3rd POV
On the previous chapter, our four friends have wandered into the forest to retrieve Owlbert, who became wounded and disheartened.
But then they found themselves at the presence of the Bat Queen.
"It's the..." Willow stutters out.
"Bat Queen. I know. We kinda babysat her kids once. Don't worry. I got this," Luz reassures Willow.
"Do you though?" (Y/n) asks out loud.
"Hiya, BQ. My, your hair is looking greasy. And your kids," Luz chuckles. "They're as hideous as ever."
"You know, that coulda gone worse." Gus says nervously.
The Bat Queen only growls as she glares at Luz.
Luz chuckles again, but nervously. "So... Owlbert ran away and I need to get him back. I'm just gonna grab him and we'll be on our way."
But when Luz was about to go over where Owlbert was, Bat Queen puts a claw on Luz's chest, causing Luz to yelp.
Bat Queen sneers, "to be careless with a staff, it's very serious. I protect him."
"And thank you for that, uh, but he belongs to Eda, the Owl Lady." Luz says in nervous apreaication as she removes Bat Queen's claw. "And you owe her a favor, remember?"
Bat Queen, only got more upset. "Owl Lady is careless. Her staff left her sight. Taken by human who steals, hurts, frightens..."
Luz looks at Bat Queen with a perplexed expression "Huh?"
"He told me all," the Bat Queen's eyes then glow yellow. Owlbert's glow the same color.
"Owlbert, we're so sorry." (Y/n) apologized as she looks at the owl palisman.
Luz also looks at Owlbert apologetically as she kneels down. "I never meant to hurt you. Please trust me."
Owlbert looks between the two humans then hoots. He flies onto Bat Queen's head as both of their eyes glow again.
"Trust must be earned by one... Through trials!" Bat Queen declares as she flies to a perch, and fire bursts from the ground with the final word.
Gus seemed happy as he waved his flags, "Trials?"
"Luz the human. You must do my trials to earn the owl palisman trust," Bat Queen announced.
Willow looks at Luz, "the Bat Queen is well‐known for her impossible trials. I've never heard of anyone winning against her."
Luz looks at Willow, "but I have to get Owlbert back. I accept your challenge.
Willow smiles, "and we'll be right there with you.
Gus raises his flags into the air. "Let the flags raise you up!"
But the Bat Queen closes her claw. Webs encase Willow, Gus, and (Y/n).
Gus gapes, "hey!"
Willow looks down at her restraints. "What?"
"No helpsies," Bat Queen demanded. "Now, let the trials begin."
"Wait! Why does she have to do it alone? I let Luz get hold of Owlbert," (Y/n) asks as she struggles.
"Owl palisman has your trust. You tried to talk reason to your friend, and you console. He knows of your kindness. Other human will not be taking part of trials," Bat Queen answered as Owlbert hoots with a nod. "Milk the spider demon."
A spider with udders approaches Luz, holding a bucket. The spider demon growls at Luz.
Luz looks at the spider warily, then looks at Owlbert. She had to do this. For Owlbert. "All right. Come here, pal. Let's do this."
The spider demon squeals as it runs away from Luz.
"If you run, you'll just make this harder for yourself!" Luz calls out as she chased the spider.
As Luz finishes her first task, a fire extinguished from beside the Bat Queen.
"Remove bees nest."
Luz climbs a tree, empty staff in hand. A giant buzzing bees nest is sitting in one of the branches. She raises the staff to smack the nest, but it turns into the head of a giant bee that screeches at her.]
Luz yelps in surprise, causing her to fall out of the tree. She quickly began running past Willow, Gus, and (Y/n), screaming as the bee screeching after her.
"Come on. Almost got it." After struggling for a bit, Gus was able to free himself from the webs with his flags. "I am free! Bat Queen, you will rue the day you tried to trap‐‐"
But the Bat Queen he traps him again, this time suspended from the ceiling.
(Y/n) tries her best not to laugh as Gus had an angered scowl. "Aaah!"
A second flame goes out.
"Give babies a bath!" Bat Queen demanded.
Luz was now scrubbing one baby bat, sitting on another, a third biting her shoulder. They're all covered in suds and screeching.
"Go, Luz!" Willow cheers.
"Luz, we're here if you need us!" Gus calls out.
"Cut us free. We can get Eda!" (Y/n) says as she continues to struggle.
Luz shakes her head, "no, I was selfish. I hurt Owlbert. I need to do this alone so he knows I care about him." Luz then dumps barrel of water over the baby bats.
The bat babies screeching stops and turns around to show their hair neat and faces shiny.
"Aw!" Luz coos.
But, the bat babies then shake their heads, returning to normal and screeched.
Luz screams in shock.
The third flame goes out.
Gus frees himself from the web again, landing in a handstand. "Yes! I am free again. I--"
Webs encase him yet again. He screams, muffled, and waves his legs.
(Y/n) holds back a laugh, resulting it into a snort.
Luz huffs, "okay, Bat Queen. That's the last one. I've done all your chores. And I've proved my dedication to Owlbert. I'm so sorry for the pain I caused you, Owlbert. I promise to be more careful. Will you come back home with me?"
Owlbert nods and hoots. He flies off of Bat Queen's perch to the ground.
But then the Bat Queen raises her claw, and webs encase Owlbert causing Owlbert to let out a surprised squawk.
"No! More trails. Last trial. You must face... me!" The Bat Queen declares as she expands her wings, a jet of flames going up behind her.
Luz looks up, bewildered and panicked. "What?"
The Bat Queen roars, flies forward at Luz. "You will never get him back!"
Luz screamed and runs away as the Bat Queen tries to attack her.
"Luz, get us out. We can help," Willow bekcons Luz towards them
Luz quickly frees Willow.
Willow frees Gus while Luz frees (Y/n).
"Look out!" Willow yells in surprise as the bat babies were heading towards them.
"I'll hold'em off with my flags." Gus says before he and Willow were attached. Gus yelps, "no! That was a bad plan!"
The third bat baby leaps at (Y/n), biting her hoodie.
(Y/n) yelps as she desperately tries to shake the little gremlin off of her. "Get off!" But the baby bat only sunk its teeth deeper into the hood, refusing to let go.
A hot sensation spreads across (Y/n)'s chest as anger filled her consciousness. "I. Said. Get. OFF!"
A bright flash of white radiated from the pendant and then the weight from (Y/n)'s hood was lifted.
(Y/n) looks around and saw that the bat baby stopped attack. It stared at (Y/n) with a mixed expression: surprise, and fear.
Before (Y/n) could comprehend what happened, the baby bat ran away.
... What just happened?
"(Y/n)! Help Luz!" Willow calls out, snapping the (H/c) haired girl out of her daze.
"What about you?!" (Y/n) asks as she realized that the bats were still attacking them.
"Don't worry! They aren't hurting us that much. It's mostly gums," Gus says before yelping as the baby bat attacking him bit his forearm. "But they are really trying!"
"Hurry! Help Luz," Willow says as she flails around.
(Y/n) was hesitant, but complies. "Alright, but be careful!"
With Luz, she was trying to avoid the Bat Queen's attacks as the Bat Queen chases Luz through the forest.
"Owlbert!" (Y/n) says as she frees the owl palisman.
Owlbert warbles as he stretches out his wings before perching himself on (Y/n)'s shoulder.
"You got buddy," (Y/n) nods as the two followed after Luz and the Bat Queen.
"I won't let you imprison Owlbert!" Luz calls out.
Bat Queen roars as she attacks Luz.
Luz grunts as she trips.
The Bat Queen took the opportunity to attack Luz once again.
Luz gasps when (Y/n) suddenly appears Infront of her, stopping the Bat Queen's attack with the staff.
Bat Queen roars as she tries to push (Y/n) off her balance.
But then, (Y/n) spots something on the Bat Queen's foot. A familiar looking hole that Eda had mentioned about. "Is that an interlock?" With a sudden burst of energy, (Y/n) pushes the staff and Bat Queen away. "Bat Queen, you used to be on a staff, didn't you? You were a Palisman."
The Bat Queen's eyes widens as she gasps. Bat Queen looks at her claw with the interlock on it. She turns away from (Y/n) "Yes, I was once part of a grand staff. A staff made for a giant. But I was broken, discarded."
Luz stands up and looks at the Bat Queen. "So, that's why you're so protective of Owlbert."
"I protect... all!" The Bat Queen's eyes glow again. Behind her, dozens of other eyes begin glowing.
Luz and (Y/n) gasps as countless broken and scarred palismen of every type are in the trees.
"I made home in forest. I'm here to take the lost. The forgotten," Bat Queen explains.
(Y/n) looks at the Bat Queen, "I understand. But Owlbert is not forgotten. He has someone at home who loves him very much.
Bat Queen only turns and walks away, "he will not go back with you."
"That's not your decision to make!" (Y/n) frowns sternly.
Bat Queen turns back around with a fire in her eyes. "I won't let him!"
Luz gasps as (Y/n) hugs her, her back facing towards the Bat Queen, bracing for the attack.
However, Owlbert came swooping in, expanding his wings, protecting Luz and (Y/n).
His eyes glow. A second later, so do Bat Queen's.
Bat Queen looks at Owlbert with surprise, "you... You care for them."
Owlbert nods, with a hoot. He then flies towards Luz and (Y/n), nuzzling between them, warbling happily.
Bat Queen nods, "bery well. Go. And take your friends.
Willow and Gus, still being attacked by the bat babies, stopped when Bat Queen whistles.
"I don't think I'll ever be clean again," Gus says in obvious disgust.
"Owlbert grabs Eda's staff and brings it to Luz. Gus wipes the bat babies' spit off of him.
"Bat Queen, do you know what happened to your owner?" Luz asks.
Bat Queen only shakes her head, "It has been thousands of years. I've forgotten."
(Y/n) smiles, "if you ever want to search for the truth, we'll help you.'
Bat Queen smiles back, "Thank you."
With that, the Bat Queen and the babies flew away.
Willow hugs Luz and (Y/n), "I can't believe you took on the Bat Queen."
Gus then does his little dance, "and we're not dead."
Thank you for helping us get Owlbert back. I'm sorry we missed the game," Luz apologized.
Gus scoffs, "are you kidding? That was better than any grudgby match. There were action‐packed trials. I got to do my flag wave, and I'm slightly traumatized. Hooray!"
(Y/n) chuckles as she pets Owlbert, "let's get this little guy home."
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Back at the Owl House, Luz is finishing on putting a bandage on Owlbert's cracked head.
"And now you're a part of the boo‐boo buddy club. Congrats buddy," (Y/n) claps as Owlbert hoots happily.
"Owlbert, why are you off the staff?" Eda asks as she entered the house.
Owlbert hoots before flying over to Eda, warbling.
"The girls took you to get ice cream? Aw, that's... a horrible lie," Eda says as Owlbert hoots. "Well, lucky for you both I don't care right now. I'm going to take a nap."
"I'll, uh, be at the playground," King says as he walks away.
Owlbert flies back to (Y/n)'s shoulder.
"We'll keep this one to ourselves, shall we?" Luz asks as Owlbert warbles while nuzzles Luz cheek before doing the same with (Y/n). She laughs as the feathers tickled.
"I say for the both of us, we agree," (Y/n) smiles at the two.
Meanwhile in Eda's room, Eda coughs as four empty elixir bottles are sitting on her side table. "The elixir... It isn't working on the curse anymore. This is bad," Eda then starts coughing again, then vomits a piece of a swing set. ".... When did I swallow a swing?"
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