Golden Guard growled before pushing Luz back and then zooming outside in a red blur, with Luz following soon after.
Luz spun around her staff and swung her staff against his multiple times, with Golden Guard blocking every attack. "How are you alive!? What are you planning!?"
Golden Guard struggled to continue blocking before back flipping and blocking a blast of light. "I'm not planning ANYTHING!!! I don't wanna fight!!"
"Right! Like I'll believe that!" Luz exclaimed before spinning her staff around her body and then slamming it down, a small swarm of vines being shot at Golden Guard.
Golden Guard hopped onto his staff, flying into the air and dodging the swarm of vines. He then landed and grabbed his staff. "Please!! Luz Noceda! Just listen to me!"
"Actually? It's Luz CLAWTHORNE now!" Luz said as she shot out a beam of ice.
Golden Guard spun around his staff, deflecting the beam. "Awwww! She adopted you?"
"Yeah! She did!" Luz smiled before remembering this was a fight and then she spun around her finger and a giant fist made of stone shot out from the dirt and grass, going directly towards Golden Guard.
Golden Guard backflipped again and then slammed the tip of his staff against the fist, obliterating it.
Luz then zoomed over in a golden burst of light and sent out three shards of ice, firing them at him.
Golden Guard was hit by one of them and he winced, but kept blocking and defending, not once trying to fight back.
Luz realized this after swinging her staff against his. "You're...not fighting back..."
Golden Guard grunted as he kept pushing back against Luz's staff. "I-I told you! I don't wanna fight!"
Luz wasn't sure whether to believe him. She was conflicted. On the one hand, he could be telling the truth and was actually a good person now, with the fight that supposedly killed him having changed him.
But on the other hand, he could be lying. He was Belos' right hand man! Why would he suddenly turn good?
"I-I know you have questions!" Golden Guard growled as he pushed. "And I know you won't b-believe me! But I...don't...wanna fight!"
Luz felt her staff crackle with golden energy. "I...I..."
Golden Guard grunted and groaned as he pushed back, trying to use the strength he still had. But then, he gasped as he felt his staff crackle with red energy, almost going in sync with her golden energy. "Oh, crud."
"What!? What's going on!?" Luz exclaimed.
"My staff is artificial!" He exclaimed. "It senses your staff's energy and is thinking you're gonna attack!"
Luz quickly broke their clash and jumped back, accidentally dropping her staff. Golden Guard did the same, dropping his staff.
But it was too late, and the two staffs shot out small blasts of red and golden energy, and they began shooting towards Eda and Raine, who were still left frozen from shock.
"MOM!!!!" Luz screamed as she grabbed her staff again and zoomed over.
"MODDY, WATCH OUT!!!!" Golden Guard shrieked as he too grabbed his staff and zoomed over.
The two witches zoomed by each other before swooping in and saving Raine and Eda.
Golden Guard landed, having saved Eda from the red blast.
Luz landed shortly after, having saved Raine from the golden blast. She breathed heavily before standing. "Mom!? Raine?! Are you two ok!?"
Raine was still processing the fact that their old ex's daughter was the superhero that saved the city. They then adjusted their glasses and sat up. "Y-Yes. Thank you."
Golden Guard then looked at Eda. "You okay?"
"Y...Yeah." Eda said as she sat up. "Okay! Raine! Please tell me you knew your son was a witch!"
"You never told me your daughter was one!" Raine exclaimed.
"Ummm...maybe it's time for an explanation." Luz said, rubbing the back of her neck and facing Golden Guard. "I thought I...killed you!"
"Well...kinda." Golden Guard said, rubbing his arm. "I...I have one hell of a story."
"...if you really have changed." Luz said as she crossed her arms, cape blowing in the wind. "I'm willing to listen."
Golden Guard sighed before walking over to Raine, looking up at them. "Can you...? I was kinda unconscious for most of the story."
Raine nodded before clearing their throat. "Well...it all began a year ago."
Raine hummed as they gently pulled the bow of their violin against the instrument's strings, feeling themselves become lost in the tune of the music they were making.
Nature was possibly a perfect place to play, and it made Raine feel one with it as they played in the forest.
But then? Interrupting their song...there was some kind of clank. Raine froze up and looked around. "H-Hello?"
There was no response. But curiosity was too powerful, and Raine began to search around the trees and the rocks before seeing a nearby stream given life by the waterfall.
But that wasn't what caught Raine's attention. What caught their attention...was the injured teenage boy, floating against a glowing red staff. He was unconscious.
Then? The boy stopped floating and began to fall. Raine threw aside their violin and rushed over into the stream, catching the boy just in time.
"Oh my god!" Raine exclaimed, seeing the blood on his clothes. They then checked his pulse. There still was one. But they wouldn't be able to get him to a hospital in time. "Oh, no time for a hospital! Let's get you home!"
They then began to run to their cabin near the forest, clutching the boy. "One failed year of medical school, don't fail me now!"
"And after Hunter woke up? He was confused. He looked like he had just woken up from some kind of trance." Raine said before chuckling. "He threatened me at first...but he was injured, so he couldn't do anything. Not to mention, he immediately apologized."
"Hunter?" Luz asked, tilting her head.
Golden Guard sighed. "Clawthorne, that's my real name. You didn't think I was named Golden Guard, did you?"
Luz blinked. "M...Maybe."
Hunter laughed, shaking his head in an amused manner. "Anyway...Moddy's right about one thing. I DID wake up from a trance. Belos put me under one ever since I was little. It was a spell that would bring out the worst parts of me and put it in the driver's seat of my body."
"You were brainwashed?" Eda whispered before becoming flabbergasted. "But! You're a teenager!! Why would he-"
"He's an awful person...not even a person." Hunter and Luz said in unison.
Eda sighed. "And I thought he couldn't get worse. Thank god he's dead."
Hunter smirked. "Yeah...thank Titan." He then cleared his throat. "Luz striking me down and 'killing' me broke the trance. And when Moddy found me, I was slowly transitioning back to a much more stable part of myself."
Raine nodded and smiled, wrapping their arm around Hunter. "At first? He was the classic bad, but sad boy. Then? He became a shy teen. And now? He's a sweetheart."
Hunter blushed in embarrassment, looking to the side.
"Love you too, honey." Raine laughed. "I adopted him shortly after he told me who he truly was...he had no family, so I couldn't let that continue. Not to mention, he had already been living with me, so, why not make him part of the family?"
Eda smiled and looked at Luz, being reminded of how she met her and feeling her heart warm a bit. But then, she faced Hunter. "Well...I guess we can't exactly blame you for any-"
"No, no." Hunter said. "I want to make up for my mistakes. I know you won't forgive me right away. That has to be earned."
Luz then walked closer to Hunter and gently pulled down her mask. "You didn't attack me once...and when you accidentally blasted my mom, you went in and saved her. I'd say you're on the right track." She sighed. "I don't forgive you just yet. But? I can definitely say I'm not mad at The Golden-"
"Hunter." He said with a soft smile. "My name is Hunter. You killed The Golden Guard. Not me."
Raine's heart warmed, sighing with relief. Hunter had finally said what they taught him. Although, the insomnia and nightmares still needed work...and therapy.
Luz felt herself smile before she held out her hand. "It's nice to meet you. Hunter."
Hunter smiled a little more and shook her hand. "It's nice to meet you too."
Raine then walked next to Eda. "Now, YOU have some explaining to do."
Eda laughed. "I know, I know...I'm impressed though. One minute, your kid's an evil and brainwashed psycho...and when you come in? He's just a normal teen."
"I like to think I do a good job." Raine said before their smile faltered. "I wish I could take him to therapy though...he has nightmares. SEVERE ones...I don't know what I can do about that. I can't exactly take him to a normal therapist."
"There's more to the story, huh?" Eda asked.
Raine nodded.
"Well...I think I know a gal." Eda said with a smile. "Luz has been seeing a therapist in The Boiling Isles. So, it helps her more because the problem has something to do with magic, y'know?"
"Do you think you can hook me and Hunter up with this person?"
"Sure, Rainstorm! Warning though, don't make fun of her name. She's...strangely powerful. Her name's Tinynose and she's a midget demon with a GIANT nose."
"...what-"