Chapter Text
Ollie, Emira, and Edric sat together at a long, granite counter inside the Blight Manor kitchen. Emira sat next to Ollie, who had a plate of partially eaten scrambled griffin eggs and buttered toast in front of him. Emira wore her standard grey shorts that went down to her thighs, her pearl choker, and burgundy top. She didn’t wear her concealment stone as her hair was not braided and her face possessed a few small pimples. Ollie wore black gym shorts, an orange t-shirt with a small group of firebees and the phrase ‘Firebees Unite!’ printed on the chest, and his grey sweat jacket. Garvey rested herself along his neck and shoulders. Edric sat across from the two, his hair was done but he still wore his pajamas and glasses. Ollie rested his wounded leg on the stool between himself and Emira. She drew two spell circles and began concentrating on his bruised shin.
“How does this feel?”
“You pain killed my leg last night, remember?”
“Oh right…Well, based on what my readings say, this spell should do the trick. If I do it right.”
“I believe in you,” Ollie comforted.
“Thank you. If all goes well, your leg should be back to normal by tomorrow, but I still wouldn’t put much weight on it for the rest of today.”
“Got it. When your numbness spell wears off, will my leg hurt?”
“It’ll probably feel sore, but it shouldn’t be as bad. Again, if I do this right.”
“Advanced spell?”
“Yes. Even Viney only learned it a year ago.”
“What would you put the rate of success at?”
“50/50. Either it works or it doesn’t.” Ollie tacitly nodded his head, basically telling her ‘fair point.’
“Are the eggs overcooked?” Edric asked, pointing at Ollie’s partially eaten breakfast.
“No no, they’re great. I’m just…not really that hungry. I guess being locked up and tortured at the Conformatorium does wonders as an appetite suppressant.” Ollie closed his fist and coughed into it for a second.
“Oh no, don’t tell me they got you sick as well…” Edric worried.
“No Ed, I just had some mucus in my throat. I’m fine.”
“How do we know? What if it’s something secret.”
“Ed, stop worrying. Sheesh, you’re like my mom.”
“Not like there ever was one here…” Edric muttered.
“What do you mean by that?” Ollie asked.
“Well it’s not like our actual parents give us the light of day.”
“Oh right, your parents kinda…forget you guys exist. Speaking of which, where are they?”
“They’re at the factory, assembling the last of their Abomatons before they’re shipped out for security on the Day of Unity,” Emira answered, “Typical. Always caring about money.”
“Do they even know that they’re arming genocide?”
“No. But they probably wouldn’t care. Money talks louder than anything, and they probably think we’ll be exempt from the Draining Spell,” Emira stated.
“Because you guys are so special, obviously,” Ollie snided before fully realizing what he said, “I mean, you are special. It’s just uhhh, not to the mind of Belos, of course.”
“We know what you mean.”
“I wish our parents saw us the way you do. Even if just for a second…” Edric spoke under his breath, his arms crossed.
“I don’t think this is really the time, Ed,” Emira interjected.
“So when is the time for our parents to acknowledge our existence? Huh?!”
“Whatever. I’m not gonna argue with you. Ollie, I’m going to get some healing patches for your leg. Be right back.” Emira got up from her seat and walked out of the kitchen, leaving Ollie with Edric.
“What brought that up?” Ollie asked him.
“I’m just frustrated, that’s all. I’m sorry.”
“No no, you don’t need to apologize. Trust me, I get being mad at parents.”
“But I didn’t have to bring it up.”
“Hey, I’m never going to judge you for something like that. If something is on your mind, it’s ok to talk about it.”
“But you already said it so perfectly. Our parents just forget we exist. Like I literally have a boyfriend. We officially started studying new tracks at school, and they probably didn’t even notice.”
“Wait, you guys are officially studying new tracks now?”
“Yeah, we Em and I just got the new uniforms a couple days ago, the same day the Emperor’s Coven came to Hexside.”
“That’s wonderful! I’m so happy for you two!”
“See! Something like that! Your reaction is a thousand times better than theirs by simply having one.”
“Well, a thousand times zero is still zero, but I digress.”
“We literally came home from school in our new uniforms and dad was too busy building more weapons for the Emperor to notice and mom was too busy lecturing Mittens about how purple hair is an embarrassment to the family name.”
“I thought your dad was trying to be better, at least since the Bonesborough Brawl.”
“Yeah, better to Mittens. Not to us. And like, she deserves it, don’t get me wrong. Once mom found out how gifted she was as a witch, all the two of them could focus on was making her the best she could be. So she could be a coven leader and solidify the Blight family name forever. All they cared about was status.”
“I know what that’s like.”
“And I’m not trying to take away from Amity’s experiences. Really, I’m not. She’s been through so much, from mom, dad, and we certainly didn’t help. And I’m happy she’s finally happy and dad is trying, I really am, but…we exist too! Why can’t dad try with us? It’s like we’re the failed older children. So insignificant to our own parents we were kicked out of the Slitherbeast den. It’s not…it’s not fair.” Edric choked on his words and wiped his eyes before any tears could roll down his cheek.
“And then you tell me about your father this morning, and I think ‘wow, someone who was able to overcome all that. How did he do it? And why can’t I?’” Ollie reached his arms across the counter and held onto Edric’s hand. The two locked eyes and, as if it was magic, Edric’s frustrated look broke and he grinned slightly as he stared at Ollie’s comforting and empathetic demeanor.
“I overcame a lot. But it didn’t happen overnight. It wasn’t easy. And I didn’t do it alone.” Edric looked down, his cheeks turning a light hue of pink.
“And don’t think you’re meaningless. You’re incredibly significant to me, Schatz. In ways I can’t describe. Don’t forget it.” Ollie comforted. He leaned in, brought Edric’s hand close to him, and gave it a light kiss just past the knuckles. Edric’s light pink cheeks turned red as he scratched the back of his head, giggling profusely.
“You always know how to make me feel better.”
“Well, glad I’m good at something that isn’t nerd related.” Edric chuckled.
“Yeah…but you’ll always be my nerd. And dork.”
“Don’t forget weirdo.”
“I wouldn’t for the Titan’s horns.” Ollie smiled at Edric, who kept his grin from earlier.
“Does…does Emira feel the same way?” Edric didn’t answer.
“Ed. Be honest with me. Does Emira feel the same way?”
“Yes…” he whispered, “But she never talks about it. Ever since we were little she’s had to be the responsible one. She always put Mittens and I first. Over her needs. So she doesn’t usually like talking about things like that. But the few times she’s opened herself up, she’s felt the same way.”
“Yeah, I remember her telling me something to that effect. It was when we went to the tavern for trivia night.”
“That’s another thing, with trying to take care of us, she hardly has time to spend with friends. That trivia night was the first time she was out in over a month. Instead, she’s always in my shadow making sure I don’t hurt myself or busy comforting Amity with everything mom puts her through. If mom and dad were…well, a mom and a dad, she could finally have a childhood. We’re not young Ollie. We’re almost done with Hexside. And assuming we survive this, we have to get jobs and live our own lives.”
“And the pranks, they’re not…just a way to get back at your parents…it’s also…”
“The only way we’ve really had fun growing up. I know…you’re not a big fan of them, but–”
“No no, I get it. I understand where you’re coming from. Still don’t like it but I’m not judging.”
“Alright!” Emira announced as she reentered the room with a few healing patches in her hand, “It took me way too long to find these, but these should help your leg for the rest of the day.” Emira sat back down next to Ollie and examined his leg.
“I keep telling you to clean your room,” Edric ribbed.
“Well, I’ve been busy,” Emira rebuked. She stuck a patch on Ollie’s calf and then a second one on his shin.
“I would still say keep your weight off of it for today, but you’ll be back to normal before the Day of Unity.”
“Thanks Emira, you’re a lifesaver. I really appreciate what you do.” She smiled.
“Anytime.”
“Speaking of the Day of Unity,” Edric interjected. Both Ollie and Emira looked at him as he continued speaking.
“We need to figure out a way to stop it.”
Edric and Emira stood on one side of Edric’s bed while Ollie stood across from them. The trio was staring at a map of the Titan’s head. Emira’s face was clear of her acne, her hair was braided, and she had her beauty mark just outside her eye. Edric was dressed in his typical grey and burgundy uniform and no longer wore his glasses. Ollie stared at the map, stroking his chin with his hand. Garvey slithered around his neck and rested on his shoulders, with her tail resting near his breast. She turned her head towards his face, her tongue flicking against his pale cheek. Ollie’s face cracked as he tried to keep his composure and not be tickled by the serpent’s curiosity. Harbor perched themselves on Ollie’s shoulder, looking at their owner with vivid concern.
“Ok…what do we know?” Emira asked.
“Well, we know if this Draining Spell isn’t stopped, everyone on the isles with a coven sigil is going to die,” Ollie answered. The twins stared at him with blank expressions on their faces.
“Sorry, but it’s true.”
“There’s gotta be a way to stop this spell. Olls, what do you know?”
“Well, there’s three links to this spell. There’s the populace who are sigiled. That’s how their life gets drained. Then there’s the coven heads, who are the channels of the power of the spell. And then there’s the eclipse, which is where it all gets directed to by the spell. If we want to stop the spell, we have to break one of these links. Take one of these things out of the picture.”
“So we need to remove every single coven sigil, take out the most powerful witches on the isles who also think they’ll be treated like royalty after the Day of Unity, or stop an eclipse from happening?” Emira asked.
“That…sounds about right,” Ollie reluctantly acknowledged.
“Gotta be honest with you, I don’t know how we do any of this.”
“Yeah, taking out a coven head, or hell, Belos, is the easiest thing we can do, and even then, that’s an impossible challenge. I don’t think we have what it takes,” Edric added.
“Well we need to do something. Based on my research, we only need to capture one. Take one out, and boom! The spell can’t work.”
“Ok, let’s pretend we do capture a coven head, surely Belos has thought that far ahead. Surely he has a contingency plan if one of them is captured, killed, or rebels against him. He’s been planning this for decades. There’s bound to be backups, and we don’t know who they are.”
“Face it Olls, trying to stop the spell is a hopeless endeavor.”
“We’ll go through the risks to our lives and freedom to take out a coven head just for the spell to happen anyway.”
“Well saving the world isn’t a risk free job description guys! We can’t count on anyone else. I don’t know where Luz or Eda are. They could be alone…captured…or worse. We have no friends or allies. There’s no one who can help us. If we fail…everyone here is going to die…” Ollie choked, “I know this won’t be an easy thing to do, but we can’t do nothing. We might be all that’s left! The entire fate of the Boiling Isles could come down to us! I can’t fail. I could never live with myself if I let this place be killed by some Puritan bigot. And I’m willing to do anything if it means stopping Belos. The lives of everyone on the isles is worth more than mine alone. And I thought because this was your home, your friends, your family, your loved ones, you’d feel the same way!” Ollie’s eyes began to swell and tears rolled down his face as he fully realized the consequences of what would happen to the Boiling Isles if they failed.
“Olls, calm down…”
“Don’t call me that! Especially at a time like this! I won’t ‘calm down.’ This is a matter of life and death! Why can’t you see that?!”
“Ollie, we never said we don’t want to help. We’re only saying that maybe there is a different way to go about doing this,” Emira clarified.
“Like what?! How can we stop the Day of Unity without stopping the Draining Spell?!” Emira stared at him, while Edric stroked his chin and tried to think of other solutions.
“I…don’t know…” Emira confessed, “But surely we can think of something. There’s got to be an easier way to do this without kidnapping or killing a coven head or moving the moon.” After a few seconds of eerie silence, Edric snapped his finger. Ollie and Emira looked at him.
“What if…” he started, “we stopped the spell by stopping the event?” Emira and Ollie stared at each other with a perplexed glance before looking back over at Edric.
“I’m…not sure I follow,” Ollie said.
“To the average resident of the Boiling Isles, the Day of Unity is seen as a big festival, holiday, or celebration of sorts. What does every festival or mass gathering have?”
“Uhhh, people?”
“Yes. And when there’s a lot of people you need a lot of…”
“Ed, just tell us what you’re thinking,” Emira stated in a monotone voice.
“Security. All big festivals, parades, celebrations, holidays, and whatnot, need security.”
“Ok, and?”
“Who usually provides the security for those events?”
“Guards and Coven Scouts,” Ollie answered.
“Exactly. But they’ll be too busy being part of the Day of Unity to really supervise and keep alert for potential threats. That means someone, or something else has to fill in for them.”
“The Abomatons…” Emira realized.
“Right! They’re the security for the Day of Unity. That’s why the Emperor is ordering so many. That’s why so many are about to be shipped out. But if there’s no security forces there, Belos won’t be able to keep the order. The moment the spell is activated, there will be panic and chaos, which is why he needs the Abomatons. Every witch on the Boiling Isles, including every single coven head will be there. Without security, you can’t have the Day of Unity.”
“What exactly are you suggesting, Ed?”
“We blow up the Blight Industries factory, and every Abomaton with it.”
“Aren’t they getting shipped out right now?” Ollie asked.
“They don’t get shipped out until tomorrow. That gives us enough time to come up with a plan to do it and to actually do it.” Emira contemplated to herself for a few seconds.
“Well, it is only a few blocks away…and we would have access to the factory grounds as members of the family…”
“And destruction is yinz speciality. I can’t believe I’m saying this Edric…but that’s not actually a bad idea.” Edric pumped his fist with excitement, his face gleamed with a thrill hearing his boyfriend compliment his intelligence.
“Could it actually work?” Emira pondered.
“Maybe…I mean Belos needs something to maintain the order, and the moment everyone realizes the Day of Unity is not sending them to paradise, they’re going to revolt. Scouts included. If he doesn’t have the Abomatons…maybe the Day of Unity can at least be postponed to the next solar eclipse.”
“Or, maybe Belos is so committed to his cause he’s willing to go down with the ship if it means everyone else dies.”
“I doubt it. Based on what Luz has told me, Belos is an egomaniac. Not only is he deluded enough to think he’s completely in the right, he needs to see himself as the hero. Especially after the fact. He’s not noble enough to sacrifice himself for his wicked cause. He wants the praise and admiration, neither of which he’ll see himself get if he’s dead. Frankly, taking out the factory is the best of a bad situation. Certainly more practical and possible than removing everyone’s sigil or taking out the coven heads.”
“Alright then, guess it’s settled,” Emira concluded.
“Operation Save the Isles is a go!” Edric announced, “High five!” Edric put his arm up over the middle of the bed. Ollie rolled his eyes with a grin and followed suit, slapping his hand in the air. Emira giggled and joined in, making a light clapping noise upon contact herself.
“We’re actually doing this. I can’t believe it.”
“Well, believe it. You’re about to get a first row seat at the Blight Twin Troublemaking Extravaganza,” Emira joked.
“I’m…sorry I snapped at you guys. I shouldn’t have said you didn’t care. It’s just so much has happened, so much is going to happen, and I just feel so–”
“Hey, you don’t need to apologize,” Edric insisted.
“Yeah, we get it. We can’t imagine what you’re feeling right now. But you’re not alone. We’re with you until the end Ollie. Just don’t forget it.”
“Thanks.”
“Hope I’m not interrupting anything,” Amity spoke from the doorway of Edric’s room, “Do you know where…Ollie? What are you doing here?”
“It’s…a long story. There’s too much to explain.”
“Wait…” Amity thought, “Do you know where Luz is?! Is she ok?! I haven’t heard from her since Grey came to school! If you’re here then…oh no…” Ollie stared at the twins with a nervous look on his face. The two shrugged and did not provide him with much help on how to answer Amity’s flood of questions.
“I…don’t know. I don’t know where she is…I’m sorry.” Amity covered her mouth with her hand, tears formed in her eyes as her mind raced as to what could have happened to her girlfriend. She took off from the door before she lost complete control of her emotions.
“Mittens, wa–” Emira reached her arm out to try and get her to stop, but before she could finish her sentence, she saw Ollie dart past him, exiting for the hallway and in the direction of where Amity ran.
“Amity. Wait.” Ollie asked, chasing down the young girl as she entered her room. Her hands were cupped over her eyes. He approached the doorway and looked inside. He saw her pacing back and forth, staring at her yellow, cat shaped tamagotchi. Her eyes glassy, her breathing was short and her look was filled with despair.
“Can I…come in?” Amity looked back and saw the human boy standing just outside her room. She nodded. Ollie slowly walked in, his mouth open, as if he wanted to speak, but no words could escape him. Several seconds passed by before he made even a single sound.
“Amity…I…I can’t imagine what you’re feeling right now…”
“How could you not know where she is? I need to get a message out to her! I need her to respond. She has to be ok! She has to be!”
“We split up. She and King had to do something while I had to do something else. We haven’t seen each other since then. And everyone has been off the grid. I can’t contact them. But I can tell you this much. Luz, wherever she is, is fine.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because Luz is the strongest, bravest, most stubborn person I know. A thousand times more than I could ever hope to be. If I know Luz, she’s thinking of something to stop Belos. If she’s free, she’s planning, and if she’s captured, she’ll break out like she always does.”
“I’m just…so worried. Why does she have to be so brave?” Amity asked.
“I’m worried about her too. But she’ll pull through. She has to.” Ollie reassured as he wiped a tear from Amity’s eyes with his thumb.
“Just give her some time. I’m sure she’ll show herself.” Amity grinned slightly.
“Thanks…”
“Of course. If you ever need anything, I’m here to talk.”
“Ok…” Ollie walked towards the hallway.
“Oh and just so you know,” Amity stated, causing Ollie to stop in his tracks and turn around, “The walls are thinner than you think. So just keep that in mind.” Ollie’s ears turned red and his face became flustered.
“W-what are you talking about?”
“I heard what happened this morning through the walls. You should be a bit quieter.”
“Nothing happened this morning. I mean yeah Ed and I are dating but nothing happened I’m not lying!”
“You guys are dating?”
“Was our goofballing not what you were referring to?”
“No. I was talking about that alarm. Or whatever the heck was playing this morning. I thought it was Em pulling some prank on Edric. It was really loud.”
“Oh…” Ollie’s cheeks turned red as well as he scratched the back of his head nervously, “Sorry about that. Won’t happen again.” Ollie exited Amity’s room and began to make his way back towards Edric’s room.
“Ollie!” Amity called out again.
“Yeah?” Ollie turned around again and saw her peering out from her doorway.
“Just out of curiosity, what do you see in my brother?” she asked with a smug grin on her face.
“Well, he’s a kind, caring, lovable, and funny goofball. Not to mention the most adorable guy on the isles.”
“I’m glad he makes you happy. Treat him well, because if you don’t–”
“Yeah yeah, you’ll cut off my head, watch the blood drain, and hang it from atop your fireplace or something.”
“Oh no, I won’t. Emira will. Just letting you know, she does not forgive easily, and she does not forget.”
“Well, Emira and I are friends, so–”
“Not if you hurt Edric. The moment you do, you’re on…the list.”
“There’s a list?” Amity nodded.
“Well…” Ollie swallowed heavily, “Good to know.”
“Have fun you two!” she winked as she reentered her room. Ollie turned back around and entered Edric’s room.
“How’s she doing?” Emira asked with a concerned tone in her voice.
“She’ll be alright. I just told her stuff we needed to hear. Now then, I guess we should actually plan out our course of action.”
“You sure you’re up for this Ollie, it might involve…breaking a few rules,” Edric remarked.
“I wouldn’t miss this for the world. Tomorrow, we blow up that factory.”