Luz woke up after falling asleep at the table while trying to find a way to open a portal to the human realm and/or Hell. Nothing.

'Ugh, our back. Sleeping like this is not healthy.' Angel Luz said, feeling the soreness of their back.

'Don't remind us! I need some fucking coffee with a pint of blood on the size.' Devil side said.

'The Dracula special? No thanks, too fatty.' Luz thought as she stood up.

That's when Eda came in.

"Hey, kid, still no luck?" Eda asked.

"None. And I was up all night. I read every tome, book, notepad, and tea leaf." Luz said, holding up a cup with tea leaves forming a shrugging motion, "But nothing explains how to make a portal to the human realm."

"Wish I could help, but the portal was already pretty old when I found it." Eda said, heading outside the house, "I found it in the dirt and used it to hide from a... certain person. Speaking of."

Eda looked at her watch.

"Three... two... one... and here we go again."

Right as Eda said that, a tornado came towards the house, before stopping and going away, revealing an elderly lady holding a Shepard's hook staff with a large bird on top.

"Hello, Witchlet." She said, opening her arms, "Come here and give me a hug!"

She ran over to Eda, but was stopped when Eda put an arm out and held her back.

"Gwendolyn." Eda said.

"Gwendolyn? Who is Gwendolyn?" Luz asked, walking outside.

"An uninvited guest that always pops up around this time of year." Eda said, pushing Gwendolyn back a bit.

Gwendolyn's smile didn't leave her face.

"Oh, Edalyn, would it kill you to call me mom for once?" Gwendolyn asked.

"Wait, that's your mother!?"

"With all the shit you've put me through over the years, yes." Eda said as she crossed her arms. "Now what do you want?...is what I would ask if I didn't already know what you want."

"I am here to heal you of your curse!" Gwendolyn said.

"Yeah, like every year." Eda said, "And every year, if fails... besides, I've already taken care of it."

"Those elixirs are made by scam artist, there's no telling what's actually in them." Gwen said.

"Actually there is, I was in the potions track in school. Remember? Besides, I stopped taken those a while ago because I found a better solution." Eda said, crossing her arms.

"Wait, what?" Gwendolyn asked in surprise. "You have?"

"YEP. And it's this girl right here." Eda said before pointing to Luz.

"Eda, I don't think we should be talking about that in front of your mother, plus it only makes you more resilient, it hasn't completely removed the curse." Luz said.

"Removed or not, I haven't needed an elixir in weeks. I'll just pop one down my gullet when the signs show." Eda said, waving her hand.

"Eda, either you go an elixir now or I order to." Luz said blankly.

"Fine, fine, I'm going." Eda said, "Try to keep an eye on her, Luz, you never know when she'll try something."

Eda left for the inside of her home, allowing Luz to get a full view of Gwendolyn as she got the same Luz.

'Dang, for an old woman, she's pretty swole.' Devil Luz said, noticing Gwendolyn's muscular arms.

"So, you must be this demon I've heard so much about." Gwendolyn said.

"Yep, that's me. Half demon princess of Hell from the Human Realm." Luz said before holding her hand out. "Luz Noceda, pleasure to meet you."

"Hm, I think you could help me." Gwen said, shaking Luz's hand.

"Let me guess, help you with possibly another failed attempt to cure Eda?" Luz asked.

"Oh, it's not going to fail. I have the utmost faith that this one will work." Gwendolyn said with passion.

"And you know this how?"

"I have enlisted the help of a powerful witch, one that came to me when I was almost ready to give up on helping my daughter." Gwendolyn said as she gestured to the wooden medallion she was wearing. "Wortlop."

"Okay... and how exactly is he supposed to help?" Luz asked.

"Follow me and I can show you." Gwendolyn said, hoping on her shepherd's hook staff.

'Eh, fuck it, I have nothing else going on today.' Luz thought.

Luz got on the staff and held on as Gwendolyn took off at high speed into the forest.

"Wow. You like to go fast." Luz said.

"Well, that might just be the excitement." Gwen said, "For thirty years I've been trying to heal Eda, and today is the day I will succeed."

"Thirty years? Damn, you're a dedicated woman." Luz commented.

"Thank you." Gwen said with a smile.

It was a fairly long flight, but they landed.

"This is Wortlop's lair?" Luz asked, looking around a random and rocky part of the forest.

"Yes. And only his devote followers can enter." Gwen said, approaching a large stone.

Gwen held up her wooden pendant, making the symbol glow as the large boulder moved aside to reveal a cave.

"Ooo, secret entrance." Luz said.

"And it gets better. Follow me inside." Gwen said.

They walked inside, revealing a cave that looks like something out of a movie where you find the one that knows the answer to your questions.

'This might actually work.' Luz thought.

'All flash, don't fall for it until you see actual magic.' Devil side said to her.

'Remember Adegast, not everything is as it seems.' Angel side said.

Remembering that demon, Luz kept her expression firm before they reached the demon Gwen had been following. A four armed, gray skinned male in a typical wizard robe that looked like a nightshirt and hat.

'Never seen someone like him before.'

"Watch Luz." Gwen whispered, pointing to a gremlin bowing before Wortlop.

"Please, great Wortlop, help me. My eyes, the pain. It's too much." The gremlin said, showing his dirty and possibly infected eyes.

It was like pink eye times 10. The old witch waves his hand, casting a spell circle. A circle of purple light surrounds the gremlin and lifts him up. The light then flashes, and after that, the gremlin is healed.

'Huh, that's... impressive.' Luz thought, clearly a bit skeptical, 'I feel like Cat would've told me about this guy when I talked to her last week about Eda's curse.'

"Your ailment is no more, my child. Go now and live happily." Wortlop said as the gremlin bowed to him.

"Thank you, master Wortlop! Thank you!" The gremlin said before leaving with glee.

"See, Luz? He's amazing." Gwen said.

"He's... something alright." Luz said.

"Greetings, Master Wortlop." Gwen said, "I have brought the requested items."

"Items?" Luz asked before Gwen reached into her hair and pulled out a large burlap sack.

'Oh, so it's genetic? Cool.' Luz thought.

Wortlop nodded to these and used levitation to take them before summoning a thick tome to his hands.

"Here is the tome you seek, Gwendolyn. Read this and your daughter's curse shall be no more." Wortlop said, giving the book to Gwen.

Gwen took it and smiled.

"Thank you, Master Wortlop, come Luz, we have some work to do." Gwen said.

Luz nodded as she stared at Wortlop for a moment, getting a friendly wave from the old witch before turning to leave with Gwen.

'Something is off about that guy.' Luz thought.

Luz pulled out her scroll, yes, she stole it from a store, they weren't going to do anything to stop her, and texted Cat.

'Hey Cat, I need to ask you something.' Luz texted.

'...What is it?' Cat texted back.

'You ever heard of a healer by the name of Wortlop? Four arms, dark bluish gray skin, wears a sort of green robe/nightgown.' Luz texted.

'What the fuck? If he's that good he's unregistered, because as Miss Cutburn's apprentice, I know all the healers in the isles.' Cat texted, 'In fact, I'll text you back, I'm going to go talk to Miss Cutburn.'

'Let me know as soon as possible cuz I just met the guy and he didn't seem all that genuine to me. I can feel it in my demonic guts.' Luz texted.

'Sure that's not just someone you ate?' Cat texted.

Luz chuckled at the joke before replying 'lol' and putting the scroll away.

"So, now that you have that book, how is it going to help Eda with her curse exactly?" Luz asked.

"This book gives a step by step process to heal Edalyn." Gwen said.

Gwen opened the book and began reading as Luz tried to do the same, only for Gwen to pull away.

"Sorry, Luz. Only the followers of Wortlop can read and understand his ancient tomes." Gwen said.

"I can speak 17 languages, 4 of which originate from the afterlife and two are dead human languages." Luz said, "I can easily understand anything."

"Well, not that I don't believe you, but these are of witch language." Gwen said, walking ahead a bit.

"It's the same as English!" Luz said as she groaned. "Whatever, can we just get this over with already? I want to help Eda just as much as you do right now."

"Right, first thing we need to do is lure her away from her house." Gwen said.

'Lure her away, huh?' Luz thought, instantly coming up with the perfect bait.

"Booze. Apple blood or maybe something from Earth or Hell on Earth would work, and luckily, one of the first spells I learned." Luz held out her hand a bottle of whiskey showed up, "Was how to summon alcohol."

Luz took the top off and started drinking it.

"Are you drinking? At your age?" Gwen said, actually surprised by this.

"I'm from Hell, I don't care about what drinking age law I'm breaking." Luz said before offering the bottle to Gwen. "Want a sip before we start?"

"No, I'd rather focus on Edalyn."

"Your loss." Luz said as she took another swig.

For the next 2 hours, Luz had helped Gwen set up a route and several traps to "drive the curse" out of Eda. All of which seemed shady and ridiculous but Luz wasn't going to judge their effectiveness YET.

"Alright, everything is set up. Now we just have to get Eda out." Gwen said as they were back at the owl house, sitting in a tree. "Luz, if you would."

"Leave it to me." Luz said, jumping down to the front door.

(Line break)

Inside, Eda was playing the knife game, doing very good until there was a knock on the door, making her stab her hand on accident.

"Oh, damn it." Eda said, pulling the knife out and heading to the door, "this had better be good otherwise I'm pulling a page out of Luz's book and cannibalizing someone."

She opened the door and found no one there, but a sign with an arrow that said FREE APPLE BLOOD.

"Mmm, a part of me thinks this is just a trick to get me out of my house so it can be ransacked...but another part of me think this is real and I am VERY THIRSTY for alcohol right now." Eda said before whistling loudly. "Owlbert! Come to mama!"

The palisman came to life from the den, flying over to his "mother" as Eda grabs the staff handle.

"Hooty, watch the house and King." Eda said to the house demon, shutting the door behind her.

"Now to get me some good old night juice." Eda said,

Back in the trees, Luz and Gwen watched as Eda took the bait and left the owl house.

"Step one is complete. Now, onto step two." Gwen said, opening Wortlop's book again.

"And that is?" Luz asked, trying but failing to look at the book.

'Grandpa, is this how the others felt when I brought out my tome?'

"We lower the owl beast's defense with special calming crystals." Gwen said, drawing a spell circle.

Eda looked up and saw sharp crystals falling towards her. She moved out of the way just before they could stab her.

"Knife season came early this year." Eda said.

A large crystal came out of nowhere, almost crushing Eda as she quickly moved to dodge it.

"YIKES. That's a big one." Eda said with wide eyes.

She let out a growl at this.

Some feathers began to put out of her arm but Eda just ripped them out, continuing on the path as Luz and Gwen turned to each other.

"Well, that failed. What's next?" Luz asked blankly.

"We have to put that beast on ice." Gwen said, making a spell circle.

A cloud formed and began to release a snow storm around Eda and that made Eda cover her eyes from the wind.

"A windstorm?!" Eda said before feeling ice forming around her, "Ugh, I could've sworn this was the BOILING Isles, why is there ice!?"

With a snap of her fingers, Eda summoned some red fight around her body and melted away the ice around her. She growled and feathers began to pop out of her arm.

'Another try and fail.' Luz thought as she noticed the feathers.

'Did she not... mother fucker.' Luz thought.

'We gave her a direct order and she had the balls to disobey us?!' Devil side shouted in anger.

'Okay... I'm mad.' Luz thought.

Luz genuinely cared about Eda and her wellbeing, it was the entire she made a deal with her to save her from being stuck as the Owl Beast! And yet, she still didn't listen to her when she said to take her elixir!

"Gwen, what next?" Luz asked, not caring if it hurt Eda or not.

She needs to be taught a lesson. Gwen looked through the book.

"Already on it. The next step is right here." Gwen said with a smile, happy to have Luz's help.

'Luz, don't let your anger cloud your judgement.' Angel side said.

'I'm not, I'm teaching Eda a lesson in listening to her friend.' Luz thought as Gwen began the next step in "curing the curse."

'But what if this causes more issues?' Angel side asked.

'Then she deserves it!' Demon side said.

For the next 2 hours or so, Luz and Gwen kept trying "cures" from Wortlops book to rid Eda of the owl beast.

They having Eda wrestle with other beasts.

Drowning Eda in non-boiling water.

Even magical landmines full of "magical ointment" that burned to prove it worked.

'Okay, these aren't working.' Luz thought.

'Then you know what we must do?' Angel side said.

'Yeah, yeah, we know. We get Gwen to stop this and shove an elixir down Eda's gullet. Bottle and all.' Devil side said.

"Gwen, I think it's time to stop this. None of these cures have worked an-" Luz said before noticing Gwen wasn't next to her anymore. "Huh? Where the home did she go?"

She looked around and saw Gwen a few feet away loading things into a bag while talking on a crow.

"Alright, I'm sending the money now, Master Wortlop." Gwen said into the crow.

"Uh, what?" Luz asked.

"Oh! Sorry, Luz. Just handling a little business over the phone." Gwen said as she let the crow fly away.

"What kind of business, if you don't mind me asking?" Luz asked.

"Oh, turns out this tome is only the first in an extensive series." Gwen said.

"Series? Extensive?" Luz repeated but in reverse.

'I hate where this is going.' Demon and Angel side said.

"Gwen, let me see that book." Luz said.

"Luz, I told you before, only followers of Wortlop can understand his readings." Gwen said, holding the book firmly in her arm.

"And I am going to tell you this once. Don't make repeat myself." Luz said as her eyes glow red. "Now GIVE ME that book."

Gwen didn't budge.

"Fine."

Luz used her smoke phasing to become black smoke and phased through Gwen, grabbing the book in the process.

"Hey!" Gwen said before the smoke restrain her like chains!

Luz caught the book and began reading through it, stopping after just three pages.

"Gwen, I am going to give you my complete and honest opinion of this book." Luz said with a straight face. "It is COMPLETE and TOTAL bullshit."

"Wortlop is an honest person!" Gwen said.

"If he's honest, why is this book full of nothing but scams, crappy products, and a two page cover that just says to support only him for potions?" Luz asked, showing the two page spread of Wortlop pointing to himself and to only buy his products.

"It is not, it's just... unconventional methods." Gwen said.

"Really? And this add for volume 7 for 17 payments of 180 snails is unconventional to you?" Luz asked, showing Gwen the last two pages of the book.

"That's... that's just-"

"You need to stop falling for this, I've seen thousands of people like this in the human realm, they aren't trying to help, they're trying to make money!" Luz said.

"No! You're wrong! It can't be fake!" Gwen said in denial.

'Denial, huh? Wonder when anger gets here.' Luz thought.

That's when Eda came out of the tree line, and she did NOT look happy.

"This better be the oldest, stinkiest, and drunkest pint of appleblood I will ever come across or so help me, I will burn this forest to the ground." Eda muttered to herself.

She dusted herself off and looked up, seeing Luz and Gwen, and her anger had skyrocketed at seeing them but was also curious to why her mother was being restrained by smoke.

"Okay, what the fuck is going on here?!" Eda shouted at the two of them.

"I could ask the same thing but we have more pressing matters." Luz said, jumping down and showing Eda the "sacred book" of Wortlop. "Your mom has been scammed."

"Of course she did, this happens every fucking year!" Eda said, "When I tell you I don't want you to help, it means I don't want you to FUCKING HELP! My entire life you've done this! Go bother Lily for a change!"

Luz saw more feathers pop out.

"Eda, you need to-"

Eda turned to Luz.

"Don't you tell me to calm down, you have no idea what it's like to have her as a mother, how many times her 'Cures' have nearly killed me!" Eda roared, "I am just... SO DONE!"

Eda's eyes turned black. Luz took a step back as Eda dropped Owlbert, falling to the ground as her body drastically changed from woman to beast. OWL beast to be exact.

'Um, is it just me or does beast Eda look...different?' Angel side asked with a whimper.

'YEP. She looks TOTALLY different.' Demon side said with a blank tone.

Eda was bigger, her teeth sharper, her mouth starting to glow a bit. She growled at Luz.

"Eda, it's me, remember?" Luz asked.

"ROOOOOOOOAH!" Eda screeched before flames spat out of her mouth!

"GAH!" Luz shouted as she ducked back.

Eda then slammed into Luz and knocked her over, before flying into the air.

"Sweet flea!" Gwen shouted, seeing her daughter flying away.

"Damn it!" Luz said, running after Eda.

What Luz didn't know, was she dropped her scroll on the ground. When she left Gwen, the smoke around her disappeared and released her. Gwen noticed the scroll, and the notification sound that came from it.

'Hmm, Luz's scroll?' Gwen thought as she jumped out of the tree and picked up the scroll.

There was a message from Cat.

'Hey Luz, I found some information in Wortlop like you wanted, you won't believe what I found about him.' Cat texted.

Gwen didn't want to pry into Luz's private conversations... but her mind was already buzzing.

'Go ahead.' Gwen texted, pretending to be Luz to see what Cat found.

'Wow, pretty polite, that's new. Usually you'd just say "Show Me".' Cat texted, before linking several articles of Wortlop and the multiple scams he's done.

Gwen closed the scroll, clearly having a mental debate.

'He... he can prove that these are false allegations... right?' Gwen thought, heading in the direction of Wortlop.

(Line Break)

Luz was running towards Bonesborough. She patted around for her scroll, but couldn't find it.

'Damn it, I don't have time to go look for it!' Luz thought, before pulling out a walkie talkie that she found by a trash slug the other day.

"King, we have an Owl Beast problem, grab an Elixir and meet me at the Bonesborough Market Place!" Luz said.

"Just one? You sure?" King asked through the walkie.

Luz looked up and saw smoking coming from town, meaning that Eda had been using her new fire breath very loosely.

"Bring three just to be safe. NOW." Luz said as she ran faster.

'I have to slow her down somehow.'

Once she reached town, Luz jumped up to the rooftops and ran across in her search for Eda. Simply following the billows of smoke rising into the sky.

"And of course I left the Grom Blade at home." Luz said.

'Why do I keep forgetting such a useful weapon?!' Luz thought in frustration.

She saw Eda and ran across the roof, before lunging and attempting to tackle Eda. Eda put her wing out and used as much strength as she had to slam into Luz. Luz was sent a good distance away, crashing into a very large house.

"... Ow!" Luz said.

A person ran over to Luz and help her up.

"Luz, I am so glad you're here." Skara said, "... Well, I would've liked it if you used the door as opposed to crashing through my wall, but I can always put a window there later."

Skara held up two identical dresses, one red and one black.

"I have a date, which dress do you think looks best?" Skara asked, putting the red one in front of her, then putting the black one in front.

Luz, almost forgetting about Eda, looked as Skara began to move the dresses.

"Hmm... Black, and maybe put your hair down, it'll make it pop out more." Luz said.

Skara hugged Luz.

"Thanks, girl! I owe you one!"

"Cool, we can talk about me taking your soul later." Luz said, before remembering Eda.

She pushed Skara out of the way and jumped back through the hole.

'Worth it!' Skara thought with a grin, walking off to get ready for her date.

She wasn't going to complain about the hole in her home. Her parents had great home insurance. Luz, meanwhile, was running back towards the owl beast.

"HYAH!" Luz shouted, tackling Eda.

Eda then bit down on her and threw her away.

"Not this time!" Luz shouted as she shot flames from her hands and fired back at Eda!

The half human shoulder tackled Eda, knocking her off course and into an alley bellow. She jumped down and landed right on Eda's head.

"Come on, Eda, don't make me hurt you!" Luz said.

"ROOOOOOOAH!" Eda roared as she worried more flames, trying to buck Luz off her.

'... Well, she's a pseudo immortal.' Luz thought before bringing her claws out.

She slammed her claws against Eda's head, drawing blood and making Eda screech in pain. Luz then jumped down and put her other hand against Eda's chin, once again drawing blood, and threw her into the alley wall.

"Eda... I can't physically kill you... so don't give me a reason to use my full strength."

Eda slowly rose from the ground as her wounds healed, growling at Luz as the flames in her mouth began to burn brighter and hotter.

'She's going for another breath attack. This time, I'm ready.' Luz thought.

Eda slowly rose from the ground as her wounds healed, growling at Luz as the flames in her mouth began to burn brighter and hotter.

'She's going for another breath attack. This time, I'm ready.' Luz thought.

Eda blasted fire at Luz, but Luz used her smoke phasing to avoid it.

'Now I've got you!' Luz thought, rushing and reforming around Eda's neck in a chokehold!

"YOU AKSED FOR THIS!" Luz shouted, forcing and slamming Eda's chin to the ground.

'King, I would appreciate it if you'd make it here faster!' Luz thought.

Thankfully, his stubby little legs came around the corner, carrying a few elixir bottles. Unfortunately, Eda got her second wind and knocked Luz off and charged at King.

"WAAAAH!" King screamed as he skid to a halt!

"KING!" Luz yelled.

Eda raised her claws... but wasn't able to slice King, as her front leg was frozen by magic.

"Now, Edalyn, I don't wish to treat you like an average beast, but if you don't stop, then I won't have a choice." Gwen said, holding out a hand with a spell circle active.

Hearing and seeing Gwen made Eda even angrier, making her turn her full attention to her instead of Luz and King. Gwen, being a beast keeper, made a spell circle with her staff and covered Eda with a numbing spell that vets used.

"Urrrrr!" Eda groaned, feeling herself become weaker before collapsing to the ground.

Luz ran up and forced Eda's mouth open.

"King, now!"

"Got it!" King shouted as he removed the cork with his mouth, spitting it to the ground! "Fire in the hole!"

King threw the elixir in the air in an arch, landing perfectly in Eda's mouth as she swallowed the entire bottle.

'Please work.' Luz thought.

Eda paused for a moment as her body began shaking, glowing even as Gwen was now struggling to keep her down.

"It's okay, don't struggle."

Eda kept growling as the glow grew brighter, blinding the trio as she exploded in magic that took the form of giant Phoenix screeching. When it began to simmer, Eda was on the ground, back to normal.

"Ugh, I really don't pay Morton enough for this stuff." Eda said, rubbing her head in pain.

"Eda, you're back to normal!" Luz said, before grabbing her dress and shaking Eda, "WHEN I SAY TAKE YOUR ELIXIR, YOU TAKE THE FUCKING ELIXIR!"

'AND IF YOU DISOBEY ME AGAIN, ILL RIP YOUR HEAD OFF AND USE IT AS A SOCCER BALL!' Devil side screamed in rage.

Naturally, Eda didn't hear that, as only Luz can hear the two sides. Eda stepped back and dusted her dress off.

"Okay, I get it."

"You better!" Luz said as she crossed her arms, looking to Gwen. "And you. Do you have anything to say to your daughter about all you put her through today?"

"Yes, I do... Edalyn, I am so, so sorry for everything that happened today, along with everything that I've tried in the past." Gwen said.

"Yeah, it's fine, mom." Eda said, somewhat not caring.

"NO! It's-It's not fine, Eda." Gwen said, shaking her head as she moved closer to Eda. "Back then, I tried to make you think your curse was a defect. Something you should be ashamed of but I should've accepted that it was a part of you. A part of you that I should've loved and accepted like all parts of you."

Luz grabbed King and took a step back, as this was clearly a moment between mother and daughter.

"Oh! Um.....I didn't expect that, mom, but it's okay. Really." Eda said before Gwen hugged her tightly, "Uh, not really the hugging type of person."

"Hug your mother NOW." Luz said, using her authority over Eda's soul to make her hug Gwen back.

'Just this once. I swear to grandpa.' Luz thought.

Eda did so.

"Dang it, Luz." Eda muttered as her mother hummed with a smile. "Fine, I'll hug you just this once, ma."

"Might wanna leave before the coven guards show up." Luz said.

"On that, we can agree. Also, visit Lily more, mom. I know she seems "all together" but she seriously craves your attention." Eda said to Gwen.

"I suppose it's an overdue visit." Gwen said.

"By about 30 years." Eda muttered as they both chuckled.

Eventually, they broke their hug and quickly left the scene with Luz and King. Luz was clearly done with the day.

'Hmmm, I never asked but who was Skara getting ready for a date with?' Luz thought.

'I'll have to text... still don't have my scroll... fuck.'