Between Worlds (The Owl House AU)

It was another bustling day at the market. King stood atop a stall's table, holding a tray of unappetizing snacks, trying to lure in customers. "Partake of my free samples! Take them—I demand it as your ruler, the King of Demons!"

But everyone walking by ignored him. Frustrated, he hurled the tray of food to the ground. "Why won't anyone pay attention to me? I'm their rightful overlord—intellectually and such!"

Nearby, Finn was absorbed in The Enchiridion, not lifting his eyes from the pages. "Don't worry, King. Maybe they're so intimidated by you they don't dare to stick around."

Eda lounged nearby, wearing purple sunglasses. She tilted them down, noticing the unusually large crowd. "Yeah. Hey." Grabbing a passing student by the cowl, she sniffed the air around him. "It reeks more of nerd than money today."

Finn glanced up. "Yeah, there are way more school kids here than usual," he remarked, perplexed by the situation.

Luz suddenly burst onto the scene, slamming her hands on the table and startling Eda, who promptly dropped the student. "Guys! You won't believe what's happening!" she exclaimed, brimming with excitement. She darted under a banner that read, "Book Fair Today!" Behind her were rows of booths lined with bookshelves. "It's a book fair! Where books come to life!"

As if on cue, a book fell to the ground and said hello to her. Startled, Luz immediately kicked it away.

"A fair without rides?" King asked skeptically.

"A fair without deep-fried food?" Finn added, equally unenthused.

"A. Eww. B. Bored already. C, I feel like pickpocketing some dork while they browse," Eda said as she strolled off into the crowd.

"Nooo, wait!" Luz protested. Turning to King, she tried a different tactic. "Will you give it a chance? If you say yes, I'll let you ride in my hoodie."

King's eyes lit up. "Done!"

"What about you, Finn?" Luz asked. "What can I do to convince you?"

Finn smirked mischievously. "Promise me you'll owe me one in the future."

"Owe you one?" Luz blinked, confused.

"Yeah, one favor. Anytime, no arguments." He held out his hand with a sly grin.

Luz hesitated but eventually shook his hand. "Okay, but nothing weird."

Finn chuckled. "Don't worry, it won't be weird… I think."

Before they could head to the booths, Finn spotted Eda pickpocketing the crowd. "Hold on. I need to handle something." Raising Lady into the air, he commanded, "Lady, staff form, please."

Suddenly, in a flash of light, two versions of Finn appeared: one with orange hair, the other with violet hair. Their eyes glowed—one white, the other black.

Orange Finn spoke first. "As usual, babysitter protocol. Keep them safe until the end of the day. I'll stay with Luz and King." He turned to Violet Finn. "You go with Eda to keep her out of trouble—and keep us from getting banned again."

Violet Finn gave a silent nod, his black eyes flashing before he darted off after Eda.

"Now then," Orange Finn said, grabbing Luz's hand, "let's get intellectual!"

As they walked through the book fair, Luz's eyes sparkled with wonder. "This book fair has everything! A zine-making workshop, meet-and-greets, and… huh? What's that?"

She pointed to a banner that read, "Writing Competition—Enter Today!" Beneath it was a booth manned by a witch signing autographs and a lizard-like person wearing glasses.

Orange Finn noticed a familiar face in line, holding a freshly signed book. "Huh. Didn't know Skara was into this kind of stuff." He picked up a book from a nearby table. "Explore Time, huh?"

The cover depicted a girl in a white hat with bear ears, a yellow shirt, blue overalls, and pink-striped socks, holding an enormous cupcake. Beside her was a bipedal hamster.

"Looks cute," he remarked, flipping through the pages. "But I can tell this is just a kiddie version of what we deal with every day."

Luz clasped her hands, stars in her eyes. "I think it looks magical—like she's living in a world of hope and wonder!"

Orange Finn raised an eyebrow. "Hope and wonder? Sure, if you call toned-down adventures 'wonder.'"

Before he could say more, Skara spotted him and walked over, holding her signed book with a smile. "Hey, Finn! Great fair, huh? I just got the latest copy of my favorite series signed by the author himself!" She beamed, showing off her book.

"Good for you, Skara." Finn nodded, then glanced at the crowd. "Seeing all these people buying books makes me… appreciate fine literature more." He looked at the price tag on the book he held. "Almost makes me want to write something myself."

"I'd love to read whatever you write!" Skara said cheerfully. "Anyway, I have five more books to get signed, so see you later!"

She hurried off, leaving Finn staring after her with a faint smile.

Luz leaned closer, grinning mischievously. "Soooo, when are you going to ask her out?"

Finn blinked, confused. "Ask her what now?"

"Oh, come on!" Luz nudged him with a smirk. "I saw how you looked at her. And that whole, 'I'd love to read whatever you write'—classic flirting. You've both got it bad!"

Finn shook his head. "You've got the wrong idea. We're just friends." A shadow crossed his face. "Besides, I'm not exactly… likable. At least, not back then."

Luz caught the shift in his tone. "Back then? What happened? Don't tell me—was it another ex? Someone from your mysterious past?"

"No, we didn't even date," Finn muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "I didn't even get to sing the song I wrote for her…"

Luz gasped dramatically. "You were going to serenade her? With a love song? And she rejected you before you could confess?!" She clasped her hands, squealing. "Tell me EVERYTHING."

Finn scowled. "Let me think about it… NO."

Luz pouted. "Fine, keep your secrets. But you know me—I'll wear you down eventually!" She then turned her attention back to the competition booth. "Anyway, I'm entering that writing competition!"

King perked up from her hood. "What's this? A competition to prove one's superiority? I'm in!"

"Oh, come on, Finn," Luz teased. "If we win, it might impress Skara!"

Finn rolled his eyes. "We're just friends—and no, I'm not entering."

King cleared his throat. "If we win, we could sell the story for profit."

Finn raised an eyebrow. "Keep talking, fuzzy. I'm listening."

=======

While Orange Finn, Luz, and King were busy with their writing, Violet Finn trailed behind Eda, his only purpose to keep her safe and ensure her antics didn't get them banned from the book fair.

Eda, however, had no such intentions. She knocked down books from shelves with abandon, sending one flying directly into the head of a kid who promptly collapsed. Violet Finn rushed over, picking the kid up and placing them in an empty chair at a nearby table. He carefully arranged a book under their head to make it look like they'd dozed off reading.

Meanwhile, Eda rifled through books with complete disregard. "Boring. Boring." She tossed another aside before gasping at her reflection in a book cover with a built-in mirror. "Another wrinkle! Ugh, the curse is quickening."

"You lackey!"

Eda froze at the sound of a familiar voice. Panicked, she ducked behind a large banner that read, "READ OR… DIE!"

"Lilith," she growled in a low whisper.

"Mentor?" Violet Finn glanced around curiously, having heard the name.

Across the fair, Lilith was speaking to a book vendor, a coven scout standing stiffly at her side.

"Do you have the item we discussed?" Lilith asked curtly.

"Oh! Yes, right here," the vendor said, pulling a scroll from a drawer and handing it to her.

Lilith unrolled the scroll, which glowed faintly blue as she read. A sly smile crept onto her face. "Excellent. A map to the Bloom of Eternal Youth. The emperor will be very pleased."

The scout next to her shifted uncomfortably. "Ma'am, shouldn't we be focusing on finding the Owl Lady? That was the whole point of coming here…"

Lilith dismissed him with a wave. "My sister's curse has left her frail. She'll still be here when we get back."

Behind the banner, Eda bristled at the insult. Violet Finn, however, let out a quiet snicker, earning a glare from her.

Lilith continued, ignoring the scout's awkwardness. "This comes first. It's for the emperor, after all."

The scout, eager to please, knocked over a stack of books in his excitement. "Yeah! All hail the emperor!"

Lilith patted the scout on the head. "Very good, Steve."

"Shoulder pats for Steve," Steve muttered, clearly pleased with himself, as Lilith walked away from the mess.

Once they were out of earshot, Eda and Violet Finn emerged from their hiding spot. Eda stormed up to the vendor, demanding, "Hey, bub, what did you sell my prissy sister?"

The vendor, unconcerned, responded with a smile, "Oh, it's a map to the Bloom of Eternal Youth. A rare flower that blooms only once every millennium. Legend has it, whoever possesses it gains eternal youth."

"Highly improbable," Violet Finn muttered, arms crossed.

"Interesting," Eda said with a dangerous gleam in her eyes.

Violet Finn recognized that look immediately. "Eda, why don't we not steal ancient, powerful objects from Lilith this time?" he suggested, though he knew it was futile.

Eda rolled her eyes. "First off, why don't you ever call me 'mentor'? I've been teaching you magic for years!"

Violet Finn shrugged, nonchalant.

Not wanting to waste time arguing, Eda turned back to the vendor. "So, Lilith wants to nab this for the emperor, huh? Well, won't she be surprised when I get there first and grab it for myself! Ha! Let's see her call me frail after that!"

The vendor, clutching a pouch hanging from his neck, chuckled nervously. "Yes, well, we'll see, won't we?" He produced another identical map. "Can't go on a quest without one of your own, of course."

Eda snatched the map and scanned it, her wicked grin growing wider. Violet Finn sighed, already dreading the inevitable.

"Maybe this time, they won't fight like petty children," he muttered under his breath.

Eda glanced back, overhearing him. "Oh, we'll fight all right. But this time, I'm winning!"

=======

Just as Violet Finn and Eda were preparing for their latest escapade, Orange Finn, Luz, and King focused on brainstorming their book.

Luz set up a large idea board. "Alright, let's write down some ideas we want to include in our story!"

King's eyes sparkled. "I can write anything?"

Orange Finn crossed his arms, already skeptical. "Are you sure giving him creative freedom is a good idea? This is going to turn into a vanity project."

"Hey, we're brainstorming. Every idea counts," Luz said, handing King a stack of index cards and a crayon. "Go wild!"

King wasted no time, scribbling furiously. "Done!" He slapped his first card on the board.

It read: VIOLENCE.

Luz blinked. "Is that… all you want?"

King pondered, then wrote another card: BLOOD.

Luz sighed and added one of her own cards: Romance, magic, heartbreak with shimmer tears.

Orange Finn raised an eyebrow as he looked at the board. "Huh. Most of what you suggested just reminded me of my childhood." He grabbed a card and jotted down his contributions: Fighting, cursed objects, tragic past, hatred for the world, fire. He stepped back, admiring his additions. "Now that's a story worth reading."

Luz grimaced at his ideas. "That's… one way to go about it." She held up a self-portrait of herself in a witch's hat. "And the main character is, of course, Luzura! Sure, it's a little cliché, but clichés are classics for a reason!" She pinned her drawing on the board.

King eagerly added his own. "Meet the King—the Ruler of Demons! With this all-star cast, victory is guaranteed!"

Taking inspiration, Orange Finn sketched his protagonist: a pale, long-haired figure with blue eyes. "This is The Snow Man, a cursed wielder of ice magic, doomed to madness and eternal loneliness." He stared at his drawing for a moment, visibly sad.

Luz and King exchanged an awkward glance. Luz nudged him. "Uh, Finn? Want to take a break or something?"

Orange Finn shook his head. "Let's just write the thing and get paid."

Luz reluctantly pulled out the typewriter. "Okay. Easy part now: writing."

Hours passed as the trio crafted their story, tentatively titled Luzura's Awakening! King read over one of the pages aloud. "'Luzura's tears fell on the frozen prince, bringing him back to life'? That feels… unrealistic."

"I agree," Orange Finn grumbled. "And turning my character into a prince? How is he supposed to bring about an age of ice and snow if he's dead?"

Luz frowned. "Okay, okay. But in your versions, Ruler just destroys everything, and The Snow Man kidnaps women and forces them to marry him!"

"It's called subtext," Orange Finn argued. "He's searching for love but can't choose, so he kidnaps them to see if they can love him despite his madness. If they refuse—'zap'—frozen forever."

Luz and King cringed.

"Anyway," Luz said, trying to steer the conversation back, "I think some romantic tension could really help the story."

King rolled his eyes. "There's more to life than shipping."

"You can say that again," Orange Finn muttered.

"Don't you dare insult shipping in my presence!" Luz snapped, glaring at both of them.

Before anyone could respond, Orange Finn suddenly froze, looking toward the door. "Eda's back—with the other me."

"Apprentice's living room, NOW!" Eda's voice boomed from downstairs.

Luz pushed her chair back from the typewriter. "I'll be back. We'll figure this out, okay, writing buddy?"

Orange Finn nodded but turned to King before leaving. "Don't worry, King. I'll talk to Luz about adding more violence and mayhem. Hang tight."

As Luz and Orange Finn left the room, King's eyes gleamed. He turned to the typewriter, rubbing his hands together. "My turn to write!"

Downstairs, Luz and Orange Finn strolled into the living room where Eda and Violet Finn were waiting.

"Hey, what's up, boss lady?" Luz greeted casually.

Orange Finn looked straight at Violet. "So… are we banned from the book fair or not? Because we've already poured hours into this story."

Violet shook his head. "No, we're not banned. Everything's good to go."

Eda, slightly annoyed, crossed her arms. "We'll talk about that later, Finn." She gestured to the two of them. "Me and Violet are heading out for a few days. I'm going to an undisclosed place to do undisclosed things. Finn—you're in charge."

Orange Finn looked alarmed. "Wait, a few days? Eda, I've never had myself split up for that long before. I don't know what might happen! I already feel… weird, like something's missing."

Violet Finn put a hand on his shoulder. "Relax. We've handled worse. Consider this a test of what we're capable of. Besides, I'll be with Eda."

Eda waved a dismissive hand. "No more questions. We need to stay ahead of… uh… time." She stormed out of the house, Violet following her.

"Well," Luz said, heading back upstairs, "let's get back to work, shall we?"

Orange Finn stopped her on the staircase, his expression serious. "Luz, I need you to do something for me."

"Sure, what is it?"

"If I start acting… weird, I need you to restrain me until the other me comes back."

Luz raised an eyebrow but nodded. "Okay, but this counts as your favor."

Orange Finn rolled his eyes. "Fine."

As Luz opened the door to the writing room, she froze in shock. "What the—"

The room was unrecognizable. King's notes and drawings plastered every surface. Her earlier Luzura manuscript was stuffed into a bucket labeled TRASH, and a giant banner reading RULER'S REACH now dominated the space.

King sat at the typewriter, typing away with enthusiasm. He glanced up. "Oh, hey, guys! Great news!"

"What have you done?!" Luz yelled, spinning around to take in the chaos.

"I made a few tiny edits, and this baby is humming!"

Luz picked up her discarded sketch from the floor. Her jaw dropped. "Luzura dies?!"

Orange Finn scanned the storyboard. His eyes narrowed. "My character becomes your minion?!"

King grinned smugly. "I know, right? What a twist!"

Luz massaged her temples, trying to stay calm. "King, I know you're trying to help, but you've definitely crossed a line."

Orange Finn's voice was icy. "Precisely! Gunter, it wasn't enough to kill my princess's character, was it? You had to make me your servant too?"

As he spoke, his appearance began to shift. White streaks appeared in his hair, his skin and eyes turning a chilling blue. "I should make you sit in the corner for making me this angry!"

Luz and King huddled together, wide-eyed.

"Uh, Finn?" Luz stammered. "Why don't we all take a deep breath and calm down?"

"Yeah, calm down!" King echoed. "I'll even rewrite both of your characters back in!"

Orange Finn shook his head, his voice cold and firm. "No. If this is how it's going to be, then me and Luz will write our own story!" He grabbed Luz's arm. "Come, my beautiful princess. I'll make everything better."

Too scared to argue, Luz let herself be dragged out of the room, whispering to King as they left, "Try to get help."

King watched them leave, then shrugged. "Well, that takes care of my problem. What do they know about writing anyway?"

The typewriter suddenly chimed in. "What the heck, man? Learn to collaborate!"

"Hush, you!" King snapped. "I'll prove to everyone that my story is superior!"

=======

In the dense woods, Violet Finn trudged behind Eda, who clutched a worn map. The sunlight filtering through the canopy illuminated the path ahead. Violet, already tired of the prolonged hike, sighed.

"Hey, Eda, how much more walking are we going to do? Can't we just steal the flower once mentor finds it?"

Eda glanced up from the map with a mischievous grin. "Nope. For two reasons: one, we might damage the flower if we fight for it. And two, I really want to see the look on Lilith's face when I beat her to it and snatch it away!" She smirked, clearly relishing the thought of one-upping her sister. "Who's frail now, Emperor dorks!"

The two reached a clearing dominated by a moss-covered statue of a minotaur. Eda pushed aside the vines to reveal its face, cross-referencing the map.

"Alright," Eda muttered, "from the minotaur, we head north. And with a little luck, I'll reach the Bloom of Eternal Youth before Lilith!" She cackled and snorted, the sound echoing through the quiet woods.

Violet Finn gave her an exasperated look. "You know, you could just talk to mentor. Who knows? Maybe you two could—"

The sharp snap of a branch cut him off. Violet froze, his ears perking up like a fox sensing danger.

"Someone's following us," Eda hissed. She summoned a flaming sword with a flick of her wrist, grabbing Violet by the arm and pulling him behind the minotaur statue.

A shadowy figure emerged into the clearing, their silhouette framed by the afternoon light.

"Spicy toss!" Eda yelled, rushing from behind the statue. She hurled a fireball at the figure, hitting them squarely.

"AHHH!" came a familiar yelp as the figure staggered backward, revealing none other than Lilith, covered in mud and leaves tangled in her hair.

"Lily?" Eda blinked, genuinely surprised.

"Edalyn?" Lilith snapped, brushing soot from her cloak.

"Finn," Violet said casually as he stepped out from behind the statue, earning a pair of unamused glares from both sisters.

Eda dismissed her sword and fireball with a wave. Lilith crossed her arms, her face twisting into a sneer.

"Of course, you two would be here just to be a nuisance," Lilith said dryly. "Why don't you go home and rest, Edalyn? Wouldn't want you breaking a hip."

"Sorry, sister," Eda retorted with a smirk. "I'm stronger than you think. I'm here to save the Bloom of Eternal Youth from your greedy hands."

Violet sighed and threw up his hands. "And I'm here because she dragged me into your weird sibling rivalry. Again."

"Alright, enough chatter!" Eda barked. "Finn, pick me up!"

Violet blinked. "What?"

"Pick. Me. Up!"

With a shrug, Violet complied, hoisting Eda above his head like a warrior with a trophy. Lilith stared, utterly baffled.

"Now, RUN!" Eda shouted.

Violet sprinted through the clearing, carrying Eda like a makeshift battering ram. "Sorry, Lily!" Eda called over her shoulder, laughing. "I'm getting there before you!"

Lilith shook herself out of her stupor. "Oh, no, you won't!" she yelled, breaking into a run after them, her robes flaring as she went.

The chase was on, the Bloom of Eternal Youth tantalizingly close—and neither sister willing to let the other claim it first.

=======

Back at the Owl House, Orange Finn and Luz were engrossed in crafting their new story.

"Suddenly surrounded by the horrible, slimy creatures, the devilishly handsome and totally ripped Snow Man donned his magical crown," Orange Finn narrated dramatically, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "He froze all of those weirdos into solid blocks of ice, saving his princess Luzura."

Luz typed furiously, trying to keep up with his dictation while stifling her cringe. "Okay," she finally said, pausing with a deep breath, "I think this is a good place to stop for now."

The sound of the door creaking open caught their attention. "Hey, Finn! Hey, Luz!"

Both turned to see King swaggering into the room, dressed in a brown jacket, a blue scarf, and round sunglasses with red-tinted lenses. His energy was impossible to ignore.

"Guess who won the writing competition and became a blockbuster writer superstar?" he asked with exaggerated flair. Without waiting for an answer, he gestured to himself. "You're right—it's me! Me! Do you wanna touch my scarf?" He dramatically held it out, grinning from ear to ear.

Orange Finn turned away, his gaze fixed on the window, while Luz continued typing, visibly unimpressed.

"A fan crocheted it out of their own hair," King added with misplaced pride. "It smells so bad!"

Still, neither of them responded. King huffed and pulled a bright red envelope from his jacket, placing it on the table beside the typewriter. "My publisher's throwing a huge party for my book, Ruler's Reach, and I'd really like for both of you to be there," he said, his tone softening as he gave them a hopeful look.

Luz swept the envelope off the table without a word, letting it fall to the ground.

"Alright, fine," King muttered, disappointment weighing on him. "Be that way, I guess." He turned and shuffled out of the room, the door creaking shut behind him.

The room grew quiet again. Luz stared at the door with a melancholy sigh.

"You guys don't need him," the typewriter chimed in, its mechanical voice attempting to cheer them up.

"But I don't want to be mad at him either," Luz murmured as she picked up the invitation from the floor, her fingers tracing the embossed lettering.

Orange Finn clenched his fists, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. "Well, I want to be mad at him. I say we go down there and ruin his big party. Then maybe hit up the buffet before we wreck the joint."

Luz shot him a look, shaking her head. "We'll just call that Plan B, okay, Finn?"

=======

It was nighttime, and the library was alive with energy. Large banners above the entrance proclaimed in bold letters: "Ruler's Reach: Enter the Bad Boy." Portraits of King adorned the sides of the building, his smug grin exaggerated for dramatic effect. A long line of eager fans stretched from the door all the way to the curb, buzzing with excitement.

Orange Finn stared at the spectacle, his fists clenched in frustration. "Oh, I am so going to pummel Gunter for keeping all of THIS for himself," he growled, jealousy flickering in his eyes. Beside him, Luz walked quietly, her expression weighed down by a mix of disappointment and hurt.

Before they could enter, King suddenly appeared, bounding toward them with unrestrained enthusiasm. "Finn! Luz! Buddy! I'm so glad you could make it!"

Luz offered him a weak smile, her tone soft. "Hey, King. I didn't want to be angry about your success. You're my friend, so… congratulations."

Orange Finn, however, wasn't so forgiving. "Well, I want to be angry at your success! How dare you become a literary sensation!" He grabbed King by the scruff and hoisted him into the air. "I should ground you for life, Gunter!"

"Fine! Call me whatever you want! Just put me down! I. NEED. HELP!" King pleaded, his voice unusually frantic.

Both Luz and Finn blinked, startled by his desperation. "Huh?" they said in unison.

King adjusted his scarf as Orange Finn reluctantly set him down. "Apparently," he began, his voice dripping with exasperation, "I can't write my daring works of genius without rebelling against both of your gushing fantasy slop."

"Excuse me?" Luz's face flushed with anger, her voice trembling as she glared at him.

"And how dare you insult my princess's lovely fantasy story!" Orange Finn roared, his hair now fully white, his fury reaching a boiling point.

King, however, seemed oblivious to the tension he had created. "Look, all of us made a great team before. So, here's a pen—writey writey—clock's ticking." He shoved the pen toward Luz, his nonchalant attitude only adding fuel to their frustration.

Luz took the pen, stared at it, and then, with a deliberate motion, let it fall to the ground. The crowd around them gasped, murmurs of shock rippling through the air.

"We're not writing for you after you made fun of all of our ideas," Luz said firmly, her voice laced with disappointment.

Orange Finn cracked his knuckles, a dark grin spreading across his face. "Oh, I've been waiting for this moment, Gunter!" He drew his arm back, ready to deliver a solid punch.

But Luz grabbed his arm, stopping him. "Let it go, Finn. He's not worth it."

Orange Finn hesitated, then relented. "Okay, my princess."

Luz turned to King, her gaze steady but distant. "Congratulations on all your hard-earned success," she said, her voice quiet yet cutting. Without another word, she turned and began walking away, pulling Orange Finn along with her.

King stood there, speechless, his shoulders slumping as he watched them leave. But unknown to any of them, his publisher, hidden in the shadows, had overheard the entire conversation, her sharp eyes narrowing with interest.

=======

In a secluded part of the woods, Violet Finn, carrying Eda over his shoulders, sprinted alongside Lilith. The trio raced through the dense trees toward their prize, the legendary bloom of eternal youth.

"Ha! Doesn't this remind you of when we used to race to the kitchen, Lily?" Eda teased, her eyes sparkling with nostalgia as she glanced at her sister. Suddenly, she stiffened, her sharp instincts kicking in. "Finn, stop. Put me down for a sec."

"Okay." Violet Finn gently set her on the ground.

Eda scanned the area, her brow furrowing. "Lily? Now where did she—" Her words were cut short by muffled screams.

Eda's eyes darted upward. High in the branches above, Lilith struggled inside a sticky cocoon of webs, trapped by a massive green spider-like creature with crab-like claws. Its eerie screech echoed through the woods as Lilith wriggled helplessly.

"LILY!" Eda roared, summoning a fiery spell circle. With a flick of her wrist, a blazing fireball shot from her hand, striking the creature squarely in the face. The monstrous spider shrieked in pain, releasing Lilith, who tumbled into a nearby bush.

Violet Finn hurried over to help her, carefully peeling the sticky webbing off her arms and legs. "Stay still, Mentor."

Once free, Lilith exhaled with relief. "Thank you, Finn." She turned to Eda, her voice tinged with surprise. "Edalyn, I didn't think you'd—well, thank you."

"Stow it," Eda said, waving a dismissive hand. "Sure, we might fight, but you're still my sister. And if anyone's putting you down, it's gonna be me!" She playfully elbowed Lilith, finishing with a hearty slap on her back.

Lilith chuckled at Eda's usual brashness. Her gaze shifted, catching sight of something in the distance. "Is that—?"

Eda immediately pressed her head against Lilith's to follow her line of sight. In a clearing stood a weathered stone monument, its surface carved into the shape of a woman with her arms crossed. At its base, thorny vines twisted and coiled, holding a single radiant purple flower that shimmered in the moonlight.

"The bloom of eternal youth!" Eda exclaimed, throwing her arms in the air dramatically. Without hesitation, she shoved Lilith aside. "Alright, back off, that baby's mine!"

Lilith, sprawled on the ground, growled in frustration. "AH! Why are you always like this?"

Violet Finn extended a hand to help her up. "I think it's a combination of fear of commitment, with a blatant disregard for the rules. Or maybe she's just scared of growing up."

Eda scowled over her shoulder. "No, it's not, wise guy. It's because Lilith here thinks I'm just some tired old biddy. But I'm more than that!" She turned her focus back to the flower. With a confident smirk, she cast a spell circle around its stalk, severing it neatly.

Eda held the glowing flower triumphantly above her head. "And with the bloom of eternal youth's power, I'll show you—"

Before she could finish, the flower ignited in a blaze of blue flames and disintegrated in her hands. Eda's face twisted in confusion. "What the—?"

A shadow loomed over them, accompanied by sinister, maniacal laughter. The group's eyes snapped toward the monument, where a figure stood ominously on top of the stone carving.

Violet Finn raised an eyebrow. "Does everyone we meet now have to laugh while standing in the shadows?" he deadpanned, folding his arms.

The figure stepped closer to the edge, their silhouette sharp against the moonlight. "Oh, you'll wish it was just laughter," the voice taunted, dripping with malice.

Eda rolled her eyes. "Alright, pal, get down here and explain why you're ruining my night, or I'll send you into next week."

=======

Back at the library, Luz continued dragging Orange Finn toward the exit. As they passed one of King's banners, Luz paused, her gaze lingering on the image. She sighed wistfully. "They got his good angle."

Orange Finn scowled at the banner. "I hate to say it, but you're right. Look at him. My little Guntz, looking all… important."

Before they could dwell further on their frustration, two large, shadowy figures emerged from the crowd, towering over them. Their sudden appearance made Luz step back nervously. "Uh, can we help you?" she asked, her voice shaking slightly.

Orange Finn immediately moved in front of Luz, his protective instincts kicking in. "Back off, pals! She's mine!"

The two figures exchanged glances before stepping aside, revealing a much smaller figure between them. A lizard-like man dressed in a red robe, brown boots, and a floppy blue hat stepped forward. He adjusted his round glasses, his yellow eyes gleaming with interest.

"I hear both of you are… aspiring writers," the lizard man said in a smooth, measured tone, his forked tongue flicking briefly as he spoke.

Luz let out a nervous chuckle, trying to hide her unease. "Uh, yeah, I guess you could say that."

Orange Finn wasn't so accommodating. He narrowed his eyes at the lizard man. "Yeah, we are. So what?"

The lizard man gave a toothy smile and gestured to the two large figures behind him. "Oh, no need to be hostile, young artists. I'm here to offer you an opportunity—one that could change your lives forever."

Luz glanced at Orange Finn, her curiosity piqued but her instincts wary. "What kind of opportunity?" she asked.

The lizard man leaned in, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Let's just say… I have a way of making talent shine brighter than any banner or bestseller."

Orange Finn didn't budge, his expression hardening. "Sounds shady."

"Oh, but the greatest successes always are," the lizard man replied with a sly grin. "Shall we discuss further… in private?"

=======

Both Orange Finn and Luz were trapped inside a purple, transparent cube in a dressing room. After a few minutes, the door opened, revealing the lizard man and King.

"King!" Luz exclaimed.

"Luz!" King ran toward the cube.

"And Finn!" Orange Finn reminded him.

"That snappily dressed wizard trapped us in a shrinking box," Luz explained, her words quickly proven true as the wizard clenched his hand, causing the box to shrink. "Wah! You've got to get us out!"

"What are you doing with her? Let her go!" King demanded.

"Don't you mean let us go?" Orange Finn corrected. "I mean, I know we're not exactly best friends, but come on, man."

Everyone ignored Orange Finn. The wizard walked up to the cube, his expression stern. "You all wrote Ruler's Reach together. If you don't want them crushed, you'll write together again."

Luz and King glared at the wizard with a mix of fear and hatred, while Orange Finn busied himself scanning the surroundings for a way to escape.

"Oh, don't give me that look," the wizard said smugly. "Some of the best books were written under literal crunch time."

The wizard snapped his fingers again, shrinking the box further.

"That's a toxic mentality contributing to burnout and unrealistic expectations!" Luz retorted before turning to King. "King! Do something!"

King marched up to the wizard, fury in his eyes. "Set her free now!"

"Set us free! Seriously, what gives? Am I invisible right now?" Orange Finn snapped.

"Not until I get my best seller," the wizard declared. "And don't forget, you're all under contract." He held up a parchment with a red paw print at the bottom.

"That's all I needed to know," Orange Finn said with a sly grin. He cast a spell, aging the contract into dust. A portal opened beside the wizard, and Orange Finn yanked him into the shrinking cube.

"My princess, Gunter, get out of here! This guy and I have some business to discuss," Orange Finn instructed with authority.

Luz and King rushed out of the room, leaving Orange Finn and the wizard alone.

"Now then," Orange Finn said, his smirk turning sinister, "let's talk."

The room echoed with the sound of the portal slamming shut behind Luz and King as they stumbled into the hallway, both panting from the adrenaline.

"Did he just—" Luz started, clutching King's arm.

"Yeah," King replied, his ears drooping. "Finn went full rogue in there."

Back in the cube, Orange Finn loomed over the wizard, who now found himself trapped within the shrinking confines he had used to intimidate the others. The wizard scrambled to his feet, adjusting his hat and attempting to regain his composure.

"What do you think you're doing?!" the wizard barked, his voice dripping with panic.

Orange Finn's smirk deepened, his icy aura filling the cube. His white hair glowed faintly in the dim light, and frost began creeping up the transparent walls. "You're about to learn the hard way, pal—nobody messes with my princess or my stories."

The wizard clenched his fists, attempting to cast a spell, but the cold sapped his strength. Orange Finn raised a hand, and the temperature in the cube dropped even further, his power coiling like a predator ready to strike.

"You think you're clever, don't you?" the wizard hissed, his breath visible in the icy air. "You can't stop me. I've sealed countless deals before—"

"Not this time." Orange Finn's voice was low and threatening, his blue-tinted eyes glowing with raw energy. "Your contract is dust, your power is melting, and you're stuck in here with me. So, let's make a new deal."

The wizard gulped, realizing he was entirely at Orange Finn's mercy. "What… what do you want?"

Orange Finn leaned in, his smirk never faltering. "You're going to vanish. Forever. No more schemes, no more traps, no more harassing writers. Got it?"

The wizard nodded frantically. "Yes! Yes, I promise! Just let me out of here!"

Orange Finn stepped back, waving his hand. The cube dissolved into shards of frost, scattering harmlessly to the ground. The wizard stumbled forward, gasping for breath. Before he could recover, Orange Finn snapped his fingers, opening another portal beneath the wizard's feet.

"Have a nice trip," Orange Finn said mockingly as the wizard fell through, his screams fading as the portal closed behind him.

Luz and King had barely caught their breath when Orange Finn strode out of the room, his frosty demeanor quickly thawing as he saw them.

"Did you…?" Luz asked, her eyes wide.

"Handled it," Orange Finn replied casually, brushing imaginary dust off his shoulder.

King looked up at him with newfound respect—and a bit of fear. "Remind me never to cross you."

Orange Finn grinned. "Good call, Gunter."

"Still not my name," King muttered.

Luz shook her head, smiling despite herself. "Alright, you two. Let's get out of here before someone else traps us in a cube."

The trio hurried off into the night, their bond stronger than ever—even if Orange Finn's methods were a little extra.

=======

Violet Finn, Eda, and Lilith all looked up at the shadowy figure, who turned out to be the vendor that had given Eda and Lilith the map to the flower. The figure began to monologue. "I know you must be confused—the bloom of eternal youth, dead! But what if I told you the bloom never existed at all?"

"Oh, of course it never existed." Violet Finn's voice deepened, becoming gravelly. "I made that story up centuries ago to lure witches to me and drain their life force. JUST. LIKE. THIS." He exhaled a plume of black smoke, which entered the vendor, draining him of his life force.

Lilith stood in shock at what Violet Finn had just done. "What in the name of the Titan just happened!?"

Eda steeled herself before responding. "Stay calm, Lily. I've got this. So, we meet again, Lich."

Lilith looked at her in disbelief. "Lich? Edalyn, you can't possibly mean that old story from when we were kids!"

"I'm afraid it's true," Eda said grimly. "Finn here has been possessed by the Lich for some time now." She fixed a sharp glare at him. "So, are you here for revenge for me ruining your little ritual during the moonlight conjuring?"

The Lich turned around, his eyes entirely black with glowing green irises, and scoffed. "I simply wanted to observe you." His gaze shifted to Lilith. "But it seems this little expedition has proven more fortuitous than I anticipated."

Lilith shrank back under his gaze, but Eda held her ground. "Alright, ugly! If creeping around was your goal, congratulations, you succeeded. Now get lost already!"

The Lich chuckled. "Oh, I will. But first, let me share my findings." He spread his arms wide. "I once considered you a threat, Owl Lady. But now I see you for what you are: just another frightened child yelling into the dark."

In an instant, he teleported next to Lilith. Eda moved to defend her, but before she could act, the Lich whispered, "FALL."

Both sisters collapsed to the ground, unable to move. The Lich loomed over them. "Do not be so hasty to meet your end. Your sister is still useful to me. Deliver my message to your Emperor: let my name bring fear to every witch on the Boiling Isles." With that, the Lich vanished, and Violet Finn collapsed unconscious.

As they regained their strength, Eda and Lilith sat up, both breathing heavily. "Well, that just happened," Eda remarked. She turned to Lilith. "So, are you going to deliver his message?"

Lilith was still shaken. "W-what… huh?"

"Calm down, Lily," Eda said, smirking. "It's not like this is your first time dealing with ancient evil."

"Calm down? CALM DOWN?!" Lilith snapped. "Edalyn, that was the Lich! THE! LICH! How can you be so cavalier about this?"

Eda shrugged. "Not the first time I've fought him. Though I'll admit, he's getting stronger—one word almost took us both out."

Lilith steadied herself and said, "Regardless, I need to take Finn into custody, where he can be treated for his… affliction."

Eda stepped in front of her. "Hold on, sister! You can't lock Finn up—he's done nothing wrong. It's the Lich who's responsible for everything that just happened." She glanced at the unconscious Finn. "Besides, he's not so different from me, cursed with something he doesn't deserve."

Lilith hesitated, her expression conflicted. Finally, she relented. "Fine, I won't take him. But I still have to report the Lich's message to the Emperor."

"That's good enough for me," Eda replied with a grin. She hoisted Finn onto her staff and flew off, leaving Lilith to wave goodbye, completely drained from the ordeal.

=======

Back at the Owl House, Eda landed and hoisted Finn over her shoulder. Walking in, she found Luz and King sprawled out on the couch, fast asleep.

"Hey, kids. Woof," she sighed, cracking her neck and back. "That was a rough couple of days."

"Yeah, I'll say," Luz replied groggily, noticing Violet Finn passed out. "What happened to him?"

"Oh, nothing. Long story." Eda shrugged and laid Violet Finn down on the floor.

Suddenly, the door burst open, and Orange Finn marched in, a massive bag slung over his shoulder. "I've returned, my princess!"

Eda glanced at Luz, raising an eyebrow.

"Long story," Luz explained, prompting Eda to simply shrug again.

"I come bearing great news—whoops!" Orange Finn tripped, tumbling onto Violet Finn. In a flash of light, the two merged, restoring Finn to his original self.

"Well, that's something that'll haunt me for the rest of my life," Orange Finn muttered, now fully Finn again.

"Welcome back, Finn! So, what's in the bag?" Luz greeted him warmly, clearly avoiding any mention of the chaotic events of the past few days.

Finn emptied the bag's contents onto the floor. "One million snails," he said flatly.

Luz, Eda, and King stared wide-eyed at the pile of gold-colored coins.

"Kid, how in the Titan's name did you get this?" Eda asked, practically drooling over the fortune.

"I sold the book Luz and I wrote," Finn explained casually. Luz's eyes widened in shock. "I made a little deal with another publisher. Basically, they get one book, pay me a small fortune, and, well, other business stuff." Finn smiled awkwardly.

"Who cares?! We're rich!" Eda shouted, already gearing up to celebrate.

"Hold on there, Eda," Finn interjected, stopping her from breaking out the apple blood. "I think we should keep this safe for emergencies." He summoned a portal, and most of the snails disappeared into it. "But hey, for taking care of 'other me' for a few days, here." He handed Eda a sack containing one hundred thousand snails.

"Disappointing, but money's money! I'm still celebrating!" Eda cheered, already counting her share.

The others, however, didn't share her enthusiasm.

"I'm just going to go home now," Finn said with a yawn as he headed for the door.

"Yeah, me and King are probably going to sleep too. We had quite the adventure while you were gone." Luz picked up King and started toward her room.

"Night, Eda!" King called, waving sleepily.

As they disappeared upstairs, Eda frowned. "What happened to those two?"

"Girl, you do not want to know," answered the typewriter, breaking the silence.