Eda clapped her hands together. "Alright, listen up, kiddos! Time for a heist planning montage!"
She grabbed a stack of papers and scattered them dramatically onto the table.
I blinked. "Where did you even get those?"
Eda ignored me and pulled out a sketch of the Conformatorium—crude, messy, and labeled with questionably spelled words. "So, Warden Wrath, big scary dude with anger issues, likes to hoard all the good stuff in his personal vault, right?"
She flipped to another paper, revealing a wobbly drawing of a treasure chest. "That's where we'll find the Hexium and…" She doodled a tiny stick-figure King wearing a ridiculous oversized crown. "…His Royal Highness's 'crown of power.'"
King huffed. "Finally! Some respect!"
Luz leaned in, intrigued. "So how do we get in?"
Eda smirked and revealed a third, even less detailed drawing—this one of a spiky, glowing barrier.
"This is where things get interesting."
I frowned. "That looks… ominous."
"Oh, it is!" Eda grinned. "See, Wrath's got himself a little problem—witches and demons are too magical for their own good. He doesn't want anyone getting to his stash, so he put up a security barrier that only allows non-magical beings to pass through."
Luz blinked. "Wait. Non-magical?"
Eda finger-gunned at us. "Bingo."
I stiffened. "…Oh no."
Luz gasped, eyes lighting up. "Oh yes."
King practically vibrated. "Oooooh, the plot thickens!"
I groaned, dragging a hand down my face. "So let me get this straight—because we're human, we're the only ones who can get inside?"
Eda nodded. "You got it, kiddo."
Luz grabbed my arm, grinning. "Lucian, this is perfect!"
"This is a terrible idea."
Eda ignored me. "Now, once you two slip through, you grab the goods, avoid any traps, and we make a quick getaway before Wrath even knows what's happening."
Knight flicked his tail, unimpressed.
I pinched the bridge of my nose. "I hate this plan."
Luz elbowed me. "You love this plan."
King climbed onto the table dramatically. "And most importantly—you retrieve my crown!"
I exhaled sharply. "Right. Of course. That's the real priority."
King pointed at me. "Glad we're on the same page!"
Eda clapped her hands. "Alright, let's get this show on the road!"
Luz practically bounced on her feet, barely containing her excitement. "Yes! Time for a high-stakes heist!"
I sighed, crossing my arms. "More like a high-risk disaster waiting to happen."
Eda snorted. "That's the spirit, broody! Now, we'll need to move fast—the Conformatorium's no joke, and Warden Wrath really doesn't like visitors."
King huffed. "Understatement. He's an obsessive brute with no sense of hospitality!"
I raised a brow. "Didn't he imprison you last time?"
King scowled. "That's not the point."
Eda smirked. "The point is, we're in and out before Wrath even knows we were there. Quick, clean, and—"
Luz fist-pumped. "Daringly awesome?!"
Eda winked. "Now you're getting it."
I glanced at Knight, who looked equally unamused. "We're surrounded by lunatics."
Knight flicked his tail in agreement.
Eda stretched. "Alright, you two go get some rest—we'll head out at sunset."
Luz beamed. "This is gonna be so cool!"
I exhaled. "This is gonna be the worst."
The Conformatorium stood ominously under the pale moonlight, a towering fortress of stone and iron. The jagged architecture and eerie green torches lining the exterior made it look more like a place where nightmares went to rot rather than a prison.
"This place gives me the creeps," Luz whispered.
I exhaled, adjusting my hoodie. "Yeah, because it is creepy. Let's grab what we need and get out."
Eda, standing behind some cover near the entrance, smirked. "That's the spirit. Now listen, kiddos, I already have a history with this place, so if I waltz in there, alarms will go off instantly."
"So we're on our own?" Luz asked.
Eda shrugged. "Yep. But don't worry! I disabled the main alarm runes—so as long as you don't do anything stupid, you should be fine."
Luz grinned. "Oh, no worries! I do stupid really well!"
I rubbed my temples. "That's… not a good thing."
Eda ignored us. "Now, once you're inside, the vault is at the top of the tower. Get in, grab the Crown of Power and the Hexium, and get out before Wrath catches you."
King puffed out his tiny chest. "Yes! And once I reclaim my Crown of Power, my true strength will return!"
Knight flicked an ear and gave him a skeptical look.
Eda smirked. "Yeah, sure, let's go with that."
King ignored her, dramatically pointing forward. "Onward, my minions! TO GLORY!"
We snuck through the massive, dimly lit halls, keeping to the shadows as best as we could.
The deeper we went, the more unsettling the place became. The air was thick with muffled whispers, soft sobbing, and the occasional metallic clang of someone rattling their cell bars.
I frowned. "This place is… worse than I thought."
Luz peered into one of the cells, her expression shifting from curiosity to concern.
A small, goat-like demon was curled up in the corner of his cell, staring at the wall.
"Hey," Luz whispered. "Are you okay?"
The demon didn't answer, only muttering under his breath.
From the next cell over, a tall, thin witch with ink-stained fingers sighed dramatically. "Don't bother. He's been talking to the walls for weeks."
Luz hesitated. "Why are you all locked up?"
The witch smirked. "Oh, y'know. Dangerous crimes."
Luz's eyes widened. "Like what?"
The witch held up a scrap of parchment.
Luz leaned in.
It was a drawing of a duck.
But instead of two eyes, it had five.
Luz blinked. "…That's it?"
The witch shrugged. "The Emperor doesn't like creative liberties."
Luz's mouth fell open. "THAT'S INSANE!"
King nodded sagely. "Indeed! Even I, the King of Demons, would never restrict the artistic freedoms of my subjects."
Knight rolled his eyes.
Further down, a bard sat slumped against the bars of his cell, his broken lute at his feet.
"They locked me up for writing a song about how much I hate the Emperor's laws," he muttered. "Turns out, he didn't like it."
Luz clenched her fists. "That's so unfair."
A three-eyed demon spoke up from another cell. "You think we have it bad? There's a guy in here who got arrested for dancing in public."
I raised a brow. "…You're joking."
"Nope."
A muffled voice from a few cells away called out.
"I REGRET NOTHING."
I sighed. "Okay. This place is even dumber than I thought."
The bard groaned. "You're not here to bust us out, are you?"
Luz visibly hesitated. "…Not exactly."
The prisoners groaned.
King crossed his arms. "Fear not, my loyal subjects! Once I have reclaimed my power, I shall—"
BOOM.
The entire hallway shook as something huge stomped closer.
We barely had time to react before the hulking form of Warden Wrath appeared at the end of the hall.
"What is all this NOISE?!" he roared.
The prisoners fell silent.
A small, imp-like demon in the cell closest to us let out a high-pitched whimper.
Thinking fast, I yanked Luz into an empty cell, pulling King and Knight in after her.
We pressed ourselves against the wall as Wrath's glowing eyes scanned the prisoners.
Wrath's massive form loomed over the cells. His breath was heavy, his armor clanking with each movement.
"I do not tolerate disturbances," he growled. His gaze locked onto the trembling imp. "You. With me."
The imp squeaked as Wrath yanked him out of his cell.
"N-No! I'll be quiet, I swear!"
Wrath sneered. "Too late."
He turned and marched away, dragging the imp with him.
We didn't move until the sound of his footsteps faded.
Luz exhaled. "That. Was. Terrifying."
King wiped imaginary sweat from his forehead. "I was totally calm the whole time."
Knight huffed.
I peeked out cautiously. "Okay. Let's move before he comes back."
We slipped out and continued deeper inside.
Eventually, we reached the vault.
King pointed dramatically. "My Crown of Power lies beyond that barrier!"
A shimmering force field surrounded the pedestal inside.
Luz tilted her head. "Okay, so how do we get through?"
I stepped forward, reached out—
And my hand slipped through effortlessly.
Luz's eyes widened. "Whoa."
She followed me inside while King and Knight waited outside.
Approaching the pedestal, I stared at the object sitting on top.
A… kid's meal crown?
Luz frowned. "That's… not magical, right?"
I sighed. "Not even a little."
King gasped dramatically and snatched it up. "My Crown of Power!" He placed it on his head, striking a heroic pose. "I can feel the strength returning to me!"
Luz gave him a pitying look. "Uh… buddy? It's just plastic."
King froze. "W-What?"
King's eyes widened. "All this time… I have been… powerless?!"
I sighed. "You're still taking that seriously?"
Luz smirked. "Hey, if it's important to him, it's important to us."
King clutched the crown dramatically.
"We need to move." I gestured toward the exit. "Before someone—"
I stopped.
A shadow loomed from around the corridor ahead.
Then—
A familiar voice drawled, "Took you brats long enough."
We all turned.
Eda stood at the intersection of two corridors, smirking.
"Eda?!" Luz gasped. "How did you—?"
The Owl Lady twirled her staff lazily. "Got tired of waiting outside, figured I'd drop in."
Knight's ears flicked. "You just… walked in?"
Eda shrugged. "What can I say? I have my ways."
She glanced at the crown in Luz's hands and snorted. "So. Worth it?"
Luz narrowed her eyes. "You knew it was fake, didn't you?"
Eda grinned. "I knew it was important to King, which makes it important to me."
King puffed up proudly. "See? The Owl Lady understands the true value of my relic!"
I rolled my eyes. "Okay, we got what we came for. Now let's leave before—"
A deep booming voice rumbled from down the hall.
"Eda Clawthorne."
A heavy thud echoed through the corridor as Warden Wrath stepped into view.
His towering form blocked the entire passage.
His red eyes gleamed with fury.
Wrath raised a massive, axe-like hand. "You dare break into my prison?"
Eda huffed. "Wow. That's, like, the third time I've heard that today."
Wrath's gaze dropped to the tiny demon standing next to me.
His eyes narrowed.
"…And what's this?"
King stood tall, puffing out his chest. "Tremble before me, fool! For I have reclaimed my Crown of Power!"
Wrath's eyes flicked to the cheap paper crown.
His expression twisted.
Then, without warning—
He snatched it off King's head.
King yelped. "HEY!"
Wrath held the flimsy crown between two fingers. His lip curled.
"…This?" he muttered.
Then, he crushed it.
The paper crown crumpled into a wad of useless trash.
King's eyes widened in horror.
"…No," he whispered.
Wrath snorted. "Pathetic."
King froze.
His tiny hands shook.
I felt a sharp pang of sympathy.
King had built up this crown as something precious. Something legendary.
And Wrath had tossed it away like nothing.
Luz clenched her fists. "You jerk!"
Eda sighed. "Great. Now you've done it."
Wrath turned back to her. "Enough of this."
His axe-like hand swung through the air—
And Eda's head flew off.
Luz and King screamed.
Knight froze.
I stared, stunned, as Eda's head tumbled to the ground.
Her body staggered back—headless.
For a moment, no one moved.
Then—
Eda's severed head snapped open an eye.
"Oh, come on, Wrathy," she groaned. "At least buy me dinner first."
Luz made a sound between a scream and a wheeze.
Wrath took a stunned step back. "You—what?"
Before he could react further—
Eda's headless body flicked its wrist—
And BLASTED him with a gust of wind magic.
BOOM!
Wrath slammed against the wall, cracking the stone.
Luz, still frozen in shock, grabbed Eda's head off the floor. "WHAT THE HECK?!"
Eda grinned at her. "Relax, kid. I've been through worse."
Luz's eyes darted between the talking head in her hands and the still-standing body.
"…I don't know whether to be amazed or horrified."
King stared at the crumpled remains of his crown.
"…My power…"
His tiny shoulders shook.
Luz put a hand on his back. "Hey… it's okay."
King swallowed hard. "…No, it's not."
As Eda's headless body reached for her severed head, Wrath suddenly straightened up and cleared his throat.
"…Actually," he rumbled, looking a bit awkward.
Eda, now holding her own head in her arms, raised an eyebrow. "Uh. What?"
Luz, still recovering, blinked. "Wait. Is he—?"
King's eyes widened. "Oh no. Not this again."
Wrath took a deep breath. "Eda Clawthorne… I respect your strength. Your wit. Your… recklessness."
Eda's expression twitched. "Oh Titans."
Luz gasped, delighted. "He likes her!"
Wrath nodded solemnly. "I have admired you from afar for a long time. Your crimes against my prison are… impressive."
Knight choked.
I buried my face in my hands.
King groaned. "UGH. Again with this."
Wrath clenched his fist, determination burning in his eyes. "Eda Clawthorne, would you—"
Eda blasted him in the face.
BOOM!
Wrath went flying down the hall.
Eda dusted off her hands. "No."
Luz burst out laughing. "That was amazing."
King still looked crestfallen.
Eda sighed, putting a hand on his tiny head. "Listen, kid. It's not the crown that makes you powerful. It's you."
King blinked up at her.
"…Really?"
Eda smirked. "Yeah. And if anyone says otherwise?"
King grinned toothily. "They'll tremble before me."
Luz giggled.
Eda gestured down the hall. "Now come on, before—"
The Prison Riot Begins
A loud crash shook the prison.
The cells flew open.
Wrath screamed in fury.
And prisoners flooded the halls.
Luz grinned. "YES!"
I groaned. "I knew this was going to happen."
As chaos erupted, we ran.
And this time?
King ran with his head held high.
The Great Escape
The Conformatorium erupted into absolute chaos.
Prisoners swarmed out of their cells, shouting in triumph as they finally tasted freedom. The guards, vastly outnumbered, scrambled to contain the riot, but it was too late.
The revolution had begun.
Luz whooped excitedly. "This is the best prison break ever!"
I shot her a pointed look. "This is the only prison break you've ever been in."
She shrugged. "And it's already my favorite."
King, riding on Knight's back, pointed dramatically. "Run free, my minions! Overthrow your oppressors! Dismantle the system!"
Eda ruffled his head. "Careful, short stack. You sound one speech away from declaring yourself a warlord."
Knight flicked an ear. "We need to move before Wrath gets up."
I nodded. "Agreed. We're outnumbered if he recovers."
Through the Chaos
We tore through the corridors, dodging fleeing prisoners, overturned carts, and furious guards.
Luz practically bounced with excitement. "This is exactly how I imagined my first adventure in the Demon Realm!"
Eda smirked. "What, breaking and entering? Kid, I think you and I are gonna get along just fine."
I sighed. "Great. That's reassuring."
Knight kept pace beside me, ears swiveling at every sound. "Left turn ahead. Guard patrol incoming."
Eda waved him off. "Eh, they won't be a problem."
Sure enough, as we turned the corner, a squad of guards barreled toward us.
"HALT! BY ORDER OF THE EMPEROR—"
Eda snapped her fingers.
A massive gust of wind exploded down the hallway, sending them crashing into the walls.
Eda dusted off her hands. "Wow. They really need better training."
Luz's eyes sparkled. "Can you teach me how to do that?"
Eda winked. "Stick around, kid."
The Final Hurdle
We reached the main exit hall, but—
The huge, reinforced gate was sealed shut.
Luz groaned. "Oh, come on!"
Eda stroked her chin. "I could blast it open…"
Knight tilted his head. "Or we could use the lever."
He gestured to the massive pulley system at the side of the room. A long chain led up to the portcullis.
Eda blinked. "Huh. That was there the whole time?"
I sighed. "You didn't notice that before?"
King raised a tiny fist. "I WILL PULL THE LEVER!"
I grabbed him mid-jump. "No."
Luz rushed forward. "I got it!"
She grabbed the chain, yanked down with all her strength—
And nothing happened.
Eda chuckled. "Uh, yeah. That thing's designed for, like, three ogres to pull."
Knight flicked his tail. "We need to work together."
We all grabbed a section of the chain.
Pulled.
The gate rumbled as it began to rise.
Higher—
Higher—
Almost there—
Then—
BOOM!
Wrath's massive form barreled into the room.
"YOU CANNOT ESCAPE!"
The ground shook as he stormed toward us.
King shrieked. "PULL FASTER!"
Eda spun, lifting her staff. "Oh, give it a rest, Wrathy."
Wrath charged.
Eda launched a blast of wind.
BOOM!
Wrath skidded back— but kept coming.
Luz's face strained. "ALMOST THERE!"
The gate reached its peak.
Eda leaped backward. "That's our cue, kids!"
The Final Sprint
We dashed for the exit.
Wrath roared, slamming his fists into the ground.
The impact rippled through the floor, sending cracks splintering beneath us.
Luz stumbled—
I grabbed her wrist, yanking her forward.
Knight bounded ahead, King clinging to his back.
Eda turned, firing one last gust of magic—
BAM!
Wrath lurched back just as we dove through the gate.
CRASH!
The portcullis slammed down behind us.
Trapping Wrath inside.
His furious roars echoed through the chamber.
Luz panted, hands on her knees. "Holy cow, that was awesome."
Eda smirked. "See? I told you this was more fun than summer camp."
Luz laughed breathlessly. "…Yeah. Yeah, it kinda is."
King stood tall. "Another glorious victory for the King of Demons!"
I shook my head. "We almost died."
Luz grinned. "Yeah, but we didn't."
Knight flicked his tail. "We should go before reinforcements arrive."
Eda stretched. "Agreed."
The front door creaked open as we trudged inside, exhausted.
Knight flopped down near the couch, letting out a tired huff. King collapsed on his back dramatically. "We are victorious—but at what cost?"
Luz stretched her arms. "I dunno, that was pretty awesome."
I shook my head. "We almost got crushed, burned, and decapitated."
Luz grinned. "Yeah! But we didn't."
Eda tossed her staff aside, cracking her neck. "See, this is why I don't do prison breaks every week. Too much cardio."
Luz suddenly perked up. "Wait—Eda. Did you get the Hexuim?"
Eda blinked. "What?"
Luz threw her hands up. "The whole reason we went to the Conformatorium! We were supposed to steal that Hexuim stuff so I could go home!"
Silence.
Eda rubbed the back of her neck.
King's eyes narrowed. "Wait a second."
Luz gasped. "Did you—"
Eda grinned sheepishly. "Okay, so… slight confession."
Knight flicked his ears. "I don't like where this is going."
Eda spun on her heel and strutted toward the fireplace. "I may have… exaggerated the importance of that Hexuim."
Luz gawked. "WHAT?!"
Eda grinned. "Oh, don't be so dramatic, kid." She grabbed the mantlepiece, pressing a hidden latch.
CLUNK.
The fireplace rumbled.
Then—
The back wall split apart, revealing a hidden passage.
Luz's jaw dropped. "No. Freaking. Way."
Eda smirked. "Oh yeah. Mama's got her own tricks."
King puffed up. "I knew you were hiding something!"
Eda beckoned us inside. "Come on, kiddos. Time for a history lesson."
The Portal Room
The passage led down a short stone stairway, damp with age.
At the end of the tunnel—
A massive stone archway stood against the wall. Ancient carvings covered its surface, glowing faintly.
And sitting right in the center—
Was a large, wooden door.
Eda gestured proudly. "Ta-da! My very own, custom-built portal to the Human Realm."
Luz's eyes sparkled with excitement. "No. Freaking. Way."
Eda smirked, crossing her arms. "Way."
Luz rushed forward, hands pressed against the wooden frame. "This can actually take me home? Like, right now?"
Eda nodded. "Yup. Just a quick hop, skip, and jump through, and boom—back to the good ol' boring Human Realm."
I stepped forward, studying the ancient carvings that lined the archway. They glowed softly, as if alive with power. The door itself looked… ordinary, but something about it hummed with energy.
Knight flicked his ears. "This actually works?"
Eda knocked on the frame. "Sure does. Well, most of the time. You might wanna hold your breath for a second if it drops you in the middle of the ocean, though."
Luz froze. "Wait, what?"
Eda cackled. "Relax, kid. I'm messing with you. It's perfectly safe."
Luz let out a deep breath. "Geez, you almost gave me a heart attack."
King, still pouting from earlier, crossed his arms. "Hmph. I say we just throw it in the ocean. Who needs the Human Realm?"
Luz rolled her eyes. "I do. I mean—eventually."
Eda stretched. "Well, no rush. I can open this baby whenever."
Luz hesitated, gaze fixed on the portal.
"…So, I could go home. Right now."
Silence filled the room.
Luz turned to Lucian, her expression thoughtful as she glanced between him and the glowing portal. "So… are you staying?"
Lucian hesitated, keeping his gaze on the swirling gateway. "Are you?"
Luz bit her lip. "I mean… my mom's waiting for me back home. She probably thinks I'm at camp right now." She fidgeted. "But—being here, seeing all this—I don't know. It's like I finally found a place where I can be myself."
Lucian stayed quiet for a moment. Then, quietly, he asked, "So what if you didn't have anyone waiting for you?"
Luz frowned, confused. "What do you mean?"
Lucian exhaled, his hands clenching at his sides. "I lied to you."
Luz blinked. "What?"
"I don't have a dad." His voice was steady, but there was something fragile beneath it. "I never did."
Luz's eyes widened. "Lucian—"
"I've been on my own for a long time," he admitted, still staring at the portal. "Living in the woods, moving from place to place. I just… didn't want you to know."
Luz's heart ached. She had always thought of Lucian as the cool, level-headed one. To hear this now… it was like seeing him in an entirely new light.
"Lucian…" she started, but she wasn't even sure what to say.
He finally turned to look at her, his expression unreadable. "If you go back, you have someone waiting for you." He gestured to the portal. "I don't."
Silence settled between them.
Then, Luz straightened. "Then stay."
Lucian blinked.
You don't have to be alone," Luz said firmly. "Eda offered to teach me, but I bet she'd teach you too. And King—well, he'd probably demand that you acknowledge his supreme rule first, but he'd like you." She grinned. "Besides, who else is gonna help me keep up with Eda's insanity?"
Lucian let out a soft chuckle.
Luz nudged him. "Seriously, Lucian. Stay."
He looked back at the portal one last time. Then, slowly, he nodded.
"…Alright."
Luz beamed. "Good."
Luz grinned. "Then I guess we're in this together."
I smirked. "Looks like it."
Eda suddenly clapped her hands. "Alright, lovebirds, enough brooding. You both are staying, which means I now have two apprentices and twice the free labor!"
Luz groaned. "Ughhh, why do I feel like I just got scammed?"
I shook my head. "Because you did."
Eda threw an arm around both of us. "Welcome to the Owl House, kiddos. Hope you survive the experience."
Knight barked.
And just like that, the decision was made.
Knight barked in approval.