’m remembering the plans correctly. So much has happened since then that I’m worried I’m remembering things wrong, and that’s the reason why we can’t get the door to work.” He groaned again, feeling that familiar sense of shame start to overtake his body. He’s been worrying about this for a while now. What if the reason they haven’t been succeeding in making the door is because of him? Because he can’t remember things right, and his incompetence is the reason they’re still stuck here. They had families waiting for them back home, and because he was such a mess, he was preventing them from seeing each other. He really was a failure.

“You can’t blame yourself.” Willow’s hand on his shoulder tightened its grip, not enough to hurt but enough to make him look up and stare into blinding green eyes. “You’re right about one thing; a lot has happened since we started this fight. It’s normal for our minds to be a little scrambled, but that doesn’t mean it’s your fault.” She smiled at him, letting him bask in the sensation of warmth and comfort that overtook him. Titan, how he wished he could just be enveloped by her…nope! Bad thoughts! Now was not the time to let himself get lost in the thought of Willow Park. That could be saved for later, when he was alone with his thoughts, and he could peacefully let his mind wander into the what-ifs and fantasies.

“Thanks, captain,” he smiled back at her, offering his thanks, knowing full well his cheeks now resembled the pink hues in the sky. A reaction his body had become used to by now when he was in her presence. Taking in a deep breath and letting it out slowly, he did the breathing exercise that had been taught to him. He couldn’t let himself get distracted by his worries. “I just wish there was a way to get my thoughts in order, but it’s not like I can go inside my own head.” If there were a way, he would’ve done so by now. He tried writing things down, but that usually ended in a jumbled mess. 

His wording made Luz do a double take, her mind flashing back to her time at Hexside and one of the first adventures she and Amity went on. “Maybe there is!” she beamed while the others looked on in concern.

They had returned to the Noceda household after Camilia had called them back for dinner. Luz said she would explain after they had filled their bellies, but if she was right, they would need their energy for their plan. The others continued to look on in concern as they very slowly ate their dinner that night. Everyone tried to ask what she was planning, but would only answer with, “You’ll see,” as she chomped away at her food, a wild grin on her face as she did so. That only made them more nervous.

Once dinner had ended, she had ushered everyone down into the basement. Camila opted to remain upstairs, while she was accepting of magic, seeing spells cast still unnerved her. She never wanted the kids to feel like they couldn’t be themselves in the house, but it was a big adjustment. She was getting better at being comfortable around it, but it was in baby steps. Besides, she figured she wouldn’t be much help with casting magic spells. Instead, she stayed up in the kitchen to finish washing the dishes and maybe prepare a snack for the kids. She had a feeling they would need something good to eat after things were settled. Vee was with her, having used up a lot of her energy helping them build the door, and transformed into her human disguise. She was resting on the couch, ready to call Camila in when their stories came on. It had become a tradition for the two to watch a telenovela after dinner.

“Okay, Luz,” Amity sat down next to her girlfriend, the others taking their own seats as they made a makeshift circle.

Gus sat on the couch while Luz and Amity were in front of the blue furniture. Hunter was resting on top his sleeping bag, looking uncertain as they waited for the brunette to explain her plan. He gulped audibly when Willow sat down next to him, offering him an encouraging smile. Now he was nervous for another reason. His eyes quickly darted around the blue sleeping material, worrying that it was somehow dirty, and she would be disgusted and leave. His torturous mind gave him another thought. Willow was resting on the item he sleeps in, meaning when he goes to bed that night, the very essence of Willow will be surrounding him. He choked down the squeak that wanted to escape him. “Bad thoughts!” Now was really not the time to be thinking these things.

“So, what’s this plan of yours to get the Hunter to remember the door plans?” she smiled, resting her chin on her hand, clearly amused and sure that whatever plan her girlfriend had come up with was well thought out.

“We go inside Hunter’s mind!”

Not what she expected, but also it could’ve been worse.

“What!?” For Hunter, this was worse. Jumping to his feet, he stared down at Luz in shock and anguish. “You want to what?” he pointed at his head; disbelief written all over his face. She could not be suggesting what he thinks she is.

Standing on her own two feet, Luz waved her hands, hoping to calm him down before he went into a panic attack. “Hear me out,” she pleaded, giving him her best puppy eyes. She was met with a pointed look but a curt nod of approval. “You said it yourself; you’re worried about remembering things wrong, but if we go inside your mind and see your memories, we’ll know for certain. Even if you are remembering the plans wrong, we can document them and that’ll give us a better chance at getting everyone back home.” She explained, believing her plan was flawless.

Too bad Hunter did not see it that way. “No,”

“Aww, come on!” Luz clasped her hands together, pleading with the blond. “At least think about it.”

“I am thinking about it. And I’m thinking I don’t want you messing around inside my mind.” He had been with her when they entered Belos’s mind, and Willow had told him about her experience. He did not feel like being the third installment of Luz going inside people’s heads. Not to mention the highly sensitive and personal information he was not ready to share yet with the group.

Sensing a fight about to commence, Amity thought it would be in their best interest to step in. “Hunter, I know it sounds scary, and maybe it could’ve been handled in a more gentle way. But this may be our only chance to see the plans for the door.” While she could understand his hesitation, she certainly wouldn’t want people to pop in and out of her mind so willy-nilly; this was more important than someone’s feelings. “I promise we’ll be careful. After all, Luz and I have done this before.”

He shot her an accusing look. “I heard.” Magenta colored eyes briefly cast their gaze to Willow. They had been talking much more since coming to the human realm. While he still wasn’t able to share much of his past, sometimes talking about it made his mind feel like he was experiencing the pain all over again. Willow had shared much of her backstory with him. He learned all about her friendship with Amity, the falling out, and the bullying. He clenched his hands, thinking about the forlorn look she wore as she detailed some of the instances. He wasn’t ashamed to say his attitude had been a little curt with the purple-haired girl that day after being told all she had done.

Amity flinched, looking at both Hunter and Willow. It didn’t take a genius to figure out what his words meant. While they were now on friendly terms, he had been a little rude to her once Willow had revealed the full extent of their relationship. He had apologized to her the next day for his attitude, but she could still see in his eyes that he was disappointed with her. Not that she could blame him. She was still upset with herself for how she behaved. Some nights, just when she was about to fall asleep, her mind would take her back to those days and force her to remember how cruel she had been. Those nights, she just wanted to curl up into a ball of shame and think about literally anything else. Why did the mind have to force you to remember things you didn’t want when you were trying to sleep? That just seemed cruel!

He knew he was being rude, and he felt bad about it, but it wasn’t his fault. They were trying to force him to go along with this plan without taking into account how he felt about this. “Did you guys ever think there were things in my head I don’t want you seeing?” he gave a pointed look to Luz when he said this. She of all people should know why exactly he didn’t want anyone poking around inside his head. The huge secret he’s been trying to hide since he found out the truth about his origins. The fear that has been eating away inside his heart every second of the day. He wants to spill his guts, but the terror of losing the only people in both worlds who care about him made him want to vomit.

Sensing the tension rising, Willow decided it was her turn to step in. Gus didn’t call her the mom of the group for nothing. Although she supposed that while they were staying with Camila, she was technically the real mother of the group. “Alright, guys, that’s enough,” she stood up to put herself in front of Luz, Amity, with her back facing Hunter, almost shielding him. Better to put some distance between them and give everyone some breathing room. “Look, I want to get home just as much as you guys do, but this is Hunter’s mind. He’s entitled to his privacy and if there are things, he doesn’t want to share with us, we have to respect that.” She gave him a kind smile. As much as she would love to get more information on the door building, she wasn’t going to force her friend to do something he clearly wasn’t comfortable doing. While she appreciated Luz and Amity going inside her mind to fix things. It was also the start of her and Amity rebuilding their friendship, and for that she was grateful. She also wished she could have at least given her opinion on things before they went inside and saw every bit that made up her psyche. The most embarrassing moments of her life were put on display, and they saw them all. She could see from Hunter’s point of view how violating it could be to have someone go inside your mind. Besides, she can’t even begin to imagine what he had been forced to suffer while living at the castle. If he’s not comfortable with sharing that part of his past yet, then she wasn’t going to force him to.

Pale cheeks turned rosy at that smile. That kind and caring smile that haunted his dreams in the best way. How he wanted to always be at the end of that smile. “Thanks,” he whispered, grateful she was on his side and thinking about how he feels about things. “The captain really is great.” He couldn’t help but think, returning her smile. Another precious moment was forming between them, and he counted his blessings for adding another one to his memory.

Seeing a pointed look from the two girls, Willow quickly added, “Besides, going into someone’s mind is dangerous. None of us knows how to do the spell Eda did.” That was very true. Eda had been able to do it with ease back when she had full control of her magic. However, they were still in training to be full witches, and none of them had ever performed that type of magic before. The spell to take one person and put them in the mind of another was extreme and partially illegal for a reason. If done improperly, it could cause irreversible damage to all parties.

“Maybe not,” Gus spoke up, deciding it was time he contributed to this conversation. “But who says we have to do the same things Eda did?” He pulled from his ear the small magic amplifier he had claimed from the Illusionist coven head. “This thing here allows me to read minds, so I’ll be able to peek inside Hunter’s old noggin without the need to cast some complicated spell.”

Hearing these words made Hunter’s chest tighten. A shaking hand grasps at his shirt, trying to bring the constricting fabric away from his body. He suddenly found it hard to breathe. “Gus, what did I just say?” Willow sighed, already sensing the immense panic emanating from the boy behind her. “If Hunter doesn’t want us invading his mind, then we’re not going to force him.” She couldn’t believe they were still talking about this.

He offered an apologetic grin to his friend/roommate. He hadn’t meant to make him feel panicked. “But I won’t be! I swear, I’ll only be looking for the door plans. Nothing else!” he held out his hand while placing the other over his heart. “I’ll even make an everlasting oath right now to prove that I won’t betray your trust.”

While impressed with his wording, Willow was still not convinced. “I thought you said you hadn’t learned yet how to fully use that thing.” She knew he had been testing it out before they had gone after Luz to help her stop Belos on the Day of Unity. He had practiced with it at home and used it once on the former emperor, but from what he told her, the things he saw were mostly a jumbled mess. She knows he saw a lot inside the emperor’s mind, but he wasn’t ready to talk about it all, and she didn’t push him for more information.

Gus flinched; he had forgotten about that. “Right,” he sighed, looking down at the small object that resembled a hand mirror. He had been so sure this place could work, but now he felt silly for even suggesting it. “Sorry, Hunter.”

“It’s okay, Gus. I know you were just trying to help.” He wasn’t angry at his friend. He wasn’t angry at any of them; he was just scared. He trusted them that if they did go inside his mind, they wouldn’t do anything to hurt him. He knew they were good people, and they would never intentionally try to hurt him. However, that didn’t stop the fear from flooding his veins at the thought that they might discover his secret. If they found out the truth, that he was a Grimwalker, a clone stitched together from the bones of witch hunters, they’d hate him. Not just angry, not just disappointed. Hate. They’d see him as a lie wrapped in skin, a mistake that should’ve burned with the others. And when they left—and they would leave—he’d be alone again. Alone, the way Belos always said he would be. That thought sent another wave of panic crashing over him. His breathing became shallow as black dots started to appear in his vision. His whole body shook as he found it hard to keep himself upright and found himself kneeling on the ground, trying to keep the dinner he had just eaten from making a reappearance.

Suddenly, soft but calloused hands were resting on his shoulder. “You’re okay, Hunter. Breathe with me.” Willow sat in front of him, speaking in a hushed tone as she took a deep breath and let it out after a few seconds. Magenta eyes stared into vibrant green ones as he mimicked her gesture. He took in a deep breath and let out a whistled exhale. Strangely relieved to be focusing on the embarrassing way his exhale sounded like a broken whistle instead of being on the verge of passing out.

When he no longer felt like his mind was about to shut down, he gave her a grateful smile. “Thank you, capt…Willow.” He gulped, tongue coming out to lick his suddenly dry lips. He had only said her actual name a handful of times, normally referring to her as captain. It felt nice to call her by that title. Flyer Derby was how they met and connected to him; she would always be his captain. Not to mention, she admitted that she liked being referred to as that by him. That made her feel special, that when he called her, it was more than just a title but a pleasant nickname. He had been so happy when she told him that. His chest swelled with pride at the thought that he could do something special for her. He had also been nervous when she told him that she would also like to hear him call her by her given name. He didn’t fully understand why, but calling her by her name just seemed so much more intimate.

“Maybe we should just forget about this and try something else,” Amity was starting to feel bad for the guy and didn’t want to push him over the edge. He was just starting to open up more to the group. If they pushed him too far, it could cause him to pull away from them, and they needed all hands on deck to get back home.

Luz frowned. She felt bad, too, but they needed a working door. Every second they spent safe and sound in the Human Realm, their friends could be facing Titan-knows what from the Collector. King had sacrificed himself so they could get through the portal safely. The last she saw of Eda and everyone, the draining spell was slowly killing them. They had to get back. She needed to know that her loved ones were safe. “There has to be a way,” her voice cracked, blinking back the fresh wave of tears that wanted to fall.

Magenta eyes took in the crestfallen girl across from him. Hunter bit his lower lip, feeling even worse than he did before. This was all happening because of him. If he hadn’t mentioned his memory issues, they wouldn’t be fighting like this. If he hadn’t helped build the portal, maybe they wouldn’t be stuck here. If he had just realized Belos’s true intentions earlier, maybe none of them would be suffering like this. He really was a failure. “If you could focus on just the portal memories…” he licked his lips, finding his mouth dry, and it felt like his tongue was too big, making talking difficult, but he refused to let that stop him. “If you were able to… then maybe, it would be alright,” he wrapped his arms around himself, trying to stop the shaking his body was releasing. “But only if you swear you won’t look at the stuff I don’t want you seeing.” His gaze was pointed directly at Luz. She was the only one in the group who knew his secret. He was trusting her to keep that secret and ensure that if they went inside his mind, they never saw what he wanted to remain hidden.

Willow frowned; she could feel him shaking beneath her grasp. “Hunter, you don’t-!”

“Yes, I do.” He gave her a grateful smile, but he couldn’t allow himself to be coddled by her. As much as he wanted to remain in the basement, safe and sound away from the horrors of their world and to stay by her side, he knew he couldn’t. Maybe when things were all said and done and if he was still alive by the end, he could tell her how he felt, but for now, he had to do this. Standing back up on his feet, he was ready to face this challenge.

Gus gave him a reassuring look, fingers fiddling with the magical device in his hand. “Hunter, as your best friend, I swear on my honor as a master illusionist that I won’t look at anything you’re not ready to share.” He knew about fears and worries. The doubt that can plague one’s mind and how it makes you second-guess every single thing, and even the people you trust the most. “Whatever you want to keep secret, that’s your business. Tell us when you’re ready.”

“Thanks Gus,” Hunter breathed a sigh of relief, he was already starting to feel better.

Too bad Willow was not. “Wait a minute, I thought I was your best friend.” She got to her feet to give him a pointed look that was laced with more amusement than actual annoyance.

Before he could open his mouth, Gus beat him to it. “Sorry, Willow, but us guys have got to stick together.” He pulled the blond down to his height level so that he could throw an arm around his shoulder and held his hand out for a fist bump.

Luz chuckled, enjoying the little show of Hunter trying to explain how they are both his best friends, just in different ways. She knew what he was hiding, how terrified he was when he learned the truth, and how badly it affected him. The look of fear on his face when he ran out of the Owl House hasn’t left her mind. She has tried to tell him that their friends wouldn’t care about his origins, but she wasn’t one to talk about keeping secrets. She still hasn’t found the courage to tell them that Belos met the Collector because of her. Still, it was nice seeing him get to enjoy his time with their friends. This was probably the first time in his life that he’s been able to be a teenager. Looking to her side, she saw her girlfriend deep in thought. “Something on your mind?”

A pale hand came to brush away soft purple locks behind her ear. “It might be possible,” her words caused the group of teens to stop and look at the girl. “My magic was mainly focused on Abominations, but I do know a bit of Oracle spells. I remember once my dad got really sick and couldn’t finish a project, but they were on a deadline, so my mother used a spell to find a select memory so she could get the plans from his head.” Alador had come down with a really bad case of fire flu. His sneezes were so bad that none of them could get near him without him almost burning their hair off. Her mother, being the business-focused woman that she was, wasn’t going to let her husband's being sick stop her from pushing out their latest product, so the spell had been cast to find the blueprints in his head. She had completely forgotten about that time, back then her focus had been on perfecting her own abilities, so she didn’t pay much attention to what her family did. Only when she was being praised or scolded did she focus on them.

Hunter gulped, suddenly feeling the familiar cold sensation building in his chest. The first inkling of a panic attack started to build, but he pushed it down. Flapjack landed on his shoulder, tweeting words of encouragement in his ear. “Let’s do this.”

They set to work. Willow summoned a thick vine, twirling her finger around so that it could fit around Hunter while Luz, Amity, and Gus held pieces of it around him in a circle. While she wanted to help, she still didn’t feel right about invading his mind like this. He may be saying it’s okay, but she could tell this was the last thing he wanted to do, so instead she would be providing moral support. Amity and Gus would be focusing on the spell, tracking down the memory, while Luz would be transported inside his mind to find the blueprints for the door. Taking in a deep breath, Gus summoned his magic, holding the vine in one hand while his magic enhancer was held above his head with the other. Luz and Amity were doing the same, each holding onto the vine with one hand and the other was touching parts of the enhancer. Amity had explained the spell to them from what she remembered her mother doing. She had used the pendant she kept around her neck to act as a beacon that helped her focus on the mind and shift her way through the other stuff until she found what she was looking for. In theory, the looking glass should be able to do the same. If Gus was able to see a person’s memory with it, then using the Oracle spell to help focus in on their intended target while they combined their magic to allow Luz to enter should be enough to get them in and then out.

Gus’s eyes started to glow a soft blue hue as Amity’s body began to shine a soft purple. The spell was starting. “Here goes nothing.” Hunter gulped, trying to fight down another wave of panic. In order for the spell to work, they needed him to be calm so they could get Luz inside his head without any issues. He was glad that it would only be her going in and no one else. It would make things easier for him and less of a worry for him. She already knew he was a Grimwalker; he didn’t need to worry about hiding things from her. That didn’t mean he wasn’t still terrified. There were many other memories he didn’t want them to see. “Hey, it’s gonna be okay.” His body went rigid as Willow brushed a loose strand of hair out of his eyes. “Remember, I’m right here if you need anything.” She reached out to hold his hand. They weren’t going to be able to put him to sleep like how Eda did for her; he would only be in a half-conscious state. Meaning he wouldn’t be able to speak, but he should still be able to move his body. If things got to be too much for him, he was to squeeze her hand, and she would have them end the spell.

He nodded, cheeks burning red, silently begging his body not to betray him. He could already feel his hands start to sweat, and he didn’t want her to find him gross. This may be the only time he ever gets the chance to hold her hand. “Willow’s hands are so soft.” He blushed at his thoughts, mentally scolding himself. Later, he could think about this moment later.

“Here we go.” Luz could feel the magic intensifying as the two in the circle began to glow even brighter. She may not have magic like they do, but she could still feel the power in the air. Closing her eyes, she let the power of her friends flow into her.

A blast of white light sent Willow back, making her drop Hunter’s hand as her body flew over the couch. Clover flew above her head, and soft but frantic buzzing noises came from her Palisman, asking if she was okay. “I’ve been better,” she groaned, adjusting her glasses as she pulled herself up. “What happened?” she gasped when she saw the state of her friends.

Luz, Amity, and Gus were lying unconscious on the basement floor, the vine they held was glowing a mixture of blue and purple as it wrapped around their hands. In the middle of the circle with the vines surrounding him was Hunter, his eyes wide open but glowing a soft golden hue. “You guys!” she jumped to help them, crossing the threshold of the vines to shake the blond awake but his body was stiff and unmoving. She tried to do the same with the others but found them all unresponsive. Seeing their chests moving up and down gave her relief that they were still alive, but that was short-lived as she realized they were trapped in the spell, and she couldn’t wake them up.

Luz kept her eyes closed, hoping to make the spinning stop. She’s only been transported into a person’s mind twice, but both times, she didn’t feel such a raging headache. When Eda had cast the spell, the magic was so powerful it went through her body for a loop, and when she had been forced inside Belos’s mind, it had knocked her out, but nothing like this. What she was experiencing now felt so strange. “Luz,” she gasped, turning around to see that Amity and Gus were there with her. “What happened?” Racing towards them, sighing in relief when she saw they were okay, she turned her attention back to the scenery.

The area they were in was completely dark—not empty so much as heavy, velvet-black pressing against their skin. The silence wasn’t silent at all; it rang in their ears, a low hum like breath held too long. Then, with a sound like cracking glass, pale trees split the void open. Their branches curled into frames, and images leaked into the canvas like ink bleeding across paper. The air tasted metallic, sharp with the weight of someone else’s thoughts. It wasn’t dangerous… not yet. But it felt fragile, like the wrong step could shatter everything around them. “I’m not totally sure, but I think,” Taking one step forward, the view changed before their eyes. Instantly, trees sprouted in place around them, frames with blank canvases being formed as the images were slowly leaking their way to the surface. “We’re in Hunter’s mind.” The world around them was nothing like what she was used to. In both Willow’s and Belos’s minds, the trees were all in one area, but it was almost as if Hunter had two. She surveyed the area, looking at one side that had a lush landscape, the sky glowing bright with colo,r and she swore there was a bird singing in the distance. The other side was desolate, trees withering away with broken frames and slashed pictures. The color seemingly drained from every blade of grass and leaf.

“But how is this possible?” Amity rubbed her head, much like her girlfriend, she too was experiencing a wicked migraine. “The spell should’ve only allowed for Luz to enter his mind. How did it end up pulling me and Gus in?” Not to mention the fact that having more than two people entering a mindscape was dangerous. Just entering someone’s mind was unsafe; there was a reason Eda had advised that only two could go. Any more than that, you’re risking causing damage by the added magical consciousness.

Gus groaned, one hand rubbing his temple while the other was looking at the magical device. He wanted to place all the blame on the inanimate object, but knew that wouldn’t be the truth. “I don’t think we really are,” he said, slowly adapting to the strange feeling that had been plaguing him since he woke up.

A thin eyebrow raised in confusion, “What are you talking about? We’re clearly inside his mind.” Amity pointed to a tree that had color inside it and saw the image of Hunter holding his witches’ staff, Flapjack being displayed at the top of the object.

“I think Gus is right,” Luz held up her hands, looking at her body and the world around them. “This feels different than when we went into Willow’s mind.” She thought back to that day, how worried she was for her friend and the giddiness she felt when they were transported inside. When Eda did the spell, she could feel how the magic had enveloped her whole body, wrapping every inch of her being and bringing her into her friend’s mind. It felt like she had been thrown from one spot to another, but this wasn’t anything like that. Even when she had gone into Belos’s mind, she felt so close to his being that it made her uncomfortable. Right now, she somehow felt close to Hunter but strangely far away. “I don’t think we got the spell right.” She gasped when she saw that her fingers had started to become transparent, then flash back into solid flesh. Her friends let out similar sounds of terror when they saw their own doing the same.

“You’d be correct, human.”

They jumped in fright, Luz putting up her fists in defense while Gus and Amity tried to do magic, but found nothing happened. Three pairs of eyes widened in shock when they saw a familiar figure dressed in golden armor with a matching mask approaching them. “Are you the inner, Hunter?” Swallowing her fear, Luz stepped forward, wondering if this inner being would also chase them down.

A white cape fluttered around the glowing being as he walked towards them. Even with the mask covering his facial features, the group of teens could see he was assessing them. “Something of the sort,” he stopped just a foot in front of them, hands folded behind his back. “While I am aware this form may cause you some discomfort, Hunter’s memories are in a state of disarray right now. As you can tell,” he gestures to the bleak landscape behind them. Jaws dropped as a tree crumbled before their eyes, the portrait holding a fuzzy image now lying on the ground, which was more dirt than it was grass. “Much has happened since you’ve met him. His mind is reshaping, a path that is dangerous; thus, this form is necessary to prevent any further damage or enemies from harming him.” He turned back to face the group, shoulders sagging as they heard the audible sigh escape him. They were being judged by his inner self. “Because of your insistence on going inside his mind despite your lack of magical experience, you three have sent your consciousness into his mind instead of just transporting the human.”

Amity felt her jaw drop, “How is that even possible?” She felt like her mind was spinning, suddenly full of thoughts and theories. While she didn’t have a lot of experience with mindscapes, she had a basic understanding of them. Never before has she read of it being possible to send another’s mind into someone else’s.

“It is possible; however, this particular method has not been done in some time. Not that you would know about that,” he told them matter-of-factly, waving one hand around as a tree stump sprouted from the ground beside him. In the center of it was a small frame that showed Hunter hunched over a table, reading by candlelight in a dark library filled with lots of books. “The texts referring to this spell were considered classified for being dangerous and hidden away in the castle.”

“But we’re not here to hurt him,” Luz held her hand out, palm facing upward in hopes of showing they meant no harm. “We swear, we weren’t trying to purposely invade his mind.” At least not like this. Their plan was only for her to come in, look for the memory of the door, and then have the others pull her out.

Sighing again, he flicked his wrist, and the memory went back into the ground. “You’re making this difficult.” Luz felt a very strong sense of déjà vu happening right now. “While I despise agreeing with that man, I will say this method is not a smart one. It was barred from the Boiling Isle long before Belos came to this world. You should do what you came here to do quickly and then leave.”

The words he spoke were harsh, but not in a scolding sort of way. It reminded Gus of how his father often spoke to him, talking to him in a serious tone to help him better understand the severity of his actions and the consequences they have. “Why is the spell so bad?”

“Should you remain here for too long, your consciousness will be absorbed into Hunter’s mind. You’ll all become a part of him, feel what he feels until you blend into a new being,” he gestured to their bodies, and they all cried out when they saw their entire hands were now flashing between transparent to flesh. “Normally, I’d force you out without delay, but I am aware of your mission and will guide you to the memory you seek. However, you must leave once you find it.” Pulling his other hand from behind his wrist, they gulped at the staff he was now holding. All were wondering if it was normal for an inner being to carry weaponry around. “We refuse to allow any harm to befall Hunter.”

Without waiting for a reply, he gestured for them to follow him into the landscape of memories. Gus and Amity kept a safe distance from the being while Luz looked over his form. “We?” She couldn’t help but wonder what he meant by that.

The group walked in the middle of the memories, one side was full of life while the other was wilting away, being overtaken by shadows, but never fully disappearing. “What’s going on with Hunter’s memories?” Gus asked, pulling his hand back to his side when he tried to reach out to touch another tree that had been swallowed up, leaving behind a broken frame and ripped picture.

Amity frowned, hands clenching the ends of her shorts, an old habit she’s had since she was a child. Gripping the fabric helped center her, keep her from spiraling when things made her feel out of control. “I thought damaging the memories could hurt the person?” She knew just how much harm that could cause. Part of her still felt guilty for the damage she had done and how she had nearly ruined Willow’s life…again. A chill ran up her spine suddenly, bright golden eyes looking all around. Hand raised to cast a spell, but mentally cursed when she realized her magic wouldn’t work here. She swore she saw others, shadowy figures watching them from behind the trees.

“Hunter has experienced much in his life.” His voice brought their attention back. “Many of these memories are those he once treasured, but now he no longer wishes to think about them, so they are being absorbed into his subconscious.” The group fell silent once more, their eyes hovering to the side that they didn’t doubt held moments none wanted to see. The blond didn’t tell them much about his time in the Emperor’s Coven, but from the snippets they got from talking, he discovered things that were introduced to children, told them all it had not been a happy place. They noticed that the Golden Guard leading them had walked further ahead, spinning frames around that were engulfed in thick blackened branches, nearly covering the images but still peeking out enough to show what was there. “These are moments Hunter is not ready to share. I trust you will respect his privacy.”

Luz grimaced, having a good idea of what was behind those paintings. Part of her stomach lurched when she saw him push aside more frames. She knew about him being a Grimwalker, the horror he experienced in learning the truth, and nearly dying. She didn’t doubt some of those frames were from that terrifying time, but what the others could be made her sick. “Come on, guys. We need to focus and-!” she took the lead, walking further into the mindscape. While she didn’t know the layout, she had a feeling the door’s blueprints weren’t something he would want to forget. Especially since he had said they were important. She had looked at only the happy memories, ones whose frames were a reddish-brown color, seemingly almost new. It displayed him meeting Flapjack, winning the flyer derby match, getting ice cream with Gus in the human world, and learning how to sew. She smiled, glad to see the side of happy memories was slowly growing. Yet her attention had been diverted when she saw a new section had been opened up, an arch of flowers acted as the opening, as the trees inside bloomed with flowers and fruit. It almost seemed as if the place had its own sun, that’s how much it was glowing. What stood out most was the archway of marble gleaming brighter than anything else in the mindscape. Every vine around it burst with blossoms, their white petals curling into letters that spelled out her name in delicate loops: Willow Park. Beyond the arch, trees bloomed heavy with fruit and flowers, their branches draped with frames glowing like lanterns. Each one held an image of her—laughing, smiling, standing with Hunter as if the mind itself had chosen to crown her sacred. It wasn’t just a memory. It was a shrine. “The Hall of Willow!?!” Luz felt her shipper brain come to life.

“Yes,” the golden guard came to stand beside her, the hand not holding his staff coming up to rub at his temples that were behind the mask. “I was hoping we’d find the blueprints before coming to this part of his mind.” It was not as if he could hide this section. That had been why he hoped they would find what they were looking for earlier. Too late to worry about that now.

Amity felt her eye twitch. “What in titan’s name is this?” She wasn’t sure how to feel about this new discovery. From the corner of her eye, she could see that her two companions looked absolutely delighted with it.

He shrugged his shoulders; no sense in lying about it. “It is, as you see, a hall dedicated to all the memories Hunter has shared with Willow Park.” These three were Hunter’s friends; they could be trusted with this part of his mind. “Hunter has decided that every moment spent with Willow is important, so a new wing opened up in his mind. Thus, creating this hall dedicated to her.”

A cunning grin spread across Gus’s face. Long gone was the worry and fear, now replaced with an abundance of energy. “Every moment? Even say one of Willow bringing in the morning paper and giving him the crossword puzzle?” That very instance happened just this morning. Said girl had brought in the paper, and Hunter asked if he could have the crossword section. He had taken to enjoying that piece, trying to guess at human trivia and seeing if he had gotten them right. As if it heard him, a tree began to glow, and the three rushed forward to look at it. They saw the image play out, just the very same as it had this morning, only, they noticed in Hunter’s mind, Willow appeared to be glowing. 

Luz cooed, hands itching to actually go inside the memory and witness it firsthand, but had a feeling their personal tour guide wouldn’t like that. Shining brown eyes looked over the archway, she swore even the air in here felt lighter. Skipping in place, she was already thinking of different ways she could help her friends get together. She had always suspected that the blond boy had a thing for the plant witch, but whenever she teased him about it, he fervently denied such things. Now she has the proof, and she was not going to stop until he agreed to let her be his wingman. “What’s that?” She noticed another section, between the bushes, was an alcove that was hidden behind some leafy vines, but she could see that more pictures were on display.

“That would be Hunter’s daydreams and fantasias involving Willow.” He answered them, not paying much attention as he watched a new tree start to sprout. The Abomination witch was next to him, observing as it planted its roots in a new area that seemed to expand out of nowhere. A picture frame growing out of the husk of the wood and displaying what happened just a short time ago. Willow stepped between their group and Hunter, giving him a kind smile as she gave him support, and he was smiling behind her. Amity didn’t think he meant literally every moment, but it seemed she was mistaken. “Oh no,” she slapped a hand to her forehead when she heard the man’s words and already knew what was about to happen.

“Daydreams?” Gus had a cunning grin on his face as he looked at the leafy vines.

“Fantasies!” Luz all but squealed out as she looked at the area.

They didn’t even have to look at each other to know they were thinking the same thing. They ran straight into the alcove and screamed in delight.

His inner golden guard sighed, this time he was the one slapping his head, or rather his mask, with his hand. “I should have seen this coming.”

“Yeah, you really should have.” Amity crossed her arms, nodding in agreement. While she was interested in the memories, fantasies were a little outside her comfort zone. Besides, she was still coming to terms that the guy was crossing on her old and newly reacquainted best friend. While she trusted Hunter and knew he would never do anything to harm Willow, that didn’t mean she would just step aside and let him make a move on her. She knew Willow could take care of herself; she didn’t doubt she could fight him if he tried anything funny, but she was still protective of her. She had promised not to patronize her, but this wasn’t just showing off how much she has grown into her magic. These were her feelings, and while Willow acted tough, she was secretly very sensitive. She refused to let her friend experience any more hardship in life.

“Come on, we should get them out before it’s too late.” He pointed at her arm that had started to fade. Time was running out faster than he would have liked, and they needed to get moving. He gestured for her to go first and was grateful she didn’t try to fight him on that. He watched her go, ensuring she was behind the vines, before he twisted his head around to see figures wearing similar armor and masks to his appearing from behind the bushes. No words needed to be spoken; they were all thinking of the same thing. With a single nod, they knew their mission and set off to do what was needed, while he joined the group inside.

“Mija? Kids?” Camila called down to the teens in her basement. The program she and Vee watched had ended, with such a twist as the cliffhanger. The surgeon doing the operation on the coma patient was his half-brother, and their sister could only donate a kidney to one of them. She did not see that coming. The two discussed briefly on the couch their thoughts on the episode and what tomorrow’s show would entail before making their way down to the basement. She had heard a crash earlier, but when she heard no further yelling or cries of horror, she figured things were fine. Usually, when things got bad, Luz was very vocal about it. She had a tray of snacks in her hand while Vee was carrying some drinks. “How are things? Everything ok-ay!” She was only halfway down the stairs when she saw her daughter lying unconscious along with the others. The only one awake was Willow, who seemed to be fighting off vines.

Camila’s tray of snacks clattered to the floor as she flew down the stairs. Her body knew the posture too well—kneeling beside someone she loved, begging them to wake. She cradled Luz’s limp body, her hands trembling. And just like that, the basement blurred into a sterile hospital room, the cold tile slick with antiseptic. Her husband’s pale face flickered over her daughter’s, the same unbearable stillness, the same desperate fear clawing at her throat. She had sworn she’d never feel that helplessness again, but here it was—tearing her open, cruel as memory always was. “Luz? Baby…please, wake up.” Tears began to gather in the corner of her eyes. Her mind was cruel, replaying a similar scene she had been in, only this took place in a hospital, and it wasn’t her daughter but her husband.

“What happened?” Vee crouched beside Willow, transforming back into her original state, and shook a little. She could practically feel the magic vibrating in the air, and it made the more animalistic side of her want to taste.

Green eyes closed in frustration. She knew they were concerned, she was too, but there was a reason why she didn’t call them down right away. She had to focus, and they were distracting her. “Hunter was worried he was remembering the plans for the door wrong, so Luz and the others tried to go inside his mind.” She gave them a brief description, trying to keep her focus on the vines in front of her.

“They what?!” Vee jumped in her spot, jaw hanging open. “That spell is complicated for a full-fledged witch! Not to mention how dangerous it is to send more than two people in.” She didn’t know much about other witches and their methods, but from what her fellow basilisks had taught her, entering another person’s mind was incredibly difficult and should only be attempted as a last resort. “Why would they all go in?”

“Because the spell got messed up!” Willow hadn’t meant to snap, but hearing her tell them what they did wrong was only making things worse for her. Tears of her own started to fall. “It was only supposed to be Luz who went in, but somehow everyone went in, and now I can’t,” she hiccupped, trying to shove her feelings aside. She could cry later; her friends needed her now. “I can’t wake them up. My magic can’t do anything for them.” Plant magic is where she excelled. Since leaving the abomination track at school and starting the plant track, her powers have only grown, but only in that field. She scoffed, finding it ironic that the coven system was designed to ensure you only practiced one type of magic, and her body had decided that for her. She didn’t need a sigil. For a while, she was proud of her abilities, but what was the point of growing stronger if she couldn’t use her magic to help her friends? “I knew this was a bad idea. I should have tried harder to stop them, but I…!” she choked back a sob, guilt consuming her as flowers started to bloom and wilt simultaneously in her hair. She had wanted to blame her friends for this. She had told them this wasn’t a good idea, but she was also at fault. As much as she didn’t like the idea, a part of her wanted it to happen if it meant they could get home faster. Every day, she was worrying about her dads, and when Luz first mentioned this idea, hope had bloomed in her heart that this time they would succeed. They would get the blueprints for the door and then be able to build a working portal home.

If she hadn’t been selfish, maybe her friends wouldn’t be in danger. “You can’t think like that, sweetie.” Camila reached out and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. Withered flowers hung in front of her face, mingling with her tears as she stared at the woman who was crying herself. “I know my daughter, once she gets an idea in that head of hers, there is no talking her out of it.” While she didn’t understand much about magic, she could tell from the reactions that this spell was not a good one. She was going to have a long talk with not only her daughter but also all of them. She knew how desperate they were to get back to the demon realm, but they couldn’t do that at the cost of their own life. “You’re doing all you can for them right now, so let’s focus on waking them up.” Gently placing her daughter back on the floor, she yelped as a vine tried to grab her wrist. Luckily, she was able to get away before it could grab her. The three gasped as the vines pulled the three bodies closer to Hunter’s.

“What’s going on?” Vee asked, jumping to avoid tripping over the plant that was taking up most of the basement floor.

Wiping the tears and flowers from her face, Willow got back to what she was doing before. “I’m not really sure,” she stepped over to the vine that was connecting Gus and Amity together, and summoned a circle to break the vines apart. Sadly, just as it’s been going, the vines would shift briefly before snapping back into a tight grip, resisting the call of her magic. “We thought since Luz couldn’t use magic, we could use the plant as a base to help channel the power so we could send her into Hunter’s mind, but for some reason, it’s not responding to my magic.”

“But why do these things keep trying to pull them closer to Hunter?” Camila gasped again, grabbing her daughter to prevent her from being pulled further towards the boy.

“I’m not sure,” Willow gripped her braids, feeling herself start to panic. She didn’t know what was happening, but her heart was telling her they were running out of time. If she didn’t hurry up and fix things, she had a feeling her friends were done for. “Huh?” This time, it was Vee who comforted her, offering her a kind smile. Looking around, she saw both girls were grinning, eyes shining full of worry but also with belief. They knew if anyone could figure this out, it would be her. Taking in a deep breath and releasing it, she cleared her mind, trying to remember all she learned about mindscapes. “My best guess is that somehow Hunter’s consciousness is trying to absorb them.” She couldn’t be certain. They hadn’t covered a lot about mind transfers in her class, but the teacher had mentioned briefly that sometimes the mind will try to defend itself from an outside attack should someone enter. “For now, the best thing to do is keep them from touching his body while I try to get the vines to let them go.”

Camila and Vee nodded; they had their orders and knew what needed to be done. Holding tight to her daughter, Camila planted her full body on the ground and fought against the plants. Vee wrapped her tail around Gus’s torso while she grabbed one of Amity’s arms with one hand, while the other held onto the couch. Taking in another deep breath, Willow decided it was time to fight this at the source. Making her way towards Hunter, she carefully lifted him to lie in her lap and placed her hands on his chest. The vines that connected her three friends had all tied together into a knot around his body. Gripping them, she summoned her magic and focused on releasing them, and prayed that in doing so, it could wake up her friends.

Luz and Gus cheered with giddiness as they raced into the room. They had just found out that it was the dedicated space their friend had fantasized about for their other friend. Eyes sparkling with wonder as various trees held different picture frames, all portraying scenes that they knew never happened. Dark blue eyes met light brown ones; the same look reflected in their gazes. “You take that side; I take this one. We divide and conquer!” Gus gave the order, ready to go inside and see what awaited him. Luz had no problems with this plan and happily ran into a painting and jumped headfirst.

Hands clenching and unclenching, she adjusted her footing and waited for the world around her to come to life.

Luz blinked and found herself standing on the field at Hexside. For a brief moment, she felt her heart twinge at the familiar sight of the school she had only spent a few months in, but considered to be almost like a second home. Actually, it was more accurate to say the Owl House was like her second home, so did that make Hexside her third home? Something to think about later.

For now, her eyes sparkled with glee as she spotted some familiar figures standing off in the distance.

Willow stood alone in the field, her flyer derby team standing in a group behind her; their bodies were clear but had a fuzzy hint to them. You could make out their faces and expressions, but the only one who was clear was the glass-wearing girl; before her was Hunter, decked out in his Golden Guard uniform.

“Captain, with your magical abilities and leadership skills, the Emperor’s coven is going to be unstoppable.” He eagerly explained, one hand raising to clench into a fist by his chest to showcase just how much stronger they’ll be now that she’s on their side.

Willow made the same gesture. “It’s amazing to be recruited by the Golden Guard himself.” Her determined face switched into a shy-looking smile. “Plus, on our day off, we’ll be able to play flyer derby together,” she pushed one of her braids behind her ear, her smile doubling in size.

He cleared his throat, one gloved hand slowly taking off his mask to return the same shy smile. “Yeah, that’ll be…really nice.” He tripped over his own words, fingers fiddling with the mask that he now held as he looked into sparkling green eyes.

“If it’s not too much trouble, could you be the one to put a sigil on me?” Her voice was timid but full of determination as she raised the sleeve of her uniform and showed him her bare wrist.

Taken aback by her boldness, his cheeks turned a soft shade of pink as he cleared his throat once more. “Captain,” he held his mask to his chest as he bent forward to offer her a small bow while he held her outstretched hand. “It would be my honor.”

“Boo!” Luz sneered from the other side of the field, having seen enough and wanted to put her own spin on things. The fantasy-based versions of her friends looked up, shocked to see her there. Hunter more so than Willow. “Sigils are lame and the Emperor is a jerk-face!” She figured this had to be a very early fantasy. Hunter no longer believed the lies Belos had fed him all his life. Most days, he still wore his gloves so that he wouldn’t have to see the mark on his wrist he once wore proudly, but now only stared at in shame. “But cute idea! I’d give your storytelling a solid seven outta ten.” For someone who usually had a one-track mind on things only related to completing his missions, this was a nice change of pace for him. Plus, now she knows she can tease Hunter about crushing on Willow from the moment he met her. Maybe he isn’t showing signs he’s in love, but he’s interested in her and wants to spend more time together, and that’s enough for her shipper brain to work with.

“You!” Fantasy Hunter placed his mask back on, summoning his artificial staff and pointing the glowing beam directly at Luz. “How dare you say such things. For crimes against the Empire, you are under arrest!” He was charged and ready to fire, but stilled for a moment, watching the human girl who was giving him a strange grin. It was like she knew something he didn’t. “Are you supposed to be here, right now?”

“Probably not,” walking backwards, she gestured to them and then to the frame behind her. “That sounds like my cue to leave. Byeeeeee!” she threw herself out of the painting and back into the forest of fantasies just as Gus was making his way into a new picture. They winked at each other and waved before jumping into a new daydream.

Gus looked around and saw he was standing outside in the courtyard of Hexside. He saw students were gathered around, talking with teachers as airships holding the coven scouts and Head Witch Graye were departing. He quickly realized it was the day the illusionist had tried to trick them into getting sigils, and he had covered the whole school in an illusion. It was also the day he and Hunter became best friends. Though the scouts were doing a lot more sobbing and groveling than he remembered. He found himself standing off to the side with a bunch of his classmates while his two best friends were off in a secluded corner of the school, which strangely had its own spotlight and was surrounded by trees and bushes overgrown with big flowers.

He had to cover his mouth with his two hands when he got a better look at his imaginary friends.

“Captain,” Hunter had his back turned to Willow, his hair had grown longer, and was blowing in the wind. His body was adorned in a tailored dark suit, and his expression was a composed demeanor exuding practiced charm. “It’s too dangerous for me to be around you,” he said, his voice low and dramatic, as if they were in some epic romance novel instead of standing next to a busted fountain.

Willow, dressed in a soft teal gown with ruffled accents and matching gloves, smiled warmly at the man across from her. “Hunter, danger doesn’t scare me. Not if it means I get to stand with you.”

He stepped forward, the debris crunching under his boots, and took her hands in his. His grip was warm, steady, and just a little trembling. “I’m scared, Willow,” he admitted, his usual guarded tone breaking. “But… when I’m with you, I’m less afraid. Like maybe I can face anything.”

Willow’s smile was small but unshakable, her fingers curling around his. “Then don’t run away,” she said gently. “Stay. We’ll face it all together.”

Gus couldn’t hold it in anymore. The laughter he had been fighting to keep inside finally released as a loud belly laugh sounded off in the courtyard. Effectively ruining the moment. “Oh, my Titan! This is like one of those cheesy romance books.” He never pictured his friend as being a fan of that genre, but it seemed he was.

Fantasy Hunter’s face burned red; gone was the cool and composed persona. “Gus, what the heck, man?! What are you doing?” he asked through gritted teeth.

“Wishing I had my camera with me.” He made the motion of taking a picture, hating that it was only his subconscious in his friend’s mind. It would have been so great to document all this.

He and Luz quickly jumped into more paintings.

Hunter walked down the halls of Hexside with his head held high, wearing a potion’s track uniform. The blurry faces of the students all stopped what they were doing to stare and whisper as he passed. Whispered praises and cheers echoed in the distance. He seemed to be aware of them, but his attention was on one person and one person only.

The students disappeared, and only Willow remained, grabbing her books from her locker as the lights around her began to glow, giving her an ethereal look. She took notice of him and smiled brightly, waving in his direction. She attempted to walk towards him, but was stopped by another person, whose face was only two dots and what looked like a poorly drawn mouth.

“Hey, baby, how about going to the Grudgby game with me tonight?” the person winked, leaning their hand on the locker behind her and invading her personal space.

Willow scoffed and pushed him away. “No thanks, I already have plans tonight with the most amazing guy.” She looked in Hunter’s direction and gave him a wink.

“I ain’t taking no for an answer.” The person grabbed her arm again, trying to force her to go with him. Willow gasped, looking frightened as Hunter summoned Flapjack to fight, but halted when he saw a familiar green vine sprouting from the ground.

They were quickly and effortlessly thrown across the hall and into a row of lockers. “Sorry, but I already have a boyfriend.” She wiped her hands of the imaginary dirt as she flipped her hair over her shoulder.

“That’s me,” Hunter said, coming to stand beside her as he wrapped an arm around her waist, while she wrapped her own around him. “I’m Willow Park’s boyfriend!” he said proudly, looking very smug as the students around them all began to cheer and comment on how good they looked together.”

Luz couldn’t hold it in anymore and burst out laughing. “Oh my gosh, you’re such a dork!” still laughing, she walked bent over back to the frame to get out of this daydream.

Imaginary Hunter did not like being called out. “Hey! Who are you calling a dork!? For that matter, what are you even doing here?!”

Snickering loudly, Luz exited the picture at the same time as Gus, who was in his own fit of giggles. With a nod, they continued on their path, and each leaped into another picture.

Gus jumped down, realizing he was back in the Noceda’s backyard, and it was late at night. Looking around, he saw the tent they had set up, along with the fake fire they had made with the flashlights and s’mores that Luz had introduced them to. “Hey, this is when Luz and Camila taught us about the stars in the human realm.” It had only been last week when this happened. Camila had suggested the activity after another failed attempt at building the door, believing it could help take their minds off things. It certainly had, as their group had been amazed at the constellations.

For a momen,t he wondered if maybe he had stumbled into a memory instead of a daydream when he noticed two things that were very different from that night. For starters, Hunter and Willow were sitting alone together and much closer than they had been that night. While he and the others were merely stick figures off in the corner, blabbering away nonsense.

“The stars here are so beautiful.” Willow sighed dreamily, staring up at the sky in wonder.

A gentle breeze blew by, making her shiver when a brown jacket was gracefully placed on her shoulders. Green eyes widen as round cheeks turned a soft, rosy color. “The stars are lovely,” Hunter reached forward to grab her hands in his as he leaned forced, smiling softly. “But they pale in comparison to you.”

She snorted, lightly pushing against his shoulder with her own. “You’re such a dork.”

“Yeah,” he let out a breathless laugh, gaze never leaving her face as his expression shone bright with pure love and adoration that he felt for her. “But I’m your dork.”

Willow blushed at his words as she closed her eyes and leaned forward, lips puckering for a kiss. Hunter mimicked her actions, one hand coming up to cup her cheek. He slowly tilted his head and began to close his eyes so that he could place his lips on top of hers. Only stopping when he felt a pair of eyes watching him. Looking towards his side, he saw his best friend sitting only a few inches from them and looking very invested in the scene. Hunter squeaked in shock and fell over. “Gus! Just what do you think you’re doing?” he jumped back to his feet, face burning red.

Gus mimicked him and jumped to his feet, giving them the finger gun as he backed away towards the picture frame. “Getting some good material to help you plan future dates with Willow.” With that said, he backflipped out of the daydream.

Just like last time, he and Luz exited at the same time, wearing identical mischievous, giddy smiles as they vaulted into other pictures.

Hunter and Willow winning the championship Flyer Derby tournament and holding hands while they held up the prize winning trophy with their teammates.

Hunter presenting Willow with a matching couple shirts that he made them, and they happily wear around the house together.

Hunter and Willow sitting on a bench, watching the sunset as their two palismans play together. They looked older, skin wrinkled but still smiling happily as their pinkies were interlocked and resting beside them on the bench.

Luz was skipping in place after that last image. “He’s such a simp. I love it!” this place was a shipper’s dream. To not only see the two people you’ve been hoping to get together, but knowing that one of those two was daydreaming about the same thing, and even being able to witness said daydreams was heaven. How badly she wanted to return to write a story about this.

Gus was matching her excitement. “Man, when we get back, I have got to update Hunter on his flirting techniques. The stuff he’s imagining is so old school.” He didn’t doubt Willow would love it; it was obvious that both his friends had feelings for one another. But as Hunter’s best guy friend, it was his duty to ensure that his buddy didn’t make an absolute fool of himself when asking out the girl he liked. “Let’s see some more!”

“Enough!” Before they could run off into more portraits, the inner golden guard had finally caught up to them. He grabbed them by the back of their shirts, yanking them off the ground and pushing them away from the frames. Gulping audibly, they twisted themselves around to see a fuming Golden Guard persona glaring down at them. Although they could not see his face, they could practically feel the death stare he was giving them, not to mention the intimidating aura he was releasing. They didn’t feel like they were in danger; instead, it reminded them of how their parents would scold them for misbehaving. The fear of parents being angry and disappointed with you is no joke. “I cannot even begin to explain the damage you two have caused. If you were not Hunter’s friends, neither of you would be standing here.” Okay, maybe they were a little bit more afraid of him than they were of their parents. At least they were never threatened into no longer existing. Well, Gus was when he was little, when his dad told him the haunted tales of the Ghoul Tidings and what happens to misbehaving children, but every parent tells their children those stories. It’s tradition.

Luz put her hands up, hoping to defuse the situation. “Relax, we didn’t mean any harm.” She looked behind the inner guard to see that Amity was standing further back, shaking her head and not looking the least bit surprised. “Okay, so maybe we got a little too excited but-!”

“But nothing,” he silenced her, a witch’s staff materializing in his hands but there was no Palisman at the top. “Perhaps to you these daydreams are not that serious, but for Hunter, they are just as precious as any memory.” He gestured towards the paintings they had entered, the teens gasping when they saw the colors had dulled slightly in the pictures. “Before he left the castle, Hunter never once dreamed of anything for himself. It was all for the Emperor,” they could hear the disgust in the guard’s voice as he spoke of Belos. “When he did leave and encountered you lot, he felt a sense of freedom, and with that came new thoughts, ideas, and feelings. Feelings he is not yet ready to publicly admit,” he gave the two a pointed look, or at least they assumed by his tone that he was. “These fantasies were a means of him coming to terms with his feelings and letting him express what he felt in the safety of his own mind. However, because of your thoughtless manner, you have tainted some of them, and no doubt Hunter will not conquer another daydream until he feels comfortable again.”

The weight of his words came crashing down on both Luz and Gus. They hadn’t thought of the implications of what going into his daydreams could mean. They thought of it as harmless fun; everyone daydreams. It was the norm for kids their age to fantasize about their crushes, picture themselves in scenarios that would never happen, but your brain lets you live out the world you wish you could live in. Except this wasn’t the normal thing for Hunter up until a few months ago. They still knew very little about his time in the Emperor’s Coven; he did not like sharing those details about his life, but they could piece together enough to know what it was like. He had no thoughts of his own; what Belos wanted was what Hunter wanted too. Whatever Belos said, Hunter agreed with. Belos controlled so much of Hunter that the blond boy hadn’t realized until he was away from the man. It was only in these past few months that he had started to become his own person.

“We’re sorry.” Gus lifted his head; he hadn’t even realized it, he had put it down in shame when the inner persona was scolding them. Dark blue eyes gazed at the golden mask, training to see the familiar magenta-colored ones through the small opening at the top. “You’re right, we messed up. We’re Hunter’s friends, and we hurt him. We have no excuse.” Even if they didn’t mean to cause any harm, that didn’t matter. They still betrayed him, broke his trust. They had promised they wouldn’t look at anything except for the blueprint,s and they had broken that promise within an instant of entering his mind. They were bad friends.

“I am glad you understand the implications of your actions,” Sighing through the mask, the guard lowered his staff. He looked at the three teens; only the young boy could meet his gaze. “I meant what I said. Hunter considered you all dear friends. I am sure that with time, he will forgive you. But I suggest you do not make the same mistake twice.” With a wave of his hand, he ushered the group to follow him out.

Amity interlocked her fingers with Luz, whispering sweet words to tell her that it was all right. That's when they got out of there, Hunter wouldn’t be mad. “Tell me everything you saw later, okay?” she whispered softly, hoping not to catch the attention of their guard and make him even more upset. While she didn’t condone what her friends had done, she was extremely curious and wanted to know everything they had seen.

“You got it,” Luz chuckled, squeezing the girl’s hand. She always had a knack for making herself feel better. The group exited the alcove of the fantasies and left the Hall of Willow. Gus is trying his best to commit the images to memory. He was sure that after Hunter confessed his feelings and he and Willow got together, the girl would want to know what was going on inside his mind. She’d find it very flattering that he had made a hall dedicated to the moments they shared. “We should hurry.” Luz hadn’t realized how much time they had spent in the daydreams until she looked down and saw that nearly all of her lower body was starting to fade away.

“I have been saying such things; the detour you took cost you all.” He had them stop in front of an empty tree. They noticed in this part of his mind; the area was more condensed, and the trees had strange markings on them. They looked almost like scars. The teens noticed that some of the trees looked older, too. “But your shenanigans allowed me to get the time needed to track down the exact memory we’ve been searching for.” Suddenly ripples in the tree trunk appeared and in the blink of an eye a picture of the door being made was before them.

Amity gasped, “But how…?” This changed everything she knew about memories and how the mindscape worked. What they were taught was that when memories are formed, they take root in a person’s mind and remain there until said person passes on. Memories only disappear if there is damage. Even the moments you forget are still within your mind; they just get pushed further back. She’s never heard of memories being summoned to different spots.

He did not turn to face them. “I have my ways, which you can worry about later,” he motioned to the group whose bodies were disappearing more and more. Only their shoulders and heads were still solid. “I suggest you do what you came here to do and leave before it’s too late.”

They nodded, the tree reaching into their pockets to pull out their phones to snap a picture. Only to be met with air as their hands went through their transparent bodies. “Our bodies can’t hold their physical form anymore,” Amity exclaimed, suddenly the ground beneath their feet started to pull them in. They were being pulled in more to Hunter’s subconscious.

“I need to get you out now before you’re completely absorbed!” the guard exclaimed, summoning the power to his staff as it glowed with a golden aura.

Luz tried to fight it as her body was being dragged down. “No! We can’t, not yet. We’re so close!” She looked at the picture and could see the blueprints right there. If she could just get her phone or even something to draw with, then they could have the fine print proof of what was needed to make the door. The key to going home was right there.

“I’m sorry, I know you all wish to return home, but not at the cost of your lives. Should anything happen to you, Hunter would never be able to forgive himself. We refuse to allow another of us to suffer.” With those words said, he slammed his staff down onto the ground and in an instant, they were surrounded by a light of gold and flashed out of his mind. He watched them go, cape fluttering in the wind as he waited with baited breath to feel their presence gone. “They’re safe,” he sighed with relief, taking off his mask. Showing a face that looked similar to Hunter’s, only his facial features were older and sharper, with a scar running over his left eye. Soon, the other golden guards of the past came out from behind the trees. They were all there, their bodies gone but their spirits trapped inside Hunter. He was their key to being released. They could only hope the boy would survive long enough.

In the Noceda’s basement, another battle was being fought. Camila and Vee were using all their strength to keep the kids from being dragged closer to Hunter’s body, which started to glow a brighter gold while the others were starting to dim. Camila was using all her bodyweight to keep Luz in place, but the vines were strong and kept slowly dragging them closer. Vee was having the same problem; she was trying to hold onto both Gus and Amity, but it was getting more and more difficult as time went on. She cried out as she nearly lost hold of Gus and had to re-position herself to grab onto both teens with her arms while using her tail to hold onto the sofa for extra leverage. Even that was slowly getting dragged towards the golden boy.

Willow was in the middle with Hunter; she had his head resting on her lap while a green magic circle was floating above them. Her eyes glowed with power as she fought to take back control of the vines that were fighting against her. This was out of the norm for her; plants were her element, even here in the human realm, she could connect with the plant life and have it bend to her will. Magic never came easily to her; she had to study twice as hard as the other kids, but plant magic was her gift. Her magic had never betrayed her before. Plants had always bent to her call, even when nothing else in her life listened. Even when she was mocked, even when she was called half-a-witch, the vines always came. But now they writhed against her will, digging into the basement floor, dragging her friends closer to danger. Sweat slid down her temple, stinging her eyes as she forced the spell circle wider. Every nerve screamed in protest, bile sac convulsing in her chest, but she refused to stop. If she had to burn herself out completely, lose her magic forever, to keep her friends alive, then so be it.

But that wasn’t going to stop her. She refused to let something like limitations keep her from helping her friends. She was not Half-A-Witch Willow anymore. Hunter always expressed how he viewed her as one of the strongest witches on the Isle, and she was going to live up to that praise. Pushing aside the pain, the agony, and the fear, she powered on. Making her spell circle grow, hands stretched out above her head as she cried out into the open room. “Please…” she begged, tears gathering in her eyes. “Please work,” she huffed, biting her lower lip until she bled. “Please let them come back to me.” In this strange, new, and terrifying world, she was an outsider once more. She had no way of knowing what was happening back home or what her dads were going through. She put on a brave front, but inside, she was petrified that their world was doomed. The only reason she has been able to go on smiling is because she has her friends with her. If she lost them, she doesn’t think she could survive.

Much like last time, a blinding white light engulfed the room—but this time it was gentler, almost soft, like sunlight through water. The vines convulsed once, shuddered, then unraveled as though exhaling. Three glowing orbs tore free from Hunter’s chest, trailing sparks before sinking into the unconscious forms of Luz, Amity, and Gus. Willow sagged forward, catching herself on trembling arms, her lungs dragging in ragged, uneven breaths. Her whole body ached, but relief flooded her so fiercely it nearly stole her strength entirely.

“What happened?” Vee asked, still holding a vice grip on the two but slowly relaxed her tail on the leg of the couch. She didn’t sense the room being surrounded by magical energy anymore.

Soft groans sounded out, Camila gasping as she saw light brown eyes blinking up at her. “Luz!” she cried in joy, bringing her daughter closer. “Mija! ¡Gracias a Dios! Are you okay?” She lightened her hold just a smidge so she could lower her daughter to get a better look at her face.

Only for Luz to cover her face with her hands and groan even louder. “Please…shut off the light!” she cried in dramatic agony.

“Make it stop,” Gus joined in on the groaning, trying to feel around for a pillow or a blanket to cover his head with.

Amity was trying to rub the side of her temples, but nothing was giving her any kind of relief. “We are never…doing that…again!” She had to swallow down the bile that was threatening to come up. She swore if she threw up right now, it would only make her head hurt worse.

While the three suffered loudly, it gave everyone peace of mind knowing they were back and somewhat okay. Willow cracked her neck, trying to give relief to her muscle,s but froze when she felt Hunter move against her. Green eyes stared down at the still figure that rested in her lap.

“Hunter?”

As if his name were a spell, magenta eyes fluttered open. His head throbbed dully, but stranger still was the storm that seemed to be receding inside him, leaving his mind too quiet, too light. He tried to rub his eyes when something brushed his cheek, a braid, soft against his skin. Stiffening, he tilted his gaze upward and found Willow Park, her green eyes bright with concern, barely an inch from his face. His whole body went scarlet. His throat squeaked in betrayal; a sound so small it barely seemed human. She was close, so close he could see how her lips curved when she breathed. If he just lifted his head, he could—

His thoughts short-circuited. In fantasies, he was bold. In reality, his heart hammered so wildly he fainted on the spot, going limp in her lap with his face burning like fire.

And he means passed out. His eyes rolled into the back of his head, and he went limp in Willow’s lap, face still burning as his subconscious teased with the thought that he was being graced with the opportunity to have his head in her lap. Who knows when he’ll ever be able to have another chance to do this again?

A group of five teens all moaned and groaned on the floor of the basement. After Hunter’s fainting spell, Willow nearly gave herself a heart attack, and the other three tried not to all throw up at once, Camila decided it was time to rest. Keeping the lights to a low dim, she set up Gus and Hunter in their usual sleeping spots while bringing down extra pillows and blankets for the girls. She doubted she would be able to get them to walk up the stairs. There wasn’t much space in the basement for five teens, so they had to get close. Gus had thrown the blanket over his head the moment he was on the couch and said he was not coming out until the afternoon. Amity curled up by Hunter’s feet with a cold cloth over her temple, while Luz buried her face into a pillow opposite Hunter. Willow sprawled above Hunter, an arm over her face, silent except for the exhausted sighs that escaped her.

“We are never doing that again.” Amity reiterated, eyes squeezed shut. Even talking hurt, but she wanted to make sure she got her message across. She was so done with mindscapes and going into people’s heads. The groans of agreement only made her feel a little bit better.

“Hhhggghhh—mmpphh!” Luz’s muffled words echoed loudly despite no one knowing what she was saying.

“Luz, if you’re going to talk, at least do it where we can understand you.” Willow felt a little bad for coming across rude, but she was tired and exhausted and honestly a little mad at her friends. She told them this was a bad idea, but they went along with it and nearly got themselves all killed. She wanted to be mad at them more, but also knew she could have tried harder to stop them. Mostly, she just wanted to go to sleep and forget this all happened.

“We are never doing that again,” Amity muttered once again, through clenched teeth. Not caring that she was repeating herself, she was going to keep saying until she got the point across. Groans of agreement followed, muffled but heartfelt.

Luz rolled onto her back with a guilty sigh. “I’m sorry. This is all my fault. If I hadn’t pushed us—”

“Luz,” Amity reached for her ankle, voice soft despite her headache, “you were trying to help—”

“But it’s not okay,” Luz cut in, sharper. “Hunter, I pushed you into something you weren’t ready for. And we all paid for it.”

Hunter had been the only one quiet. While he had a headache, it was nowhere near as bad as his friends. He mostly felt drained, like he had been running a marathon that his body was trying to catch up with. He felt like he could be doing more, but the thought of doing anything made the room spin. “Thanks,” he appreciated the apology. He could still feel the brush of their consciousness inside him, like fingerprints smudged across glass. Thankfully, they had managed to avoid seeing the memories he really didn’t want them to. In the few brief moments while Camila was helping them set up their sleeping arrangements, they had explained all about the inner Hunter and how his mind looked. It was strange knowing what was going on inside his mind, but what he found even weirder was that his inner self was the golden guard. Maybe if they had gone into his head months ago, back when he had still believed Belos was his uncle and not known the truth, that would have made sense. He was proud to be the emperor’s right-hand man, the one to handle all the missions no one else could be trusted with. But now he knew that the title was just a ruse, a means to test his loyalty and to keep him close to be used as a pawn in a game he didn’t even know he was playing. When he thought of himself, he no longer saw the Golden Guard; he didn’t know who he was. So, it was strange to him that his inner self was that image. “And I’m sorry too, that it didn’t work out, but we can’t give up hope. We’ll get home one day.” He didn’t know how, but he had faith that they would.

His little speech was heartwarming and, like magic, made them all feel a touch better. Amity and Luz sat up to smile at Hunter, and even Guz came out of his blanket cocoon to give the blond a hopeful grin. They didn’t know what was next or how they could find a way to make a door, but what they did know was that so long as they stuck together, nothing could stop them.

“Snore!”

A loud snore sounded out, breaking up their little moment. Four pairs of eyes turned in the direction of the nose and saw that Willow had passed out, arm still thrown over her face as she slept sprawled out on the floor. Little snores and a snort coming out of her gaping mouth. Three of the four teens groaned, covering their ears with pillows to block out the noise. Their heads still spitting as regret for not asking Camila for earplugs washed over them. Only Hunter was unfazed, his gaze softening as he looked over the sleeping girl who was resting just above where he would be sleeping. He had only seen her asleep once before, when they had a picnic in the garden one day, and the relaxing breeze lulled her to sleep. He had been enchanted by the sight, and just like before, he was marveled by her beauty. “Even asleep, the captain’s so…” His cheeks turned a rosy pink. “Cute.”

Then the realization hit like him was being struck by a painbow and had been turned inside out. They’d been in his head. They’d seen it all: his memories of Willow, his daydreams, his ridiculous fantasies. His stomach flipped. Slowly, stiff as wood, he turned his head. Three smug, knowing grins stared back at him. Gus. Amity. Luz. All of them. All knowing.

“Don’t you dare—!” he hissed, chest heaving. His ears burned so hot they could’ve lit a campfire. He glanced at Willow, snoring peacefully, and the panic nearly knocked him senseless again. If she ever found out, if she ever knew what he thought about, he’d sooner hurl himself into the boiling sea.

“Relax, we won’t tell,” Gus said innocently, tracing a circle over his heart. Amity followed, though Luz exaggerated an X with a wicked grin. Hunter groaned into his pillow, burying himself as far as possible. His friends chuckled. “Sweet dreams, Hunter,” Amity teased. Luz cackled. Gus added, “Oh, I think we all know he will.”

Hunter groaned louder. Above him, Willow snored on, oblivious. For once, he was grateful.