A moment later, Amity had the team spread out across the field.
"Alright, we're going to start with a warm-up," Amity said, throwing the Grudgby ball at Booker, Luz, Gus, and Willow.
It hit the ground, and Willow prepared to kick it. However, just before she could swing her foot, a giant tentacle burst from the ground, throwing the ball into the air. Willow caught it before she and the others screamed and ran away. Getting away from the tentacle before it crushed them.
However, just before they could get to safety, a giant hand burst from the ground. The four friends came to a skidding halt and split up in different directions. Gus, unfortunately, was grabbed before he could get away.
Bursting from the ground, flaming Grudgby balls went flying Willow. Following her every moment. Meanwhile, in the stands, Willow's fan watched from the bleachers. "Woo! Go, Willow!" he cheered.
"Willow! Over here!" Booker yelled, waving his hands over his head.
Still running, the plant witch threw the ball toward Booker. Seeing about to fly over his head, Booker ran with the ball. As it came closer, he held out his arms and caught the Grudgby ball like it were a football.
However, a trampoline emerged from the ground, and the Seventh Son ran face-first into it. Launching him backward across the field.
"You'll get 'em next time!" said the bird witch.
Booker landed on the ground next to Amity and Luz. The latter of whom hadn't done anything to help out the team. "Nice of you to join us," Booker said bitterly at his friend and stood up. Panting in exhaustion.
Willow joined them, just as exhausted as Booker after outrunning the fireballs. "I…I need a cup of water," she said. Gus walked up to them and collapsed on the ground.
"You all did…antiquely," Amity said, which was the nicest way of saying that they sucked. But she held in her opinion, given that this was their first time practicing. "Now that you know what to expect from the field, what we should do is—"
She was interrupted when Luz chimed in with her usual beaming grin. "Our big finale! Let's try…" She clapped her hands on a plant glyph and activated it. "The Thorn Vault!"
"Wait, what?" Booker and Amity asked. They both knew that move from Good Witch Azura and the Dark One 2: Field of Deadly Fates.
But while Booker was more confused than scared, his second crush was horrified that Luz would do such a thing. Unwilling to allow history to repeat itself, Amity tried to stop Luz. "Luz, wait! Don't!"
Amity was too late. Luz's fist punched the glyph on the ground, and her spell took effect. Under the ground, roofs and vines dug through the dirt and earth. Stopping under Booker, Willow, and Gus and lifting the ground slightly. However, this was just the beginning, as the three students were launched into the air by a column of thorns. Willow summoned a large plant to break their fall.
While she and Gus landed on it, Booker hit the ground hard. Knocking him out.
…
…
…
…
"Booker!"
…
…
"Booker! Come back to us!" The Seventh Son heard as he started opening his eyes again. Willow and Gus were looking down at him, looking less injured than he was. He was bruised up from the impact, with a large cut bleeding over his left eye.
"Booker! Talk to me, Booker!" Amity screamed as she rushed over and knelt beside him. Luz stood before her, looking shocked and ashamed for hurting her best friend.
Amity used her Abomination goo on the cut to stop the bleeding. Booker sighed as he felt how soft yet cooling Amity's magic felt. "I…I'm fine…" he said before he got up. "Is everyone else okay?"
"Yes, but…" Gus pulled out his flags, which were now snapped in two. "I never should have tried to play. They were always enough for me," he said before breaking down into sobs.
Luz wanted to say something until she got cut off when Amity shot at her. With anger in her eyes, Amity glared heatedly into Luz's eyes. "What the hell were you thinking?!" She screamed into her face, making Luz flinch and step back from her. "Why would you ever think that was okay to do?!"
"I-I-I sorry! I thought that if we did it like in Azura 2, it would have…." Luz trailed off, realizing her response wasn't sitting well with Amity or the others. Especially Booker, from the look in his eyes.
Willow looked down to see her hair clipped. The item was now snapped in half and destroyed during Luz's stunt. Shock, Willow felt around the left side of her head, where it once sat, and felt nothing. At that point, Willow had enough. "Come on, Gus. I have some floral tape in the greenhouse. We'll fix them."
Gus sniffled and said, "Okay."
Willow and the young boy stood and began walking away. Seeing them leave made Luz's eyes widen in shock. "Guys, let's try the Thorn Vault one more time," she said, walking around Amity.
"Luz, stop it," Booker said, his anger boiling.
"But we're the underdogs. We have to stay upbeat and keep trying and—"
"Will you shut up!?" Booker yelled, walking over to her and stopping in front of his best friend.
Everyone around him looked at the Seventh Son in shock. Never once expecting Booker to yell with such fury at Luz, of all people. Luz was just as shocked. Perhaps more so, considering that this was her best friend, who was always so sweet and caring towards her.
"This is exactly what I've been saying all day! All this time, you've been so focused on living out your fantasies that you fail to consider other people! None of this would have happened if you had kept your mouth shut! After all the times I had your back and after all the shit you put me through, I would've thought you would at least learn by now. But no! You just keep getting people you know into bad situations!"
"Booker?" Luz asked, a little hurt by his words. "Wha…what did I do?"
"What did you do? What did you do?!" Booker's anger grew as he listed things off, and his markings started appearing on his body. "You let yourself be bait for Adegast's trap for Eda; you made me have that duel at the convention where I lost control; you got the Slitherbeast mad by stealing Amity's wand; and back home, every time you dragged me into one of your hair-brain schemes, I was the one that would get in trouble the most!"
Luz backed up and said, "Booker, calm down! What's your problem?"
Booker's power radiated from his body in golden flames." YOU ARE MY PROBLEM! YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN MY PROBLEM! HERE AND BACK HOME! EACH AND EVERY CHOICE YOU'VE EVER MADE IS JUST A PROBLEM! THAT I HAVE TO DEAL WITH ON A DAILY BASIS!"
Amity, Willow, and Gus made a loud gasp from the shock of hearing Booker's harsh and mean words. Luz remained still and quiet as Booker continued to glare at her. His golden powers still leaked from his body as he panted from yelling.
As the weight of his words dropped on her heart, Luz's lips began to tremble, and tears started to form. Upon seeing her tears, Booker's glare became a look of shock and regret. Realizing what he'd just said, the Seventh Son felt overwhelming guilt.
"Luz… I-I didn't…." Booker tried to explain. He wanted to take back what he said. To say he didn't mean it. However, the Seventh Son couldn't work up the courage to talk.
Beginning to sob, she walked away.
"Luz, wait, please!" He wanted to go after. However, Willow and Gus stopped him by standing in front of him. Both of them glared at him.
"Booker, I think you should let us talk to her," Willow said with a frown before leaving to follow Luz.
"Booker, you really messed up this time. And for the record, the only one who has a problem is you," Gus said with a slight frown, shook his head, and left with his broken flags in hand. The disappointment they felt towards him was evident in their eyes.
Alone, Booker stood still until he let out a depressed sigh and took off his beanie. He then noticed the broken hairpin on the ground. Walking over, the Seventh Son knelt down and gently picked it up.
"What have I done?" Booker said to himself in sorrow as his tears formed.
Amity walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Come on, I'll get you some water," she said empathically.
Back at the Owl House, the two sisters created a makeshift grudgby field set up in front of the Owl House, using the garbage that the Owl Lady accumulated over the years. Eda and Lilith approached each other from opposite sides, with Eda holding the ball and her sister holding her hands behind her back. Looking all prim and proper as usual.
Hooty stretched himself over to the witch to be between them, wearing a ref's hat and whistle. "You gals ready to hoot? We want a clean game here, so no magic's allowed."
King stood next to a scoreboard, dressed as a cheerleader. "Yes! Now I'll strike fear into my enemies with this armor of intimidation," he yelled, shaking his pom-poms.
Seeing him in his outfit made Eda laugh. "Yeah, 'intimidation armor,'" she said, snorting. Eda turned her attention back to Lilith and spun the Grudgby ball on her finger. "Pushing paper all day might make you a little rusty. I'll try to go easy on you."
When her sister threw the ball at her, Lilith raised her right knee and balanced it on it. "Remember, dear sister," Lilith said, dribbling the ball and doing some tricks before spinning the ball on her finger, "you may have been the star player, but I was team captain for a reason. And Mal's no longer with us to save you."
Lilith threw the ball back at Eda, frustratingly making the Owl Lady grunt. Both women got ready as they glared at one another. Once that whistle was blown, they weren't stopping until they won.
Hooty blew the whistle.
Cut back to the Hexside grudgby field, Booker sitting on the bleachers. Repairing Willow's hair clip with a band-aid. But it did little to ease his heart. The memory of how he yelled at her filled his heart with hatred toward himself. Never in a million years would Booker have wanted to make Luz cry or hurt her. And he did both in just one outburst. The Seventh Son felt more alone than ever. The same level of despair he felt when his family died. After how he treated Luz, he knew that their friendship was likely finished for good.
He felt nothing but self-loathing until he heard footsteps coming up to him.
"Here's some water," Amity said, handing him a full cup.
Nodding. Booker took it and drank it all down. "I know what you're going to say. You'll tell me that I am the biggest jerk in the world For yelling at Luz. You might as well go ahead and tell me," Booker said, closing his eyes and accepting the verbal lashing that would undoubtedly be coming his way. He didn't blame Amity. He wanted her to put him in his place.
"Actually, I figured you've been holding that in for a while now," Amity said, looking away momentarily. She then sat down next to Booker. "Look, I get it. Luz can be…much, but that's not an excuse to say what you said. Especially when you didn't mean all that stuff about how she was a problem, right?"
He sighed and leaned back. "No, of course not. For a long time, she's been my only friend. The one person I could always rely on. I could never hate her. It's just I kind of hate some of the things she does...okay, I really hate the things she does, but I still do them. Because she's my best friend, and I would do anything for her. Just like Willow, Gus, and of course you, Amity."
Hearing him say that made Amity smile with a blush at Booker. Happy to know he would do anything for her. Deciding to just sit with him and enjoy the moment together, Amity turned her head up and stared at the clouds with the Seventh Son.
"But what about you?" Booker looked at her with a curious expression. "You were furious at Luz, too. How come?"
For a moment, Amity didn't answer. Then, she exhaled and took her head off Booker. The witch looked down at the field as her mind reminisced about her last game with the Grudgby team.
"It's…the reason why I quit being a captain of the Banshees," Amity said, gaining a shocked look from Booker.
Amity could remember that day like it was yesterday. She was so confident and full of herself—the very same person she'd been making progress not to be. She was on the field with Boscha and two other teammates, Amelia and Bo. Bo had joined the team the year before she and Skara got together.
"We were playing Glandus High for the Island Championship. We had a move planned, and it was a good one," Amity said, remembering how fast they got the ball away from Glandus. Amity had the ball. All she had to do was go through with the plan. "But, at the last minute, I decided I wanted to do something a bit flashier. I changed our game plan to... the Thorn Vault."
"You like that shitty movie too?" Booker chuckled.
"Uh, yeah," Amity said, turning her eyes to the very same spot she was when she used that spell.
"What happened," Booker asked.
"It went disastrously wrong…"
Amity had successfully done the Thorn Vault, launching herself to a goal post and tossing the ball in. The scoring for the Banshee. But before Amity could cheer for herself, she realized she had hurt her teammates. Broken bones and gashes that would have gotten infected if the school nurses weren't there.
"...My teammates got hurt…"
As for Bo, she had lost all vision in one eye. It took months of intense healing magic. From what she heard, it was difficult for her, and Bo went to a very dark place. If it weren't for her meeting Skara and the two falling in love, Amity fears that she could have caused the suicide of the witch.
"...All because I had an idea of how things should be. I pushed them too far," Amity said, closing her eyes and bowing her head. To this day, she didn't even dare to approach Bo to apologize. "When I left the team, I decided that was a part of my life I wanted to forget. And since then, I've never played another game."
Amity turned her head to Booker, only to see their faces were incredibly close.
Letting out a yelp, Amity stumbled back and fell, blushing heavily. "Wah! Sorry," said the boy as he helped Amity up. "I just…wow. I'm so sorry that happened."
The boy and girl smiled at one another. However, the moment came to an end when Booker saw something out of the corner of his eyes. Looking down, he saw that the Banshees had arrived and were walking onto the field.
Booker took in a deep breath and glared at Boscha. "I'm going to end this," he said.
"What are you going to do?" Amity asked, worried about what the Seventh Son would do.
"The only thing I can do," Booker answered, glaring at Boscha. Luz may have gotten him into this mess, but he still went along with it. Booker still challenged Boscha. So he had to finish what was started. "If something goes wrong…tell Luz I'm sorry, and whatever happens to me, she'll never see me like that again."
Jumping over the edge of the breachers, Booker landed on the ground with a superhero landing. Standing up to his feet, the blonde boy removed his hat and placed it in his pocket. He then approached his foe.
Skara was the first to notice her cousin and pointed at him. Boscha turned around and smirked. "It's after school. Where's your loser brigade?"
Booker glared at her three eyes before inhaling. Letting out a breath, he said, "We forfeit. We're going to settle this the old-fashioned way." Reaching behind his back, Booker drew his sword. "Through combat."
Amity gasped. "No!"
Boscha raised an eyebrow. "Uh, did you not remember what I said?"
"I did, but I don't care. If I win, you won't bother us ever again. And if you win, in exchange for not turning me in, I'll take my team's place as your water gofer, target practice, whatever you need," Booker said.
Everyone was shocked. He was giving himself up to be the Banshees team's punching bag, even being arrested. All in the name of protecting his friends.
Even Boscha was surprised by Booker's self-sacrifice. "Wow, that's…honestly really noble of you. You're a good friend," she said in a compassionate and respectful voice. Seemingly enlightened by the way he was willing to risk himself.
However, any hopes of Boscha being a good person were dashed away. With a sinister smirk, she magically lights a Grudgby ball on fire.
"I almost feel bad for what I'm about to do to you," she said.
Seeing the fire made Booker's eyes widen as he gasped in fear.
"Think fast!" Boscha yelled as she threw the ball at Booker.
Seeing the ball coming towards him, Booker froze in terror. However, he was determined not to be a coward like the last time, so Booker steeled his nerves and acted accordingly.
He quickly held Dragon's Bite by the handle with one hand and placed his other hand on the back of the one-sided blade. When the ball hit the blade's sharp edge, the anti-magic sword cut it straight down the middle and dispelled the fire spell placed on it. The two halves of the ball flew past Booker and landed on the ground harmlessly.
Booker panted as he looked at his family sword in shock. Realizing he had an edge, pun intended, he grinned and pointed Dragon's Bite at Boscha. "That's all you got, you stupid bitch?"
Boscha's arm trembled in frustration as she gritted her teeth. But the fury turned into smugness as she summoned more flaming Grudgby balls that floated around her. Her teammates watched in shock and fear as their team captain laughed the balls at the Seventh Child.
Amity watched the boy from the breachers with growing anxiety and fear. Watching as Booker tried dodging and blocking the fireballs. But why wasn't he attacking? Was his phobia preventing him from counterattacking? For every Grudgby ball Boscha threw, she'd replenish soon after. Preventing Booker from getting closer.
Not only that, but Boscha wasn't giving Booker a chance to attack. Using his fear against him, the triclops stopped her friend from using his magic. If he's too busy running away from Boscha's fire, her former friend will hone in on him and hurt the boy.
Something had to be done. Amity had to get the others back.
Booker's friends were in the school's greenhouse, the classroom for the Plant Track. Willow and Gus were attempting to repair the boy's two flags using tape. "There, that ought to do it," she said, patting him on the back.
"These are flags of surrender now," Gus said, depressed by the sight of the now-ruined flags. For some reason, they were hooked up to an IV.
Willow sighed, knowing her attempt to save the flags was in vain. The plant witch turned her attention to Luz, the person responsible for their destruction. When Willow and Gus went into the school to find Luz, they found her sobbing on one of the tables in the room. They had tried to talk to her and cheer her up and said that Booker didn't mean the things that he said. But it did little to make her feel better. Realizing that she wasn't going to be convinced by them, the two friends decided to leave her alone while staying close by in case she wanted to talk.
Luz's tears had long since dried up, and she was just laying her head on the table. Miserable and sad at the way Booker yelled at her. Having never seen him that upset before with her. However, she wasn't mad at him like Willow and Gus were thinking.
She was mad at herself because all the things Booker said were true. Every time she's put her best friend in danger or gotten him in trouble, it was because of her selfish desire to live out her dreams and fantasies. Dreams and fantasies spawned by the novels that inspired her to become a witch. And Booker was right about the consequences being placed on him.
While in her state of misery, Luz's eyes looked up at a full watering can sitting in front of her. As the Dominican girl followed a drop of water slowly sliding down the side of the watering can, Liz's sharp eyes caught sight of something in the droplet. Leaning in, she saw that it was another glyph.
The glyph resembled a drop of water landing on a wavy line that resembled water. Going across the droplet was an arching line connecting both sides of the wavy line. At the tip of the droplet was a small circle.
Luz pulled out one of her glyph papers and drew the glyph. Tapping it, she activated the spell, and the paper crumpled up in a ball before turning into water that spilled onto the table's surface.
What should have been a happy moment for her was outweighed by her disappointment in herself. "Booker's right," she said, gaining the attention of her friends. "I pushed you guys too hard. It's just…I hate seeing you get picked on, Willow. You're one of the best friends I've ever had. And then when Boscha started picking on Booker, I just…I couldn't take it anymore! He didn't deserve that. Willow, I'm sorry I got you into this mess."
Willow placed a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder. "It's okay. I know you were just trying to help in your Luz way."
Before Willow could continue, Amity slammed the door to the room open. The witch rushed in a panic and ran over to the others. "Luz, Booker needs your help!" Amity tells her. "He's fighting Boscha!"
"What!?" Willow exclaimed in shock. "But what about her reporting him to the Emperor's Coven?"
"That's why we have to stop the fight," Amity said, pleading with her friends to help Booker.
Luz was about to stand up and rush out the door. However, her legs locked up, and she hesitated for a second. "Why should I go to help him?" She said with her arms and head on the desk's top. "I'm nothing but a problem to him. Remember?"
Amity looked at her girl crush in shock. "No, you are not! Luz, you know he didn't mean it," she said. However, Luz turned away from Amity. As her sad expression turned into an upset frown, the green-haired girl approached Luz. "Look, I get it. He can be an idiot sometimes. Which I love—I mean hate! In any case, he needs us right now! Which is sweet—I mean, I hate it! And it's dumb!"
Amity remained blushing as Luz looked over her shoulder. "Why would you want my help?" Luz asks.
"Because despite what he said, he still considers you his best friend. And I know that even with your hurt feelings, you still think of him as yours. You have a great friendship. Why let it end over a fight," Amity asked, placing her hand on Luz's.
The two of them looked at one another, smiling at each other with growing blushes.
"OH, WILL YOU TWO JUST KISS ALREADY!?!" Gus shouted at the two girls. They both jumped back with startled faces, never expecting the short witch to have shouted at anyone.
"Gus!" Willow scolded him.
"Oh, come on! What's the point of waiting for them to do it when we all know they like one another? I'm just being real! That's how Gus Potter do, okay?" The black witch said, pointing to his chest with his flags. " That's how Gus Potter do ."
Luz and Amity then looked at one another before turning away, smiling and blushing, after thinking the other was really pretty.
Shaking her head, Luz said to her friends. "Alright, what do you guys say? You wanna save Booker?"
"Can we resist the call to action? No! May the flags be raised again," Gus exclaimed before running out of the room. Luz, Willow, and Amity followed behind him.
Meanwhile, back at the Owl House, Eda and Lilith's Grudgby match was starting to heat up. Both witches were evenly matched. However, Eda had one more point ahead of Lilith. Giving her 5 in total compared to her sister's 4. Meaning that she only needed one more score to win.
With the Grudgby ball in hand, Eda rushed to try and score another goal. With a clear shot, the Owl Lady threw the ball at the goal.
However, Hooty blocked the ball like the idiot he is. "Hoot!"
"Hooty! Whose side are you on?" Eda yelled at her house guardian. Lilith bolted past her sister, heading for the weird owl thing.
"I'm an unbiased participant, hoot-hoot," he told his mentor as Lilith jumped before him and grabbed the ball.
With speed and grace, Lilith successfully avoided Eda and made a run for the goal. However, Hooty's face burst from the ground, and he opened his mouth as wide as he could. Becoming a trap for the Emperor's Coven Leader. But Lilith jumped over him, grabbed the goal's pole, swung around it, and threw the ball into the hoop.
King marked the score, which was now tied 5-5. "Point goes to Lilith. We're at a tie here, folks!"
However, despite how good the two were doing, Eda and Lilith both pant in exhaustion. Their ages made their bodies unable to move like they used to, and the two felt the effects of their ages. The only problem was that neither was ready to throw in the towel. Lilith was too determined to get her sister and the Seventh Son to the Emperor. Eda wouldn't let that happen and was determined to make Lilith tell her what she wanted to know.
"Time for one more play!" exclaimed Hooty with the ball on his head.
Seeing no other option, Eda pulled out her cheat box. "Just one little trick and the game will be mine," she said, opening the box….
Only to find it empty. Save for a note reading, "I noticed your lunchbox was getting dirty, so I cleaned it! LOVE, LUZ", with a drawing of a heart and Luz throwing a peace sign. Floating around her head was a chibi Booker.
"Damn it, Luz! Your nonsense has gotten into my head," Eda retorted as she closed the box. She turned her head back to Lilith and shoved the box back in her mane. "Well, Mal, you wanted me to win fair and square. Time to do this the old-fashioned way."
After catching her breath, Lilith returned to being her arrogant self. "Taking your time. Nervous?" she asked with a smirk.
"Not today, sister," Eda said, prepared for the game to start again. Determined to win against her sister.
Still balancing the ball on his head, Hooty blew the whistle and began the game by throwing the Grudgby ball up into the air. Eda and Lilith both jump for the ball. Eda grabbed it and made it to the goal.
Hooty emerged from the ground. "It's me again!" Eda stepped on his face, using him as a launchpad. "Ow!" Lilith tried chasing after Eda. But she couldn't build up the strength to jump after her. She ended up leaning on Hooty's face. "Oh geez, hey!"
"No!" Lilith gasped, reaching her arm out toward Eda. Helpless to stop her.
"Yeah!" Eda exclaimed as she threw the ball and scored the goal.
King drew the final point on the scoreboard. "Ha ha! Game over! Team Owl House rules supreme!"
Eda landed on the ground and started dancing. "Yes! Still got it! Still got the skills to pay the bills!"
"No!" Lilith yelled as she threw a fit on her knees, slamming her fists angrily at the ground. "No! I can't go back to the Emperor empty-handed."
"Oh, you've got more than just Belos to worry about."
Lilith looked back, likely in a vain attempt to plead with her sister to come with her. She was, however, blasted in the back and sent sliding across the ground. Stopping at the edge of the cliff. Groaning in pain, Lilith tried to get up. However, Eda's high-heel boot slammed down her chest. Pinning her down, she summons a ball of fire in her hand.
"Now, sister," Eda said to Lilith, who struggled to lift her sister off her chest. "THE TRUTH!"
"Edalyn, please," Lilith pleaded with her sister.
"No! Belos killed our friends, their families, and their kids. And you , my sister, have still decided to stay with him!" Eda screamed in a fury at Lilith. "What I want to know is whether or not you have their blood on your hands! Were you there?!"
Lilith looked at her sister wide-eyed, staring into Eda's death glare. However, after a few seconds, Lilith sighed.
"Yes, I was."
The fireball in Eda's hand intensified.
"But she spared my husband's life."
With a vicious glare, Eda's head snapped around. Intending to blast them first before finishing off Lilith. But, to her surprise, the person standing behind her was York Bridges. He was standing with his wife, Sarah Gearmind.
Eda and Lilith stared at the two of them in shock. "Y-York? Sarah?"
Lilith gasped and summoned her staff. However, the earth under her wrists and staff rose and trapped them. "Oh, Lilith. If you wanted to kill us, that time has long passed," the bunny-eared witch said, smirking.
"Wait, hold on! She…spared you?" Eda asked, understandably shocked and in disbelief.
"Is it so hard to believe?" Lilith questioned her sister. The look she got from her sister was enough to let her know her answer. With a sigh, Lilith laid her head back down on the ground. "I wasn't with the main force when it happened. I was kept back at the palace. But…when I got there…it was already too late."
When Lilith landed in the courtyard of the Bridges family home, she was met with the most horrific sight she'd ever seen. The family home burnt to the ground and collapsed in on itself. Through the wreckage of the once proud home, the young Emperor's Scout saw the burnt carcasses of men, women, and children.
Brought to tears, Lilith collapsed to her knees with a hand over her mouth. Her mind could only imagine the horror that took place here and the suffering the family had to go through before death took them. Believing that Mal was dead as well, Lilith started sobbing.
However, her mind was working to push her sadness down into the dark depths of her heart. Lilith had to believe that the Emperor's reasons justified this. That there was a just reason for exterminating such a noble family of witches. She had to believe that, or else her heart would question her faith in her loyalty. If she faltered and lost faith in the Emperor's plan, all she'd done and believed in would be lost.
Her desire to be with her sister again would be lost.
Suddenly, the sounds of moving rubble and debris brought her back to reality, and Lilith looked up. To her surprise, it was Sarah, carrying her husband's body.
The two former friends stared at one another, clearly shocked to see each other. Sarah, however, was on edge. Seeing Lilith in her Emperor's Coven uniform had the wife stare at her with mistrust and hatred.
Lilith steeled herself with a cold scowl and stood up. Then she stood up. "Go," she simply said. "Bury your husband, and never let me see you again."
She then turned around and walked away from the ruined building.
"I left because I had originally believed that York was dead. The last of the Bridges line had fallen, and there was no point in arresting her," Lilith said to Eda.
"And yet, after all that had happened, you still follow Belos," Eda said with a growl. While she was thankful that her sister did not kill anyone that night, the Owl Lady was still disgusted that she was still in league with Belos.
"I must."
"Why?!"
"Because you, Edalyn!" Lilith shouted at her sister. Eda looked at her sister in surprise as she continued. "Because the Emperor promised he could even heal your curse!"
Silence filled the air around the Owl House as Eda stepped off her sister. Allowing her to stand back up on her feet.
"Everything I've been doing—that I have done, it was all to lift the curse off you, sister. Don't you see? Belos can cure you, and together, we can have our dream of being a part of the Emperor's Coven come true. Just like when we were kids," Lilith said, holding her hand out to Eda. Hoping that she would finally see things her way and abandon her silly, rebellious attitude toward the Emperor's rule.
However, Eda pushed Lilith's hand down. "No, I'll heal it on my own terms. I don't wanna owe him anything," she said, frowning at her sister. "And even if I did have this curse, I'd never join him. Not after what he did to Booker's family."
Looking surprised and hurt momentarily, Lilith's fists clenched with anger. "I don't believe it," she said angrily. "You would rather protect that boy than get the help you need?!"
"Yes."
With that simple answer, Lilith fell silent. Seeing as though she wouldn't leave without something to show for her efforts, Eda sighed and took her ring off. The Owl Lady then holds it out to Lilith.
"Here. Tell Belos I put up a heck of a struggle," Eda said as her sister took the ring. "Now leave my home."
Lilith remained silent for a moment. Staring at the ring as she contemplated what she had just said. Then, the Head of the Emperor's Coven clenched her hand around the ring.
"I can't accept your answer, Edalyn," she said, giving her sister a determined glare.
Eda said, "I know."
Lilith then turned and started walking away. However, she stopped and looked over her shoulder at Eda. "I will be back for you," she said. "And next time, I won't be alone."
And with that, Lilith walked away into the distance.
"I'll be waiting," Eda solemnly said. She then turned her head to York and Sarah. "So… I guess you'd like to come inside?"
Things were looking terrible for Booker as he ran around the Hexside Grudgby Field. Boscha continued throwing Grudgby balls that were lit on fire. The Seventh Son tried his best to destroy as many of them as possible, but he would be quickly overwhelmed, and his phobia would force him into a retreat. Some of the balls landed on the many hidden traps, activating them and throwing Booker off his game.
However, when he ran away again, Booker became trapped. One of the balls hit a trap in front of him, and a wall of rock spikes emerged from the ground.
"Having fun yet?" With a sadistic smile, Boscha summoned another ball.
Working up the courage to finally say something, Skara walked up to Boscha. Trying to talk her down from what she's about to do. "B-Boscha, don't you think this is going too far?"
"Not at all. I'm just getting warmed up!" Boscha exclaimed as she threw the flaming grudgby ball at Booker.
However, just before Booker could do something to deflect the ball, Boscha's attack was sent back by a tree suddenly emerging from the field in front of the Seventh Son. The flaming ball bounced off the tree and flew back towards the Banshee captain. Forcing her to catch it.
"Hands off, Bitcha!"
Booker gasped as not only Luz but Willow stood in front of him. Both were ready to take on Boscha.
"Luz! Willow!" Booker shouted with joy as he rushed over to his best friend. Grabbing Luz, he hugged her tightly as he felt tears welling up in his eyes. "Luz, I'm so so so sorry. I should never have said all those awful things. You're my best friend, and I wanted to…"
Booker was stopped when Luz pulled away and kissed him on the cheek. His eyes widened as he looked at her with a big blush on his face. Luz blushed as well, and she said, "It's okay, Booker. I've not been the best friend in the world either. I was caught up in all that dumb movie crap. That's why I'm going to get us out of his mess."
"And we'll do it together. As a team," Willow said with a smirk. Turning back to Boscha, the plant witch placed her fists on her hips. Luz did the same while holding Booker's right hand. "The game is back on!"
"You need four players on your team. Where's your fourth?" Boscha asked with a smug look on her face.
Booker, Willow, and Luz look at Gus in the bleachers. He was still sad at his flags. "Why is there an IV," asked Booker.
Willow scratched the back of her head. "Uh, well…"
That's when another hand grabbed Booker's left hand. To his surprise, it was Amity. "Right here," she said with a determined look in her eyes as her lips curled into a smile.
This plot twist shocked her old teammates, who never expected to see their old captain step on the field again. Boscha was stunned for a moment before she glared at Amity with resentment. "What the hell are you doing?" she growled.
"Something I should have done a long time ago, Boscha. Stand up for my friends," Amity said, looking at her real friends as they smiled at her.
Boscha couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You just destroyed your social life," she said in a vain attempt to get the reaction she wanted to see from the Blight girl.
However, Amity ran out of fucks to give. "Nah. I think I made it better," she said, interlacing her fingers with Booker's. Making his blush turn redder.
Boscha groaned. "Ugh! Game on!" She yelled, stalking off back to her team. Booker, Amity, Luz, and Willow smiled at each other. Each of them had a score to settle with the triclops. Now, they had a whole team to take on Boscha and bring her down.
After equipping themselves with grudgby gear, Booker, Luz, Willow, and Amity faced off against Boscha, Cat, Skara, and Amelia at the center of the field.
"Go, Willow!" Gus cheered, waving his flags.
Willow smirked at Boscha and whispered, "There's something on your shoe."
Boscha scoffed and rolled her eyes, "Like, I'd fall for that."
The ball was launched into the air from a hole in the center of the field. Boscha immediately lunged for it but was stopped when her right foot got stuck. Willow had used her magic to make vines that wrapped around her shoe. Making Boscha fall over.
Willow caught the ball and used her magic to sprout giant vines from the ground. These vines wrapped around her like a cocoon before Willow was pulled into the earth. The others on Boscha's team were surprised by this move when they rushed to get the ball from their opponent.
Coming out of the ground before the goalpost, Willow threw the ball and made the first goal.
The game progressed as Luz and Amity rushed toward the Banshee's goalpost. However, Luz, holding the ball, stepped on one of the traps, and a giant swinging ax came out of the ground in front of her. Blocking their path.
It was a close call. The two girls would've been cleaved by the blade if they had taken another step forward. Amity used a giant abomination arm to hold back an ax for Luz, who scored another goal.
Up in the bleachers, Gus created illusion duplicates of himself to cheer Booker, Luz, Amity, and Willow on.
Speaking of the Seventh Son, Booker was placed as the goalkeeper of his teams. He used his immense powers to block anyone who tried to go for the goal.
And that included Amelia as she rushed toward his team's goal. When the green-haired witch threw the ball at the triangle-shaped goalpost, Booker grinned and clapped his hands together. Using the new water spell shown to him by Luz, the brave boy pulled his hands away, and a ball of water formed in between his hands. Reaching in and grabbing the center of the ball, Booker cocked his arm back and swung forward.
That water ball turned into a whip as it reached the Grudgby ball. Spiking it in the air and sending it back towards Willow. The plant witch summoned a vine to catch the ball.
Amelia slowed down and stopped before Booker, panting from exhaustion. Seeing she was likely in need of water, Booker summoned a small water ball and offered it to her.
"Nice work," he said.
Surprised by his kind gesture, Amelia nonetheless accepted the water. "Thanks," she said, slurring the water ball entirely into her mouth. Her cheeks puffed, full of water, as she smiled at Booker.
However, when she looked back at Boscha, her captain was highly annoyed with her. Wanting to stay on her good side, Amelia glared at Booker and crossed her arms. However, her cheeks were still puffed with water.
It did little to stop Booker's team and their winning streak. The team had been on a winning streak, with eight consecutive scores against no losses.
"Give me that!" Boscha shouted as she snatched the ball away from Skara. Setting it on fire while glaring at her opponent, Boscha throws the flaming Grudgby ball at Booker. Intent on harming the boy and taking him out of the game.
Gasping and widening his eyes in fear of the ball being thrown at him, Booker reacted instinctively. The blonde clapped his hands together and cast another water spell. Forming another ball of water and then holding it out. The Grudgby plunged into the water and passed through it. The flames extinguished before the ball came out and landed in Booker's waiting hands.
Booker held the ball in his hands and gave Boscha a challenging grin. Concentrating his magic, he reignited the ball's fire and threw it into the air. He clapped his hands and used his powerful light magic to form a man-portable, shoulder-fired catapult. Its shape and function resemble Fallout's M42 "Fat Man" Launcher .
The ball landed in the hard-light contraption and aimed. Pointing it at an angle, Booker fired and shot the ball. Sending it flying over everyone in an arch. The witch followed the path of the Grudgby ball as it flew into the Banchee's goal.
"Way to go, Booker!" Willow shouted at her friend, giving him a thumbs up.
"Yeah!" Amity and Luz cheered together while laughing happily. They hugged each other and jumped up and down. However, when they looked at one another, they blushed and pulled away after realizing what they were doing.
Watching Booker dispel his light spell, Boscha was seething with anger and frustration. She couldn't believe what was happening. The captain of the Grudgby team could not comprehend that she was losing to those she saw as inferior and below her. However, the tricep wasn't going to admit defeat.
"Time out! Girls, huddle!" She shouted, stumping away to her side of the field.
Her team members were somewhat surprised by her reaction, and the girls became a little concerned. Cat and Amelia both knew Boscha was angry and that she would be upset with them.
Both teams huddled up, and Boscha glared at her teammates. "What the fuck was that? We're getting creamed out there!" She shouted at them.
"Whoa, Boscha, chill," said Skara as she frowned at her supposed best friend. "There's nothing wrong with how we're playing. Booker and his team are just better—"
Boscha suddenly snapped her head at her and began shouting at Skara, "You shut up, Skara! No! Don't talk! Just shut your damn mouth, and stop being so useless! I'm not going to lose to a loser who forgot his place! And I suggest you remember yours and do as you're told. End. Of. Discussion."
If Skara wasn't so sure about her friendship with Boscha going forward, she was now. Hiding her intentions, Skara became stone-faced as she clenched her fists. "Fine, what's the plan?"
Thinking she'd put her subordinate back in line, Boscha smirked smugly with satisfaction. Then, her eyes turned to the other team. "There's only one way to win this game now," Boscha said.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the field, Amity looked at the timer on the scoreboard. "There's time for one more play."
"And this play could determine whether we underdogs win or lose," Willow said.
"Here's what I have to offer," Luz said as she held out her fire, light, plant, and ice glyphs.
Booker was about to pick one when he noticed something golden under Luz's hand. "Uh, guys," he said, gently pushing Luz's hand away for a better view.
To his and everyone else's surprise, the Rushy Smidge was crawling on the ground between the players, minding its own business.
"It's the Rusty Smidge!" Booker exclaimed in wide-eyed shock.
The four friends tried to drive for the beetle at the same time. Only to butt their heads together and fall on their butts. The Rusty Smidge flew away as they groaned and rubbed their heads in pain.
Boscha spotted the beetle and gasped. "Get that beetle!" She yelled, running at the beetle.
Booker heard Boscha and saw her and the rest of the Banshees rushing at the beetle. "Oh no, you don't!" He clapped his hands together and slammed them on the ground. Conjuring a thin layer of ice that spread towards the girls. Causing them to trip and slide across the ground as the Smidge flew over them.
"Come on!" Luz said as she quickly got up and jumped onto the ice. However, instead of tripping, the girl stayed on her feet as she slid across the frozen ground. Nearly losing her balance, she waved her arms around. "Whoa!"
"Careful!" Booker yelled as he skated after her. The two friends jumped over Boscha and her teammates, nearly falling over if they didn't grab each other's hands. Together, they balanced each other and pushed off across the ice.
However, it didn't take long for the ice to melt. Allowing Boscha and her teammates to get back up. "Stop them!" She yelled, picking up a ball and setting it on fire.
Amity gasped and drew a magic circle.
Boscha threw the ball at Booker and Luz. However, Amity's abomination magic created a giant hand that came out of the ground and grabbed the ball. "Sorry, Boscha," Amity said, smirking, "but no one hurts my Booker and Luz."
Running together, Booker and Luz were about to catch up with the beetle when it suddenly climbed up, turned, and flew over their heads. Booker and Luz stopped and watched as the beetle flew back toward the other side of the field. "What? No! Come back!" Luz said.
"I'll give you some treats!" Booker pleaded.
Cat ran towards the Rusty Smidge, and Amelia ran beside her. The green-haired girl stopped and drew a spell circle, creating a giant mushroom that came out of the ground. Cat ran up to the mushroom and jumped on it, sending herself up into the air to catch the beetle.
However, a vine from below grabbed her and pulled her down. "Sorry!" Willow said after slamming the girl with glasses on the ground.
"I've got it!" Booker said, about to clap his hands to create an illusion. He planned to extend his arms and grab the beetle.
However, Boscha wasted no time in trying to stop him. With fire in her eyes, she threw another Grudgby ball that she sent on fire. Amity saw this and screamed out, "Watch out!"
Booker turned his head and gasped, seeing the flaming ball. However, with a confident smile, Luz jumped ahead of him and slammed an ice glyph on the ground. Creating an ice pillar in front of her that blocked the ball. As the hot Grudgby melted slowly into the ice block, Luz turned back to her friend.
"Got your back!" she exclaimed, giving him a wink. "Now, let's win this game!"
As the Rusty Smidge flew around the field for about a minute, everyone tried their best to catch it. But just like the Golden Snitch, doing so was easier said than done. The beetle flew around erratically, dodging all their attempts to get their hands on it. Willow tried grabbing it with her vines, but it looped around the plants before it could snatch it. Amelia and Cat tried to run after the beetle, but it stayed well out of their reach. Amity and Luz gave it their best shot. Running at it from two directions. But the beetle simply flew up, and the girls ran into each other, bouncing off each other and falling on the ground.
"I've got it!" Booker exclaimed, rushing toward the beetle. He was about to clap his hands and cast another spell but never got the chance when Boscha suddenly tackled him to the ground. "Ow!"
"Got you, you fucking half-breed loser!" Boshca screamed in fury as she grabbed Booker's wrists and tried to pin him to the ground. Booker stood up to her all day, and the triclops had reached her breaking point. She couldn't mentally take it anymore. "Stay down!"
"What's your problem?!" Booker shouted back at her as he tried pushing her off. "Why is it so hard for you to stop bullying us!?"
"You think it's that easy? Everything was perfect before you came along! I had my hierarchy, and no one stood up to me. Then you had to come and ruin everything! If it weren't for you, Willow would know her place! Amity wouldn't be so soft if it weren't for you!" Boscha yelled at Booker's face before pulling away one of her hands and igniting another fireball in her hand. She reveled in the fear she put into Booker when he saw it. "Now, let's—"
"Get away from him!" Skara suddenly kicked Boscha in the head. The three-eyed girl cried out in pain as she tumbled away from Booker. Turning to her cousin, Skara offered her hand. "I hope this works as an apology."
Booker was surprised by his cousin's sudden change of heart. But, he nonetheless grabbed her hand. "What took you so long?"
"Just had to see my friend for the person she truly was," Skara said.
"What the fuck, Skara?!" The two cousins turned around to see Boscha looking at them with an almost crazed glare as her bun started to come undone and strands of hair came loose. "You're supposed to be on my team!"
"No. I'm supposed to be your friend . But friendship is a two-way street. Besides…" Skara turned her head to Booker and smirked. "Family is the best team."
Booker smiled and nodded. "Thanks."
"Save it when you get that Smidge," Skara said, nodding at the beetle. Booker turned around and saw that it was flying high in the air and out of reach of everyone. There was no way anyone could get to it.
But someone had a plan.
"Booker!" yelled Willow from where she stood on the field. "Thorn Vault!"
Booker looked at her with wide eyes. Willow responded with a nod and a determined smile. She was ready to finish this game and beat Boscha. And she'll do it with the same trick Luz wanted her to do.
Nodding, Booker clapped his hands and slammed them on the ground. Willow stood ready with a bend in her knees as the ground beneath her crumbled. Before Cat and Amelia could run over and stop her, the Thorn Vault was unleashed. A large pillar of twisting wood shot out of the ground from under the plant witch, sending Willow across the field and into the air.
"NO!" Boscha screamed as she summoned another flaming Grudgby ball. With all her might, she threw it. Intent to put a hole through Willow's chest
Time seemingly slowed down as Willow flew the beetle at fast speeds, her arms reaching out towards it while the flaming ball flew towards her. On the ground, everyone on Booker and Boscha's team watched with bated breaths.
However, just as the ball was about to hit her, Amity threw a ball of abomination goo. With skillful precision, she intercepted the Grudgby ball. Knocking it out of the sky as Willow grabbed the beetle.
The moment she did, Booker's team score went up to 999 points, and air horns blared. In the bleachers, Gus made hundreds of himself to fill the seats, and all of them erupted in cheers.
Willow screamed as she fell to the ground, but she was saved when a bed of flowers appeared, allowing her to land softly on the ground. After picking herself up and straightening her glasses, Willow was gathered by all of her teammates. They were smiling and cheering for her victory.
"We did it!" Luz screamed, hugging Willow as she blushed a bit.
"That was amazing!" Booker exclaimed with a giant grin on his face.
"You were amazing!" Amity joined in praising her friend.
"Aw shucks," Willow said, smiling with embarrassment.
Boscha sat on her knees, still as a statue, and her left eye twitched. An expression of disbelief was plastered on her face. She was unable to comprehend her defeat as Skara, Cat, and Amelia ran up to Booker, Willow, Amity, and Luz.
"Good game, Willow!" The black witch said.
Amelia chimed in and said, "I had so much fun playing with you guys."
"Oh, really?" Willow asked, taken aback by their happiness after losing to them.
"Hell yeah! You're excellent. Would you want to be on our team?" asked Cat.
"Wait, really?" Booker asked, raising an eyebrow and pointing his thumb at the triclops. "Don't you think that'll be too much for Bitcha?"
Skara scoffed and said, "Boscha might be our captain, but she doesn't speak for us."
"LIKE HELL I DON'T!" Boscha suddenly screamed, gaining everyone's attention as she approached them. Her eyes burned with rage after being handed her first-ever loss. "You think that you've won, you half-breed freak!? You think that you now have social dominance over me?!"
"Back off, Boscha!" Amity said and pushed her former friend away. Glaring at her with her anger. "And don't you EVER call him a freak again!"
"I second that! No one talks like that to my cousin," Skara growled. "I'm down letting a horrible person like you push me around anymore. Bridges cross together, and I'm letting you pick on Booker."
"Then you're off the team!" Boscha snapped, disowning Skara right then and there, before turning back to Booker. "And don't think that this is over. Not when the Emperor's Coven finds out about you being a student of Hexside!"
"WHAT?!" Everyone shouted.
"That was not part of the agreement!" Booker yelled, only for Boscha to scoff.
"You think I care? You're a wanted criminal, and I'm going to be rich. I'll be waiting in the front row of your petrification," Boscha said smugly as she turned around and started walking away.
All of a sudden, a vine wrapped around her leg.
"What the—"
Boscha was pulled into the air—upside down—and screamed as she was whipped back around. Hanging from her ankle, she was brought over to face Willow. The plant witch was far from happy as she gave her a glare that made Boscha's blood freeze momentarily.
"No, you wouldn't, Boscha," Willow stated, her voice as cold as winter on the Isles during the deathly frost season. "Because if you do, it wouldn't be pretty."
The way she was talking and the look she gave her made Booker and his friends nervous.
"W-Why wouldn't I?" Boscha tried to remain calm and smug, but the way Willow looked at her whittled down her confidence.
As for Willow, she thought momentarily as she rubbed her chin. "Well, let's think about this, Boscha. If you go to the Emperor's Coven, you'll have to admit that you only found out about the Seventh Son's identity because you lost to him in a Grudgby match. And losing is something that you like, right? But to turn in a person because you couldn't handle losing? That's just low, even for you."
Boscha's eyes widened, realizing it would ruin her reputation if people believed that. "W-Who's gonna believe you?"
"Maybe not Willow," Amelia said as she and Cat looked at her with disappointment, "but what about us?"
"Huh?"
"Boscha, you're our friend, but you're out of control. I'm not turning in Booker. He won, fair and square," Cat said, gesturing to Booker. "So, you can go through with your plan and lose everything…."
"...or you can accept defeat," Willow finished for her. "I'm done with Grudgby for a while, so you don't have to worry about me being on your team. Take Skara back. You take your loss and be seen as a humble player who accepted their defeat."
Boscha glanced between the girls in disbelief. Booker and Luz glanced at one another, wondering what she would do. In the end, however, Boscha had no other option. She let out a sigh and said, "Alright. You win."
"And you're not gonna pick on us again, right?" Booker pointed his finger at her face.
Boscha rolled her eyes. "Yeah, sure, whatever."
Booker looked at Amity. The Blight girl shrugged and said, "It's the best you're gonna get from her."
With everything settled, Boscha was dropped on the ground, not too gently. She got up and marched away with a huff.
"Well, see you girls later," Skara said, walking off.
"Where are you going," asked Amelia. "Don't you want to hang out and play another game?"
"Sorry, Bo's been wanting to go on a date with me for a while. It's time I stopped disappointing her," Skara said.
And with that, the black witch walked away. Her heart cleared of all the negative emotions that had been building up inside. She was free of Boscha's iron grip, just like Amity. Now, she can blossom into a new witch.
"You're—You're not gonna show this to anyone, right?" King said, dancing in his cheerleader outfit while Luz recorded on her phone.
"Of course not. Keep cheering," Eda said.
After leaving the field and the school, Booker and his friends returned to the Owl House to hang out and celebrate their victory. Booker was surprised to see that his aunt and uncle were there. Though, he was happy to be able to introduce them to his friends. Luz, Amit, Willow, and Gus greeted the two witches.
"So, what are you two doing here?" Booker said, looking at his family members.
York and Sarah glanced at one another as they stood before the kids sitting around the table on the couch, Eda, King.
"We wanted to talk to you about…well, a name change," York said.
"What do you mean?" Luz looked a bit concerned.
"The Emperor has labeled us all as traitors. The name Bridges is a dangerous one to have," York said.
"Yeah, but it's my family name!" Booker stood up. Eda placed a hand on his shoulder and gently pushed him back down.
"It's mind too, but I changed it to my wife's maiden name for my family's sake," York said, grabbing Sarah's hand and holding it tightly.
"Throwing on a hat and changing your eye color is one thing. With a different name, no one will know who you are," Sarah said.
"Oooh! Oooh! I've got the perfect name!" Luz sprung up on the couch. "From now on, you're Carlos ."
The others looked at her with confusion.
"Why Carlos," asked Amity.
"He looks like a Carlos."
"No, I don't!" Pulling out a mirror, Booker looked at himself. "Do I?"
Standing behind the couch, Eda snorted and ruffled his hair. "Don't worry, kid. I've got just the right name in mind."
"Really?" Booker said, looking at her with curiosity.
"Oh, don't worry about it," Eda said, siping her blood apple juice. At the same time, she looked down at the ground. "I'll show you when the time's right."
A stack of papers was at her feet and partially hidden under the couch. They were documents for a legal name change. Booker's name and his new name were already filled into the boxes. Eda had already signed her name. All that was needed was for him to sign the papers, and Booker would have his fake name.
Booker Clawthrone.