Life in the Owl House as an Elderitch Being

The brightness faded as quickly as it came, and the hum of energy died down, leaving an eerie silence behind. I blinked, trying to clear the spots from my vision, and when I could finally see again, everything was different.

The brightness faded as quickly as it came, and the hum of energy died down, leaving an eerie silence behind. I blinked, trying to clear the spots from my vision, and when I could finally see again, everything was different.

A thud beside me.

"Ugh," Luz groaned. "That was not a smooth landing."

I pushed myself up, rubbing my temples. Shelves loomed around us, stacked with an assortment of clutter—old books, half-broken trinkets, mismatched furniture, and—was that a snow globe filled with eyeballs?

"…Where are we?" I muttered.

Luz sat up, looking around, and then gasped. "Oh. My. Gosh."

I barely had time to react before she was on her feet, darting toward a shelf cluttered with bizarre trinkets. Her eyes widened as she grabbed something with both hands.

"Lucian, look! A VHS tape!" she squeaked, turning it over in awe. "This thing's ancient! What kind of lost civilization is this?!"

She spun around, taking in the sheer volume of outdated human artifacts. "This is insane! It's like a museum of forgotten history!"

I took another look around. Now that she mentioned it, the place did seem… oddly familiar. VHS tapes, alarm clocks, some weirdly outdated computers. It felt like a junkyard for things that belonged back home.

Knight let out a small huff beside me, sniffing at a stack of dusty board games. I couldn't blame him—this place was bizarre.

"Woah, and I thought I had weird stuff, but this…" Luz muttered, eyeing a mannequin head with three pairs of sunglasses stacked on top. "This is impressive."

Before Luz could reply, something rustled behind one of the shelves. A shadow moved.

Then, a voice.

"Well, well, well… what do we have here?"

A woman stepped into view, one hand on her hip, the other lazily twirling a staff. She had wild, silver-white hair, golden eyes sharp with amusement, and a confident smirk that immediately put me on edge.

Luz tensed beside me. Knight let out a low, warning growl.

The woman raised an eyebrow. "Now, you kids don't look like my usual customers." She gave us a once-over, then added, "Or, y'know… customers at all.

So, care to explain why you just popped into my shop like a couple of lost dirtscramblers?"

Before we could say anything, a sudden flutter of wings broke the tense silence.

A small, round creature swooped down from the rafters—a tiny owl with a wooden body and beady eyes. It landed neatly on the woman's outstretched hand, something clutched in its talons.

The woman—who I was quickly realizing was not someone to take lightly—grinned as she plucked the object from the owl's grasp. "Well, look at that," she mused. "A fresh delivery."

My stomach twisted as think I recognized what she was holding.

Luz did, too.

"My book!" she blurted out, eyes locking onto the familiar cover in the woman's hands.

In a split second, she moved.

Luz sprang forward with a burst of energy, twisting her body mid-lunge. In one fluid motion, she snatched the book right out of the woman's grip, landing lightly on her feet.

The woman blinked. "Huh."

I barely had time to process what just happened before Luz turned to me, her voice urgent. "Lucian, run!"

Then she bolted.

I didn't think—I just moved.

Knight let out a startled bark before taking off alongside us, paws skidding against the wooden floor as we wove through shelves packed with eerie trinkets and bizarre objects. Luz was fast, unsurprisingly so, her athleticism on full display as she ducked and dodged through the cluttered shop.

"Hey! Hey!" the woman called after us, her voice carrying more amusement than actual anger. "You know, stealing from me is a terrible idea!"

Luz didn't slow down. Neither did I.

We burst through the curtains, stumbling into the open—

And then we stopped.

Dead in our tracks.

The air hit differently out here. The sky—it wasn't right. Twisting colors, an unnatural hue that made my stomach churn. The buildings looked like something out of a fever dream, warped and surreal. And looming far in the distance, impossibly large, was…

A skull. A massive, ancient skull, its hollow eye sockets staring into nothing.

Luz's breath came fast beside me. Knight let out a low, uneasy growl.

I swallowed hard.

"…We're not anywhere close to home, are we?"

Luz slowly shook her head, her grip tightening around the book.

No. No, we weren't.

Luz took a shaky step forward, eyes darting wildly across the landscape. Her breathing was uneven, like she was trying to make sense of something her brain refused to accept.

"This… this is a dream," she whispered. "This has to be a dream."

I wasn't so sure.

The world around us looked like something ripped straight from a nightmare—or worse, one of those bizarre fantasy books Luz always raved about. The sky churned in unnatural colors, the land stretched in impossible ways, and creatures I did not recognize scurried, slithered, or flapped by, each more unsettling than the last.

Knight stood tense at my side, ears pinned back. His fur bristled as his sharp eyes scanned the streets ahead, watching every unnatural movement with wary precision. A low growl rumbled in his throat.

Yeah. I wasn't dreaming.

"This can't be real," Luz said again, turning in place. "It looks real, it feels real, but—"

A guttural screech split the air.

A creature—twisted and ugly, with way too many eyes—flapped overhead before perching on a rotting street sign. It stared at us for a long, unsettling moment before opening its mouth and hissing like some kind of unholy cat.

Luz flinched.

I stiffened.

Knight bared his teeth, the fur along his spine rising.

The creature just tilted its head, then lazily flapped away.

Luz paled. "Lucian…" she whispered. "Are we in Hell?"

I didn't answer immediately. I wanted to say no, but given what we were looking at, I wasn't ruling anything out.

A deep, distorted laugh echoed from an alleyway, followed by a figure with glowing red eyes and way too many limbs skittering into the shadows.

I swallowed hard.

"…Worse," I muttered. "I think we're in Silent Hill."

Luz let out a strangled laugh. "Oh, great! That totally makes me feel better"

Oh, come on!" the woman from before—who we definitely just stole from—leaned against the doorframe, her golden eyes gleaming with amusement. "I let you kids off easy, and this is how you repay me? By standing in the middle of the street looking lost?"

Knight let out a warning growl, but she just smirked.

"Well," she sighed, adjusting her staff, "if you two are done gawking at the Isles, I suggest you get moving before something decides you look delicious."

Neither of us moved at first. Luz clutched her book to her chest, staring at the woman like she wasn't sure if she was about to get scolded or eaten.

I kept my eyes on her too, but my attention flickered between her and the street behind us, where creatures of all shapes and sizes shuffled by—some humanoid, others decidedly not. One of them, a hulking, bug-eyed beast with three arms, paused to scratch its back with what looked suspiciously like a human femur.

Knight pressed closer to my side, his fur still bristling.

Luz finally found her voice.

"So… where exactly are we?" she asked, shifting nervously.

The woman's smirk widened. "Oh, right! You two are new, huh?" She spread her arms grandly. "Welcome to the Boiling Isles! The most delightfully dreadful corner of the Demon Realm."

Luz blinked. I tensed.

Demon Realm?

I barely had time to process that before Luz snapped her fingers. "HA! I knew it! This is Hell! Or at least some kinda discount version of it!"

The woman cackled. "Pfft—nah, Hell's got more paperwork. Here, we just have fun."

That was not reassuring.

Luz groaned, dragging her hands down her face. "Ohhh, this is so bad. We need to find a way home! My mom is gonna kill me!"

I swallowed. As much as I wanted to tell her she was overreacting, I wasn't sure she was. My own thoughts raced as I tried to piece everything together. A portal, a talking owl, the Demon Realm…

Yeah. This wasn't something we could just walk away from.

The woman casually leaned on her staff. "Well, good luck with that. You kids wouldn't last five minutes out here alone."

Knight let out a low growl, but she barely reacted.

Luz frowned. "Wait—why?"

The woman gave her a look, then gestured around us.

As if on cue, a nearby vendor lifted the lid of a bubbling cauldron, releasing a horrid green mist. Whatever was inside gave a wet, slimy gurgle.

A few feet away, a tiny imp-like creature screeched at a towering, bird-headed demon, only for the larger one to calmly pop off its own head and throw it at the imp. The head bounced once before snapping its teeth and lunging at the smaller creature, who promptly screamed and ran.

Luz and I flinched.

Knight's tail lashed.

The woman grinned. "Yeah. You two are definitely gonna die out here."

Luz gulped. "So… you wouldn't happen to know someone who could, I dunno, help us, right?"

The woman sighed dramatically. "Oh, fine. Since I'm in a generous mood today, I'll give you an option." She tapped her staff against the ground. "Come back inside, and we'll talk."

Something about the way she said that made me wary. But looking at the streets—the monsters, the chaos, the insanity—

Yeah. Maybe going back inside wasn't the worst idea.

Luz hesitated, then looked at me. "Lucian?"

Knight huffed. I exhaled.

"…I don't think we have a choice."

Luz nodded grimly.

And with that, we turned and followed the strange woman—back into the shop where this madness began.

As we stepped back inside, the woman swung the door shut behind us with a flick of her staff. The moment it clicked into place, the outside noise—chattering demons, screeching creatures, the unsettling gurgle of whatever was cooking in that cauldron—muffled into a dull hum.

Luz let out a breath. "Okay. Okay. So, uh, thanks for not throwing us to the monsters, I guess."

The woman smirked and strolled past us, casually tossing her staff into the air. It twisted and morphed before landing neatly in her palm—no longer a staff, but a curved owl mask.

I tensed.

"Alright, kiddos," she said, plopping onto a worn-out couch and propping her feet up on a pile of books. "Let's get some introductions out of the way. Name's Eda. Eda Clawthorne. Most people know me as the Owl Lady, legendary outlaw, most powerful witch on the Isles—"

Knight snorted.

Eda shot him a look. "Excuse you, mutt?"

Knight narrowed his eyes but stayed silent.

Luz, meanwhile, lit up. "Wait, wait, wait—witch?!" She nearly dropped her book. "Like, actual magic-wielding, spell-casting, cauldron-stirring witch?!"

Eda flexed her fingers, and with a snap, a glowing golden spell circle appeared in her palm. The energy inside flickered and swirled before vanishing with a pop.

Luz gasped.

"That. Was. AWESOME!" She turned to me, practically vibrating. "Lucian, did you see that?! Magic is REAL!"

I exhaled slowly. "Yeah, I saw."

Did I believe it yet? Jury was still out.

Eda snickered. "Glad someone appreciates it." She stretched lazily. "And now that we've got my intro out of the way—who exactly are you two?"

Luz straightened. "Oh! Right! I'm Luz! Luz Noceda!" She gestured to me. "This is Lucian."

I gave a small nod, still taking everything.

Knight let out an amused huff and flicked his tail.

OH. MY. GOSH!!!"

Knight's ears flattened, but Luz was already moving.

She dropped her book, gasping dramatically as she crouched in front of him. "Lucian. Lucian. Why didn't you tell me you had a DOG?!"

"He's not a—"

"LOOK AT HIM!!" she squealed. "He's like—like a wolf! But smaller! But still so fluffy! And his lil' ears! And his tail—oh my gosh, it's so poofy!"

Knight took an instinctive step back. His tail, which had been resting neutrally, flicked in irritation.

Luz clasped her hands together. "Can I pet him?! Please, please, please?"

Knight's expression was one of pure judgment.

Eda snorted. "Kid, I don't think he likes you."

Luz ignored that entirely. She reached out, eyes shining with excitement—

And Knight sidestepped her effortlessly, shooting her an unimpressed look before sitting neatly beside me.

Luz blinked. "Oh. Playing hard to get, huh?" She grinned mischievously. "Don't worry, buddy. I will earn your love."

Knight exhaled sharply, as if the very idea of that exhausted him.

I smirked. "Yeah, good luck with that."

Eda chuckled, leaning back against the couch. "Welp. This is officially the funniest thing I've seen all week."

Knight shot her a glare next.

Luz wasn't deterred. If anything, she seemed even more determined.

She sat cross-legged and gave Knight her best "trust me, I'm friendly" look. "Sooo, what's his name?"

I folded my arms. "Knight."

Luz beamed. "Oh, that is so cool! He's like a little warrior!"

Knight tilted his head at me as if silently asking, Why do you associate with this one?

I just shrugged.

Luz grinned at Knight, wiggling her fingers playfully. "One day, you will let me pet you."

Knight narrowed his eyes.

Eda snickered. "Kid, you're gonna lose that battle."

Luz just smirked. "We'll see."

Knight sighed through his nose, like he was already regretting his entire existence.

I looked between them, confused. Luz and I had been together this whole time, and Knight had always been with me. But from the way she was acting, it was like he was a complete stranger.

I wanted to question it, but before I could, Eda clapped her hands.

"Great! Now that we all know each other, let's move on to the real question—what are a couple of clueless humans doing here?"

Luz and I froze.

Eda grinned, sharp and knowing. "Ohhh yeah. I can smell it on you." She leaned forward, elbows on her knees. "You're definitely not from around here. So, how'd you end up in my shop?"

I opened my mouth, but Luz beat me to it.

"Well, see, funny story!" She laughed nervously. "I may have found a mysterious magic portal, stepped through it, and, uh, now we're here!"

Eda raised an eyebrow.

"…That's it?"

Luz cleared her throat. "Yep!"

Eda stared at her. Then at me.

"…You kids are so lucky you ended up here instead of getting eaten."

Luz gulped.

I shifted. "So… can we get back?"

Eda hummed, tilting her head. "Back where, exactly?"

"Home," I said firmly. "To the human world."

For the first time, Eda's smirk faded. She rubbed her chin. "Hmmm. Now that's a tricky one…"

I didn't like the sound of that. Neither did Luz.

"Wait," Luz said, voice rising. "Are you saying we can't go home?"

Eda just grinned. "Oh, I never said that."

Which, somehow, didn't make me feel any better.

Eda smirked, twirling her owl staff between her fingers. "Well, lucky for you two, I do have a portal."

Luz's eyes sparkled. "Wait, seriously? You can send us home?!"

Eda shrugged. "Sure. Technically."

I frowned. "Technically?"

With a dramatic sigh, Eda turned and rapped her knuckles against the wooden frame behind her. The air shimmered slightly, and suddenly, a large, arched door revealed itself—intricate carvings decorating its surface. Unlike the one we'd stepped through before, this one looked ancient, with faint magical energy humming around it.

Luz gasped, stepping closer. "Oh. My. Gosh. Lucian, look!" She practically bounced on her heels. "This is so cool! A real, actual magic portal door! This is just like something out of a fantasy book!"

I stayed where I was, studying the door carefully. Something about the way Eda was talking put me on edge.

Luz, though, was already reaching for the handle.

Eda immediately yanked her back by the hood of her sweater. "Whoa there, sparkplug! You really think it's that easy?"

Luz blinked up at her. "…Isn't it?"

Eda chuckled, shaking her head. "Oh, sweet summer child." She patted Luz's head, making her pout. "Nope. This baby does open a portal to the human world, but she's a little… out of juice."

Luz's face fell. "Oh… so, uh, what do we do?"

I crossed my arms. "How do we fix it?"

Eda leaned against the door, her grin never fading. "Simple! We just need a little thing called Hexium."

Luz tilted her head. "Hexium?"

"Yep! Rare magical mineral, hums with latent portal energy, very valuable, and, oh yeah—not easy to find."

Luz hummed, thinking. "Huh. Sounds kinda like something out of a side quest!" She turned to me, smiling brightly. "That's not so bad, right, Lucian? All we have to do is find some Hexium, and boom! We get to go home!"

I sighed. "It's never that simple."

Eda clapped her hands together. "Glad to see someone's got common sense."

Luz didn't seem to hear her. She was already looking around excitedly. "Okay! So, where do we get some?"

Eda grinned. "Ah-ah-ah! Not so fast, kiddo." She draped an arm around Luz's shoulders. "If I'm gonna help you track some down, I'll need a little something in return."

Luz's face lit up. "Oh! Like an exchange? I love exchanges! What do you need? Help organizing your store? Carrying supplies? Ooh! Is it a puzzle?! I rock at puzzles!"

Eda gave me a look that practically screamed is she serious? I just shrugged.

Eda chuckled. "Relax, kid. Just a few small favors. Easy stuff. Barely even an inconvenience."

Luz smiled. "Oh, well, that doesn't sound too bad!"

I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Luz…"

She turned to me, confused. "What?"

I sighed. She really had no idea what she was getting us into.

Before I could point out how obviously shady this deal was, a sharp whistling sound cut through the air, followed by a heavy thud just outside the shop.

The atmosphere in the room shifted.

Knight's ears flattened. Eda, still leaning against the portal door, stiffened ever so slightly.

A second later, a firm knock rattled the front door.

"Eda Clawthorne!" a voice barked. "By order of the Emperor's Coven, you are under arrest!"

Luz's eyes widened. "Wait, what?!"

Eda groaned. "Oh, come on! Can't a lady scheme in peace?"

I shot her a look. "This happens often?"

"Eh, once or twice a week." She waved a hand dismissively before turning to us with a grin. "Alright, kiddos! Time for your first lesson in staying out of trouble."

Luz swallowed. "Which is?"

Eda grabbed a random potion bottle off the shelf and hurled it against the floor. It exploded in a cloud of thick, green smoke.

"RUN."

The door burst open just as the smoke engulfed us, and through the haze, I saw a tall figure clad in silver armor storm inside, staff crackling with energy.

"Secure the Owl Lady!"

Eda's voice rang through the chaos. "Not today, tin can!"

Luz coughed. "I can't see—!"

A strong hand grabbed my arm. "Move it, kid!" Eda yanked me forward, and I barely managed to grab Luz's wrist as we were dragged through the swirling smoke.

Knight's shadow darted ahead, leading the way.

Behind us, the scout shouted, "Don't let her escape!"

Luz yelped. "I am not built for this!"

I gritted my teeth. "Neither am I—keep running!"

Eda's laugh rang through the night. "Welcome to the Boiling Isles, suckers!"

Luz's panicked shout barely registered over the chaos behind us.

I risked a glance back—through the dissipating smoke, I saw more scouts pouring into the shop, their staffs crackling with energy. One of them aimed straight at us.

"Scatter!" Eda barked.

I didn't need to be told twice.

Luz yelped as I yanked her down an alley, barely dodging a bolt of magic that sizzled against the wall where we'd just been. Knight bolted ahead, his dark form weaving through the shadows with practiced ease.

Eda, meanwhile, was laughing.

"This is the best they got?!" She flipped over a railing like it was second nature, sending a wave of junk toppling behind her to slow the pursuers.

Luz, panting beside me, groaned. "This is not how I thought my first day in a magical world would go!"

"Really?" I shot her a look. "Because this feels exactly right."

Knight suddenly skidded to a halt ahead of us, hackles raised.

"What now?!" Luz gasped.

I turned the corner—

And almost ran face-first into a wall of armored scouts blocking the exit.

One of them, a tall figure with a tattered red cape, stepped forward and leveled his staff at us. The tip glowed ominously.

"In the name of the Emperor," he declared, voice cold and measured, "you are all under arrest."

Luz stiffened. "O-okay, uh, maybe we can talk this out—"

Eda groaned loudly. "Ugh, fine."

She raised her hands, palms outward.

The scouts tensed.

Then, with a sharp grin—

Eda slammed her hands together, conjuring a massive burst of wind that sent the scouts flying.

"Move, brats!" she shouted.

Knight lunged forward, biting into the leg of the nearest stunned scout, while I grabbed Luz's wrist and ran.

"This is just like a video game," Luz wheezed as we sprinted past the groaning bodies. "Except I don't have infinite respawns!"

"Then don't get hit!" I snapped.

Eda cackled as she leapt over a pile of crates. "Now that's the spirit, kid!"

A new blast of magic struck the ground near our feet, making Luz yelp.

"Eda," I growled, "what's the plan?!"

Eda grinned wildly. "Simple! We run, we dodge, we escape, and then we celebrate not getting caught!"

Knight barked, and I followed his gaze—up ahead, a rickety bridge stretched across a very deep chasm.

Eda smirked. "Ooooh, perfect!"

Luz paled. "No. No. I know where this is going, and I don't like it."

Eda didn't answer. She just sprinted full speed ahead—toward the bridge.

The scouts were right behind us.

Knight was already halfway across.

I didn't hesitate.

Luz did.

"Lucian," she wheezed, staring at the drop below. "I—I don't think I can—"

"Luz, go!" I shoved her forward.

With a shriek, she stumbled onto the bridge.

The wood creaked.

Eda, grinning like a madwoman, reached the other side and immediately pulled out a knife.

"Hope you two are good jumpers!"

Luz's face blanched. "WAIT, WHAT—"

With a single slash, Eda cut the bridge down.

Before Luz could even process that last part, Eda grabbed both of us by the back of our shirts and yanked us off the ground.

"Wait, wha—?!" Luz barely had time to yelp before we were soaring upward.

Eda had leapt onto her staff—now a sleek, wooden staff with an owl's face on the front—and without missing a beat, she hauled us up with her, one arm around each of our waists.

The ground dropped away.

Luz screamed. "WE'RE FLYING! WHY ARE WE FLYING?!"

Knight barked sharply from below, keeping pace with us as best as he could.

"Hold tight, brats!" Eda laughed. "And try not to squirm—I don't wanna drop ya!"

Luz clutched Eda's arm in a death grip. "PLEASE DON'T DROP US."

I, on the other hand, was too busy staring at the city below to panic properly.

From this height, the Boiling Isles stretched out in all directions—twisting, unnatural, alive. The streets wound in impossible patterns, creatures that definitely weren't human bustled through alleyways, and overhead, strange floating islands drifted in the sky like it was nothing.

It was like something out of a dream.

Or a nightmare.

Knight's barks snapped me back to reality. He was still on the ground, trying to keep up, but the scouts were gaining on him fast.

"Knight!" I struggled against Eda's grip. "We have to go back!"

"Not a chance, kiddo!" Eda barely even glanced down. "We're already losin' 'em, don't slow me down!"

I clenched my fists. "He can't fly, Eda! We have to—"

But before I could finish, something whooshed past us.

A magic bolt.

It barely missed Eda's head.

Another one followed, then another—

The scouts had their own staffs, and they were flying after us.

Luz shrieked. "THEY CAN DO THAT?!"

"Oh, come on!" Eda groaned. "That's cheating!"

I twisted to look behind us—there were at least five, maybe six scouts in pursuit, their cloaks whipping in the wind as they closed the gap.

"Alright, kids," Eda muttered, gripping her staff tighter. "Hold on real tight."

Luz gulped. "Uh, what are you—"

Then Eda dove.

Luz screamed.

The wind roared in my ears as we plummeted, straight toward the city below. Buildings blurred past, streets twisted in a dizzying spiral, and for a split second, I was sure we were about to crash—

Then, at the last possible second, Eda pulled up.

We skimmed so close to the rooftops that I swore I could feel the shingles scrape my shoes.

The scouts weren't so lucky.

One clipped the side of a chimney, spiraling out of control. Another swerved too hard and crashed into a market stall.

Eda cackled. "Hah! Suckers!"

Knight, still on the ground, raced alongside us, dodging carts and leaping over obstacles like a shadow in motion.

"Eda!" I called over the wind. "Get lower!"

She scoffed. "Why?"

"Just do it!"

With an eye roll, Eda swooped lower—close enough that I could see the tense line of Knight's muscles as he ran.

Then, just as we passed over him, I reached down—

And grabbed him by the scruff.

He yelped, but I held on, hauling him up with sheer momentum.

For a second, I thought we were both about to go tumbling—

But then Knight scrambled onto my lap, claws gripping my jacket, and we were still airborne.

Luz gawked. "WHAT. HOW."

Eda whistled. "Huh. Not bad, kid."

Knight, as usual, just huffed, as if this was all very inconvenient for him.

I let out a breath. "Now we can go."

Eda grinned. "Hold tight, boys and girls—next stop, the Owl House!"

Then, with a powerful whoosh, she kicked her staff forward—

And we disappeared into the sky.

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Well this chapter was a lot, but I hope you guys enjoyed it.

Any suggestions to help me improve.