Strings of Fate

Luz had always dreamed of going on a grand adventure, of stepping into a world where magic was real, and she could finally be the weirdo of her own story. But she never expected it to happen like this.

One moment, she had been chasing a weird-looking owl through the woods near her house..and the next, she tripped and stumbled straight through a mysterious, glowing door. The sensation of falling lasted only a second before she lande…face-first..into rough, uneven ground.

Luz groaned, spitting out a mouthful of dirt as she forcefully ppushed herself up. Her head spun as she took in her surroundings.

The sky above was a swirling mix of purples and oranges, a flock of griffens screeched as they passed overhead. A giant, slimy beast skittered across a far-off bridge, its numerous legs clicking against the stone. And perched on a nearby rock was a tiny, bat-winged creature with a single massive eyeball for a head, staring directly at Luz.

She blinked.

It blinked back…

Luz screamed!

“Okayokay, not dreaming!” she gasped, clutching her head. “Not dreaming, definitely not dreaming!”
The eye-creature hissed and flew away. Luz scrambled to her feet, heart racing. “Where am I?”

“You’re on the Boiling Isles, kid,” a womanly voice drew behind her.

Luz spun around, nearly tripping over her own feet. Standing a few yards away was a woman. Her thick, untamed white hair cascaded past her shoulders, and a red dress she wore. She carried a wooden staff boringly over her shoulder, and a mischievous smirk tugged at her lips with a tooth sticking out.

“Well, well, well,” the woman continued. “Looks like we got ourselves a lost little human.”

Luz gaped. “Wait. You know I’m human?”

“Of course I do,” the woman scoffed. “It’s not exactly common to see one of your kind waltzing around here. But lucky for you, you ran into the right witch.” She gave a dramatic bow. “Name’s Eda the Owl Lady, the most powerful…and GORGEOUS witch on the Boiling Isles.”

Luz stared at her,still struggling to catch up. “A witch?” she whispered, eyes wide with awe. “Like, real magic and everything?”

Eda winked. “The real deal.”

Luz clutched her head, trying not to pass out from the craziness and awesomeness of it all. “Okay, okay. So, just to be clear..! I somehow fell through a portal into another world, and now I’m talking to an actual, actual witch?”

“Yep.”

“And I’m not hallucinating?”

“Not unless your hallucinations include me looking this fabulous!”

Luz let out an overwhelmed and shaky laugh. “Oh my gosh, this is the best thing that has ever happened to me!”

Before Eda could respond, a small figure suddenly leapt onto her shoulder. Luz yelped, stumbling back as she got a good look at the creature—a tiny, dog-like being with a round skull for a head and glowing yellow eyes.
“Eda! Who’s this?!” the creature demanded, bouncing in place. “Is she a new recruit to my army? A minion? A snack?”

He gasped. “Can I eat her?!”

Luz backed up. “I’d really prefer if you didn’t!...”

Eda rolled her eyes and flicked the tiny skull creature on the nose. “Relax, King. She’s not food.”

Luz stared at the tiny titan. “Wait. King?”

King puffed out his chest proudly. “That’s right, human! I am King, the King of Demons! Bow before me!”

Luz gasped dramatically and dropped to one knee. “Oh, mighty King! I am but a humble peasant, unworthy of your presence!”

King let out a pleased cackle. “Finally! Someone with taste!”

Eda snorted. “Great. Now there’s two of them.”

Luz grinned as she stood back up. Despite the crazines of this situation, she already liked these two. They were her kind of weird.

“So.., what do I do now?” she asked, rubbing the back of her neck. “I mean, I did kind of fall into another dimension. Should I… stay?”

Eda shrugged. “Eh.. we’ll figure that out later. But for now, you look like you could use a place to stay. Lucky for you, I just so happen to have some room back at the Owl House.”

Luz’s eyes widened. “Owl House?”

“Yep. Best little hideout on the Isles. Rent-free, all-you-can-eat garbage, and a very exclusive guest list!
King pointed a tiny claw at Luz. “You should feel honored!”

A tiny voice in the back of her mind reminded her that she was in a completely unfamiliar world, with no way of knowing if she could trust these people.

But then she thought about home. About her boring summer camp, the kids who thought she was too weird, the music club that had rejected her.

And then she looked at Eda and King, at their odd, mischievous grins, at the bizarre and wonderful world around her.

She grinned. “Lead the way!”

Eda chuckled. “Oh, I like you, kid.”

With that, Luz followed them down the winding path, toward whatever adventure awaited her next.
She had a feeling her life had just changed forever.