Tw: Abuse/Physical Injury of a child, Blood, Manipulation, Slight Panic Attack- it's barely a panic attack but putting the warning anyways. I'll put these ~~~ at the beginning and end of that bit.

Luz stared. That's all she could do. Just stare at the roof where the platform had taken Eda away to be petrified. Luz should have taken the key that first day on her mission. She had it in her hand for Titan's sake! But nooo, Luz just had to go back and help Eda against Warden Wrath. Deciding to stall her mission as long as possible and getting herself attached to the criminals that lived in the Owl House.

If she had taken that first chance, Luz wouldn't have grown attached, Eda wouldn't have been captured and petrified, King and Hooty wouldn't have been left alone, and Luz wouldn't have suffered the guilt of it all!

The key hung around her neck, her gloved hand still gripping it tightly her other hand clenched in her lap. She sighed, there wasn't anything she could do now. Luz stood, still clutching the key, and looking away from the roof. She looked down at the key, opening her hand so she could see it in the palm of her gloved hand. She stared at it for a good moment, she was actually able to get it.

She tucked the key away inside her shirt, wiping away the tears she had cried and opened her bag for the rest of her uniform. Putting her white cloak back over her shoulders. Footsteps echoed outside the room, Luz turned around as the door was pushed open by Lilith. A frown made it's way onto Lilith's face once she spotted Luz and no Eda in sight.

"Amber Guard, what are you doing here?" Lilith asked carefully, she held her staff in one hand and made her way into the room. "I could ask you the same thing." Luz replied just as carefully. The two studied each other in silence for a moment. Lilith's body language was tense while Luz was exhausted yet alert.

Lilith broke the silence first. "From the few interactions I've seen, you do care for Edalyn don't you?" Luz looked away "what's it to you?" Luz asked, crossing her arms and glaring at the witch. She still wasn't over her anger at Lilith cursing her own sister.

"You don't want Edalyn to be petrified anymore than I do." Lilith stated like it was fact. "So? Why do you care?" Luz spat, taking a more defensive posture. Lilith looked away for a moment, contemplating before replying. "I'm here to rescue my sister, would you help me?" She asked, looking back at Luz.

Luz blinked in confusion "what?" She asked quietly, unsure if she heard Lilith correctly. "I don't know if I can do it alone. It would be nice to have some backup if things went south." Lilith continued, emboldened by Luz's not immediate hostile reaction.

Luz stared in shock for a moment before shaking her head. "Sorry, but I can't help you." Luz replied with a cold stare. A look of disappointment crossed Lilith's face from Luz's reply, but was quickly replaced by determination. "However, I will not stop you from trying." Luz continued more softly.

Surprise filled Lilith's face "but... why would you step aside?" She asked, confused. Luz didn't reply for a moment, instead choosing to walk past her to the door. Lilith turned to watch her carefully, incase Luz decided to attack. Luz stopped by the door and replied. "You're right about one thing, Lilith. I do care about Eda."

"But there are too many consequences for me if I helped you." Luz stated. "I got what I came for, I won't stop you. I should buy you some time before the Emperor himself notices what you're up too." Luz looked back to Lilith's stunned expression. "Now, you're running out of time Lilith." She said, putting on her mask and opening the door.

Luz turned and made her way down the hall, soon after Luz heard Lilith's footsteps echoing as she headed in the opposite direction. Luz made her way back to the Castle as fast as she could. It was evening by now, the sun slowly starting to sink lower in the sky. Luz knew that Emperor Belos would still be in the throne room until closer to sundown.

She landed on the bridge and quickly made her way through the Castle to the throne room. Twisting and turning down the many halls, Luz finally ended up in front of the throne room doors. She took a deep calming breath before knocking on the door. "You may enter." The voice of Emperor Belos commanded. Luz held her staff in one hand as she pushed open the door with the other.

Emperor Belos sat in his throne, looking over some papers. Hunter stood by his side in his usual spot, Luz would usually be on the opposite side of the throne, but it hasn't been that way in awhile. Belos looked up when Luz entered, making the paper he held disappear with a wave of his hand. Luz kneeled again as Belos stood and came down the steps towards her.

"Rise." He commanded. Luz suppressed a shiver of fear as she stood. "Do you have it?" Belos asked, blue eyes gleaming down at her. Luz took the key out from under her shirt and lifted the string over her head. "Yes, my Lord." She replied. Luz dropped the key in his outstretched hand, Emperor Belos held the key up to eye level.

Luz watched him examine the key, trying hard not to shuffle her feet in nervousness. He finally lowered the key and looked back at Luz. "And the portal?" He asked. "Oh! The key summons the portal, you just have to press the eye." She informed.

Belos pressed the eye of the key and Luz had to step back as the portal door appeared inbetween them. The Emperor grabbed the handle of the briefcase shaped door. "Hunter." Belos called, Hunter quickly moved from his post and to Belos's side. "Yes, Emperor Belos?"

Belos handed him the door. "Take this to my work room, then make your way to the Petrification ceremony. Be very careful with the door." He ordered. Hunter nodded and quickly left the room. Belos put the key safely around his neck before addressing Luz again. "As for you."

"I asked you to bring me the portal door, you then informed us about the key and went out of your way to retrieve that as well." Belos started. "However," Luz tensed as he paused. "The Titan is upset at how long you've taken on this simple mission and it is my duty to punish you."

~~~~~

There was no warning for Luz as Belos lashed out with a green, goopy, spiked arm. Her mask was knocked away and clattered to the floor, along with Luz dropping her staff in surprise. A searing pain just above her right eye flared. Luz shrieked in pain and stumbled back as Belos retracted his arm, Luz had to close her right eye as blood dripped down her face. She held a gloved hand to the deep cut in an attempt to stop the bleeding.

Luz breathed in ragged gasps, she couldn't panic now. She shoved her internal panic down and forced her breathing back to normal. She achieved this by pressing against her new injury, it flared with more pain and she suppressed a hiss but it did ground her away from her panic.

Belos continued on as if he hadn't just cut her eyebrow open. "The Titan still has plans for you so I will not be healing you just yet." Luz looked up in disbelief with her left eye, her right still closed. "You understand why I had to punish you, correct?" He didn't give her time to reply before answering for her. "By taking as long as you did, you delayed the Day of Unity, making the Titan upset and letting wild magic like your curse run rampant through the Isles."

"This is another reason why I cannot heal your curse. It seems you still haven't fully realized the dangers of wild magic that plague us day after day." He paused for a moment, contemplating something. The cut above Luz's eye still throbbed with pain but it wasn't as bad as before. She took her hand away, wiping the still dripping blood off so she could open her right eye again.

~~~~~~

Belos set a hand on her shoulder as Luz tried not to flinch. "I still see that you went out of your way to get me the key and you've still proved your loyalty to the Emperor's Coven. That at least can be rewarded." Luz's breath caught in her throat, reward? Blood still steadily dripped down her face, but she ignored it in fear of making Belos lash out again if she moved.

"Instead of the Conformatorium, you will now have a room within the Castle. Hunter will show you after the Petrification, speaking of Petrification we should probably not waste anymore time." He squeezed her shoulder tightly before letting go. "Pick up your mask and staff, we have a show to watch."

Luz scrambled to do as told. Once her mask was in place, Belos teleported them to the Conformatorium. Luz felt queasy after the teleportation, it passed quickly and Luz noticed they were in a large room with towering statues covered in red tendrils. They stood in front of a small platform. There was yelling and shouting from above, the sounds of spells being cast reached Luz's ears.

Belos stepped onto the platform and Luz quickly followed. Belos tapped his staff against the platform as a screech rang out from above. As the platform lifted them up Luz blinked away the blood that still dripped steadily over her eye so she could see better. Once they reached the top, Luz looked around at the chaos.

The Petrification machine was destroyed and most of the guards were knocked out, including Kikimora. The crowd of people below were cheering. Hunter was in the middle of mounting his staff when Belos put a hand on his shoulder to stop him. Luz looked up at the sky, a large beast was flying away from them. Most likely Eda and Lilith.

Luz's heart ached as she watched them escape. Belos stepped forward to address the citizens as Hunter went to stand beside her. She looked away from the speck that was Eda in the sky and looked to Hunter instead. She was glad Eda was able to escape but a part of her wished she could go with them.

Hunter was looking back at her, she couldn't tell what his expression was due to his mask. He nudged her gently with his shoulder before turning his attention to the Emperor as Luz turned her attention back as well.

"Children of the Isles. The Titan has told me to spare the Owl Lady's life, but in return, her curse will strip away all her powers. Let her monstrous form be a lesson about the dangers of wild magic." Emperor Belos warned the citizens below. As he spoke the guards that had tried to stop Eda from escaping slowly picked themselves up.

Not too long later the crowd dispersed and the guards returned to their duties. Emperor Belos teleported Luz and Hunter back to the Castle, into the throne room. Once again Luz felt sick after the teleportation, it passed quicker than last time at least. Emperor Belos sat on his throne as Luz and Hunter stood before him, waiting to be dismissed.

The moon steadily climbed higher into the sky, casting its reflected rays of light onto the Isles. Emperor Belos finally addressed them. "Tomorrow morning Hunter, Luz. You will be doing the morning patrol around the castle, then return to your training."

"Of course." Hunter replied with a nod. Luz nodded as well. Of course Belos still didn't allow her to do patrols on her own.

Still, Luz knew the reason why Belos always sent someone with her. To make sure she didn't run away from the Emperor's Coven. Then again, hadn't she just proved that she would come back? Luz had been out on her own for a month and she still came back. The stinging of her eyebrow reminded her that perhaps Belos wasn't wrong to send someone with her. She did delay coming back as long as possible, and thought about staying with Eda multiple times.

Belos dismissed them and they left the throne room quietly. Once the doors closed behind them, Hunter stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. Luz turned to look at him questioningly, but before she could ask, Hunter pulled her in for a hug. Startled, Luz froze for a moment before hugging back.

Hunter didn't do hugs. Luz didn't do hugs either. They surely didn't hug each other, ever. Sure there was the occasional pat on the back or high five, a playful punch to the arm or teasing... lots of teasing and getting on each other's nerves. But they've never hugged before.

Hunter pulled away from the hug as quickly as he had given it. "What was that?" Luz asked with a slight chuckle in her voice. Hunter shrugged, "I just missed you is all, and I'm glad you're safe." He replied, he started to walk and she easily fell onto step beside him.

"It was soooooo boring without you here. I had to do so much more paperwork than normal!" Hunter complained as he led Luz through the halls of the castle. Luz smirked smugly under her mask, "the great and feared Golden Guard missed little ol' me?" She teased.

"Pff- hu- what!? No! I did not! I did not miss you- not one bit!" Hunter spluttered as Luz laughed loudly. She could practically hear the embarrassment in his voice. "Clearly, you just missed me doing all the paperwork." Luz stated with a grin.

"Yes! Exactly! You're a lot better at that than I am, even if you are really slow." Hunter jabbed, Luz did a mock offended gasp. "You clearly know how long my attention span lasts, especially when it's something so boring. It's practically nonexistent!"

"Your focus doesn't last long on anything. In fact, I'm surprised you were able to get your mission done with all the possible distractions of living with a criminal." Hunter laughed. "How did that go anyway? You took quite awhile on that mission." He asked.

They turned a corner and headed down another hall before Luz replied, a lot more somber. "It was great for the most part. Eda wasn't actually that bad. It's just... I don't know, I just have a lot of feelings that I don't know what to do with right now."

Hunter hummed. "Uncle wasn't too happy as the days passed. You didn't give that many reports either." He noted as the two stopped by a door and stood there. "Yeah I know I should have given more reports. Kikimora is just... ughhhh, ya know?" Luz replied. Hunter chuckled "I know, I know. She's the worst." He agreed.

"What... what happened after I left the throne room earlier? If you don't mind me asking." Hunter asked carefully. Luz didn't answer right away, looking to the door instead of at Hunter. "I took too long on the mission, I know I deserved it but... I think he gave me another scar, above my eye that is." She looked down at her unoccupied gloved hand, noticing the dried blood that stained it.

Hunter noticed as well and gave a sympathetic nod. Not knowing how to reply, he changed the subject instead. "Well, at least you have your own room now! And it's basically right across from mine." He took a key out of his pocket and unlocked the door, opening it and letting Luz step inside first before following. The door closing behind them with a soft click.

Luz looked around the room, there was a desk on the left wall with a chair. The desk didn't have anything on it and Luz didn't think there would be anything in the drawers either. On the right side was a door that Luz assumed led into a bathroom and beside the door was a wooden wardrobe that most likely had copies of her Amber Guard uniform. Luz only just realizing she hadn't washed this pair in ages, then again she hadn't really worn it all that much either.

In the left corner was a bed with a window, of course the window had bars on it. Making sure she wouldn't escape out the only window in the room. Luz walked deeper into the room, taking her mask off and setting it on the desk. She looked to Hunter still standing by the door. "Well it's better than a cell!" She shrugged.

"It's similar to my room, just more empty and amber colored themed." Hunter noticed how the trimming on the white walls were amber colored, the bed, and the trimming around the brown wooden doors. "And no cell bars." He noted upon seeing the window.

"It's still a cell in a way. Just more roomie and more comfortable." Luz stated. "And with that, I should probably head out to my own room. Sooo..." Hunter trailed, holding a hand out. Luz looked at him confused for a moment before remembering their usual routine. "Ah, right. Forgot 'bout that." She said, clicking her staff into pen form once more and handing it to him with a sigh.

"Sorry, it's just procedures." Hunter apologized before noticing her belt. He clipped her staff to his belt and pointed at her's. "What are those potions there?" He asked. Luz looked down at her belt, she'd forgotten she still had her belt and bag with her. The potions on her belt were her Paralyzing Mixtures, perhaps she shouldn't tell Hunter though. She didn't want them to be confiscated after all.

"Their... my elixirs. The Coven stopped providing me with them after I went on my mission. Sooo I had to get a hold of some, I still have a lot left. Most are in my bag." She explained easily. Hunter studied her for a moment before relenting. He shrugged "alright, well I'll unlock your door in the morning and we can go on morning patrol together." Hunter said, turning to leave. Luz nodded with a sigh, "alright."

"Night." Hunter said, before leaving. The door closed behind him and soon the click of the lock could be heard. "Night." Luz replied softly. She closed her eyes for a moment and breathed deeply. She had to get used to this routine again, though it was slightly different with the whole new room thing going on. So ya know, positives.

She opened her eyes and exhaled, she took her gloves off first and tossed them on the desk. Her cloak following after she folded it, she took her boots off next, kicking them beside the desk. She paused as her hand rested on the clip of her purple cloak that Eda gave her. She unclipped it and tossed it onto the bed, not looking at it as she took her tunic off next. Her chest armor, belt, and bag were taken off last to sit beside everything else she set onto the desk. Leaving her in the white and purple shirt, black leggings, and socks.

She headed into the bathroom next to get ready for bed. It was a standard bathroom, toilet, sink, shower, mirror above the sink. No bathtub though, which was fine. Luz doubted that she would even have time to take a full on bath anyways. She went to the sink and looked over the cut on her eyebrow.

It was a smaller cut than Luz thought it would be. It was definitely deep and Luz was pretty sure it would scar. It wasn't bleeding anymore, thank Titan, but she still needed to clean the dried blood off. She looked in the cabinet under the sink for anything useful, luckily there was a small healing kit. She'd have to ask Hunter if he'd put it there for her, tomorrow.

Luz opened the kit and took a look inside. There were a few healing stickers, though they seemed to be weaker ones than the one Eda used for her shoulder a couple days ago. Titan... it's only been three days since her whole curse fiasco, and her time limit.

She sighed and looked over the other contents of the kit. There were two viles of pain relieving potion, some bandages, and band-aids. She took out a band-aid and healing sticker and put the kit away. She turned the water on and washed her face first, drying her face on a washcloth afterwards and applying the band-aid over the cleaned cut. Then she applied the healing patch over the band-aid, so it would heal slightly faster.

Luz left the bathroom, opening the wardrobe doors to see if there was any pajamas she could wear. There wasn't of course. She grunted in annoyance and closed the doors. She'd have to ask Hunter to get her something. In the meantime it looks like she was sleeping in her striped shirt and leggings. The exhaustion was hitting her, but there were still a few things she had to do first.

Now that she knew she had multiple uniforms, she dumped the one she had been wearing in the basket located in the bathroom. The mask and chest armor were the only things she left on the desk that was apart of her uniform. She grouped her belt over with the uniform pieces, it'd probably be fine to include it as part of her uniform. Luz emptied her bag from elixirs and put the potions away within the drawers of the desk.

Once done with all of that, there wasn't really anything for her to do left except to sleep. So turning to her new bed she prepared to just flop face first and pass out, but she ended up spotting the purple cloak she threw there earlier. Pausing for a moment she stared, and once more guilt clawed within her- or was it her curse?

Either way it wasn't pleasant, she hesitated before picking up the cloak. Feeling the soft fabric between her fingers before looking up and out the window. The moon was high up in the sky by now, Luz wondered if Lilith told Eda about her involvement in Eda's capture. She wondered what Eda thought of her now. Did she feel betrayed? Angry? Vengeful even? What about King? He was upset and confused when she left. Was he angry with her now? Or did he still hope she'd come back?

Her grip tightened on the fabric, she looked back down at it and gritted her teeth. Luz quickly went over to the desk and opened the bottom drawer, throwing the cloak inside and slamming the drawer closed. She set her hands on the sides of the desk, her claws digging into the wood. She blinked back tears, why was she getting so worked up over this!?

She didn't need Eda. She didn't need King. All she needed was this stupid curse to be healed and return back home. Back to the Owl- the Human Realm. The Human Realm was her home, she didn't belong here. It was too dangerous for a human like her to stay in the Boiling Isles.

She took too long on her mission, if she didn't take so long- maybe Luz would have been healed already. But Belos and the Titan still needed her for the Day of Unity. Why? Why was she so important? She was just a human, insignificant and unimportant. Surely there was someone better for the job?

She punched the wall in anger, not registering the pain spreading in her hand. She wanted to go home. That's all she wanted.

Why couldn't she just go home?