In the Emperor's Castle, inside a room, Hunter is sewing a sigil onto his cloak. Flapjack lands on his shoulder and chirps at him.
"Yeah, it does look good as new!"
Hunter holds up his cloak to look at the sigil. The sewing work on it looks shoddy and strings start coming off, not to mention the cloak has bandages on it.
"...And I have no idea what I'm doing."
"Seems like it but your learning."
Hunter jumps back and turns to see Y/n poking her head into his room.
"Stop doing that."
"No promises."
Y/n entered his room and crossed her arms as she smiled at him, she liked seeing him try something new.
Someone knocks on Hunter's door. He opens it and finds two Coven Guards standing outside. One of them passes a letter to him. Hunter opens it and reads the letter, which is from Emperor Belos.
"My duties are keeping me busy. I entrust you to lead the Coven Heads today. Consider this a test."
Hunter smirks, Y/n shakes her head with a frown as she walks out his room wearing her mask.
"Good luck."
"Hmm."
Hunter heads over to the throne room, just in time to see some of the Coven Heads coming out.
"Good. You're all here. We can get started- Hey! Ugh! Wha- Where are you- Ugh! I said wait! Come back here!"
The Coven Heads ignore his presence and simply push past him. Raine stops and turns around to look at Hunter, but Terra pushes them and they walk away.
Hunter pushes the doors open and walks into the throne room angrily. He sees Darius and Eberwolf looking at some scrolls.
"Darius! Eberwolf! Why is everyone leaving? We are scheduled to have a recruitment meeting."
Darius sighs and turns around to talk to Hunter.
"Good morning to you too, little prince. We've decided to reschedule the meeting, so go play arts and crafts or... whatever it is you do." Darius notices something.
"Oh. Looks like you've already started."
Darius uses his abomination goo to grab Hunter's cloak and brings it to him.
"Hey!"
Darius looks at the hand sewn sigil and laughs at it.
"This is impressively bad. Wait, is this the old Golden Guard sigil?"
"Of course it is! And this is no way to treat the emperor's-"
"Nephew?"
Hunter stares at Darius furiously.
"I knew your predecessor. He was my mentor. One of the strongest witches I've ever known. But you... Hmm."
Darius looks at Hunter judgingly, Hunter becomes nervous.
"But Belos says I don't need magic to serve the coven."
"And I say you don't deserve to wear that patch."
Darius walks away together with Eberwolf, holding Hunter's cloak in his hand.
"Darius, that's enough."
"Empress."
"I don't have magic either and I'm doing just fine."
"Yes, we'll we all can't be an empress with a non-magical-"
"Hush and you know better than to talk about this." Y/n glares at Darius before looking at Hunter.
Feeling insecure, Hunter turns around and calls after Darius.
"Wait. What should I do? How do I... earn it?"
"Ugh, sweet mother of titans. I- I don't know. Find new recruits for the Emperor's Coven? The best and the brightest witches in all the land. Then maybe, you can get this back."
"I'll do it."
"Of course you will. You're very good at doing exactly what you're told."
Y/n throws her mask at Darius while Hunter looks insecure again as the doors slam shut.
"I'll have a word with Darius." Y/n reaches to touch Hunters head but he moves away.
"Right... forgot about that sorry." She smiled at him but he knew it's wasn't a happy smile, a pained smile.
•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•
Willow is working out relentlessly with Clover accompanying her.
"After years of thinking I wasn't good enough, I finally found something I can be good at. Something I wanna be good at. Switching to the Plant Track was just the beginning. I'm on my way to becoming the witch I wanna be."
Willow sits in front of a mirror. She looks at her reflection and talks to herself.
"I can do this!" Willow suddenly becomes unsure.
"Right?"
Willow takes off a piece of newspaper clipping pasted on the mirror. It shows an article titled: "The Ghouls Celebrate Their First Flyer Derby Win!" and in the picture above it, Gilbert and Harvey Park are among the members celebrating the win.
Willow looks back at her reflection with confidence.
"Eye of the liger, girl. Knock'em dead!"
Willow walks inside the hallways of Hexside. A banner above her reads: "CLUB FAIR TODAY!" She suddenly hears a noise and looks towards it, and sees Luz and Gus running away from something, Luz chucking icicles at it.
"Back, back, back, back!"
A rogue locker appears and chases after the duo. They run behind Willow and hide behind her.
Willow promptly uses a spell circle to summon some vines and tie up the locker's feet, restraining it.
"Thanks, Willow."
"And that's why we try not to keep our lunches in the lockers."
"So... ready for the club fair, Willow? Mayhaps you'll join me and Amity in the... Azura book club." She tries to hold up 5 books in her hand at once, but drops it seconds later while yelping in pain.
"Owie."
"Thanks. But... I'm interested in something with a little more... drama, flare, and face paint."
"I'm so excited to hear the next words out of your mouth."
"Flyer derby!"
Willow shows Luz a video on her Penstagram account on her scroll.
Only Stabitha Jenkins and Old Gory are left."
Stabitha and Old Gory rushes towards each other.
"Who will win?"
Stabitha snatches Old Gory's flag and hangs it over at her team pole.
"And it's Stabitha Jenkins with the winning flag!"
"Ever since our grudgby match, I've been playing it at home. Today... I'm starting Hexside's first Flyer Derby team!"
Behind Willow, Luz and Gus cheer and throw confetti.
"Whoo-hoo!"
"Yeah!"
The club fair event on the field outside school building. Willow is setting up her stand with Clover's help. Meanwhile, Luz is at her stand trying to attract people to come.
"Journey with us to a world of magic unlike any other! Well, uh, a bit like this world, except toned down for ages 6 to 11. Why isn't anyone interested?"
Boscha grabs a book from the stand and shows Luz the cover.
"The art doesn't do it any favors."
"Not judging a book by its cover is a baby rule even babies know. Plus, you don't read Azura for the art! There's so much magic in the words."
Boscha flips open the book and reads a passage from it.
Boscha poses as she reads. "Twice have I tarried at Tanabrack. Yet e'er have I kept my troth to thee, Azura."
"Okay, the prose can be... ornate. But it- it's also the crackling emotions! The convoluted magic system! The smell of the pages!"
Luz buries her face into the pages and inhales deeply. Boscha stares at her judgingly.
"Luz!"
Amity runs up and calls out to Luz. She stops beside Boscha to catch her breath.
"I heard that-"
"Spill it, hermosa!"
"The author of Azura is having a signing this afternoon at the Book Nook!"
"Huh?"
"You are much less excited than I imagined."
"Uh, excuse me, I'm still here."
"I'm just confused. The author is human."
"No, she's not. She's from the Demon Realm. How do you think I got my books?"
"How do you think I got mine? Look!"
Luz takes a book and shows Amity the author's picture on the back, accidentally pushing Boscha backwards.
"Hey!"
"See?"
Luz points at the author's ear. "Human!"
Both Luz and Amity notice that the author has different ears when comparing the pictures behind Luz's book and Amity's book side by side.
"Can the author of Azura..."
"Travel between realms?!"
Boscha pushes aside the duo angrily.
"Get off me!"
Luz and Amity put their books on the stand, then walk off together while holding hands. Boscha shouts after them.
"You guys aren't cute! I still have more friends than you!"
Hunter emerges from beside a stand watching the students of Hexside. He is disguised in the uniform of a Potions Track student.
"Look at all these potential recruits."
Flapjack appears on Hunter's shoulder and chirps.
"Sure, I've never actually spoken to witches my age. Teens are probably into the same things as me! Like authority and rules!"
"Highly doubt that but I'm going too."
"Like that?" Hunter looks at her up and down, Y/n crosses her arms.
"No, like this." Y/n places on a necklace, casting an illusion of her younger self.
"Much better."
Hunter and Y/n walk up to a small student watching their scroll.
"Classmate! Ignore the fact that we've never met. What if I told you all your dreams could come true? And you'd just have to leave your home, friends, and family forever?"
The small student looks at Hunter hesitantly and sweats.
Some Oracle track students play Hexes Hold'em at their stand. They cheer after one of the cards have been destroyed in an epic battle. Hunter approaches them.
"Ha-ha!"
"Woo-hoo!"
"You think these are cool? Not as cool as the Emperor's Coven. I hear you get to sleep in till 6 a.m."
Barcus spits out a "Banish Card", which hits Hunter's face making Y/n chuckle.
Jerbo walks while looking at a pamphlet when he is stopped by Hunter.
"You! How would you like to rise to the top by joining the Emperor's Coven?"
"Eh. Not interested."
"You aren't?!"
"I mean, do I wanna study different kinds of magic? Heck yes! But why is joining the Emperor's Coven my only option? When I get older, I'm gonna give this system a long-overdue update."
Hunter retreats while looking at Jerbo incredulously.
"What are you talking about?"
"Hunter be careful!"
Hunter accidentally steps on Viney's pet griffin, Puddles', tail. She turns around and screeches at him.
Viney restrains Puddles. "It's okay, Puddles. No, he didn't mean it. No, no, no, no! No, Puddles, no!"
Hunter looks at Puddles approaching him with a startled expression, Y/n quickly stood in-front of him as she glared at Puddles.
Willow stands in-front of her stand.
"Let out your inner flying freak! Once the Flyer Derby club is approved, we'll travel all across the Isles in rocking outfits and working as a team!"
"Good luck with that.
"Professor Hermonculus."
"I'm overseeing club approvals this year, and I just don't think Flyer Derby is worth investing in."
"Just because it's not as well-known as Grudgby doesn't mean-"
"You misunderstand me. I'm shutting it down unless YOU step down as captain. I just don't think quitters make good leaders."
"You're just mad that she dropped your class. Give her a chance!"
"Okay. Put together a team for a friendly game of Flyer Derby after school. If you can lead your team to victory, maybe I'll approve your club."
Professor Hermonculus leaves. Willow and Gus stare at him angrily, but then Willow sighs, looking despondent.
"You can do this, Willow. Don't let him beat you down."
"But Amity and Luz are busy and... I don't know where to find enough decent players this fast."
"Calm down, flea-magnet!"
Willow and Gus hear someone shouting and look upwards. Up above, Hunter is riding on his staff, trying to escape from Puddles chasing after him. Puddles bites on one of Hunter's shoe and tears it off.
"Hey!"
"Stop making it angry!"
Hunter notices Puddles coming straight at him. He makes a nosedive towards her and snatches his shoe from Puddles' beak, then makes a few spins and whizzes past Willow.
Willow looks at Hunter in astonishment. Y/n ties up Puddles with vines, then follows after Hunter with Willow not far behind.
"Hey, you!"
Hunter notices Willow calling out for him. He then sees Willow's vines coming towards him and tries to escape on his staff, but Willow promptly ties him up and brings him back to her. Hunter looks at her with a terrified expression as she approaches him and stares down at him.
Y/n stood in-front of Hunter as she looked at Willow who holds up a pamphlet. "Wanna join my Flyer Derby team?"
"What?"
Hunter later pats the vines off him.
"This is Gus Porter, and I'm Willow Park, future captain of Hexside's first Flyer Derby team."
While talking, Willow grabs both Y/n and Hunter's hands and shakes it vigorously.
"Nice- to- uh- meet- you!"
"Like- wise!"
"Your flying was... amazing. You're new students, right?"
Gus looks at them suspiciously. "Yeah, weird we've never seen you around. What's your name?"
"Uh..."
Flapjack lands on Hunter's shoulder and chirps at him.
"Caleb? Uh, Caleb! This is Jasper... Bloodwilliams. We just transferred from... uh..."
"The... Toes? But we're not here to play Fly Derby, sorry."
"Whatever that is. I have my own mission."
"We have a mission."
Y/n gives Willow an apologetic look before looking at Hunter.
Hunter turns around and starts walking away.
"Okay... At least take a pamphlet?"
Willow offers Hunter a pamphlet. He snatches it off her hand and walks away again. He then reads the cover of the pamphlet which says: "FLYER DERBY - A SPORT FOR THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST!", and immediately turns around.
"Wait! Do you really think your club will attract the best and the brightest?"
"Absolutely! Flyer Derby's not for the faint witch."
"Then maybe I'll give it a try."
"Well give it a try."
"Really?"
"But- Okay. How do we evaluate others? A Witch's Duel? A maze full of traps? Oh! Leave everyone at the top of the mountain and see who makes it back to the bottom alive! Classic."
"I don't think that's how it works..."
"Um... we... might not have time for all that. But... you can help by attracting people with your sick sky skills."
Willow runs off with her staff.
"Hmm. I don't... feel sick."
"It's an expression."
"Hey, I don't know what kinda mission you're on, but it's been a tough year for Willow. And she's really looking forward to making this team a thing. Don't mess this up for her."
Hunter looks at Gus walking away with a confused look.
•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•
In Bonesborough, Luz and Amity walk through the Market Place.
"I can't believe we never uncovered this mystery before. I always thought Mildred Featherwhyle sounded too delightful to be a real name."
"Do you think she has her own portal? Do you think she's related to that human guy, Philip?"
"What if... the author is Eda? She's been keeping it a secret this whole time because she's embarrassed by all the spelling errors!"
"...Okay, these theories are a little unrealistic. It's obviously your mother as a teenager sent forward in time to train you in the ways of witchcraft!"
"Whatever it is, we're gonna find out soon."
Luz notices that they have arrived at their destination. However, on the promotional poster, it says that the event has been cancelled. Luz falls to her knees and starts crying.
At Hexside, Willow is trying to attract students.
"Students of Hexside! Got a palisman? Got a need for thrills, chills and theatrics？Well, this could be you!"
Hunter and Y/n emerge from behind Willow and whizzes above everyone's head, causing the audience to cry out in amazement. Hunter then proceeds to fly upwards, jump off his staff, then lands back on it and keeps on flying.
Y/n flew into the air and turned her staff so that she flew upside down for a moment before letting go of her staff, catching it as she flew above the audience.
The audience started clapping and cheering.
"Man, these Bloodwilliams siblings are great. With them, I think we can really get our Derby team approved."
Willow starts handing out pamphlets along with Gus.
"This girl will be a perfect candidate for the Emperor's Coven. If there are more witches like her, we're set!"
"Your really set on this?"
"Of course!"
Y/n stand on her staff as she looks at Hunter with a raise brow, wondering something.
"If you say so but I'll help a bit."
"Thanks..."
"Hey! Come on down!"
Hunter lands with Y/n beside him.
"Allow me to introduce you to... the best, and the brightest of Hexside."
Three new members have joined the team. They are: Gus, Skara, and Viney.
"Look, Puddles, it's the friend you made before!"
Viney tries to hold Puddles back. "No, no, no! Do not claw Mommy's face!"
Y/n smiled at Puddles, they back away whimpering slightly.
"Scary much."
Skara is lying on the staircase lazily while scrolling on her scroll.
"Hmm."
She promptly slides down with her head hitting the ground. Gus on the other hand is mounting his staff.
"Let's try this one more time!"
Gus flies off, but he appears inexperienced at controlling his staff and eventually crashes into a wall.
"Just a few months ago, I'd be considered the weak link on any team. But now I'm leading one! Ooh! Okay, girl, don't let the power get to your head just yet. Hmm?"
Willow notices Hunter walking away.
"Caleb?"
"Not again."
Willow and Y/n run up to catch up with Hunter.
"Where are you going? The field is this-a-way."
"You said you'd find the best witches for this team. But them? They're pathetic."
"You just met them! Give them a chance!"
"Well, where I come from, even chances have to be earned. Especially if you're considered half-a-witch like me."
Willow looks at Hunter with a surprised expression.
"Sorry, Captain. Good luck with your match."
"Hun-"
Hunter walks away again. Willow smirks and draws a spell circle. Hunter is suddenly stopped by something.
"Huh?"
Hunter looks down at notices that his feet has been tied down. He is then dragged into the ground and later pops back up on the playing field with Y/n. Y/n and Hunter look around preparing to fight, but find the field empty.
"Huh?"
Skara walks up to Hunter.
"Sorry I was distracted earlier. Been playing Grudgby for so long, I needed to catch up on the latest Flyer Derby strats."
Skara shows Hunter posts on Penstagram with pictures showing strategies for playing Flyer Derby.
"Those look... complicated."
"They are."
Hunter hears Viney speaking and looks towards her.
"Whew! Okay, finally. Got Puddles down for her nap thanks to your friend.
Viney draws a spell circle above her head and drags it down to her feet, healing her physical scars.
"Now I'm only scarred emotionally."
Someone whizzes behind Hunter. He looks up and sees Gus sky surfing on his staff. He then lands in front of Hunter.
"I thought you couldn't fly?"
"So I can't fly like everyone else, but my way's more fun."
He glances towards his palisman and it chirps at him.
"Oh. That's uh, cool, I guess."
"Oh, what was that?"
"I said it was cool!"
Willow pops out next to Hunter from the ground.
"Gus is a natural speed demon, Skara's a strategic wizard, and Viney's the best healer in school. And at one point or another, we've all been misjudged. So, still think we're pathetic?"
Hunter shakes his head ashamedly, Y/n applauses at the teens.
"Good. Let's get our game faces on."
Willow paints her face with green paint.
•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•
Luz and Amity sitting outside the Book Nook, both looking downhearted.
"What do we do now, Amity?"
"I- I don't know. I've never found another store that sold these books."
"We were so close!"
Luz buries her face in her arms. Suddenly, Amity hears something and looks towards it. She sees a hooded figure hopping away.
"I think that's her. That's the author!"
"Mildred- Ow! Featherwhyle?!"
"Hmm?"
The hooded figure realizes it had been noticed and immediately starts running.
"Follow her!"
Luz grabs Amity's arm and both start running after the hooded figure.
On the playing field, Hunter holds a crow phone.
"Call Darius."
Darius is seen relaxing in his room when a Crow Phone barges in through the window next to him, startling him.
"Darius, it's me!"
"What the- How did you get this number"
"Y/n but that doesn't matter. I've found some incredible recruits at Hexside. I'm earning my place, just like you told me!"
Darius sighs exasperatedly. "Of course you are. I just wanted you to leave me alone."
"What was that?"
"Caleb! Waiting on you, buddy!"
"I gotta go, but you'll meet them soon."
Hunter hangs up the phone and runs over to the team. Opposite them is another team led by Professor Hermonculus. Jerbo runs up to join that team.
"Thanks for asking me to join, guys! I think we're gonna have a-"
"Jerbo?" Viney makes a cut throat gesture. "Traitor."
"...fun... afternoon." Jerbo sheds a tear.
Willow and her team ride on their staff and line up, getting ready to start.
"All you got to do is fly high and snag some flags."
On the other side, Professor Hermonculus and his team is ready too.
"Let's see what you can do, Captain."
Professor Hermonculus' abomination acts as the referee and blows the whistle. Professor Hermonculus shoots some abomination goo at Willow, but Viney blocks it with a shield.
All players proceed to rush at each other. Hunter teleports himself close to the kid player on the enemy team and snatches off her flag, then passes it on to Gus. Gus flies towards the pole and hangs the flag there, scoring one point.
"Gus, that was amazing!" Gus grins back at Hunter.
The game continues. Mary shoots some abomination goo at Gus, but he manages to evade it. The goo explodes and hits Skara instead, causing her to crash into a wall. The abomination referee blows the whistle. The enemy team hangs a flag on their pole, scoring one point.
The game continues, Viney rushes towards Jerbo and he rushes towards her. Both crash into each other and fall off their staffs. Willow and Gus rush towards the enemy team. Mary and the spike-headed student try to hit them with abomination goo but all missed.
"She's right there! Can't you see?" Hunter and Y/n teleport next to the professor.
"Boo."
Hunter grabs the professor's flag and flies off, Y/n send a blast of ice. Meanwhile, Willow summons some vines and aims it at the enemy team players.
Mary gasps and covers her face. Willow successfully grabs two flags from the enemy players, but an abomination goo suddenly hits her staff from below, causing her to fall off. Hunter looks at this with a shocked expression. Professor Hermonculus on the ground used a spell circle.
"Oops. My hand slipped." Players from both teams glance towards him angrily.
"Petty!" Y/n yelled as Willow manages to pass over the flags to Hunter as she continues falling to the ground. She summons a flower which successfully cushions her fall.
Hunter looks down at Willow while remaining still. Gus gives him a hard push from behind.
"Go, go, go!"
Mary accidentally crashes into Gus, knocking him off his staff. Hunter flies to the team pole and hangs all three enemy flags on it, securing the victory.
He lands, and Viney proceeds to pour a bucket of something red over his head. Everyone on Willow's team then start cheering.
Professor Hermonculus begrudgingly walks up to Willow.
"May I please have your team name?"
"Shoot. We never thought of a name."
"The... Emerald Entrails!"
The other team members looks at Hunter.
"You know, because... we're green, and there's... more to us... than you think." He smiles awkwardly.
The other team members remain silent. Then they all start chanting enthusiastically.
"Entrails! Entrails! Entrails! Entrails!"
"Entrails team photo! We're number one!"
Y/n smiled at Hunter before lifting him onto her shoulder much to his surprise.
"H-Hey!, put me down!"
"Not happening!"
Willow uses her scroll to take a group selfie. Everyone looks happy including Hunter, who is also smiling.
"I can't believe I almost bailed on you guys. Today was amazing! Thanks for giving me another shot."
"Always nice making a new friend. I had an opening for one."
Viney glances towards Jerbo angrily. Jerbo gasps and clutches his chest.
"We wouldn't have gotten here without you two."
"Yeah, I shouldn't have been so suspicious."
"We can forget all about that when we play next time... as a part of the Emperor's Coven!"
All team members give Hunter a strange look.
"The what?!"
"My name isn't Caleb. It's Hunter! And I'm the Emperor's right-hand man. The Golden Guard!" Y/n smiled awkwardly as she avoided eye contact with the rest of the team.
"...Y-Y-Y-You can't be serious? You're not the one Luz... told us about, right?"
"Yes, I am!" Hunter removes Y/n's illusion necklace revealing her true-self, shocking the students.
Hunter nods at Flapjack. He flies upwards and transforms into a staff. Hunter grabs it and waves, transforming his outfit into the Golden Guard outfit and Y/n's into the empress's outfit. He then puts on his mask.
"Yeah, this would usually look cooler with the cloak, but... I don't have it at the moment. Long story."
The team members suddenly gasp. Multiple Coven Scouts appear and surround them.
"Whoa there, scouts. I didn't give you orders to come here."
"Don't look at me." Y/n raised her hands.
"Darius sent us to collect your recruits."
"Ah, okay. Very good. Then there won't be any delay in branding you with coven sigils and taking you away from your friends and family forever. Hooray!" Y/n looked at Hunter weirdly.
Gus, Willow and Viney look at the Coven Scouts angrily while Skara starts bawling.
•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•
At the Police Precinct 128 in Bonesborough. The team members are locked up in a cell. Hunter takes away their staff and leans them on a wall outside the cell.
"Okay, listen, I'm sorry about this whole cell thing, but did you really have to punch Steve, Skara?"
Steve is sitting on a stool, his helmet dented as he presses an ice pack onto the side of his head.
"I get it. Emotions are running high. Ice pack for Steve."
Y/n looked at the cell the team members were in with regret.
"Well, I don't get it. You're joining the best coven there is. You can keep all your magic, you get free room and board, you can even play Flyer Derby on your day off! Well, this year's day has already passed, but next year's only 52 weeks away!"
"We don't care! None of us want this!"
"You will eventually. Trust me, I'm your friend now."
"Friends don't stab each other in the back."
"Sure they do. The Coven Heads do it all the time back at the castle." Hunter looks towards Willow. "Captain, you're on my side, right?"
Willow has her back facing everyone. She is facing a wall with her head lowered.
"I... thought I... could be good at this."
Hunter's smile vanishes.
"But we're here because... I made a bad call." Willows on the verge of crying. "I'm just... half-a-witch Willow."
An abomination goo suddenly appears, wraps the team members up and vanishes altogether. They are teleported onto Darius' flying ship. Their palismen are sent up by a Coven Scout in a cage. Hunter flings the door open and runs outside with Y/n.
"Darius, I did it! I found recruits!"
"Yep, and you're making me work on my day off. Take this and quit bugging me."
Darius summons Hunter's cloak and fling it at him, Y/n get smacked in the face with her mask that she threw at Darius. Hunter looks down at his sigil and touches it.
"I can... wear this proudly now." He looks up at Darius. "Right?"
"Can you?"
Hunter looks at Darius uncertainly.
"See you at the castle, Golden Guard."
Darius flies off in his ship. Steve comes out from the door behind Hunter.
"I do not envy those kids, man."
"They just have to go through basic training before becoming scouts. It's not too bad."
"Dude, do you even remember what we had to do? The duels. The mazes with the traps. That time we were left alone on a mountain?"
"Classic."
"And of course Belos likes to collect everyone's palismen."
Steve's words reminded Hunter of something. A flashback of Belos snatching a staff off Hunter's hand, breaks it, and absorbing the essence into his eyes and nostrils. Hunter looks down nervously.
Steve grunts and walks away. "Steve is beginning to regret his choices."
"Y/n already regrets her choices... but at what cost."
Hunter looks up at Darius' ship which is flying away.
"I think Hunter is, too."
•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•
The hooded figure runs along a beach with Luz and Amity chasing after it. Luz tries to stop it with vines from Plant Glyph, but it rolls over it and keeps on running.
Amity summons an abomination and tries to block it, but it shoots fire with its hand and burns a hole in the abomination, then jumps through it and keeps on running.
"Maybe it's Kikimora! And her only way to express herself is through fiction."
"Maybe it's another shape-shifting basilisk trying to write their story through metaphor!"
The hooded figure comes to a dead end. It tries to climb up the wall, but the disguise falls off instead, revealing the figure to be Tiny Nose.
"Aw, wats."
Luz and Amity run up to her.
"Tinella Nosa?"
"She's had a name this whole time?!"
Tinella brings Luz and Amity into a cave.
"Sorry, boss. The jig is up."
Luz sees something and gasps. Sitting atop some books on a rock, Tibbles puts down his book and stares down at the trio.
"Tibbles?!"
Tibbles closes up his book and throws it aside. Mattholomule comes out carrying a pile of books.
"Edited a few more of those author photos, boss." Mattholomule sets some books down. "Some of my finest work."
Mattholomule notices Luz and gasps.
"Luz?!"
He takes the paint brush off his ear and blushes in embarrassment.
Luz squints angrily. "Mattholomule!"
"Oh, calm down. Human garbage is constantly leaking into our water. And about a year ago I found this box of books washed up on the shore." Tibbles jumps down from his throne.
"I've been trying to make a snail off it ever since but no one's buying!"
"Wait. I'm still getting paid for this, right?"
"Not now, kid." Tibbles shoos Mattholomule away.
"According to the owner of the Book Nook, he's only ever had one customer purchase from this series."
Luz glances towards Amity, who looks away and scratches one of her now reddened cheeks.
"I-I didn't know. I swear!"
"This is the WORST SCAM I've ever run."
"So the author is human after all."
"Oh-ho-ho. Were you expecting some dramatic discovery?"
In response, Amity summons an abomination fist and hits Tibbles from below, sending him flying upwards. Luz sighs and leans onto Amity's shoulder, while she wraps her arm around Luz's shoulder.
Hunter chases after Darius' flying ship. He teleports himself to get close to the ship faster.
On the ship, Darius is scrolling on his scroll looking at Penstagram when he comes across Alador's post.
"Ugh. Mute."
"Really?, that interesting." Darius jumps as he sees Y/n flying next to him.
"Shut up." Darius frowns in annoyance as Y/n grinned.
An abomination is seen controlling the ship. The cage containing the palismen is put beside Darius. Skara tries to reach out to it, but Darius promptly slaps her away with abomination goo.
"Nope."
Willow tries to bring the cage over using a Plant spell.
"Nuh-uh."
Darius destroys the leaves with an abomination goo hand and slaps Willow's head with it.
Darius sets aside his scroll. "You're gonna need to be a little more clever than that."
"Darius!"
Hunter suddenly teleports himself next to Darius, startling him.
"Now!"
All team members jump off the ship, Gus blowing a raspberry. Darius and Hunter rush over and look down, only to see the team members disappear in a puff of smoke. Darius immediately glances back.
"An illusion."
"Land the ship!"
The team members jump down from the ship frame's beam. Viney squashes the abomination and takes control of the ship.
"Wait!"
Viney pulls down a lever and crashes the ship into the sea, destroying it. The team members then jump off the ship with their staffs and try to escape, but Darius blocks their path with an abomination.
"Did you really think you could get away with endangering a Coven Head? Do you have any idea what I'm capable of?!"
Darius transforms his right arm into a scythe. Willow tries to attack him with vines, but he slices them off easily.
Willow then tries to form a shield with vines, but Darius slices it open easily too. He then raises his scythe arm, preparing to attack Willow.
Willow braces herself for the attack while shielding other team members behind her. Hunter suddenly rushes forwards and puts himself between Darius and the team members.
"WAIT!"
"Out of my way, little prince."
"No! I was mistaken. These four are insolent agitators who aren't fit for the Emperor's Coven." Hunter looks down.
"And I'm unfit to wear the sigil of the Golden Guard." Hunter takes off his cloak and drops it to the ground. He then turns towards Willow.
"You can go."
Willow raises her staff. She is on the verge of tears.
"Please, captain."
Willow lowers her staff.
"Let's move, team. We need to find a replacement. After all, it'll be 52 weeks before Caleb's next day off."
The other team members walk away with Willow.
"You... befriended them? And then you disobeyed me to protect them?!"
Darius raises his scythe arm. Expecting an attack, Hunter shuts his eyes and recoils in fear making Y/n summon her staff, ready to attack Darius.
Instead, Darius transforms his hand back and pats his head.
"I'm impressed. I had you all wrong."
"Huh?"
"You're what? Sixteen? It's about time you made connections outside the castle."
Darius summons a scroll and drops in into Hunter's hands. Hunter opens it up and sees the sign-up page of Penstagram.
"I was just gonna drop them off at Hexside. We have more than enough recruits, in my opinion."
"Are you... gonna tell Belos about this?
Darius smiles. "Are you going to tell him about your secret palisman?"
Hunter gasps and reaches his hand towards Flapjack. Flapjack chirps.
"Magic or not, I think you'll make your predecessors proud."
Darius throws Hunter's cloak back at him and fixes the sewing work using magic.
"But you could still use a sewing lesson."
Darius smiles at Y/n who reluctantly puts away her staff.
"He's a lot like you, stubborn of course but caring to others."
"Oh I'm flattered." Y/n smiled making Darius chuckle.
•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•
Luz and Amity walk along a the beach.
"So, are you upset?"
"Nah. Azura's author may be a human, but I'm human too. Sometimes it's nice to be reminded that you don't need to be a powerful ancient witch to make something special."
"Well, I had fun coming up with those theories. They were like... our own stories."
"What if the Azura Book Club was also a writing club?"
"What would be our first writing prompt？"
Hmm. How about the mystery of..." Luz gasps and points at the members of Emerald Entrails walking nearby.
"What they were up to all night?"
The members of the Emerald Entrails notice that Hunter had just created a Penstagram account.
"Did he just make an account?"
"Wow. He is a slow typer."
"He's worse than my dad." Willow notices Luz and Amity nearby.
"Oh. Hey, guys." Luz and Amity come up to them.
"I am really digging those outfits. So, how was the rest of school? Did we... miss anything?"
"Just had our first team win as the Emerald Entrails."
All team members proceed to strike their respective cool poses.
"Ooh! Let me see! Let me see!"
Willow turns her scroll towards them and shows them the group selfie on her Penstagram account. Both Luz and Amity notice Hunter and Y/n in the photo and gasp in shock.
"What?!"
The duo's yelling causes some birds to fly off.