A Krampusnacht Carol

Consequences

The following holidays in the Human Realm after that Christmas, Amity had made excuses to be absent. Once she had gotten her magic back in a way that wouldn't injure Vee, she had started with using her magic more blatantly. While she had met with substantial prejudice at first, she had buried herself in the the idea that she had to make things better. She had partnered up with Eda at first, bringing human technology and trinkets to the Boiling Isles in exchange for relics and spells that would be beneficial to humans. She had used what she had learned from her parents, and within only a few years, Amity had an impressive business that dabbled in everything from power generation and utility, to health care and entertainment.

She soon rivalled some of the most powerful corporations on Earth, and she had been busy. Too busy. She had no need for Eda as a business partner within a few years, and she had lost contact with Willow and Gus, favoring witches with their skills that were less willful. She could never say that her hands were clean on her rise to the top, but the world... Luz's world, appreciated her efforts. She had tried to make it up to Vee, inventing a magical supplement that she was able to take like a vitamin that would give her the magic she needed to live a normal life away from the Boiling Isles. She wasn't certain if Vee had forgiven her for her mistake, but she certainly hadn't forgiven herself, and seeing Luz's face in hers had simply become too hard to do. By then, she had barely spent any time at home with her wife, and had grown distant and even busier with work. By the time Camila had developed cancer, they had been essentially separated for months and Amity hadn't been there when Luz needed her most.

Now, Amity sobbed into Camila's spectral form's shoulder, overcome with everything she had either done or refused to do. "I'm sorry." she choked out, and she could feel Camila's hand stroke her hair. "I knew how much family meant to you, and I wanted to give you and Luz the best gift I could think of." The pregnancy spell had been at the root of Belos' grimwalker ritual that he had twisted for his own ends, but most of the ingredients simply couldn't be found anywhere anymore. Had she just talked to Luz about it, rather than trying to make it a surprise that she had chosen to do in a drunken state, everything would have been fine. Instead, their chances for their own family had been spilled on the floor, and it had been days before Amity had regained consciousness. By then, it had been far too late and she hadn't had the heart to talk to anyone but Willow about what she had really been doing in there. It was a secret that had festered between her and Luz that had lead to their eventual split.

"It's okay, hija. Making mistakes like that just make you more of a Noceda." Camila said with a light chuckle, propping Amity up back to a sitting position. "Now, I know you've been having a rough night, but I'm afraid that I only have so much time."

Amity nodded and took a ragged breath. "Can I get changed first? The last trip was pretty drafty." she said quietly with the hint of a smirk. Camila nodded, and Amity heaved herself up despite her exhaustion. She gave herself a slight shake, wiped her eyes, and took another breath to steel herself for the remainder of the night ahead and moved to her walk in closet. She picked out a more casual set of clothes to change into, wondering exactly what Camila was here to show her before questions started to rise. Were Alador, Boscha and Camila just spirits taking on the appearance of people she knew? What did the Krampus legend that Alador mentioned have to do with anything?

She settled on a black hoodie and maroon slim fit jeans with a pair of black runners; an ensemble she'd often wear for her morning jogs. After changing into the more comfortable clothes, she exited the closet, half expecting Camila to be gone and to find she had only dreamed the last few hours, but the older woman was still there. There was grey in her hair now, and a few more lines around her eyes that she often joked that she'd gotten from Luz. She was also wearing the same clothing from the last time Amity remembered seeing her, just as Boscha had been. A pair of jeans that came down to her calves, a red t-shirt, and a blue canvas jacket that she had worn since giving her old one to Vee. Red framed glasses, white slip on shoes, and a red purse completed her look.