Chapter Text
Wiping the last drops of their meals from their chins, the trio set their bowls down and laid back into their seats. Luz silently thanked King as a warm cloth was set on her brow before turning to her witch friends.
“Thanks for coming over, guys. I really needed this. I hope I don't get you sick.”
Gus threw his arms up and waved them around. “Oh no! Having to stay home from school! The horror!”
The three giggled until Luz's laughter sent her into a coughing fit. Wincing at the harsh noise, Gus and Willow looked to each other before a light seemed to go on in the latter.
“Oh! Do you think you'll feel better in time for Abuae Marih? Pleeeeeease tell me you will!”
Luz blinked before wrinkling her brow in confusion (causing the towel to fall and flop onto her eyes). “Abuu-ae Marhi? What's that?”
Gus perked up, excited to teach his human friend part of his own culture. “It's pronounced Ab-u-all Mar-i, and it's the time where the moon and stars shine like the sun, enveloping the Isles in their magic. It begin with Abuae: Night of the Living Moon, and ends a week later with Marih: Night of the Wailing Star!”
Willow cleared her throat. “Actually, it's Abu-ya Maa-rIGH.” The last syllable came out as something between a hacking noise and a snarl, her fangs jutting out as she spoke.
Gus blustered at this retort. “What?! No, it's totally pronounced my way! There's no second u to ‘ya’ sound with!”
“Old Demon has ‘uae’ spoken as ‘u-ya’ when at the end of a word. Looks like Mr. Smartypants needs to brush up on his languages~”
“Every second you two dare to correct each other over the pronunciation of words in my dwelling is a second of restraint not calling Hooty to deal with you lost. Dare not to defile the house of The Owl Lady with nerdspeak.”
Eda was sitting up holding her own warm towel to her head as King slowly fed her soup. She narrowed her eyes at the offenders, who both found it a great time to focus their attention on their sick compatriot.
“B-but anyway!” Willow said hastily. “On the first night, you can use the moonlight to bring things to life in a Moonlight Conjuring! Teens get together in groups and bring things like dolls and stuff to life.”
Luz was up in an instant with excitement before nausea sent her back down. “We’re a group! We should do a Moonlight Conjuring!”
Willow and Gus cheered.
Luz continued. “We can do it here!”
Willow and Gus stopped cheering and froze in place. Their heads did not move, but their eyes slowly turned in the direction of Her Majesty Most Grumpy. King had frozen as well, mid-spoonful of broth. The one whose reaction was anticipated with bated breath blinked once, then again.
And then she spoke.
“Okay.”
Silence followed for approximately two seconds before Luz shouted out, causing everyone to jump (the spoonful of soup did not survive the jolt).
“Really?! We can have it he- urgh, bleh…” Luz slumped back down onto the couch once again.
Eda smiled, the corners a bit too far apart, the wrinkles around her eyes too downcast. “Yeah, yeah. Just stay in the living room and don’t try nicking momma’s night juice. And no giving any to King.”
“What?! This is blasphemy I tell you, blasphemy! Why I oughta–”
Luz tuned out King’s roars of indignation (as cute as they were) and leaned over to her mentor, gripping the armrest to keep from slipping.
“Thank you Eda, but are you okay?”
The old witch’s grin weakened slightly before sighing.
“Yeah, kiddo. Just… Promise to get better.”
Luz paused before nodding. “I promise.”
***
As Luz watched her friends leave, (waving as they did, the sweeties) she carefully stood from her spot on the couch and kept herself up with a hand on the wall, wobbling her way into the bathroom.
She wondered if she couldn’t wait a few days before doing this, let this illness die down first, then prove her theory right. She swatted the thought away quickly. She had to know. Now.
Taking a breath, the girl turned to the mirror.
Skully did not speak. It ground its teeth silently, eyes staring down hers. The air thickened with a wary tension, moisture condensing at the corners of the glass. That was fine. Luz could start this.
“I found a new glyph. It’s ice.”
“I Felt It. Both It And The Other.”
“The Fleshsculpting- err, True Fleshsculpting? The special one, I’m told?”
Their eyelights twitched in confusion. “There Is No True Form Of It. To Alter Your Body Is To Sculpt It. Why Would It Not Be Seen As Any Other Magic.”
“Seems to be treated as pretty important. Gifted by The Titan, apparently. Is that how you got it?”
The demon paused, their eyes flashing bright.
“The Titan Is Long Dead.”
‘Wasn’t a no~’ Luz noted. “So you have the power, now I have it?”
Irritation chasing fear sparked through the mirror and her mind. “That Power Is Not Like The Glyphs. It Is A Power You Were Not Meant To Take. I Will Do Better To Keep It Safe From Abuse.”
Luz sighed. “Why am I not surprised?”
“You Did Well Finding Ice However. The Scent Of Rage Coated It. Not The Same Feeling I Connect With It But Equal In The Purpose It Serves.”
“Magic does seem to pop up when you’re around. They’re your magic too, right?” Luz smirked at Skulley, testing for a reaction she could note. She got it in the disquiet that permeated its next words.
“Indeed. I Do Not Like How It Impacts You On Your Test. There Are Understandings You Are Meant To Reach. These Distractions Should Not Be A Part Of It. I Should Not Be A Part In It.”
Now for the kicker. The question she had been waiting to ask. “So, light and ice are two of the glyphs, right? ”
“You Have Them. You Know This Already.”
“It’s just funny. When I was in the mine on the floor after everything, I thought of the weirdest thing. The last time I was so scared. When we first spoke. Where you first called me Edaspawn. You were a big scary monster made of a bunch of stuff.”
“I Apologize For Frightening You. I Did Not Know Of What Intent You Had Made Me Bound To You.”
“All in the past now. Anyway, I remember really well what you looked like. Probably drew it a couple dozen times over the years. Bones of ice. Eyes of light.”
“Yes. It Was All I Could Muster In That State.”
“And a few other things too.”
Skulley mounting confusion was suddenly replaced by vivid shock, the light of the bulb popping and fizzling, leaving the demon’s eyelights apparent in their sudden freezing.
The girl leaned over the sink, face inches from the reflection’s own “I think your reaction tells me enough, but just to make sure…”
In the dim light from the hallway, Luz smiled and whispered.“The other two are plant and fire… aren’t they?”