Always by your side

Chapter 2 - Matter of perspective

Potential trigger warning in this chapter regarding psychological abuse, I'm not sure if it is that strong but better safe than sorry.

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As I was moving through the forest, I messaged Willow and Gus on Penstagram to meet up just outside of Bonesborough. I have to say, those scrolls come in handy when I can't really enter the city. Overall law enforcement activity in Bonesborough fluctuates and maybe I would be able to slip past the guards, but I would rather not risk being caught, especially since we just dealt with a considerable threat from the emperor's coven.

I reached the place where I'm supposed to see Willow and Gus, I'm not surprised they are not yet here since I informed them about the meeting like 10 minutes ago but they both replied that they are coming, so they should be here soon. I didn't even properly settle in, as I saw Willow slowly making her way across the street greeting me from a distance.

"Hi Luz, it's good to see you" she exclaims hugging me.

"It's good to see you too" I reply.

As I let her go a huge cloud of blue smoke appears and Gus emerges out of it. Of course, he has to make an entry like a master illusionist, he wouldn't be himself if he missed such an opportunity to shine with his showmanship skills. I like how he always brings some light-heart to a conversation, but I don't think Willow bought his act as she looked at him with slight disappointment and then back at me bringing us both back to Earth, or rather back to Titan I should say.

"So, you wanted to see us Luz, did something happen?" she asked.

"Well let's say I had a hard night and morning fighting some coven scouts but mostly I just wanted to see some friendly faces and just have a chat."

"A fight, you say." Willow looks at me slightly concerned "That would explain all those beat-up coven guards walking around town."

"Yeah, Hooty tormented them for quite some time, though it wasn't all so easy this time compared to the other attacks." I realized that my hopes for a casual chit-chat were gone as I started to answer Willow's questions but maybe that was good, after all, I still have to try to gather information about coven moves and about Lilith's protegee, actually, I wonder if she already came back from wherever I sent her...

"How is that possible?" Gus asked "Isn't Eda the most powerful witch on the Boiling Isles? She should be able to deal with the scouts easily."

"Well, you see, the problem isn't in scouts, it isn't even in Eda's sister. The biggest problem we encountered was Lilith's student. I don't know who she is, but she gave us quite a hard time when she helped Lilith fight." I wondered if I should ask them to look around the city and try to get more information about this young witch, but I decided that I don't want to put them in unnecessary danger.

"Lilith's student you say... we can help get you some information about her if you want Luz." Willow proposed "I know you probably don't want to put us in danger but don't worry about us, we will manage, right Gus?"

"Of course! Moreover, if she is Lilith's student and a highly skilled witch as you say she will probably make her way into coven recruitment posters, especially after the golden guard's sudden disappearance from said posters" Gus said reassuringly. Sometimes I forget how resourceful and smart they can be, I suppose I'm not the best friend if I underestimate them like that...

"Thank you, for everything" I say hugging them both "So what shall we do now?" I ask them. Just as I finished my question, I heard Gus yelling with pure excitement.

"Tell us something about the Earth, I love hearing about all those weird human inventions!" Gus is beyond excited, last time when I was trying to explain to him how a car works, he almost passed out from happiness. I look at Willow, she just rolls her eyes and nods for me to proceed. As I didn't plan for such a conversation, I had to quickly think about something, and for unknown reasons, I spent the next 20 minutes explaining to them how a coffee machine works and what coffee is. Even Willow got invested in the story about the brown bitter potion that gives strength to live and go through even the toughest mornings. Just as I'm about to finish my epic tale I notice something or rather someone in the background. This hair color, minty-green. I quickly looked directly at Willow and Gus.