Lilith POV
The scene was brutal to look at. Despite the significant number advantage we started with, now only me and Edalyn remained standing against the Blight parents. Luz's friends, along with the twins and Nick were out of commission. Eda's gem was almost completely filled with the black ooze that would turn her into the owl beast and she was bleeding from the side of her head, just above her left eye. My sister was leaning against her staff and was panting. I wasnt in much better shape.
However the Blights were looking grim. Alador's shoulder was dislocated, Odalia had a broken ankle and was holding herself up with an abomination arm. They were both desperately panting and any magic they used was flickering, a clear sign of a drained magic sack. I was forced to release Luz and Amity from the protection bubble in order to conserve magic. I had propped them up against the wall out of the way.
Silence had fallen across the battle field, which had happened to bleed into the outside, now that the wall was completely destroyed there wasn't much difference anymore. Suddenly stinging bell cut through the silence like a knife. All of our eyes darted towards the girls. Then we all glanced back at each other and after a moment we all rushed into action.
I rushed towards the girls but Alador sent an abomination hand flying toward me as Odalia sent ice shards at me. Thankfully, Edalyn blocked their attacks by summoning a large owl tube that came crashing in front of the married couple. I send her a nod of thanks as I rush towards my student and her human companion. I reached them and quickly cast the spell to let Luz out. The human girl emerged in a cloud of blue gas and with her an unconscious blue haired girl that I didn't recognise.
Amity's eyes fluttered open and Luz turned to her and places a caring hand on the side of her face. "You okay Ami?"
Amity gave a small nod and the pair stared longingly into each other's eyes. They had obviously not noticed my presence and I didn't want to ruin the moment. My sister on the other hand was not so courteous. "Oi lovebirds!" She shouted. "Quit ya staring and help out!"
Amity and Luz immediately looked away from each other and their faces became a tomato red. Then suddenly we see an abomination arm erupt from next to us. It lunches the blue haired girl I to the air and she spins in mid air, landing on her feet, with one hand one the ground and the other on her knee for balance.
Alador and Odalia look at her as she lands and then they smirk. After a moment the girl looks up.
Luz POV
Zoe looks up and locks eyes with me. She looks incredibly serious and angry as she stands up on her 2 feet. "Not many people get the better of me." She says to me and Amity ask we simultaneously gulp in fear.
But she doesn't attack. She does something completely unexpected. She laughs. But not her signature cruel, mocking, laugh. A genuine, joyful, laugh.
Everyone, including the blight parents, look at her with complete confusion. After a couple if moments of laughing Zoe looks at me and Amity again. "I must admit" she begins "that was some serious good work in there you two."
"Zoe.." Odalia begins but is shushed by Zoe.
"Now we could keep fighting but I don't really feel like it anymore." She says.
"Zoe what are you talking about." Alador says with fury. "We shall not retreat we." But before he can continue him and Odalia fall to the ground with a thud.
It had been barely visible but it looked like Zoe had hit the pair on the back of the neck.
"What are you doing Zoe?" Amity asked.
She shrugged. "This was the most fun I've had in years. I can't just have us win now can I?"
Then, unexpectedly Nick staggered over. "Well then kid I think you've made an incredibly stupid mistake." He said as the mercenary grabbed a knife and went to throw it at Zoe. But I stopped him. Noticing what he was doing I grabbed his arm, halting his throw.
He looked at me with surprise and annoyance. "Kid what on Titan are you doing?"
"Don't kill her." I pleaded.
Then a sound of a small explosion, like one you'd hear coming of a smoke ball, came from where Zoe was. All our heads snapped back to where the sound came from and Zoe, along with the Blight parents were gone.
"Brilliant." Nick said frustratedly as he snatched his arm back. "Now they've gotten away with the key and no punishment. Is that what you wanted Luz?"
I looked away from him and noticed something glistening under the moonlight. I walked over to where Zoe had been and saw the key to the human world with a note attached. I read the note aloud.
"A little gift for putting up such a good fight. See you soon human"
Zoe <3
"Why would she leave the key?" Lilith asks. "That will get her in trouble with the emperor."
"She's being controlled and threatened by the Empeor." Amity explains. "This must be her way of trying to help."
"Or she's just taunting us." Nick added. "You should've let me kill her."
"Wait weren't you the one pitying her?" Edric asks.
Nick sighs. "There's a difference between acknowledging the hardships being faced by the enemy and letting the enemy getting away which could lead to more if your allies getting hurt." The merc explains. "Zoe and the blights will be back."
"Well when they are." I say walking up to Amity and grabbing her hand, causing her to blush. "We'll be ready."
One week later
After the fight at Blight manor Viney and Jerbo, as well as an annoyed Nick, were admitted into hospital. Dr Venat was as well but he was adamant to be allowed to oversee Viney's recovery. They all made quick recovery, however, Nick is stuck having a cast on his arm and it being in a sling to help heal his dislocated shoulder and a fractured elbow on the same arm that he didn't know he had. Also he can't use magic for a month which annoys him more.
The twins and Clawthorne sisters also were given a checkup and me and Amity had to have a handful of stitches. Willow and Gus had luckily gotten through the ordeal with no more than scrapes and bruises.
As we were all settling back into normality and leaving the hospital an unexpected figure came running towards us. "Amity!" We heard the recognisable voice of Amity's childhood friend Skara calling out. We turned around just in time for Skara to leap into Amity's arms, a few tears falling from her eyes. "You're okay."
Amity looked at me, clearly surprised at the girl's distress. I nodded at her and Amity wrapped her arms around the small girl and pulled her into a hug which seemed to calm her down. Then an even more unexpected person arrived. Amity looked up and saw the pink haired, three eyed girl she had once called a friend. "Boscha" amity said.
"Amity" Boscha responded.
A moment of silence fell between the two until Skara, having been able to compose herself, shot Boscha a look. "Boscha." She said slightly scoldingly.
Boscha rolled her eyes. "Fine, I'm glad you're not dead or whatever." Skara sighed, thinking Boscha didn't mean it but me and Amity saw a hint of genuine concern and happiness in her expression. Though she would never admit it, she was clearly glad that Amity was okay.
"We heard what happened." Skara said. "I'm so sorry that happened, i can't believe I never knew how awful your parents were."
"It's not your fault Boscha." I say reassuringly.
"Yeah." Amity adds. "There's no way you could've known."
"But still..." skara says sadly but unexpectedly Boscha puts a caring hand on the bard students shoulder.
"We all know that if you would've been told about Amity's parents you would've helped. You're a good person and a good friend Skara, you don't have to blame yourself."
Skara smiled softly at Boscha. "Thanks Boscha."
Amity gave Boscha a warm smile and Boscha looked away, embarrassed. "Cmon Skara." She said flustered. "If we're going to catch that movie we need to go."
"Ooh a movie." I said teasingly, smirking at Skara. "Just the two of you?"
Skara's cheeks flushed red but she was able to squeak out a small "yes" as a reply.
Amity gave me a small punch on the arm and we started laughing. We said our goodbyes to the two and we all made our way back to the owl house. Eda pretended to be annoyed at all the people at her house but I could tell she was glad to have the company.
As we all got settled I broke away from the group to get a drink when I walked in on Lilith and Nick talking in the kitchen. "Sorry I attacked and tried to arrest you." Lilith said apologetically.
"Don't apologise L." Nick responded. "It was a good fight and I'm just glad I didn't actually end up killing you like I was going to."
"You were going to kill her?!" I stayed shocked as I entered the room.
The pair's attention turned to me. "Luz come in, interrupt our private conversation." Nick said sarcastically, with a hint of anger mixed in for good measure.
"You said you were trying to kill her!" I argued.
Nick sighed. "When will you understand Luz I am a mercenary. When I fight I often kill, Lilith was my enemy at the time and so I was going to kill her if it meant ending the fight and should we find ourselves in a similar position in the future I would not hesitate to kill her."
My eyes widened as my mouth hung open. I turned to Eda's sister. "Are you hearing this?"
Lilith simply nodded. "This is the reality of conflict Luz. A reality Nick is far to familiar with."
"That brings me to another point." Nick says. "Zoe and the Blight parents are still out there and will likely cause us trouble again in the future. When the time comes you can take whatever approach you like with dealing with them." Nick says as he walks closer.
"But when given the opportunity I will kill all 3 of them with no hesitation. Do you understand me Noceda?"
I nod my head as he walks back over to Lilith. "Good." He says.
"Go back to the others." Lilith says, in a softer tone than Nick had been in. "Go enjoy this victory." I nodded, grabbed myself a carton of apple blood and went back to the others in the living room.
Amity's eyes lit up when she saw me re-enter which made my heart give a flutter.
"Luz! Help!" I heard the high pitched pleas from King as I looked to see the blight twins 'awing' over his cuteness. "These malicious teens will not submit to my superiority."
"I submit that you're adorable." Ed says as he picks king up.
"That doesn't even make sense." Emira teases.
"Yeah it does." Edric argues as he looks up at his boyfriend, who sympathetically shakes his head and Ed pouts sadly.
"Honey if we wanna get to that sale we need to go now." Viney said to her girlfriend who perked up.
"Oh yeah I almost forgot." Em says as she gets up.
"You're going?" Amity asked to witch the pair nodded.
"Now that we don't have the fear of mum and dad finding out we don't need to pretend to not be dating anymore." Emira responds to her sister.
"That reminds me and Jerbo are going to the library for some" Ed fake coughs "private reading."
Jerbo blushes and Amity squirms, clearly understanding some hidden meaning I was not privy to.
"Okay by Mittens." Em says quickly to end the awkwardness.
"Be good, don't do anything we would do." Edric adds as the twins walk out the owl house with their significant others.
"So you kids should be going back to the creativity killer soon." Eda says to me, Gus, Amity and willow
I roll my eyes. "Yes we'll be going back to school in a couple of days probably."
Amity shuffles a little, looking uncomfortable. I shuffle closer to her and place a reassuring hand on hers as she looks at me suddenly, her pupils dilating and blushing slightly. "It'll be okay Ami." I say softly. "I'll be right there with you the whole way."
Just then the sound of my phone interrupts me. I look down at the text that just came through, it's from my mom. When I look at the message my heart sinks and a nausea fills my body. I almost feel the colour drain from my face, which Willow noticed first.
"What is it Luz? Is something wrong."
I read the message over and over, desperately wishing it would change, but if didn't.
Momi: "Only one day left of camp. No puedo esperar a verte de nuevo"
"Luz are you okay?" Amity asked, concern in her voice as she wraps her small hands around my fingers. After a moment I'm able to compose myself in order to talk, although I'm only able to croak out a few words.
"I have to go home."