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Belos fought with the ferocity of a wild animal. Luz had never really fought anything like it - well, not in the Demon Realm. It was more akin to a rabid racoon she’d came across when she was six. It had been in one of those traps, and Luz had freed it. For her efforts it had attacked her unpredictably.
Was he still in his human mind?
Oh, she thought as he tried to manipulate Hunter again. Yes, yes he is.
She ran forward in front of him, lay out a spell circle, and…
Her spell worked, but the goop was a liquid, able to bend around the vines and knock her away.
She screamed, hearing her friends call her name as she fell down, down, down…
She frantically dug into her sack, until she pulled out the spell she was looking for. Tapping it, she felt her fall slow, just for a moment, before she flopped to the ground, breathing in and out after the shock.
“I’m alive…I’M ALIVE!” she said. Then she shook her head. “I need to get back right now.”
She started, but then…
“I just need a pinky promise!”
She spun around and gasped. King slowly walked forward, towards the shadow of…
“The Collector? King, you can’t! We can do this, we don’t need to-”
King didn’t look at her. “They’ve been her a long time, Luz. and Belos hurt them. Just like Hunter, like Eda-”
Luz was about to respond that they created Edas curse, but King had already grabbed the collectors pinky.
“No, no no no!”
Luz ran forward and grabbed King by his free arm. Her hand wrapped around his pinky.
“Hey! That’ll mess it up-” the collector screamed.
“Good!” Luz said. “I mean, I’m sorry you got trapped and are lonely and all, but-”
“Stopp itttt!”
Luz felt her chest grow warm, then warmer, until bright light filled her vision.
And then everything went black.
The whole group were on their last legs. Their shock at Luz falling were making it harder to fight, the though that Luz was gone being very distracting.
At least, until she appeared right in front of them.
Or, what might have been her at first glance. Her hair was pure white, and her purple hoodie and cape was now tightly wrapped around her shoulders, despite her wearing something completely different moments before. Any trace of sweat or bruises were gone, as if she’d never been fighting.
The worst of it, though, was the smile that didn’t reach the eyes. Eyes which were glowing a dangerous red. Just by the expression, they all knew that something was very wrong.
Amity wondered if she was just mistaken and that wasn't her girlfriend, but then they spoke, and that was very much Luz's voice.
“Whatcha playing?”
Belos leaned down. “Human.” he seethed.
“Nope!” she giggled. “Guess again!”
His face loosened, and if he had skin it would probably have gone pale. “C-collector.” he said, stumbling for a moment. “Your free now! Just as promised.”
“Meh, not quite. Someone had to go and mess it up, so I’m a little nerfed,” she said, gesturing to himself. “Say! Why don’t we test that out?”
He - she? Or was it They? - well, whatever they were, they started spinning around the goop, dragging Belos closer.
They leaned in close. “Boop!”
And then Belos was flying, until he smashed into the wall. Goop started dripping down, and Hunter slapped a hand over his mouth.
“L-luz…” Amity whispered.
At this, The Collector turned around, and that was undoubtedly Luz’s face, as strange and now multicolored it was.
“Amity! Didja see that?” he giggled. “I still got it!” then they slapped their forehead. “Ugh, forgot. I never met you! That’s a Luz thing.”
Amity backed up. “You're not Luz.”
King suddenly ran up. “U-uh, Collector! Luz?”
“Collector, thank you very much,” he said, doing a flourish with his hands that was so Luz. It made Amity's skin crawl.
“So, you ready to play The Owl House?” King said, stuttering. “A-and are you gonna get out of Luz’s body.”
“I’d sure love to do that, pal,” The Collector said, shrugging. “But we’re bonded too tight already. Your pinky swear won’t do much. Think of it as…hm…oh! Like I was her identical twin who absorbed her in the womb!”
Gus seemed ready to barf at that. Willow grabbed Hunter and Gus, and tugged at Amity.
“Hey! Where are you going, guys?” Collector said. “Don’t you want to play Owl House? Look look, I'll fix everything!"
He reached out and pointed towards the moon before carelessly flinging it to the side. Hunter felt the sigil draining spell slink off his arm, and the stinging pain with it. "There! Now we can play!"
He laughed, starting to levitate as the world crumbled around him. Staring down at Luz’s friends as if they’d be just as delighted as he. "C'mon!"
King leapt onto Amity’s shoulder as they ran to the one escape they knew. The portal.
“What? Your going to run off to Luz’s world?” he cackled. “I can show you around myself! But that’d be so boring. Why don’t you stay here, here? It’s so much cooler!”
“Luz…” Amity whispered. She felt her heart crack, and she stopped just before entering.
“Oh! Looks like we have one taker!” Collector said. “C’mere!”
Amity grabbed Hunters hand, but she could feel herself starting to get dragged away. Hunter was halfway through the portal, who knows when it would flicker and if that would-
King seemed to realize this too. He narrowed his eyes, and then turned around.
"And you!" Collector said. "Get over here! Us weirdos stick together, don't you remember?"
“King, no!” Gus cried.
King turned to face the group, and then nuzzled Amity. "Stay safe."
And then he squealed, sending Amity and co. flying back through the portal and King flying the other direction into Lu - Collectors delightedly outstretched arms.
And then the door shut.
Amity rushed forward. “LUZ!” she slammed the door open and shut, open and shut. Yet it stayed an empty, abandoned room.
After a second of silence, Gus let out a quiet sob, shaking. “K-king…”
Willow did not speak, but she clenched her fist. Hunter stood in a shell shocked silence, a small chuckle coming out of him as he looked up at the rain.
“I-it doesn’t hurt.”
Camila had heard a noise from nearby as she was on her late walk. Every night she checked on the place Vee had told her was where her daughter had been taken away from her. Narrowing her eyes, she tiptoed forward, wondering if there would be another situation. She loosened up with concern when she heard the quiet sobs.
This was a pair of kids.
“What are you doing out? You might catch a cold,” she said.
They all turned towards her, and she noticed their pointy…ears…
She gasped.
“Your…”
“Miss Noceda?”
“Is Luz with you?” Camila asked frantically, because they looked like they’d gone through one hell of a fight. Some of those might even scar.
Amity hiccuped, and that was all the answer she’d get out of any of them for a long time.