The Bright Age

Ch. 1

"Eda, King...Looks like we're gonna be split up again, I feel like I should be used to this, but I still don't know what to say..." Those words echoed in Eda's ears. It took awhile for her mind to catch up with what her eyes were seeing. Luz... leaving her again, only this time there was no bringing her back, she had sacrificed herself for the Collector. Of course, she would do that, Luz was too much like her namesake, bringing light into everyone's lives. But it hurt so much more than Eda realized, to now be stuck in the dark, heart beating so fast it was just a buzz, chest so tight she couldn't breathe, ears ringing so loud she couldn't even hear the roar King made to protect the Collector and send another blast at Belos...

Belos... a burning hatred like Eda had never felt before overcame her senses, that bastard had taken her light, her daughter... he was going to pay.

Oh. I know now what I should have said. I should have thanked them... That was the first thing Luz could think after gaining consciousness. The burning weightlessness of dying had dissipated and now she just felt tired... and resigned, she hoped everyone would make it out ok, she would have thanked them all and said sor-

Luz suddenly found herself pulled by a strong arm out of the ink she was sinking in. It felt weird to have a body when she so clearly felt it break apart and disperse into the winds. After staying hunched over for a bit trying to get her bearings, she was finally able to see properly. Only the first thing she saw was... Hooty? Confused she followed Hooty's tube, or was it a neck? Back to its source.

"King?"

"Hahaha! No, but he does get his good looks from me." The creature flung his cheek fur like a girl would her hair that got in the way.

"Oh Titan." Luz couldn't help but breathe in awe.

"Oh! Me." He pointed to himself, standing proudly in his glyph covered P.J.'s and Bad Girl Coven t-shirt.

"You can't be the Titan Titan, can you? You're the boiling isles, a-and that Titan is all..."

"Dead looking?" He tilted his head and gave Luz a soft but sad smile.

"Does that mean I'm also..." Luz couldn't bring herself to finish thoughts much less the sentence as she started to curl in on herself at the implications, right as her body started to feel like it was falling apart again Kings dad picked her up out of the ink.

"Ahh no! Nope! No, don't do that." He held her for a bit to make sure he had her attention before setting her down gently.

"If you go in there without a portal, you really will be dead looking."

"I can't believe this! You're King's dad!" Luz gripped her hair in shock.

"I think Kings said it best once: I am both king and queen! Best of both things." He gesticulated with his claws.

"But dad works fine" she ended with a chuckle.

"What is this place?"

"This is the Space In-Between... well in between a lot of places and I have been stuck here for quite some time, but at least I can keep an eye on my child." He grabbed a cube that showed Luz cuddling King.

"And those who are kind to him." The mighty Titan turned to smile at her.

"I am not so kind..." She trailed off remembering how she felt ever since the draining spell, how she was so distraught about losing her other home, the Boiling Isles, and her family that lived there.

"Luz, I mean this in the sincerest way-" He looked off into the distance.

"I have been watching my island since I have been stuck here, you are one of the few creatures in this realm that is so kind without prompting. You treat everyone with an understanding beyond your years and give the ones who have harmed you, countless chances to repent." He turned to give her a soft smile with the tilt of his head.