The Titan's Last Song

To be stuck.

______

Luz

Luz grabbed the tether. It was made of magic that only her intuition understood. If she put any thought into it, she would immediately lose any know-how of making the spell work correctly. 

She looked at the water and wondered if her family would even recognize her. She looked vastly different from when they last saw her. She now had long, purple curly hair, black sclera, and golden irises. Her body was covered in fur, and her limbs were replaced with bone claws. In Luz’s opinion, the most noticeable difference was the tail and the wings. Luz wasn’t sure how she was gonna explain that. Bean had suggested cutting her hair, but Luz didn’t want to lose focus on the tether. Doing any other magic might cause that to happen. 

This idea had an almost one hundred percent chance of causing permanent damage to Luz’s… everything. 

“Bean? Ready to go home?” 

She gave Luz a confident nod and retreated into Luz’s hair. Luz took a breath of the space inbetween one last time, and hated every last bit of it. She shut her eyes and took a breath, and gave the tether a tug.

The lake absorbed her in a blink of an eye, and she sank like an anchor in the water. 

It was impossible to describe. It is like living all at once. Everything good was the best feeling in the world. Everything bad was so full of despair that it was painful. Her mind burned with all the good and bad things that had ever happened to her in her life.

Her mind was getting overwhelmed with the feeling, burning from all it happening at once. She knew this would happen. 

It didn’t matter, though. Either way… Luz Noceda would find peace. 

To be Free

______

Amity

Amity planned to place flowers at Luz’s grave all by herself that year. Camila had wanted to come, but she had been busy planning Vee’s graduation that year, despite all the complications there had been with explaining Luz's death to human authorities. Amity said it was okay. She would place flowers for both of them. Then they would all throw Vee the best graduation they could. She sighed as she packed flowers and reached for Ghost. Her cat had been a great comfort over the years. 

“Ready to do this?” She whispered, and Ghost purred in response. She grabbed the vase of flowers, put Ghost on her shoulder, and walked out the door. Amity had bought a house close to the grom tree. It felt right to be near Luz, but it also allowed easy access to her dad and Darius’s place, Hexside, and the Owl House. The three places she spent the most time at. 

Amity walked through a quiet Bonesborough that morning. People tended to take things easy on the anniversary day. That was why she was surprised to find Willow, Hunter, and Gus waiting for on the path toward the Grom Tree.

“What are you all doing here?” Amity asked, quickly putting the flowers behind her back. 

“Amity, come on, Camila told us about the human ritual you do,” Gus chided, pulling out his own Vase of flowers.

“And since she couldn’t come this year, we thought we’d come for her!” Willow said, running up to hug Amity. The breath was squeezed out of her by Willow, and Hunter had to tap her on the shoulder to stop. 

“It’ll be nice,” Hunter said quietly. “We can all be there together. I can’t imagine it would be any fun alone.”

“It’s not fun at all,” Amity muttered. Hunter turned red and looked away, but Willow looked at Amity and sighed.

“You know what he meant,” she scolded. Willow was right. Amity knew that Hunter meant well, but despite his skill with Palostrom, his wordsmithing hadn’t improved. Amity sighed and looked at her friends.

“Thank you. All of you. I appreciate it,” She told them as they started their walk to the tree. Amity didn’t feel like talking. She didn’t talk much on this day at all in general. Usually, she and Camila just had this… understanding. That woman was so strong. After Odalia left, she basically took it upon herself to raise Vee and Amity despite having just lost Luz. And that was despite all the issues human laws brought with it. It made Amity feel unworthy. 

The others talked, though. They talked about their lives and what they were doing. Hunter was taking commissions now, carving Palisman for people that earned them. Willow’s first professional match was approaching soon, and Gus was set to start teaching at Eda’s school in a week. 

Amity could help but taste bittersweet. They were moving on, even her. She was poised to help her dad and Darius perform the first set of sigil-removing tests in a couple of weeks. The bittersweet was even more profound. 

Luz could’ve been graduating with Vee .

 Amity shook her head and looked back at her friends. She was glad to have them here. They were right. Being here alone was no good. Getting stuck in her thoughts was way easier than it had ever been. Amity then decided to join the conversation. It was a spontaneous choice, the kind she’d never been good at. But she’d been getting better. 

“Goops, tell me- how is the Owl Ladies school?” Amity asked, shifting her eyes to the right. Gus looked surprised at her but quickly regained his composure and smiled.

“It’s great, Amity. I think you’ll really like it,” He snicked, leaning in, “if you end up coming, I’ll be your teaaacherr!” 

Amity swirled her finger, and a branch tripped Gus. 

She couldn’t help but chuckle a little bit, though. He was indeed correct, but that was only if Amity decided to go. She still hadn’t chosen to attend the school, but she was considering it. It would mean she got to spend a little bit more time around her friends instead of cooped up with her dad working all day. 

Gus started cracking jokes about all the kids he would have to teach being older than him. The kid had always been the humor of their little group. Amity was so busy paying attention that she hadn’t noticed when they stopped, only realizing when Gus’s expression dropped. 

“What going on?” Amity asked.

“Ames, look,” Willow said, pointing a finger at the tree. Amity turned to look and scoffed at what she saw. A woman, tall and… beautiful, was standing in the early sunlight. She had long purple hair, a tail, and a long cloak and was… standing on top of Luz’s grave. 

Rage boiled in Amity's head. Ghost was almost immediately in her hands in staff form as she marched up to the woman. 

“WHAT!” She roared, “IN TITANS SAKE ARE YOU DOING!” 

To be free of all things, good and bad.

______

Rushing Water, colder than bones and death

…..

Drowning, unable to die from it.

…..

WHAM!

….

Weird.

 She clawed the ground. The ground… solid earth. She hadn’t felt that well…. Ever.

What was everything?

She opened her eyes and found herself staring at a stone and a lamp. The lamp blazed with golden light, but it was the stone that she was more interested in. It was smooth, made of deep purple rock, and read a name.

Luz Noceda. 

The name sounded familiar, at least. Maybe it was someone she knew? She didn’t know; it wasn’t too important. She needed to find her bearings. With great effort, she pushed herself up and stretched.

Oh, how it felt to have weight. She’d never had weight ever. It had always just been water and cold, but it was not cold either. It was warm and wonderful. She felt something nuzzle her face, and she looked to the side.

“Bean! Yes! Oh, sorry, I nearly forgot!” She cried, cradling her friend. While she didn’t understand why, she felt as if the creature was her only tether to what she was supposed to know. 

“How are you?” She asked Bean. “Do you know anything? Where are we? How we got here,” She put a claw to her chin, “my name perhaps.” 

Bean pondered and rattled off ideas.

“Hmm. Voidwalker sounds okay, but I don’t want to be associated with that. The void is rather unpleasant, as we know. Same with Wispwanderer. I'm notta wisp of anything,” She said. 

Stringbean chirped a bit, turning her head out of the ocean. 

“Something water related? I can agree with that,” she said, smiling at her friend. Stringbean nuzzled her again and then began to rattle off more names. 

“Those are all good choices, Bean, but River belongs to a Doctor, and I think Lake is a reflection- you know what I mean?” 

Stringbean did not know what she meant, but she started thinking again. She then chirped out one last idea.

“Song?.... I like that idea,” She nodded and booped Stringbean on the snout. “Until we figure out more, you are Stringbean, and I am Song,” Song told her companion. This was agreeable. 

“WHAT IN TITANS NAME ARE YOU DOING!” Roared a voice from behind. Song snapped around, raising summoning glyphs with a single claw, ready to defend herself. 

“Who are you?!” yelled a woman with gold eyes and brown hair, but it wasn’t her that Song was focused on. The brown-haired woman held her strangely familiar palisman at Song’s neck as her eyes darted around.

“Sorry,” Song chuckled, “ I… I don’t know.” Song looked at the crew. She didn’t recognize any of them, but some of their palisman seemed familiar. Especially the white cat, but there was another one that seemed even more familiar. 

“Hold on… You,” she pointed at the tall blonde one, “You were Flapjack's owner, yes? He was a wonderful Palisman,” Song chuckled. 

“Flapjack?” The man questioned, sadness and curiosity on his face, “How do you know him?” 

“Hmmm, I believe because he and my Bean are similar. They are finders, pero no estoy seguro, lo se?” Song told the man. He looked astounded, but it was the golden-eyed woman who spoke for him.

“Spanish? but, wait…, but Spanish comes from the human realm!” She yelled, flustered. 

“I think I lived there some time ago. I can’t remember right now,” Song said, waving her glyphs away. They seemed okay to her. The brown-haired woman was still holding her staff up to Song, though. 

“Aye Morena, porfavor, puedes bajar tu palisman?” Song asked. 

The woman obliged, still looking incredibly suspicious. That was until her eyes widened again when she saw Bean wrapped around Song’s neck. 

“Bea- Stringbean!? Why do you have-”

Hisssss

Song didn’t notice at first, but when the others started recoiling in fear. She realized that the rain must be painful. She smiled at them and waved her hand, protective glyphs appearing above all their heads. 

“How’d you do that?!” asked the dark-skinned witch.

“Magic,” Song told him, walking over to the group and clasping her claws together. Morena was not convinced, though.

“Hold up. But Stringbean… she’s- she’s not your-” but a green-haired witch pushed her back and whispered into her ear. The Morena quieted down, and the green-haired witch stepped forwards. 

“Why don’t you join us at Owl House, miss?”

“Song!” Song said, “Neither Stringbean nor I can remember my name right now, so we’ve decided on Song. Also, no need to call me miss,” Song told them.

“Okay, Song. Let’s get out of this rain. Then you can tell us how we can help you with this memory problem you’re having,” said the greenhead. 

Song gave them a big smile and joined them. They each introduced each other as Willow, Gus, Hunter, and the Morena, Amity. Before they got walking, Amity rushed to the stone that had the familiar name and dig some magic into it before rejoining them. Song gave her a smile but scoffed and joined her friends. Gus hung back with Song and began asking questions. 

“Wow, you’re tall,” said Gus, looking between Song and Hunter. 

“Hey! I see you, Goops!” Hunter scowled.

"Hunter, have nothing to prove, remember!” Willow scolded.

Song laughed at them, and Hunter turned red, turning his head away. Song liked Hunter. Well, she liked him before even speaking a word to him. She watched the magic of Flapjack beat in the man's chest, powering all the artificial organs that kept him alive. This Hunter must be a very special person if his Palisman were willing to sacrifice its own existence to keep him alive. 

“So Song, what are you?” Gus asked.

“Gus!” Amity hissed, hitting him in the shoulder. 

“Come on; she’s obviously not hundred percent a witch. I’m just curious!” 

“Hmm, I’m half of two things. The first, no lo sé, pero el segundo- the name starts with a T,” Song told the little guy. 

“Start’s with a T, huh,” Gus thought for a second, but Song was focused on Amity. She looked so familiar, she just couldn’t place it though. 

“Triclops?” Gus asked. Song poked her forehead and told Gus no.

“Triton?” he asked

“Gus, she doesn’t have scales,” Admity scoffed. Song giggled a little and looked at Amity. She swore the Morena was blushing but didn’t think long before Gus threw out another suggestion.

“Hey, imagine if she’s like King. A TITAN!” He joked around, creating an illusion of King… King. Song’s mind burned for a split second. Of course, she knew King. He was the other Titan, the only other Titan.

“Yeah- yeah, that sounds right. I am part Titan. King’s dad made me one before he passed on. He told me- he told me that it could give me hope. To escape the inbetween, the void.” Song thought out loud.  

“King’s dad? The void?” The group asked in unison. Song decided to answer about the void. That was all she had known until several minutes ago.

“Oh yes, the void. That’s where I’ve been lost, you see,” She told them. The others nodded, but Song got the idea they had no idea what she was talking about. To be fair, Song had no idea either, but she didn’t tell them that. The others looked like they were about to start asking more questions when they arrived in front of a house. 

“Well, Song,” Amity growled. “Welcome to The Owl House.”