Nyx hops off the staff and flies around Gus and Willow examining them. She goes back to my shoulder.
"These humans are interesting!" She chirps
I smile and give her some chin scritches.
"This is Nyx, she is my Palisman. I made her and we're bonded for life. That also means I can understand all her chirps, so don't look at me weird if I talk to her because we are actually having a conversation. Anyways, with her we can just fly to the game! Just need a simple invisibility illusion and we're all good. It's how I travel around here most of the time."
Willow is stunned and Gus is beaming with joy.
"She is so cute! Can I hold her?" Gus squeals.
"Uh, sure." I hesitantly say.
He takes her and starts to squeeze slightly, I assume just from excitement, making Nyx chirp in distress.
"Yeah, that's enough." I quickly force Gus' hands apart freeing Nyx to fly back to my shoulder, "Look, for all intents and purposes, treat her like a real bird, okay? Just because she's magic wood doesn't mean she can't feel pain."
Gus looks very apologetic and Willow seems to be deep in thought.
"Now, how about we get going?" I ask Nyx.
She happily chips and screws herself back onto my staff. I lay it out in the air and Nyx slowly flaps her wings, making it hover. I sit down and gesture for Willow and Gus to take a seat.
"All aboard Air Palisman. Please keep both hands secured at all times and do not lean, or we might crash. I've never flown with more than one other person before, so I need to be careful."
The two look even more hesitant than they did before.
"Don't worry. I played flyer derby with my friends. We aren't going to crash unless you make us crash."
Still nervous, but less so, they get onboard, Gus behind me and Willow behind her.
"Alright, next stop, Landus High!"
We soar up into the sky, doing loop-de-loops and flying high. I look behind me and see Gus and Willow's terrified faces making me chuckle slightly.
"You guys got a fear of heights?" I laugh, "As I said, as long as you hold on and don't make me crash, we'll be fine. I'll cool it with the tricks now. I was just super excited."
I can see them start to de-tense and Gus even smiles. We start flying along and Gus and Willow look out at the sprawling landscape. After a few minutes of flying I see them looking much more comfortable.
"I have and idea. We've got just a bit of straight flying so...one of you want to steer?"
Willow looks shocked by the question but Gus seems extatic. I carefully stand up and levitate Gus up just above the staff. I move him forward and step behind him so I'm now in the middle and Gus is in front.
"You good dude?" I ask him.
"This is insane!" He cheers, making the staff wobble.
"Woah there bud, keep your eyes forward. Just stay focused and don't try any-"
Suddenly Gus makes the staff nose-dive straight down and into the trees below. All three of us scream us we hurdle towards the ground. I quickly teleport myself just above the ground. Gus and Willow, thankfully, have their falls broken by a bush.
"Nyx? Nyx where are you?" I call in a panic.
I see Nyx laying by a tree with a massive crack in her head. She chips sadly and unscrews herself before flying away.
"Nyx!"
I turn back and see Gus and Willow groan as they pull themselves out of the bush.
"Are you guys okay?" I ask.
They both nod. Seeing that, I storm over to Gus and grab him by the sweater.
"What in the name of the Titan was that Porter!" I yell at him, making him flich and turn his head away.
"I-I'm sorry Luz," He apologizes, beginning to tear up, "I just thought your flying tricks were so cool and I-"
"Decided to try one with no practice? I told you to just fly! I was stupid to trust a human with my staff." I release him, making him fall back into the bush, and start to walk off, "You guys go to the game. I need to find Nyx before she gets lost or found by someone else."
I hear Gus and Willow trailing me as I go in the direction Nyx was flying.
"Luz, we need to be careful in this part of the woods," Willow nervously warns, "It's really easy to get lost back here."
"This is my Palisman, Willow. I'm not leaving her. If I gave up and never found her it'd be really hard for me to not kill Gus for causing this disaster. Then Eda would kill me for letting a strong magical thing to be lost. Now if you really insist on following me, lets get a move on."
As we go we walk towards a dark and foreboding cave. I hear Willow and Gus hesitate to follow me but they still do. There's the sounds of cracks and breaking beneith us.
"Wow. I keep stepping on a bunch of crunchy twigs." Willow chuckles nervously.
"Bones, Willow. Those are bones." I correct.
"Not if I don't look down."
Titan these to wouldn't last on the isles. But hey, not like they're ever gonna be there.
As we walk futher in spiderwebs start showing up along the walls.
"Man, this forest is really reminding me of home right now." I marvel, starting to lighten back up.
"This isn't part of the normal forest." Willow mentions, getting closer to me.
I hear a chirp and when I look down I see three small bats walking up to me.
Dr. BQ's pet bats.
"It's...a nest?" Gus says, confused.
"Hey, you're Dr. BQ's bats, right?" I ask, squatting down to them.
One of them happily screeches.
"Wait, the Doctor BQ?" Gus gasps, taking a step back.
"I think I'll just go. You got this Luz. And I know some hiding spots Gus." Willow says, also stepping back.
"Did you fellas happen to see a little bluejay? One made of wood? She has an interlock on her foot?" I question, making sure to use a beastkeeping spell so they can actually understand me.
I look around and see Nyx standing a bit behind them.
"Nyx! Oh thank goodness you're okay. Come on girl. I can heal you up."
She looks at me, fear in her eyes and steps back into the shadows.
"Guys, something's wrong." I nervously point out, standing up and backing towards Gus and Willow.
"Hello, little witch."
The three of us gasp and Dr. BQ walks out from the shadows. Unlike last time I saw her when she was in a vet uniform, she's weaing a tight top, leather pant and boots, and a flowing cape.
"Oh my god it's..." Willow whispers, trailing off seemingly in fear.
"Dr. BQ? Yeah. Eda pet-sat her bats once. Don't worry, I got this." I confidently walk up to her, "Hiya BQ! Hair is looking extra inky black today. And your bats? Just as horrifying as ever."
"You know, could have gone worse." Gus mumbles behind me, making me shoot a glare at him.
"So," I continue, "That little bluejay is actually mine and she's very important to me. So if you could maybe not report me and let me go on my way, that'd be great."
I take a step forward but she blocks me with her arm.
"To be so careless is something I can't allow. I will protect her." She growls.
"And thank you for the offer but, again, she's mine. Not to get into all the details about magic but she's a palisman and we're pretty much bonded for life. And, uh, you do owe Eda that favor."
"You were careless to let your prescious palisman get damaged. Eda is owed a favor but not you. You hurt her, and you must pay."
"Heh, funny story but it wasn't my fault. I was flying with my friends and Gus caused us to crash."
"So you were careless with your staff and let another hurt her? That's almost worse."
I kneel down and look over at Nyx.
"It's okay girl. I'll get you back. I just need to get her to like me."
"For me to like you, I must trust you. And trust can only be earned through trails!"
Fire bursts from the ground and BQ moves over to a massive stump and sits down.
Willow walks up to me and nervously takes me by the shoulders.
"Luz," She explains, "This doesn't sound safe or easy. I've heard stories of BQ's impossible trials but never thought they were real. But let's just say in the stories, nobody ever wins."
"Willow, I've got magic! This'll be a sinch." I turn back around and walk up to BQ, "Alright, I'll do your trails."
She looks me up and down with a scowl.
"No, little witch. You will not do the trials."
"What? Why n-"
"Your friend. Gus. He shall do them. If he is truly at fault, he must prove himself. He must show he is capable and trustworthy. Only then you will be allowed to take your Palisman back."
A/N: WE GOT BAT QUEEN BABY! I was really excited for this chapter and am so glad we're getting Bat Queen. I've always enjoyed her character so recreating her as a person for this AU was so much fun.
Of course got a screenshot for you guys. Because she shows up so little this will be the only Bat Queen one but it was still tons of fun. This is also a first look at Luz's palisman! I'm not a great artist so drawing BQ from scratch was hard but I think it looks good enough. And I know she's kinda hard to see perfectly but we will get a few more screenshots with Nyx in them.
Anyways, we have one more chapter then it'll be a wrap on season 1a! Can't wait.