Summary: Bonding with tiny critters
Philip groaned in pain, trying to desperately restrain the voices. "Just … fade away already …" He growled. So many souls in his head, so many cries of pain and anguish from these miserable creatures. "Your time has passed, your essence is mine, just stay quiet!"
Scrwwwaaaaaaaaa ….. scrwaaaaaaaa…..SCRWAAAAAAAAAAA
Sure, his hyper glyph allowed him to cheat death for as long as he has, and given him an impressive reserve of magic to use against witches … but damn if the side effects weren't annoying. His body couldn't physically handle concentrating all the magic he carved into himself, morphing and messing his form. Philip didn't even know how much of his body was still flesh anymore. The only thing that satiated the pain was the essence of Palisman and Palistrum wood.
The door opened. "Lord Belos, I-" Philip sent a fist near the head … of Hunter.
"Do not … come in … unannounced." He told the latest grimwalker, feeling years of rage scream up at him. The souls were still screaming in anguish, constnaly yelling in his mind to be let out, to roam free, to take over. "Do…you…have it?"
"This is the last one from our preserves." Hunter presented the palisman before him.
Philip grabbed the thing, breaking it open and drinking its soul … and another voice added itself to the pile, but the physical pain residing.
BARK BARK
"Gah … I need more." He needed so much more.
"Uncle …" The clone used their serious tone. "That was the last one. The invasion, many were devoured and-"
"The invasion …" He glared at Hunter, moving closer. "Your orders were to catch the perpetrator, dead or alive." The Basilisks were too valuable to exist without a cage. "Not only did you fail that, I heard reports that you let the Manticore Menace go free." Something he had a month to focus on.
"We were surrounded, and.."
"Are you not the golden guard, dear nephew?" Belos emphasized the familial connection to truely drive the guilt in. "Are you not the head of my Coven? I gave you your position, your staff, and you constantly wound me with your failures. This isn't acceptable, Hunter." Belos thought he made this one better than the last.
"I …" The boy winced. "I can offer nothing but apologies, Uncle." There was control … although not anything truly substantial.
"I need you to bring me palisman by tomorrow … or else there will be consequences this time." He growled, letting his 'true' form seep out and grip the boy's shoulder nice and tightly.
"I…I will, but that might not be the only way to help you. I've read up on a technique using wild magic and-"
"Never….utter…those words again. " The curious personality always seepted back through into every Grimwalker, no matter how much Belos did his best to suppress it. It's why he stopped trying to genuinely connect with them. "Our family was killed by wild magic…don't let history repeat itself." It was far too much work to create another Grimwalker.
"I understand Uncle." The boy relented. "I'll search high and low for Palisman."
Whether or not the boy succeed, he was afraid and determined to prove himself, something that'll keep this version of Caleb subservient for just a little while longer. Although there was the constant failure … he'd need something more competent.
" Pffft, you couldn't come off more murderous if you tried." And here was the second most annoying entity in his life with their pointless and tedious commentary.
"I don't need advice on keeping a mask from someone who doesn't know how to lie with a straight face." He groaned.
"Just kill the kid and make another, all I'm saying. By now they're pretty much made to die anyway, why not use this one as a stress ball?"
"Normally I would, but we're too close to the day of unity. I want to see how long he'll hold out." He wanted to see the look on his brother's face when they finally accomplished the dream they started out together…the dream that damned witch Evelyn and overgrown pink thorn nearly ruined.
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"Is this really happening, is today really the day?!" Lucci heard Luz jump up and down from excitement since they left the house, and the boy didn't blame the girl. Today was the day every young witch dreamed of. You'd have to have something mentally wrong with you to NOT be excited about today.
"It is my friend, it is." The boy smirked. "Each and every witch in Hexide is going to get a chance to own their very own palisman!"
"My own witch's staff! Finally! Shame I'll have to trade in the sword so soon though." Luz looked at her pink blade. "I was just starting to get the hang of it too."
"Who says you can't have both and dual wield?" Lucci pointed out. "Magic staff plus an anti magic sword equals one badass witch."
"Not to mention it doesn't need to be a staff." They turned to principal Bump, who looked up at the sky with a nostalgic smile. "I remember when I first got my palisman." He took off his hat … which turned to a staff. "Helps me see." The principal pointed to his discolored eyes.
"Huh, I just thought that he was wearing a dead animal over his head." Luz commented before turning to the rest of their friends, who had gathered together in front of a large tree stump suddenly planted in the middle of the Grudgby field. "Guys, are you as pumped about today as I am!?"
"Heck yeah!" Gus shouted. "Now I won't have to spend all my snails on cab fare!"
"I'll finally have a gardening assistant that'll handle the intensity of my profession!" Willow cheered.
"I just want someone to talk to that isn't my family when I'm at the house." Amity admitted with a small smile.
"Thanks again Queen." Mom smiled, wearing the pantsuit she wore during Grom, handing over a whistle. "Here's your favor back."
"Keep it, the joy of helping these younglings find new homes fills me with joy … well, most children." The bat queen stared at Luz with a frown … right, they never made up, did they?
"Alright children, settle down and let us explain." Bump got in front of the group. "A witch gaining their own palisman is perhaps the greatest moment of their youth. It connects you to the isles magic in a way you could never before and you gain a lifelong partner and friend for life."
"I want that connection so bad!" Luz had to be held down. Lucci was more excited about the loyal friend aspect.
"Normally witches carve their own, but due to overharvesting and the crystal devil invasion…" Mom explained. Right … like he needed a reminder of Ivan. "There's sadly not enough palistrum wood left to go around."
"For now." Lucci quietly muttered, seeing a knowing look to Willow, who nodded. If all went well with their pet project, they could have enough palistrum wood to last a lifetime.
"So me, Bumpy, and Old bat queenie here came up with a solution….Palisman adoption day!" Mom shouted as the tree trunk opened up, revealing several of the little guys running up.
"Simply speak your desire, and if they resonate, the Palisman shall respond in kind." The Bat Queen explained with a smile.
"Understood mam." Belfry nodded, sitting down in front of the closure, as all the small wooden creatures stared at him curiously. "I want to make friends with Crystal Devils." In a single instance, every Palisman was hiding behind the Bat Queen, who hissed at the child with cold fury. "... Well, it was my attempt, and I'll live by it."
"Ugh, this is so lame, I wanted my own, not some ancient hand me down." Boscha complained as she crossed her arms.
"Suit yourself, I'm getting one!" Willow shouted out and shoved his girlfriend out of the way. "I want to be strong and wise to help my friends grow into amazing people, and if anyone gets in my way, crush them into fertilizer." Caring and terrifying. Fit Willow to a T.
A bee looking one poked out from behind the queen, gently flying over to Willow and landing on her shoulder. "Bzzz."
"Tender and tenacious. Clover gives her support." The bat queen nodded approvingly.
"Oooooh, you are so adorable!" Willow cuddled the wooden wonder as it went into staff mode. "I'm going to take such good care of you."
The crowd gathered around Willow and muttered with awe, something that clearly bugged Boscha to no end. "Out of my way!" She shoved Willow to the side. "I want to play professional grudgby!"
"Hehehe, a competitive spirit." The bat queen chuckled as a crab one crawled to his girlfriend. "Maya will be thrilled."
Boscha stared at the crab with sparkly eyes as it turned into a staff. "Hey there …" She whispered. Such an adorable sight. If only Lucci had his camera.
"Oh, me next!" Gus ran forward. "I want to become the ambassador of the demon realm, and establish contact with all worlds, even that of the giraffes!" Psychotic kid.
"Oh, such curiosity. Emmeline Bailey Marcostimo is quite enthralled already." A chameleon crawled onto Gus.
"This is awesome!" The younger kid smiled. "We are going to pull off so many tricks together.
"Oooh, I want to spread my song all over the isles, and connect everyone together with my music!" Skara yelled out with Luz levels of excitement.
"Loud and bombastic. Bach will be pleased to guide you." A small black and red cricket with big eyes landed on top of his bard buddy.
"It's almost like they're being matched with their soulmates." Luz commented with a wide smile. "Even if they weren't carved by them, each palisman seems to be specially for each kid."
"Grandpa use to make a living carving palisman for other people. It's up to the witch themselves to have that connection." Lucci reminded the girl as Viney was given her own Palisman, a little- "Did Viney just get a Manticore?"
"The universe has given me a sign. I will treasure you till the day I die." His partner in the healing track smothered the little brown guy with tight hugs and smooches, an act that made Lucci want to back away slowly and silently.
"Alright Maya." Boscha looked at her Palisman. "First job, stab her if she gets close to my boyfriend."
The crab gave a questioning gesture to the crowd, snapping it's claws to communicate. "Snap?"
"The kid with brown hair and a rock on his stomach." She clarified.
"Snap." The palisman saluted.
"You and I are going to get along so well." Boscha rubbed the crab's head like it was a cat.
"Everyone's making so many lifelong friends, all because they know what they want to do with their lives." Lucci noted, and that made him worry. He thought he knew what he wanted to do, but that both kicked him in the butt and proved to be unfulfilling in the long run. He didn't want to spend the rest of his life on the run and fighting people like Belos constantly.
"Yeah … well, everyone except Belfry." Luz turned to the kid.
"Meh, it's cool. Some things were never meant to be." He shrugged. "Your girlfriend is up next by the way."
" We're not dating!" Both Amity and Luz screamed at the same time.
"Oh, Ghost is a big fan of denial." The bat queen commented as a cat based palisman leaped onto Amity's head. "She's basically a therapist you can pet. Good for emotionally distressed teenage girls."
"Great, but I don't need…whoa that actually feels nice." The cat walked in a circle on Amity's head.
"Come on Lucci, you have to go next." Skara pushed him ahead. "Round up the whole gang and all that.
"Alright …" The boy looked at the wooden creatures, staring at him with hopeful eyes. "... Hey there, everyone." He chuckled nervously.
"Don't be scared, son. Just be honest about what you want." Mom gave him an nod and a wink.
"I …" Lucci paused. "I …never really thought about what I really wanted before." He admitted. "I got my infamy, I have friends, I have my girlfriend, my mom's curse is abated at the moment …" The boy looked at the group of wooden wonders. So many things in his life were worth living for…and all of it was so close to getting taken away from him. He wanted to keep them all safe….and he wanted to be good…"I…I want to be strong enough to protect everything I have, and powerful enough to heal anything sickness, any injury….and any curse." He looked over the palisman, letting out a nervous laugh. "It's probably asking for too much, right?"
The wooden creatures looked at each other before creating the way. Of course, this was too big of a goal for anyone to hav-
"Hhhhhssssss." A hissing sound made itself known as something slithered up his leg.
"Big goals require big ambition." The Bat Queen nodded at him approvingly. "Sugar will be most helpful in giving your life direction."
He looked at his shoulder, seeing a red snake pop out of his shirt, staring at him with curious eyes. "Hhhsss." Oh yeah, that did sound like a good idea at the moment.
"A snake named Sugar." Willow gave a little laugh. "Scary and Sweet. That does seem very appropriate."
"Who's an adorable little gal." Luz cooed, scratching his palisman's-that felt weird to think-head.
"Hsssssh." Sugar wrapped around his head, resting contently as she nuzzled against his brow.
"My own palisman…I actually have my own palisman!" He jumped in the air and stayed there. "I never thought this day would come!" Especially after learning he was half Crystal Devil. He thought that would've been a death sentence on that front.
"I almost forgot he can float." Gus noted.
"We don't really have aerial battles." Willow pointed out. "And it'll be kind of pointless now when staffs can let us fly."
"Then is it my turn?" Luz asked with sparkly eyes.
"I guess … no matter how many of us wish otherwise." The Bat Queen rolled her eyes.
"Alright then, time for me to finally earn my staff!" Luz ran up, gleaming lighting up in her eyes. "I want to be a powerful witch!"
The palismans all looked at each other in confusion, and he was pretty sure the students felt the same way. "Luz." Lucci stated. " Everyone here wants to be a powerful witch."
"I'm just trying to make it to graduation." The urchin kid slowly raised his hand.
"Correction, everyone here already is a witch." Lucci took back. "You use magic, you're a witch. That's just how it works.
"Oh …" She looked befuddled. "Then I guess I'm like you, I already fulfilled my dream."
"But Lucci got his Palisman. What makes that different from you?" Amity asked.
"Palisman connects with strong emotion and conviction. Many students here have conviction, goals, ideas how to use their magic." The Bat Queen glared down at Luz with massive disappointment. "I sense no strong conviction within you."
"No strong conviction?" Luz asked with confusion. "I took on Belos and do reckless things every day, how is that not strong conviction?"
"Conviction means you know what you want to do. There's steps to be taken, goals to be achieved, lessons to be learned that eventually lead you to becoming the person you want to be." Bump continued. "Boscha wishes to devote herself to Grudgby, Viney wants to open a magic pet clinic, even Urchin has a goal, as unambitious and small it might be. What do you want to be? What do you hope to accomplish with your magic?"
"Oh …" The girl looked confused. "I guess … bring it to the human realm?"
"Didn't the Glyph short out in the human realm when we tried to kill Lilith?" Lucci questioned.
"Wait, so she can't even be a witch in the human realm?" Boscha asked. "What was the point of coming here if you can't use it? Were you just bored and came here on a whim to waste time on a pointless hobby?" Ouch, that was harsh even for her.
"I um …" Luz began to take heavy breaths. "I guess if I couldn't use it there … then I'd … no I'm going to return … but then what was the point …." She started hyperventilating. "Then I can't be a witch on earth … but I can't do much here other than cure Eda … but the glyph combos are so weird it'd take decades to understand …"
"Why don't we end today?" Mom questioned as she grabbed Luz.
"No, no I can figure this out!" Luz shouted back, reeling her arm. "I just….I just need time to…figure myself out, that's all!" She sat on the ground. "I'll just stay here until I know what I want to do with my life!"
"... Should I get involved in this?" Lucci questioned.
"Hhhsss." Right, finding one's ideology and end goal was a self journey.
"Alright…see you later, Luz." Willow waved as the crowd of kids dispersed. "Ouch…that was hard to look at, I'm not going to lie."
"Yeah….it's not fair." Lucci looked at the girl longingly. "Luz has helped us with so many things, heck, I probably wouldn't have a goal at all if it wasn't for her.
"Honestly, I'm just waiting to see how long until the hyperventilation cuts off the air to her brain." Boscha commented.
"Boscha, Angel, I know you don't like her and ribbing on Luz makes you happy, but tone it down for just today if you can, please?" He pleaded.
"Hhhss." Sugar added on.
"Snap." Maya snarked.
"Is anyone else finding these conversations weird?" Amity asked.
"A little. It took me years to understand Owlbert and other Palisman, but Sugar just kinda … makes sense?" Lucci tried to put it into words.
"Yeah, it's like Maya and I…speak the same mental language." Boscha added, sighing. "Fine, I'll hold off on it, but just for today. Seriously, she's the one trying to talk a big game about being a strong witch, but she has no idea what to do with that strength. None of you guys find that just a little pathetic?"
"No, because she didn't even know magic was real before." Amity rolled her eyes. "How would you feel if something you fantasized about suddenly happened?"
"If that was the case then Lucci would have phased through me by now and it'd be the greatest feeling of my life."
"Wait what?" He turned to Boscha.
"She has a thing for ghosts." Amity groaned. "I never understood it." Well THAT was a bombshell.
"Wait, if you have a thing for Ghosts, then if you keep telling Luz to die … does that mean-" Gus started a dangerous train of thought.
A train that ended with his girlfriend's hands wrapped around the poor kid's throat. "Finish that thought and I'll bash your head in hard enough to put you in a ten year coma."
"Lucci, I'll never understand your taste in women, and I am fine not knowing." Willow muttered. "So…anything particular your going to do to get Luz out of her funk?"
"I don't think you have a lot of options." Skara noted. "It's not like you can just grab Palistrum wood and hand it over to her so she can carve her own destiny."
"….Not yet I can't." Lucci snapped his fingers. "Willow, our pet project….I think it's time to finally move to the final phase."
"Pet what now?" Boscha questioned, dropping Gus onto the ground.
"Just a small thing we've been working for a while alone, platonically I might add, cause I know how jealous you get." He explained. "Just … doing some stuff with plants."
"Willow, if you somehow gain responsibility of a vegetable incident, so help me I will bring judgment on you only rivaled by my own mother." Amity threatened.
"Trust me, if we came close to creating another one, then I would've buried Lucci a long time ago." Willow waved off. "We actually have made decent progress growing plants."
"Now only a third of them try to kill all other life forms." Lucci grinned.
"Hhhsss."
"How are you exasperated, you just met me." At least he got to experience what it was like to have a Palisman now. Hopefully Lucci would be able to extend that joy to Luz soon enough.
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Flapjack was glad for his fellow Palisman, able to finally find homes. Clover left the abusive growth of their old home for something much more gentle, Maya was no longer the main target of a failed player's ire, Emmeline Bailey Marcostimo got to find someone less suicidally reckless for their adventures, and Sugar went with that kid that smelled like Rose. Weird how that turned out. Flapjack wondered how Everlyn would've taken that, given that her and the giant pink woman didn't end in good terms. Either way, many great friends went to many great homes: it all worked out.
Then again, while Flapjack was happy for Ghost, he wished they remained … if only to deal with this rambling human. "So my entire life I never knew what I really wanted to do with my life. I always thought it'd just work out, you know? Use magic and help people. But magic doesn't work on earth, which means I can't pursue it. But this is the happiest I've ever been since my dad passed." This has been going on for three hours now.
"I want to be a good person, I've tried my hardest to be good, I've given candy to strangers whenever I've had the chance." The girl kept going on. We're humans always this talkative? Flapjack didn't remember Caleb running his mouth this much. "Is it not enough to just want to be a good person? Guess that is a little vague, but what else am I supposed to do? Choose what career I want this very minute? I would've taken the SAT's if I wanted to do that!" The hell was an SAT? What happened to humanity in the last four hundred years?
"Maybe my career lies in my art making skills? I've gotten better at caricatures and chibi anime styles…but is that really worth it? Animators are overworked and underappreciated, and I'd probably get arthritis and capotunnel." Animators? Animate what? Did humans finally figure out to harness lighting and raise the dead?
"Then again there's writing … nah, too much competition, you'd drown unless you could go independent on patreon and get a following with a lot of support." Flapjack was not the guy for career advice. Please, universe, end this conversation!
Rumble
The small home began to rock and sway. Oh thank Titan, they were getting kidnapped. " Chip. Chip. Chip." He pecked on the human's head.
"Ow, ow, don't worry little guys. I'll solve this problem in a flash." She assured them.
"Chirp Chirp." No no, take all the time you need. He could wait as long as you left.
The girl opened the door, almost falling out. "Okay, we're flying and …" She groaned after looking up, a blimp carrying them high above the ground. "The Golden Guard's taking us … great."
His fellow palisman shivered in fear. Why was Flapjack the only independent flying palisman left? Damn it, now he had to help the human or else they risked getting killed faster.
She began climbing up the rope, slowly making their way to the top, finding a boy in a golden mask that gave a strangely familiar presence. "Steady …" She whispered, making her way up to the boy … and slamming a piece of paper onto his back.
He turned in confusion. "What are-"
Zap
"GAAAHHH!" An unnaturally familiar voice shouted as the boy fell to the ground.
"And yoink." Then the girl tossed his staff off the blimp, before attaching more pieces of paper, plants coming to life and binding him. "Find yourself lucky that I've been experimenting with glyphs, or I would have just tossed you off myself."
"You should've just done that, human. I'm still on the ship and I'm going to set myself free!" The boy that sounded like Caleb struggled and wormed his way on the ground, falling on his face. "Eventually!"
"Yeah, you do that." She nodded rhetorically. "If you tell me why you wanted the palisman, maybe I won't freeze your head."
"It's for the noblest cause of course." The Caleb sounding boy nodded. "I'm taking these Palisman directly to Belos so he may have enough to feast on."
"Feast on…,feast on!?" The girl shouted in horror. "What in the nine rings and seven seas is wrong with you!? How does that make Belos any better than the Basilisk, or the Crystal Devils!?"
"Hey, my uncle is nothing like those parasites! He's the emperor, so when he does it, it's okay. He's gaining power and eliminating wild magic, so it's all good." …What kind of messed up logic was that?
"Okay, that's it." The girl growled. "I'm bringing this ship right back to the Owl House, and letting Lucci and Eda rip you limb from limb."
"Oooh, I'm so scared." The Caleb sounding boy responded sarcastically. "Tell me, how are you going to do that when you have no idea how to fly a blimp?"
The girl blinked, turning to Flapjack. "You fly, any tips?"
"Chip." Sprout wings spontaneously and flap. It wasn't the weirdest thing he's ever seen a human do.
"Okay … plan B then. I'm gonna start pulling levers until you tell me what to do." The girl threatened like a mad woman.
The boy scoffed. "You don't have the guts."
Shake
"Okay, just stop!" He instantly caved, like anyone with survival instincts should.
The girl looked frightened. "I … haven't started." Uh oh, this wasn't a good sign.
"Ragggggggfgh!" A roar, followed by a violent bump from below shook the blimp again.
"What the?!" The human looked down to see the source. "What the heck is a dragon doing attacking us!!"
"Dragon?" The Caleb sounding boy asked. "Does the mouth look like it is made up of hands?"
"Yeah, yours?" She asked.
"Nope … my jealous co-worker, who wants all my success." You could hear the dread in his voice.
"If I let you out can you punch it with magic?" The human questioned.
"I need my staff if you want me to do anything." The boy groaned.
"And I tossed it over the edge …"
Rip
They looked up, seeing the dragon tear the balloon to pieces.
"Agggh! This is all your fault, human!" The Caleb sounding boy screamed as they all began to fall down to the earth.
"My fault!? You're the one that stole the palisman so you could feed them to a dictator like a midnight snack!"
"He needs them or he'll die!" The boy called out. "Because Wild Magic just causes problems and disasters for everyone, like your family!"
"And the emperor's coven system just makes everyone miserable and limits potential!"
" Chip chip chip!?" This was not the time to discuss ethics and lifestyles, they needed to focus on surviving!
Crash!
The two began flying, the vines breaking as the Golden Guard went into the air, their mask leaving … as Caleb's face was worn on the witch.
"CHIRP CHIRP CHIRP!?" What in Titan's Organs was going on here!? How was Caleb still around!? Did he fake his death? Did Rose secretly bring him back to life like she did for that lion? Wait, wouldn't he be pink if that was the case.
Creeeaaak
"Ugh, my head." The human snook herself as they looked around, looking at the still tangled Caleb look-a-like. "Whoa, you're just a kid…like seriously, I was kind of expecting early twenties, but you like you'd could be a Hexide student."
"Why do you think I wear a mask?" He asked with a growl. "Now would you get me down so I can go find my staff?!"
"Are you kidding!?" She shouted back. "After admitting you'd sacrifice Palisman to Belos, why would I even want to help you?"
"Rgggggh!" The roar of the dragon was heard, sounding really near.
"Good, good ferocious monster, you got me my Palisman. The emperor will be pleased with me." Ducking her head, the human peaked through the trees and bushes, seeing a tiny little demon lady hold up the mask and cape the Caleb look-a-like wore. "But the Golden Guard must still be alive, I won't believe he's dead until I see a head rolling on the floor. Find him and bring that head to me. You're free to eat everything else, but give me the head."
"Rgggh."
"Good gal. I promise extra belly rubs tonight."
The bird looked at the human girl with a pleading look. "Do I have to? He's threatened and almost killed my family on multiple occasions."
"Chirp." He pecked the girl's head again. He didn't understand why Caleb was here, why he was so young or why he had pointy ears now, but Flapjack had a chance to save him this time, and he would make sure he stayed alive.
"Fine, fine, but only because you're an adorable creature." She walked up to the boy, setting the ropes ablaze as he fell to the ground. "Thank this guy for saving your life."
"Yay, one manifestation of wild magic pities my life. I am forever grateful for it." The boy boredly groaned.
"Look, I don't like you, and I am not going to change my mind on that, but Kikimora wants you dead, and I have this thing in my head that tells me to not leave you for dead."
"Really? Have you thought about removing it? Sounds like it would save you a lot of trouble."
"Trust me, I've been considering it." The girl rolled her eyes. "Come on you two, we need to move before it gets our scent."
"Chirp." Flapjack landed on top of the Caleb look alike's head.
"Hey, get away! Ruin another witch's life!"
"Hey, don't you dare insult him. Palisman are amazing." The human argued.
"Then why don't you have one?"
"…" The human didn't respond as she turned away. "Just shut up and follow me." This was gonna suck.
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Luz was already regretting this. "I should have brought my sword." She complained, looking over the streets. "Maybe then I can threaten you to shut up."
"Trust me, I hate this just as much as you." The golden tool complained. "Seriously, get your bird to stop nesting on me."
"Chirp." Some Palisman were too nice for their own good.
"I just had to get dragged into an adventure at the worst possible time." She'd prefer the crazy to come after the existential crisis, not during. "If Lucci was here he would have felt with that dragon in seconds."
"If someone didn't stupidly throw my staff overboard, I would've ended the dragon faster than that damn devil could've."
"Don't you dare call him a devil." She growled out as she walked. "Lucci is a Witch." Well human, but if he wanted to be a Witch like her, then why not? He had a palisman. He was already more of a witch than her.
"Oh please, he's just manipulating you like everyone else with a facade."
"You mean like that dumb mask and cloak you wear to trick people into being scared of you?" Luz called out the hypocrisy.
"Hey, every Golden Guard wears them." The boy growled. "I was handed this after … after my predecessor was taken down."
"You mean killed?" She guessed.
"Yeah … by the Rainbow Devil." He took on a dark glare. "The same kind of Devil your 'friend' is."
"Lucci is nothing like the Rainbow Devil." Luz glared right back. "I personally have seen him do more good for people than you and your entire coven have ever done."
The kid got in front of her, placing a finger on her chest and keeping her in place, looking at her with a dark glare. "During the invasion we sacrificed over thirty Coven Scouts trying to protect witches from Crystal Devils. And even more were critically injured beyond help. I watched as a fellow man lost his arm, and another their head. Don't you dare say that the Coven doesn't do good by the people of the Boiling Isles."
Luz wanted to argue back on this. She thought Eda's anti coven hate was just a bit exaggerated at first, just her being bitter for being a criminal. But time had slowly changed her opinion on it, especially after meeting the emperor face to face. No one that worked for a man that creepy and ominous could be good.
Though it may have been a bad move to try to speak ill of the dead, even if they were people she didn't like. For all Luz knew, they probably didn't even know how evil they were. "Whatever, we need to focus on saving those Palisman and bringing them back to the school."
"Yeah no." The kid rolled his eyes. "Once I get back to some Coven Scouts, I'm going to kick Kikimora in the face, then bring these little guys to Belos." He stated, staring at the bird.
"Look here, you heartless Emo punk." She accused, pointing out. "You may act like you're some powerful big shot, but without that mask, without that staff, you're not the golden guard, you're just a really moody teenager, one out of thousands in the isles. No one is going to take you seriously."
"Someone's going to." He responded. "Because I am not spending this night walking next to you of all people." He really was an asshole. "There we go." The boy grinned, walking over to some Coven Scouts. "You two, I need a squad now."
The two guards somehow managed to stare even more blankly than their already black expressionless masks already did. "Isn't it a little late for you to be out at this hour?"
"What, no! I'm your superior! I have the Emperor's sigil!" The kid showed off his brand after curling up one of his gloves.
"Temporary tattoos. I thought that fad passed already." The other one snickered.
The kid growled. "Would you two take this seriously? If I don't fix this issue now the Emperor will be pissed."
"Look kid, we don't have time to worry about whatever you're dealing with." The scout reported. "We have reports about a deceased Golden Guard and Terra Snapdragon rampaging through the city."
"But I am-!"
"So, so, so sorry about my friend here. He just entered his emo phase and is super moody about everything lately." Luz pulled the boy away. "Hates small animals, conversation, people in general, you know how it is."
"Right right, we understand. Make sure to keep him out of trouble now." The scout replied with a wave. "Seriously, at this hour everything goes to shit."
"Will do, sir." Luz saluted as she pulled him away. "So … how well did you honestly expect that to work?"
"Shut up, human. I would've gotten it through their heads. I wouldn't need to however if someone didn't throw away my staff-"
"Oh, would you let that go already, we're onto more important matters here." Luz rolled her eyes. "Besides, you're a witch, it's not like you can't do any magic without it."
The boy just grumbled and gripped his hands. "Lets just get a higher vantage point and look out for Kikimora."
The way he just paused and tried to dismiss it. "...You can't do magic without that staff, can you?" She guessed, and the way he turned away even more just added confirmation. "That's why you use artificial magic, isn't it?"
The boy groaned, looking longingly at the ground. "I come from a long line of magicless witches. Every Golden Guard before me was the same." He rubbed his hands. "Wild magic has been destroying my family for generations. If you knew how dangerous it was, you would've never come to this world."
"Magic itself isn't dangerous." Luz rolled her eyes as she climbed the building. "Not to mention those in the Emperor Coven use all forms of magic."
"It's torn apart everyone, even that Owl Lady." He growled back.
"That was only because her sister wanted to join YOUR coven and cursed Eda."
"That's even less believable. What kind of family would permanently disfigure another family?"
"I don't know, probably the same kind that constantly gives you scars all over your body." She pointed to the ones all over his arms and face.
"I EARNED these scars. They're a result of my resolve and tenacity to the Emperor and the Titan himself."
Luz paused as she made it to the top. "You are a bundle of delusions aren't you?"
"Says the human that lives with two criminals and believes they're the good guys." It wasn't hard to see why Lucci had such a hate boner for this guy.
"How are you tolerating him?" Luz questioned the bird resting on the boy's head.
"Chirp." The bird just rested contently and snuggled even more deeply. The kid didn't deserve having something so cute sleep on top of him.
"Shut up and look ahead." The boy pointed onwards to what looked like one of the Emperor Coven's posts, where Kikimora and her dragon were setting down the Palisman nest. "That sneaky little gremlin, oh if I had my staff I'd fling her right into the Boiling Sea."
Luz looked over the situation. "Hmm … hey, golden boy."
"It's Hunter." Well that was new.
"Is there any flower around here that can induce sleepiness?"
"Sleeping nezzles grow commonly around here, what about it?" He asked
"Well, I haven't invented a sleep spell." Yet. "But if I can mix it into a mist glyph combo, that should theoretically give us the means for a sleepy mist to ground that hand dragon."
"From there it's all about taking down Kikimora." The boy realized. "If we can take on her drugged yet semi competent state with some long range attacks … she'd be done."
"Leaving the Palisman free for the taking." She grinned. Maybe they could come to a compromise!
"And then I can give them to the Emperor!"
"...Let's cross that bridge when we get to it." Forgot this guy was an evil jerk for a second. "Now let's get down to business." She took out a piece of chalk she carried on her in case of emergencies. "I'll start the fire and ice glyph, you get those nezzles."
"Huh…glyph magic." The apparently named Hunter looked on in awe. "Looks similar to something I read. A book, Bone's to Earth.."
"A study of wild magic!" Luz finished. "I read it too, because Eda stole a copy and I love learning about magic in general."
"Sounds…nice." Hunter scratched the back of his head. "I read about it to remind myself how dangerous it is…but it's…amusing every now and again."
"Because all magic is amazing. It shouldn't have to be limited or restrained." She pressed on. "Yeah, some people can do bad stuff with it, but they can do great stuff with it too."
Hunter paused again, looking contemplative, before shaking his head. "I'm going to get those flowers. Be ready to fight." Ugh, Amity's redemption arc wasn't as frustrating as this.
========================================================================
Kikimora was on edge. Her lovely hadn't found the body of the Golden Guard. If he turned up alive, it would spell doom for her plans. Not to mention he'd likely been on a revenge streak and attack her whenever.
She looked around the area. The streets were mostly empty, something fairly rare, especially around this time of night. Normally the lack of people was more than fine with Kikimora, but this didn't feel right. It felt like she was being watched. "Mam?" She threw a fire ball next to the head of the voice. "... The package is secure."
"Oh…continue to keep it secure then." That was just nerves. If the Golden Guard was here, he would've tried to take back the Palisman by now. Unless he went to the Emperor to tell him what happened…but it wasn't like that was likely, RIGHT? Even then, Lord Belos would probably kill this grimwalker just like all the other ones for failing once again. Kiki's position was secure! She'd be rid of the Golden brat and end up in the Emperor's good graces. Everything would be right with the world!
Now she needed to go up, fly straight to the castle, deliver the Palisman along with the 'bad news', and she would be rewarded for her efforts! All she had to do was make sure nothing was in her way. She turned to her pet … which was being enveloped in a mist. "What? Is it mist season already?" Kiki wasn't prepared for the acid burns…wait, this wasn't bruning her. It just felt like normal wet, cool mist. Very rare in the Boling Isles, and actually felt pretty nice.
Almost…too nice. When did the world start turning on its head? Shit, she was being drugged. Kikimora needed to focus, to push through the drowsiness and find the captor. Don't loose consciousness, don't do it!
"Aha! Take that, you tiny little troll!" A voice she didn't recognize came up, and suddenly she felt a foot kick her right in the face. "Wow, that felt good! After the Petrification Ceremony, I needed to do that."
"Yeah, kicking that bitch always lightens the mood." Another voice agreed, one that felt so annoyingly familiar. "Now that we got that out of the way…" A red flash glowed, though Kiki couldn't make it out. "Surrender now or I'll take you to the conformetorium with three less limbs than you have now."
"Where did you even find that?" The feminine voice shouted.
"Next to the flowers. Funny where things land up." The male voice spoke with mild mirth. "Now if you don't mind, I'm going to bind you up, and take these Palisman to the emperor now."
"Seriously, after all that, you're still going to take them to the Emperor?"
"What, you think because we talked about wild magic for five second's I'm suddenly going to change sides?" The voice Kiki KNEW far too well. "I already failed to take down the Devil child and bring him the Basilisk perpetrator. If I fail this too, then I'm going to lose everything. Just like Lilith did."
"Lilith didn't lose everything, she got her family back…but you wouldn't know about that. You don't care about anything but the Emperor's Coven. You're not my friend….you're just the Golden Guard."
"You say that like you didn't comprehend it before." The annoying voice spoke. "Now up against the wall."
"No…you all…you all STAY BACK!" Kikimora shouted, firing off a blast at the more annoying voice, even if she couldn't see all that well. "I may not be able to see you, but I WILL kill you, Golden Guard!"
"In your dreams!" The voice shouted, getting closer and-GAH! HE KICKED HER! "I might actually get a field goal at this rate."
"Invisible lightning!" There was a rumble that ruined her already poor ears.
"Why did you invent that!? How do you aim something invisible that moves at the speed of sight!?"
"Ton's off practice and building up a tolerance to electrocution!" The feminine voice shouted. "Now I've had a really, REALLY crappy day today, and I'm sure as hell NOT going to end it with you turning the Palisman into little bite size snacks for the Emperor!"
"Just try me, I tangled with the Manticore Menace, and without the sword you're half the threat he was!"
"Pfft…you're forgetting…I LIVE with Lucci." The girl voice shouted mockingly as what sounded like a bunch of paper flying through the air was heard. "I know his tricks… and one of the main lessons I've ever learned from him was on how to be ruthless… specially towards you in particular."
Kapoooffff!
"AHHHH! WHY IS THE ABOMINATION GOO ON FIRE!?"
The pain was too much, Kikimora faded into unconsciousness, hating the Golden Guard with all her passion.
========================================================================
Hunter groaned as he hit the bed. "I … was so … close." He failed, again. He was lucky he was able to blame everything on both Kikimora and the human girl. Belos was actually furious enough to petrify the woman for three hours before she could sprout her own excuse.
Unfortunately, that still didn't mean he was completely off the hook. For the foreseeable future, he would be denied any other missions until he completed the one task he had yet to complete. Killing that damn Devil….ugh.
He had never felt so worthless and useless in his life. Hunter spent practically his whole life preparing to be the Golden Guard, it was his ONLY purpose for living. If he didn't have that…then what was the point of it all then?
He looked at the sky. So vast and grand … and here he was, unable to protect everything under it. He was failing his predecessor, he was failing the people … Severine alone already made him feel so much guilt. No wonder his Uncle thought he was so pathetic now. He was just a failure who'd get left behind by everyone.
"Chirp. Chirp. Chirp."
"A palisman?" He stared in awe, breaking into a grin. "YES!" He reached forward, grabbing the thing. "I can bring you to Uncle, and he won't hate me anymore, and then maybe I can get my life back together."
"Chirp." The creature cried out.
"Oh, sorry." He let go….wait…why did he do that…. "Hey…aren't you the Palisman from last night? You followed me?"
"Chirp."
"Even though I was planning on letting all your friends get devoured?"
"Chirp."
"Really?" The little guy was such a forgiving person. "Wait, how can I understand you?"
"Chirp." Weird, mental link? "Chirp." In a flash, the guy became a staff, falling into Hunter's hands.
"I … this is …" He could do it right now, hand this immobile creature over to Belos …"This..this is my staff…my own…staff." A staff made up of wild magic….something that belonged to him and him alone…
Maybe…maybe it wouldn't hurt to hold onto this for a little while longer…..just to better understand the dangers of wild magic of course.
He sat down on his bed, gazing at the sky. "… Shit, I've started to rebel." It felt so wrong….but weirdly warm and….sort of familiar too.