Chapter Text
Hunter was slumped in the chair, twiddling his thumbs as he stared at his feet. He was currently seated in the principal’s office at Gravesfield High School. His leg bounced as he nervously blew on a lock of blond hair dangling in front of his face. Brown eyes sporadically flicked around the room, though mainly lingered on his feet. The boy risked a glance up and was met with Principal Hal’s unimpressed glare. He winced and went back to staring at his shoes.
A sudden knock from the door broke the heavy silence, jarring Hunter from his thoughts. “Come in,” Principal Hal gruffed.
The door opened to reveal a tall, light-skinned well-dressed man. He wore a black tuxedo over a white undershirt tucked into khaki pants adorned with a shining leather belt. His neck-length hair was combed back, and his short beard and sideburns framed a sharp face with a pointed nose and stern blue eyes. Philip Wittebane's gaze swept through the room, lingering for a moment on Hunter before snapping to the waiting principal. He stalked forward and stretched out his hand.
“Mr. Hal,” he greeted politely. The principal stood to shake hands with him.
“Dr. Wittebane. Thanks for coming in,” the principal said as they released each other’s hands.
“Of course,” Philip said as he sat in the vacant chair next to Hunter while Principal Hal sat in his seat, “What is the problem?”
“The problem is that your nephew,” he jerked his head towards Hunter, “Got into another fight.”
“Is that so?” Philip mused, gazing at Hunter from the corner of his eye. “Would you please fill me in on the details?” he asked, returning his attention to the principal, who nodded.
“Certainly. During English class today, Hunter had abruptly lashed out and attacked a fellow student, Mr. Arent, unprovoked.”
Hunter opened his mouth to protest, but a firm hand landed on his shoulder and quickly silenced him.
“It was a short fight, but Mr. Arent received a black eye and a possible concussion from when he hit his head on a desk.”
Hunter cringed at that last piece of info. While he doesn’t particularly regret attacking the other boy, he never meant for that to happen.
“The school nurse says that Mr. Arent is recovering just fine and should be fit to return home, but it could have been worse, Dr. Wittebane,” Principal Hal finished.
Philip nodded and spent a second mulling over the information he received. Then he turned to Hunter. “Anything you would like to say, Hunter?”
Hunter nodded. “Yes Uncle, I-”
“Dr. Wittebane,” Principal Hal interrupted, only to be silenced by an outstretched hand from Philip.
“I’ve heard your side. Now my nephew is speaking, Principal Hal,” Philip said before gesturing for Hunter to continue.
“Like Principal Hal said, I was in English class presenting my book report.”
“And how did it go?” Philip asked. “It went well! Until…”
“And that is the end of my book report!” Hunter finished.
“Okay! Thank you for showing us your interest in… Cosmic Frontiers , Hunter,” Mr. Sandoval said, “Let’s give him a hand everyone.”
Slow, reluctant clapping filled the classroom as Hunter picked up the papers from the table at the front of the room. Then a scoff carried out through the room. “No way am I applauding for such a lame-o story.”
Hunter rolled his eyes. That was Josh Arent. He and Hunter were… well acquainted . Still, Hunter ignored the other boy as he began walking back to his seat at the back of the room. Only for Josh to stand up from his seat just as he was about to walk past, getting in his face.
“Yo, Goldie, I said your book’s dumb.”
“I heard you, Josh,” Hunter replied, “I just don’t care.” He shouldered past Josh and continued towards his seat. But the bully just kept talking.
“Whatever bro. You probably got that as a baby gift from your parents. I’d bet they were just as weird as you.” Hunter came to a complete stop and closed his eyes. He breathed deeply, trying to calm himself.
“Aw, is someone about to cry? Why don’t you cry home to your mother? Oh wait, I forgot, you ca-”
Hunter’s papers fluttered to the floor as Hunter spun around and smashed his fist into the boy's face. He staggered back and caught himself on the desks on either side. With a snarl etched on his face, he then lunged at Hunter, who simply sidestepped him. He then lifted a foot to trip Josh as he flew past. The boy’s feet disappeared from underneath him as his momentum carried him forward, his forehead bouncing off the corner of a desk on the way to the floor.
“MR. WITTEBANE!”
Hunter turned around to see Mr. Sandoval storming towards him.
“...And then I ended up in the principal’s office and you were called, Uncle,” Hunter finished.
Philip nodded and turned to Principal Hal with a raised eyebrow. “‘Unprovoked,’ you say?”
“Dr. Wittebane, mere mockery is no excuse to attack another student,” Principal Hal explained.
“As much as I agree that violence is not the answer to the words of a bully,” a hand on Hunter’s shoulder once again stopped him from protesting, “It was bound to happen with the teacher merely standing by and not doing anything to stop the situation from escalating. My nephew was left to his own devices against a bully, one I recall complaining to the school about in the past, and tried to disengage from the building conflict. Your faculty’s lack of initiative enabled Mr. Arent to resume his attacks and left my nephew with little choice but to either curl up and endure the bullying or lash out. And as you should know, Principal Hal, Hunter has already had to endure a lot.”
Principal Hal leaned forward over his desk, his hands folding together as he met Philip’s challenging glare. “We are aware of that, Dr. Wittebane. But it doesn’t change the fact that Hunter has been in 10 separate fights over the past month, one or more students needing to go to the infirmary after each fight.”
Philip and Hunter glanced at each other before the adult focused on the principal again. “What are you saying?”
Principal Hal leaned back and opened a drawer in his desk. “I’m saying that we think Hunter may need help with his aggression,” he pulls out a pamphlet and sets it on the desk, “There’s a boarding school up in New York where Hunter can go for the summer. They should be able to help Hunter manage his emotions better.”
Hunter felt his stomach plummet. Being sent all the way to New York? For the entire summer?
“Isn’t that a little extreme?” Philip asked, shifting in his seat. Hunter reached forward to grasp the pamphlet.
Principal Hal continued as he studied it. “I’m sorry, Dr. Wittebane, but if Hunter gets in any more fights, we’ll have to consider expelling him.”
Hunter’s eyes snapped up to stare at the principal in dismay. His head then pivots to see Philip staring down at him. He thinks for a few moments, glancing between the two adults, before letting out a sigh.
“Okay, I get it,” he said, standing up, “No more fights!”
SMACK
At that very instant, a student had walked into the office without knocking and was backhanded by Hunter as he was swinging his arm out with this declaration. The student staggered back, clutching his nose, as Hunter stared at him. He then turned to look at the adults.
“...That doesn’t count, right?”
—— ===== ——
The trip home was filled with tense silence. The car pulled into the driveway of their house before jerking as Philip put the gear into park. Shutting off the engine, the man then rests both hands on the steering wheel and lets out a weary sigh. Hunter, in the passenger seat next to him, continued to stare down at the Cosmic Frontier book in his hands, the pamphlet resting on top.
“I don’t want to go,” Hunter said abruptly, turning towards his uncle.
Philip let out another sigh. “And I don’t want to send you,” he said before leaning back, “But we don’t have a lot of options, Hunter. The private school here in Gravesfield is absurdly expensive, the next nearest school is a 2-hour drive, and with my work at the hospital, I don’t have the time to homeschool you.”
“But you still don’t have to send me! I can stop getting into fights if I just make some friends!”
“And why haven’t you made friends, Hunter?” Philip asked, turning to him, “I’ll tell you why: you keep getting into fights! You let yourself become a target for their jabs and then allow your emotions to spill over!”
Hunter hung his head as he turned in his seat so he was facing forward again. “Listen…I truly don’t want to be doing this, but we’re in a tough spot Hunter,” Philip reasoned, resting a (hopefully) comforting hand on his nephew’s shoulder, “And who knows? This boarding school might end up doing you some good.”
“I guess,” Hunter mumbled, staring forlornly at the pamphlet in his hand. Philip stared at him for a moment and opened his mouth to encourage the boy when there was a beeping sound.
He dug into his pockets and pulled out his pager. “They need me back at the hospital,” he said, pocketing the device, “We’ll talk about it some more tonight. Okay?”
“Okay.”
With that, Hunter opened the door and got out of the car as Philip started the engine. Within minutes, he had pulled out of the driveway and turned out of view down the street. Hunter watched him leave, then looked back down at the items in his hands. He moved the pamphlet behind the book as he stared at the cover, Cosmic Frontiers staring back at him in bold letters. He didn’t tell his uncle, but he already knew why everyone was picking on him.
Hey Goldie, did you get that from the children’s library?
Goldie! Is your mind lost in the stars again?
Mr. Wittebane, you have better things to do than read such childish literature.
It was all because of this stupid book! They were just making fun of him for holding onto the last thing they gave him! Hunter’s arms dropped as he let out a sigh and walked up the path to the front door. Once inside, he slung off his backpack, tossed it onto the couch just past the entryway, and walked into the kitchen. He placed the book under the open window before opening the fridge, scavenging for any leftovers.
CAW!
Startled, Hunter jerked back from the fridge and glanced at the window. Standing on the window sill was a white raven, staring back at him with gold eyes. The moment the two of them made eye contact, the bird turned and hopped off the edge, disappearing from view. Hunter’s eyes snapped from the open window towards the bare counter where his book was originally.
“Hey!”
He quickly slammed the fridge shut and scrambled for the door, intent on chasing the bird that he was sure had just taken his book (as absurd as that seemed). He threw the back door open in time to see the raven, now with a burlap sack caught in its beak, half-hopping half-flying into the forest behind his house. Sure enough, Hunter could see the top of his book in the sack.
“Get back here! That book doesn’t belong to you!” he called out, chasing after the fiend. The bird, somehow managing to stay ahead of Hunter despite the baggage it was carrying, led the boy through the trees until a run-down shack emerged from the brush. The bird hopped up the porch steps and rushed through the open door. Without hesitation, Hunter raced up the steps and followed it through. “Stop hopping away you little-...huh?”
Hunter came to a dead halt once inside. He was expecting a room with a rotting wood floor and plaster-covered walls, but none of that was what Hunter found. Instead, he looks around to see a simple dirt floor and walls made of fabric. Piles of various books were littered throughout the whole space. If Hunter didn’t know any better, he’d say he was in a tent instead of an old shack. But that wasn’t possible…was it?
“Finally, you’re back.”
Hunter slapped a hand over his mouth to stifle a gasp as his attention snapped to an opening in the fabric. He cautiously moved forward and moved a flap back just enough to see outside. Bright daylight streamed through the opening and onto his face. Once his eyes adjusted, he saw a gray-curly-haired woman with her back to him standing at a table on a cobbled street. Hunter saw the raven he was chasing hop onto a similar-colored staff. Hunter's eyes widened as he watched the woman reach up and screw the raven onto the staff, the bird turning to wood under her grip.
“Let’s see what you brought back,” the woman hummed, digging into the sack. “Sheesh, I thought I told you to stop hoarding anything shiny you find,” she said, pulling out a ring before tossing it aside. She pulls out a phone. “Junk,” she tosses it aside as well. She pulls out a gold chalice. “Boring,” she tosses that one too but then gasps. “Now this !” she declares, pulling out a thick tome, Encyclopedia stamped on it, “This is exciting!” Hunter blinked, utterly confused. The woman set the encyclopedia down on the table and reached into the bag one last time. She pulled out another book and Hunter gasped as he recognized it. “As for this…not your best find Raveena,” she stated before opening the book and inspecting the pages. “Might make for good kindling though.”
Hunter wasn’t going to have any of that! “Sorry!” he yelped, leaping out of the tent to snatch the book out of the shocked woman’s hands, “That belongs to me!”
He turned back around and ran for the door that was standing in the middle of the tent. Just before he could go through, however, it slammed shut and folded into a briefcase which then promptly disappeared. “Not so fast,” the woman says, a key clutched in her hand and green eyes glaring at Hunter.
The boy let out an (undignified) yelp and ran to the other side of the tent, ducking underneath the canvas wall. He glances behind him as he begins to run away, looking forward just in time to stop before he goes hurtling off a cliff. Hunter gawks at the sight before him.
Spread out before him was a medieval-looking town decorated with bones, teeth, and limbs. A dragon was flying across the skyline before it was snatched out of the air by a giant arm, which quickly disappeared from view. The streets below him were filled with all sorts of strange and horrifying creatures. He saw a hooded figure holding up an ice cream that promptly devoured another creature, a giant chicken-like monster walking past the pair, and finally a giant human-faced centipede that belched out some weird bat thing which then turned around and kissed the former before both went their separate ways.
“What the heck,” Hunter mumbled under his breath as he slowly backed away from the ledge. Sudden movement at the edge of his vision made him yelp and recoil away in fear, only to relax once he saw it was just a fairy. “Oh, hello little…thing. This is all a dream, right?”
The fairy just smiled before opening its mouth, revealing a row of oversized teeth. “Give me your skin!” it hollered.
“Eugh!” Hunter yelped before smacking the pest to the ground. “Okay, this must be a nightmare, right? None of this is real!”
A hand landed on his shoulder. “Not quite,” the woman from before said.
Hunter let out a yell as he was suddenly dragged back through the tent and unceremoniously dumped on a stool. “Okay, I’m warning you, lady! If you want to eat my skin, it won’t be without a fight!” he shouted, raising his fists despite his eyes being squeezed shut.
“Eat you? Why would I eat a human like you?”
Hunter cracked one eye open and then blinked both as he stared up at the woman. Her skin was pale as a sheet, and her mint-green eyes shone from behind round glasses as she beamed down at the boy. Her hair was gray and curly. She wore a pale green short-sleeved shirt under a brown vest and a maroon skirt running down to her ankles in brown high-heel boots and purple-gray tights. A sky-blue gem in the shape of a kite adorned her chest. (A/N: Basically her Season 2B appearance except for the gem and hair)
What caught Hunter’s attention, however, were her pointed ears, which were twitching occasionally with excitement. “Uh…” Hunter droned, confused, “Who are you?”
Lilith blinked before covering her mouth as she giggled. “Oh, pardon me, child, where are my manners?” She held out her hand and the raven-topped staff flew into her hand. She stamped the pole into the ground as she made a grandiose gesture with her free arm. “I am Lilith the Raven Witch! The most powerful witch on the Boiling Isles!”
Hunter’s eyes widened. A witch? What are the chances?
“I am respected! Adored! And-”
“BUSTED!”
Hunter jumped as a gloved fist slammed onto the table next to them, the potions on top bouncing from the impact. People lurking nearby turned and ran from the scene, someone yelling “Guard!” “Lilith the Raven Witch!” a hulking figure with a conical mask declared, pointing at the woman while holding up a wanted poster with her image, “You are under arrest for misuse of magic and demonic misdemeanors!”
Hunter blinked, bewildered. Witch criminal. Got it.
The guard then reached across the table and took hold of Lilith’s arm. “You are hereby ordered to come with me to the Conformatorium!”
Lilith sighed and jerked her arm out of his hold. “Really Dreg? What misdemeanors? Also, how is your son doing?”
“You paint-bombed your sister’s apartment.”
“...Oh yeah.”
“And Mike is doing well, thank you for asking.”
Lilith smiled and nodded. “Good to hear. Now, are we really going to do this today?”
“Yes!” the guard declared before also grabbing Hunter’s arm too, “And you are coming too! For associating with a known criminal!”
“Wh- I didn’t know she was a criminal!” Hunter exclaimed, struggling to get out of the iron grip.
“Okay! Okay!” Lilith said, hands raised placatingly, “I’ll get my stuff.” She stooped down and began rummaging behind the table. She peeked up to look over the table at the guard. “No hard feelings, right?”
“Uh…no?” Dreg answered, confused.
“Good.”
Lilith abruptly stood up with her staff grasped in both hands. Rearing back, she swung and smacked him in the face. Hunter’s arm was released as the guard was launched across the road into another stall. Hunter stared at where he had landed before returning his attention to Lilith. She was standing confidently, waving her hand as the table and tent folded up and stored themselves in an impossibly small sack. Once everything was packed away, she hooked the knot tying the bag shut on her staff before sitting on it as it levitated. “Time to go human!” she announced. Hunter shouted as Lilith abruptly grasped his hand and tossed him onto the staff before both of them shot off into the sky.
“I’ll get you next time Raven Witch!” Dreg hollered from behind them. He watched them fade into the distance before dropping his head. “Yeah right, like that’s ever gonna happen,” he grumbled before slouching away.
—— ===== ——
Hunter held onto the wooden staff below him with a white-knuckle grip as he stared down at the very distant ground. “So, human,” He jerked his head around to look at Lilith, “You got a name?”
“Uh…it’s uh…Hunter. Hunter Wittebane.”
“Well Hunter, welcome to the Boiling Isles!” Lilith declared, waving her arm out at their surroundings. “Boiling I-WOAH!” Hunter let out yet another yelp as he lost his balance and found himself hanging below the staff, hanging on for dear life with all four of his limbs. “Okay, you’re a witch,” Hunter said as Lilith calmly reached forward and pulled him back up, “You just smacked a guard. I’m a criminal now. What is this place?! ”
“Well, simply put, every myth you humans have is a result of this world, which we call the Demon Realm, leaking into your world, the Human Realm,” As Lilith spoke, a griffon with a pigeon head flew up beside them. Hunter stared at the beast in awe, then jerked back with horror as it suddenly belched out a bunch of spiders.
“This place is crazy!” he exclaimed. Lilith laughed behind him. “Not as crazy as your world! Is it true you humans flew to the moon?”
“What? I mean, yeah, but…what?”
Instead of answering Hunter’s admittedly vague question, she pitched down and dove towards the forest below, Hunter shouting in surprise. Just before they crashed into the ground, however, Lilith pulled back up and stopped at the forest’s edge. Lilith dismounts the staff and begins walking away. Hunter shakily swings his legs around and is about to follow when his hand brushes against another. His head snaps down and he leaps back with a yell as he sees Lilith’s hand still on the staff. The witch in question turned around confused. “Oh, whoops,” she chuckles, walking back to retrieve the lost appendage, “That happens.”
With a sickening pop, Lilith sticks the hand back on her wrist, the skin seamlessly melting together without a mark. “Come along now human,” Lilith said, striding away towards a large white-bricked house, “Daylight is burning and I need your help with something.”
“Actually…I think I should probably…go now,” Hunter said, backing up towards the trees.
“I wouldn’t be sure of that,” Lilith warned over her shoulder without looking, “You won’t get far through these forests.”
She stops and turns to look at him. “Besides, I have the only portal back. That you know of anyway. ”
Hunter stood still for a moment, thinking, then reluctantly followed after the witch as she continued towards the house again. Hunter spent a few seconds studying their destination. The house was in the middle of a clearing surrounded by trees save for an opening over a cliff. The structure had a sloping blue-tiled roof with a large stained-glass window depicting a giant eye directly above the front door. In the back was a crumbling stone tower, a human-faced bird(?) perched atop. As the pair approached, the bird thing flew off with cackling laughter.
“Question. Aren’t you worried about the guards finding us here?”
Lilith stopped before the door and glanced at him over her shoulder. “Like I said before, you won’t get far through these forests.”
Hunter gulped at that warning.
“Now then, let’s get inside,” Lilith said, raising her hand to the doorknob.
Only for the door to open itself.
“You’re back early.”
Hunter blinked and looked down. He was greeted by the sight of a small red person standing only up to his waist. She had hair that resembled two four-fingered hands, the hand on top closed in a bun while the lower one was spread in a fringe covering her left eye, with the other being yellow with a red iris. The fingers were dark blue with their tips turquoise. Her hands and feet each had three clawed digits. She wore a maroon tunic with tan pants, and what looked like sandals on her feet.
“Hello, Kikimora. We had a bit of trouble with the guards again.”
The creature, “Kikimora,” turned her gaze to Hunter and looked him up and down. “Who’s the brat?”
“Ah right,” Lilith said before gesturing between them, “Kikimora, this is Hunter. Hunter, this is Kikimora, my housemaid.”
“Roommate!” Kikimora snapped, glaring at Lilith. The witch only raised her hands placatingly. Kikimora turned back to regard Hunter once more, and he nervously waved. With a huff, she turned around and walked inside. “Alright, come on in. Wipe off your feet, I just finished sweeping.”
Lilith looked at him with a smirk. “ Housemaid ,” she says under her breath.
“I HEARD THAT!”
Despite the situation, Hunter couldn’t help but chuckle as he followed the witch inside, wiping his shoes on the doormat as requested. “Anyway Hunter, welcome to the Raven House!” Lilith announced with a sweep of her arms. She snapped her fingers and the candles were lit, the fireplace flared to life, and a ceiling mural depicting some sort of bird glowed with a screech.
“Woah,” Hunter breathed.
“Yep,” Lilith responded, “This is where I go to hide away from society…and the cops…mostly the cops.”
“And it’s just you and Kikimora here?” Hunter asked. He then heard the sound of a door closing upstairs.
“Not quite,” Lilith said as the sound of something sliding approached the room.
“Lilith, is that you?” a young female voice called.
Hunter turns to the doorway on the opposing wall as some sort of snake girl slithers through. She comes to a dead halt and the two of them study each other across the space. Most of her scales are a pale swampy green, with cream-colored spots on her underbelly, tail, the lower half of her face, and the top of her head. Tufts of navy blue hair stuck out from her scalp, back, and ears, and her tail, which took the place of her legs, ended with a fin similar to a fishtail. Her arms are folded up in front of her chest with her hands nervously clenched under her chin. Her eyes, wide as they stared at Hunter, had aqua sclera, black irises, and yellow pupils.
Silence reigns as the two teens stare at each other, then the snake girl turns to Lilith. “Why is there a human in our living room?” she asks.
“Ah, right. Hunter,” Lilith says, pulling Hunter’s attention, “This is Vee, my basilisk…roommate. Vee, meet Hunter. He is here to… assist us.”
Vee seemed to perk up at that. “Oh, yay!”
“Hold up!” Hunter suddenly stated, backing up from between them with his hands raised, “Assist you with what ? Why do you need me?”
Lilith and Vee glanced at each other before Lilith turned to Hunter. “Sorry, allow me to explain.” Vee slithered next to Hunter as the witch drew a glowing blue circle in the air, the inside of which was filled with the image of an oval-shaped locket on a gold chain. “We require your assistance in retrieving an item of great importance. It was taken from us by a fearsome demon named Warden Wrath.”
Vee leaned over and whispered in Hunter’s ear, “He’s a not-so-secret admirer of Lilith.”
“And now, that magical locket has been locked within a magical vault,” Lilith finished before dispelling the imagery, “Which is where you come in!”
“Me?!” Hunter exclaimed, confused.
“Yes, you! The vault the locket is sealed within keeps out all external magic. You, as a human, have none. You’ll be able to slip right on past,” Lilith explained with a smile, “Help us, and you’ll be free to head home.”
Hunter blinked and looked between the two of them. Lilith was watching him with an awkward smile, Vee had a hopeful look, and Kikimora was bored out of her mind on the couch.
“I have no choice, do I?”
“Nope!”
“Okay, I’ll do it then,” Hunter said with a shrug. Vee bounced on her tail and clapped in excitement, face beaming as she let out a quiet squeal. “Yes! Thank you! Let’s go then!”
To Hunter’s shock, Vee’s form shifted . She changed from having scales and no legs to having skin and two legs. The witch standing before him now was slightly tanner than him. Her hair took the same color as her scales save for the navy blue tips. Her eyes stayed the same, except for the sclera which turned white.
Vee saw Hunter staring at her bewildered and shrank into herself, sheepish. “Basilisks like myself can shapeshift into any other creature,” Vee explained, twisting a lock of hair around her finger, “I’m not comfortable showing my basilisk form in public, so I use this form whenever I go outside.” Hunter slowly nodded, partially understanding.
“Well, no time to waste!’ Lilith suddenly stated, walking out of the house, “Watch the house Kikimora!”
Kikimora rolled her eyes. “Yeah, sure, whatever.”
“Uh, Lilith?” Hunter calls as he follows Vee out of the house, “Where are we going?”
“Why the most magical place on the Boiling Isles!” Vee sarcastically responded.
—— ===== ——
Suffice to say, this place was nothing like Disney World.
They are standing outside the walls of a very large, very dark castle towering over them, lightning flashing in the night sky. “The Conformatorium. A place for those considered unsuitable for society,” Lilith explained as they looked up at the structure.
Hunter’s gaze fell on a wanted poster depicting Lilith. “Woah…these guys really don’t like you,” Hunter mused aloud, finally noticing the long string of zeros accompanying the reward.
“Nope! We are just too slippery to catch,” Vee commented with a grin.
“Try convincing this one to take a bath,” Lilith snorted, nudging the disguised basilisk with her elbow.
Vee’s face flared red as Hunter raised an eyebrow. “I don’t like being wet,” Vee pouted with her arms crossed, looking away in embarrassment.
“Anyway, I will go in to distract Warden Wrath,” Lilith explained.
“And the two of us will go in through a cell block and enter the vault,” Vee finished, recovering from having her bath phobia exposed. Hunter looked up at the tower. “And…where is that?”
“Near the top.”
Hunter looked at the top of the tower, close to a hundred feet above the ground. “Grrreeeaaat,” Hunter drawled.
“Whelp, time is wasting! Up you go!” Lilith said, drawing another glowing circle in the air. A platform of light appeared underneath him and Vee which then began rising along the side of the tower. It stopped next to a window and lasted just long enough for Vee and Hunter to climb through before crumbling away.
They found themselves in a torch-lit (but still dark) corridor lined with cells.
“Hey, kids, how’d you get out of your cells?”
Hunter turned to see a humanoid creature with brown skin, a blue mouth, and a row of tan horns running down either side of her neck, with two large ones adorning the top.
“Oh, we’re uh…we’re not criminals,” Hunter explained
“ You’re not one,” Vee corrected, “Not yet anyway.” Hunter chose to ignore that.
“Yeah? Well, neither are we. The big ugly warden likes to lock up people who don’t fit in. I like to make dresses for cats! I like cats, I like dresses, just let me combine them!”
A multi-eyed prisoner in the cell next to hers spoke up, “I like eating my own eyeballs.” After saying that, he took one of his own eyeballs out and tossed it into his mouth. It regrew in its original spot a moment later. Not stopping to think about that Hunter thought to himself.
“We are agents of fwee expwession! They will never siwence us!” declared a head with arms and legs and an oversized nose and red hair.
“Yeah…she’s big on conspiracy theories,” the first prisoner explained.
“We are toys! We pway the wole weversed pawody of another world!”
Everyone stared at the small prisoner. “That’s…okay…But none of these are crimes! None of you did anything wrong!” Hunter looks at the wanted poster still in his hand. “You’re all…people.”
Loud, heavy footsteps jarred him from his thoughts and his head snapped up as he heard keys outside the door into the block. “It’s Warden Wrath! Hide!” the first prisoner warned.
Hunter looked around in a panic until Vee took hold of his hand and yanked him into a vacant cell, closing (and hopefully not latching) the door behind them. The cellblock door opened as Hunter scrambled into the farthest corner, Vee shapeshifting into a weird-looking ferret that then wrapped around his head like a scarf, covering his mouth and ears.
Hunter’s heart pounded as a massive muscled creature wearing a plague doctor mask and a dark grey cowl came into view. “I can hear you,” he growled, “Just what are you fools talking about?”
Wrath looks down and spies the poster that Hunter dropped when Vee grabbed him. “Ah. The Raven Witch. It won’t be long until she’s mine. ” His hand abruptly morphs into a hammer that slams into the door of the cell the duo are hiding in, warping the bars. Warden Wrath makes eye contact with Hunter for a brief second, prompting him to panic internally.
“Fight against the oppwessor! We will wesist!”
Wrath stomped away towards the third prisoner.
“We will conquer! We will never be afwaid of you, you old cweep!”
Wrath pulls a lever and the door opens.
“Hooway! I’m fwee!”
She squeaks as Wrath suddenly encompasses her with his fist. “Let this be a lesson to all of you. There's no place in society for you if you can't fit in.” With that, the warden stomped away, the door slamming behind him.
Vee uncoiled from around Hunter’s head as he stood up, shifting back into her witch form.
Hunter pushes the (surprisingly) still-movable door open as he walks out. “Don’t worry,” he said, grasping one of the levers, “I can get you guys out.” However, as Hunter yanked on the lever with all his strength, it became very clear he in fact could not get them out as the instrument never budged.
“Just get out of here while you still can kid,” the first prisoner sighed, “Enjoy freedom for us.” Hunter’s shoulders slumped as he let go of the lever, giving up.
Vee placed a comforting hand on his shoulder and jerked her head towards the exit when Hunter looked at her. Her face held an expression of understanding. She would help them herself if doing so wouldn’t unveil her as a basilisk.
Discouraged, Hunter followed after Vee as she went through the same door Warden Wrath exited through. As the two of them were walking down a corridor,
Lilith came up next to them on her staff. “Okay, I just checked. Warden Wrath is busy tormenting some unfortunate critter. We have plenty of time.”
Hunter continued forward without answering. “What’s up with him?” Lilith asked Vee, dismounting next to her.
“He wanted to release all the weirdos Warden Wrath locked up,” she explained.
“Oh,” Lilith responded, nodding in understanding.
Soon enough, the trio came upon a towering door labeled “Contraband.”
“I got this,” Vee said, walking up to the door’s lock. She knelt before it and, extending her fingers, stuck them inside, manipulating the inner mechanisms.
“Heh. She’s always looking for an excuse to put her skills to use,” Lilith said with a chuckle.
“It’s not fair for all of them to be in here!” Hunter abruptly declares. Lilith doesn’t need to ask who he’s referring to. “They were just minding their own business, doing their own things! It’s not their fault people are pushy,” Hunter grumbled.
Before Lilith could answer, the sound of wood breaking preceded the doorknob being tossed at their feet. Both looked down at the object, then up at Vee who had shifted her arm into a clawed, heavily muscled arm covered in white fur. “I gave up and decided to brute force it,” Vee explained with a grin as her arm shifted back.
“Well, what are we waiting for then?” Lilith asked, stepping forward. She and Vee walked into the room, Hunter directly behind him. They found themselves in a circular chamber with a giant pillar of glowing energy in the center. “You’re up Hunter,” Lilith said, her and Vee stepping aside to allow the human forward.
Hunter took a moment to breath before walking up to the barrier. Tentatively, he reached towards the wall of energy. When his hand passed through effortlessly without shocking him, he went the rest of the way through. He soon find himself in a room surrounded by the wall of energy filled with all sorts of junk. Right…magical locket…gotta stand out, right?
As Hunter was looking around, he spotted what looked like a bundle of fireworks. Another quick scan revealed a sling bag to his right. Swinging the bag on, Hunter than picked up the fireworks and stuffed them in his new accessory. They might come in handy later.
***
Light swept across the front lawn as a car pulled into the driveway in front of the house. The engine rumbled to a stop and Philip stepped out of the driver’s seat, stretching with a groan. He walked up the sidewalk to the front door and unlocked it.
“Hunter! I’m home!” he called out as he opened the door, stepping through. He came to a halt, listening to the silence. “Hunter?” he called again. He could see Hunter’s backpack was on the couch, so his nephew should be home.
But where was he?
A sudden crash from beyond the back door startled him. With a groan of frustration, he walked toward the back of the house. “Darn raccoons,” he grumbled, grabbing the broom left next to the backdoor for this purpose. He swung the door open and stepped outside. The house lights behind him stream onto the concrete steps and then the grass before him. Looking to his right, he could see the two metal trash cans. One was already knocked over, while the other trembled from the scrambling inside. With a roll of his eyes, Philip walked down the short stairs and strode towards the two cans. “Alright, that’s enough,” he said before kicking the occupied can over.
“Weh!”
A bundle of dark fur tumbled out of the can and Philip’s eyebrows shot up as he was met by something that was definitely not a raccoon. The creature landed on its rump and swayed slightly, dizzy from its sudden eviction. It looked like a dog, but it had two claws on each of its paws and most of its head was covered by what looked like a skull. It had two horns, though one of them was broken, and its eyes were yellow with orchid irises. Its dark grey pelt was mangy and was missing patches of fur in some places. The…dog thing(?) shook its head and then locked eyes with Philip.
“...What are you?” the man asked as he lowered the broom.
The creature jumped to its feet and pointed at him with a single claw. “I am the King of Demons! I demand you apologize for your rudeness!”
The broom fell to the ground as Philip’s hands went slack. “You…can talk…” he said in disbelief.
“Uh…yes! And I can do many other things,” was the creature’s response, “So flee in terror! While I’m in the mood to spare you!”
Philip blinked, then dropped to his knee in front of the creature. “Yeah, that’s not happening. A cute little guy like you is anything but terrifying,” he explained, “You got a name?”
“I told you! I am the King of Demons! And you should be scared of me!” the little guy squeaked, outraged.
“So your name is King?”
“... yes ,” the little guy, King, grumbled.
“So where did you come from anyway?” Philip asks, standing up once more.
“Well…I’m from a place called the Boiling Isles. It’s in the Demon Realm. I came here through a portal I found after seeing a blonde human boy in the- WEH!” King shouted in surprise as he was abruptly picked up by his neck scruff.
“What did this boy look like?” Philip asked, his voice cold.
“Uh uh, a bit like you! Except he had a lock of hair dangling in front of his face and brown eyes!” King explained quickly, frightened by the abrupt shift in mood. With another “Weh!” King was dropped to the ground once more.
“Take me to this ‘portal,’” Philip commanded with the same cold tone. King nodded in hasty compliance and turned to scamper off on all fours, footsteps racing behind him.
***
“Did you find it?” Vee asks as Hunter emerges from the vault, excitement filling her voice.
“Yeah, is this it?” he asks, holding up a gold locket.
“EEEE! Yes! Yes! Yes! Thank you so much!” Vee squealed, surprising Hunter by lifting him with a bone-crushing hug before dropping him and grasping the locket in both hands, spinning and dancing away.
Hunter, once he caught his breath, crossed his arms and glared at Lilith. “That locket has no magic, does it?” he asks accusingly.
“Uh…no,” Lilith confirms before sighing, “But look at her Hunter.”
Hunter looked at Vee. She had stopped dancing and was staring down at a now-opened locket cupped in her hands, a small smile on her face. “I’ve been raising Vee ever since she was just a small wyrmling,” Lilith explained as Hunter’s face softened, “That locket is the last link she has to her old family.” Hunter inhaled sharply at that last piece of info.
“Vee and I don’t have much in this world, and that locket is important to her. Which means it’s important to me. We gotta stand up for each other because if we don’t, who will?” Lilith finished.
Hunter nodded, numb. Yeah, he can understand why something like that would be important for her.
“Alright, Vee!” Lilith called out, jerking the basilisk from her thoughts, “Best leave before the warden figures out we’re here.” Vee turned towards Lilith, only for her eyes to widen in shock.
“Too late.”
An axe swung through Lilith’s neck, chopping her head off and dropping it into Hunter’s arms. He let out a shout of horror.
“OW! I hate it when that happens!”
With another shout, Hunter tossed the head towards Vee who caught it nonchalantly.
“Lilith the Raven Witch,” Warden Wrath said, Vee turning Lilith’s head around as the demon stalked forward, two guards waiting by the entrance, “I finally have you-”
“The answer is no.”
Wrath stopped. “Wh-I didn’t even-”
“You were going to ask me out on a date, yes?”
“...Maybe.”
“Well, the answer is no. You had your lackeys stalk me, you stole Vee’s locket, and you just chopped my head off! I am not going out with you!”
Warden Wrath didn’t seem to like that response. “If you will not accept my proposal,” Wrath warned, his hand forming into a mace, “Then I have no choice but to- UGH!”
Hunter whacked the warden in the back of the head with Lilith’s staff, dropping him like a sack of rocks.
“Ha! Nice one Hunter!” Lilith called out from Vee’s hands. The two guards that were waiting by the entrance came up behind Hunter, ready to grab him, when they were picked up and tossed aside by Lilith’s body.
“Time to go!” Vee exclaimed, lunging forward to place Lilith’s head on her body backward.
The body spasmed, then reached up to pop off her head again and turn her the right way. “Vee’s right. Let’s go!” Lilith exclaimed, taking her staff from Hunter’s hands as Wrath began to pick himself up with a groan.
The three gather onto Lilith’s staff and take off through the hallways. Behind them, Wrath gives chase with a roar, his arms extending into tendrils which he uses to pull himself forward after them. After a dizzying amount of twists and turns, they emerged in the cell block they originally came through. Hunter saw the levers and called out, “Lilith! The prisoners!”
Looking ahead, Lilith also saw the levers and raised her hand. She flipped the levers as they passed, opening the cells. They didn’t linger around to see the prisoners cheer as they very quickly shot out the window. There was a crash as the warden, who was too big to fit, smashed through the wall instead. He shot out an arm and struck the back of the staff.
Hunter and Vee screamed as the staff plummeted towards the ground. Lilith managed to regain control and pull up just before they hit the ground. Instead, they bounce off and tumble across the cobblestones as Warden Wrath crashes behind them. “Raven Witch! I won’t let you get away again!”
“Hunter,” Lilith says as she stands up, reaching into her hair, “Go back to the human realm.” She pulls out a key and tosses it at Hunter.
“What? But-”
“No buts!” Lilith said, picking the boy up and depositing him on her staff, “Go!” She smacked the bottom of the staff, and Hunter was launched into the sky with a shout of surprise.
He stopped his ascent and looked back in time for Wrath to lower his mask and shoot a plume of fire breath at Lilith. The witch responded by drawing two circles. The stream of fire went in one and came out the other, this time heading directly back at Wrath. He was blown back from the blast and into the wall of the Conformatorium. Recovering quickly, he charged forward once more. Hunter looked up and saw the three prisoners from earlier watching the fight below from the hole Wrath made chasing them. Confused, Hunter (somehow) flew down to hover in front of them.
“Why aren’t you running? This is your chance to escape!” Hunter exclaimed.
“The warden'll catch us. He always does,” the multi-eyed prisoner explained.
“We belong here,” the cat lady explained.
“Self-doubt is a pwison you can never escape fwom,” the smallest demon explained melancholy.
“You people are different, so what?” Hunter challenged, “You are your own person, and no one can tell you what to be!”
“Why are you helping us?” the lady asks.
“Because no one has to struggle alone,” Hunter explained, “Now let’s get down there and show Warden Wrath who he’s messing with!”
The prisoners cheered in response.
Meanwhile, Lilith is knocked back by another blow from Wrath. Vee catches her and kneels next to her, worried.
“No more running away, Raven Witch,” Wrath taunted as he marched forward, “Today I capture you once and for all!”
Vee hissed at Wrath, tightening her hold on the witch as Lilith glared back at him defiantly.
“Charge!”
Warden Wrath turns around just in time to be barreled over by the three prisoners charging at him. “Hunter?!” Lilith exclaimed in shock.
“I eat my own eyes!” the eye-eating prisoner shouted as he shoved Wrath.
“I think the world is a twiangle!” the short prisoner shouted as Wrath tripped over her body.
“And I like making cute dresses for cats!” the cat lady shouted as she jumped on top of Wrath. The shorter prisoner jumped on as well and both held him down as the eye-eating prisoner tied his arms together.
“Wha- You!” Wrath looked around and locked eyes with Hunter as he descended on Lilith’s staff, “Who do you think you are?”
“My name is Hunter,” the boy replied, “annnd I don’t have an epic speech so eat this sucker!” Hunter pulled out the bundle of fireworks he nabbed earlier and, using the staff as a bat, launched it into the warden’s flame-filled mouth. The fireworks ignited and began going off in his mouth, prompting Wrath to turn and run as explosions and sparkles flew out of his mouth.
“We awe victowious!” the short prisoner cheered with a leap.
Lilith and Vee walked up on either side of Hunter as they watched Warden Wrath flee, the witch placing a hand on his shoulder. “Not bad Hunter,” Vee commented with a grin.
“Not bad indeed,” Lilith agreed, “Well, it’s late, time to head home.”
Hunter nodded, the sudden onset of fatigue making him too tired to respond. Seconds later, the three were flying away on Lilith’s staff.
***
The door to the Owl House’s living room opened as two witches and a human strode in. “Made it back in one piece after all, did we?” Kikimora commented dryly from the couch the moment she spotted Hunter, a teacup held within her claws. The group of three ignored her.
“Thank you again for helping us Hunter,” Vee said as she shifted into her true form. The locket hanging from her neck was still cradled in her hands.
“Eh, it was nothing,” Hunter dismissed with a wave. Totally nothing, not at all traumatizing. The sight of Lilith’s head being cut off did not scar him for life.
“Well, a deal’s a deal,” Lilith, handing Hunter his Cosmic Frontiers book, “Let’s get you home.” Lilith drew a circle in the air. The key she handed to Hunter floated out of his sling bag and into her waiting hand. After she pressed on the eye at the key’s head, the door that Hunter had first crossed through appeared and unfolded behind him. He looked at the door, took a breath, and reached forward to grasp the door knob. Just as he opened it, however, he turned back to Lilith.
“Ms. Lilith?”
The witch in question looked at him curiously. “Despite all the danger we were in, and how scary everything was…this was fun,” Hunter admitted, “Any chance I could come back and visit?”
Lilith blinked, thinking. Before she could answer, however, another voice spoke up behind him.
“Perhaps you should check with me first, Hunter.”
Hunter froze, then slowly turned back to the opened door. Right there, standing just on the other side of the door, was Philip, glaring down at him with hard eyes. “Uncle! I-I can explain!” Hunter stammered. Philip quirked an eyebrow. “You see, uh, Ms. Lilith’s…pet…familiar…?” he looks at the witch for clarification.
“Palisman,” she answered curtly, eyes never leaving the man in the doorway. Philip cooly returned her narrow gaze.
“Ms. Lilith’s pal-is-man,” he sounded out the word, “stole my book and I chased it here and, well…I got carried away. I didn’t realize how late it was getting in the Human Realm, I’m sorry Uncle.”
Philip looked down at Hunter, then back at Lilith. “Wait,” Hunter realized, “How did you find me?”
Philip merely pointed down. Hunter followed the direction the finger pointed in and was surprised to see a skull-faced canine standing on two legs behind Philip’s own. The moment the two boys made eye contact, the creature let out a “Weh” and ducked behind Philip’s legs.
“Hunter,” the man said, bringing the boy’s attention back to his uncle, “Would you please step outside with King for a bit? I would like to speak with…Ms. Lilith was it?”
The witch nodded in confirmation. “I would like a share a word with her,” Philip finished, his attention on Hunter once more.
Hunter hesitated a moment, glancing between the two adults, before nervously nodding. “Yes, sir,” he said before stepping around his uncle. King hopped back a few paces as Hunter stood on the porch of the old cabin, watching as Philip stepped into Lilith’s home and closed the door behind him.
Philip took a deep breath, his hand resting on the doorknob, before turning around to confront his audience. Lilith, the woman his nephew had become familiar with, was at the center of his attention. However, he was also aware of the two other creatures in the room: a snake girl next to the doorway leading out of the room and a diminutive tri-toed creature that tensed as his gaze passed over her.
“Ms. Lilith,” he began, addressing the woman, “What activities did you and Hunter partake in while he was under your care?”
“Well, Mr…?”
“Wittebane. Dr. Philip Wittebane,” Philip answered the silent question with a slight bow.
“Well, Dr. Wittebane,” Lilith continued, “I had…sort of kidnapped and then blackmailed your nephew into…uh…breaking into a prison?” Lilith said with a shrug, a nervous grin plastered on her face. Philip quirked an eyebrow. “And what purpose did that serve?”
Before Lilith could answer, the snake girl spoke up. “He was helping us, sir.”
The two adults turned their attention to the young girl and she gulped at the attention. “Hunter was helping us,” she repeated, “We needed him to get past a magic barrier and retrieve an item that was important to us…to me.” Philip gazed cooly at the girl, surmising that the locket she was holding was likely said item of importance.
“And then on the way out,” Lilith said, earning back his attention, “He released a trio of prisoners that were wrongfully locked up, and led them in a charge against the warden.”
Philip stared forward, running the information over in his head. “So in summary, my nephew risked his life to retrieve something important to your…daughter?” Lilith's eyes widened and her cheeks turned pink and a glance at the girl in question revealed a similar reaction. Neither made any moves to correct the man, however, much to the apparent amusement of the tiny person.
Philip continued, “He then inspired three prisoners to stand up for themselves against a warden who had gone power crazy?”
“That’s…yeah, that’s basically what happened,” Lilith affirmed. Philip nodded and looked around the room, taking stock of its items, the books (and their somewhat disturbing titles), and the decorations.
“Are you truly willing to house Hunter here?” Philip suddenly asked.
Lilith was taken aback, “S-sir? Aren’t you upset with me for…well…what I dragged your nephew into doing?”
“I am,” Philip admitted with a shrug, “But when that door opened, I saw a light shining in him. A light I haven’t seen glow for a long time. It would seem that this world…as strange as it is…is helping him in some way. I would be remiss to take that away.”
Lilith blinked, not sure how to respond to that. “Dr. Wittebane, are you sure?”
“Please, call me Philip. And yes. I will have to speak with Hunter first, but are you able and willing to mentor my nephew? I truly think it will do him some good. More good than a boarding school, ” Philip mumbled that last part, but Lilith managed to hear it. Though she itched to ask what a “boarding school” was, she knew to stay out of it.
“Very well, sir,” Lilith bowed her head, “I must admit, I was impressed by Hunter’s actions today. I would be honored to be his mentor.”
Philip nodded and turned back to the door. Without a second of hesitation, he turned the knob and pulled the door open. “Weh?” King and Hunter were sitting next to each other on the porch step, seemingly talking about something innocuous. Both boys turned around to look up at Philip.
“Uncle?” Hunter asks timidly.
“Hunter, how do you feel about Ms. Lilith mentoring you for the summer?”
The boy’s eyes widened in shock. “W-what?”
Philip once more kneeled so he was closer to eye level with his nephew. “Listen, ever since… that night …you’ve been having trouble . You’re struggling in school and you can barely talk without starting a fight. But this might be an opportunity for you to fix all this. You could learn something here (and not just magic). Also, with how close the portal is to home, I’d say this is a much better option than New York. At least here, you’ll be able to come home if things don’t work out. So what do you say?”
Hunter was speechless for a brief moment, and then he smiled and eagerly nodded. “Okay. Go get your sleeping bag then. We can worry about packing the rest of your necessities tomorrow.”
“Yes sir!” Hunter saluted before turning and bolting off the porch towards the house. Philip stood up with a chuckle, happy to see his nephew happy once more. He looked down and saw King standing next to his leg, nervously tapping his claws together as he stared at the portal to the Demon Realm.
“Don’t you want to go home?” he asked the small demon. King jumped and looked up at him, then back at the portal. “Actually…could I stay with you for a little while?” King hesitantly asked, “I don’t have a lot of great memories of the Boiling Isles.”
Philip’s gaze softened as he stared at the small creature. “Sure, you can stay with me for as long as you need to,” he answered, “But you’ll be stuck in the house until we figure out what to do about your appearance.”
“I can help with that,” Lilith spoke from behind him, both demon and human turning their attention to her. “I can make him a concealment stone,” she explained, “It will cover him with an illusion, disguising him as something else in the human realm.”
The witch then looked down at King. “It won’t be physical, however. Anything can pass through the illusion and still touch you. I’ll also need some time to make it.”
“That would be appreciated, Ms. Lilith, thank you,” Philip answered
“Just Lilith is fine,” the witch said with a small smile.
Philip nodded and turned to walk away into the forest. “Come on, King, let’s go make sure Hunter doesn’t need help.” The furry demon dropped to all fours and scampered after the man as he strode away.
***
Sometime later, Hunter was lying in his sleeping bag. He was set up in Vee’s room, the basilisk buried under blankets and pillows in a hammock suspended next to the solitary window. The girl was reading a book that Hunter hadn’t yet learned the name of, while grasped within Hunter’s own hands was his Cosmic Frontiers book. A single witchlight from Lilith hovered between the two of them, favoring Vee.
“Hey, Hunter?” Vee asked, turning to the boy.
Hunter craned his neck back to look up at her. “Yeah?” he answers.
“Thank you again for helping us today,” Vee said, her hand going to the locket still worn around her neck.
“Of course,” Hunter said, turning back to his book. Opening the front cover, he was greeted by a familiar message inside the outline of a heart.
To our golden rod boy,
May you enjoy the adventures within.
Love,
E & C
Hunter was shaken from his thoughts by a yawn from Vee as the girl stretched. “Well, I’m ready to sleep. Do you still need the light?” she asked.
“Nah, I’m okay. I need to get some sleep as well,” Hunter replied.
Vee nodded and reached out to grab the light orb and tossed it in her mouth. The room was plunged into darkness as she swallowed down the magic. Hunter heard shuffling as the basilisk burrowed even deeper into her hammock. “Good night, Hunter,” she said, already half-asleep.
“Good night, Vee.”
Soon enough, gentle snores sounded from within the hammock. Hunter hugged the closed book to his chest as his eyes drifted close.
Goodnight Mom. Goodnight Dad.