Distressing Dominance | Owl House x Reader

Chapter 18

After hours of waiting for Gus to return with news, we heard a knock on the door that made our hearts leap into our throats. We had taken every precaution, but the Emperor's Coven could have found us at any moment. Willow, her hand shaking, approached the door, her wand at the ready. "Who's there?" she called out.

There was no response, but I could see the fear in her eyes, the hope that it was our friend and not our enemy. I took a deep breath and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Let's check," I said, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside.

No response, but I opened the door and found a box on the ground. It was wrapped in twine, with a small note attached. My heart racing, I picked it up, the weight of its contents a mystery. The note was addressed to me, in a handwriting I didn't recognize. "To Y/N," it read, "a gift from an old friend." With trembling hands, I untied the twine and lifted the lid.

Inside the box was the severed head of Gus, his eyes wide open, a twisted smile frozen on his face. Horror flooded through me as I stumbled back, the box slipping from my grasp and clattering to the floor. Willow and Amity rushed over, their faces paling when they saw the grisly sight. "What is this?" Willow choked out, her hand flying to her mouth.

Eda stepped forward, her eyes cold and hard. "It's a message," she said grimly. "Belos knows we're onto him. He's not playing around anymore." The room grew even quieter, the gravity of the situation sinking in like a stone thrown into a still pond. We had lost our first ally, and it was a stark reminder of what was at stake.

Odalia, who had been silent up to this point, finally spoke. "We must not let his sacrifice be in vain. We will honor Gus by fighting even harder to save both our worlds."

Her words struck a chord within me, and I knew what had to be done. "We need to get to the Titan's Palace," I said, my voice firm. "We must confront Belos and put an end to his tyranny."

Amity looked at me, her eyes filled with doubt. "How can we possibly face him? He's too powerful. Look at what he did to Gus... he'll do the same to us."

I took a deep breath, steeling myself against the horror of the moment. "We have to believe in our own strength," I replied. "We're not just fighting for ourselves, we're fighting for every human and demon who's suffered under his rule. And now, we're fighting for our fallen friend too."

Willow's eyes met mine, and I could see the spark of determination ignite within her. She nodded firmly. "You're right, Y/N. For Gus, and for everyone else, we can't give up."

With a newfound resolve, we set out on a journey that would take us through treacherous lands and test our bonds. Along the way, we encountered more humans and demons who had suffered under the Emperor's regime, and our numbers grew. Each person brought with them a piece of their own story, a piece of their soul that added to the tapestry of our cause. They had lost family, friends, and their way of life, but they hadn't lost their hope.

But as we approached the Titan's Palace, the air grew thick with dread. The once-beautiful lands had been twisted by Belos' power, the very earth groaning under his shadow. It was here that we encountered the most terrifying obstacle of all: the return of the Emperor's elite warrior, the one we had thought we had bested - Hunter.

"You dare to challenge me again?" he sneered, his eyes flaming with anger. "You've brought more pawns to your doom. Have you forgotten what I did to your buddy Gus?" he laughed, "that's right, you human piece of shit, it was me!"

"Hunter," Willow spat, her grip tightening on her wand. "You're going to pay for what you did to him."

"Willow, wait!" I called out, but it was too late. She charged forward, her magic blazing. But Hunter was ready for us, his own power surging. The two clashed in a frenzy of spells and curses, their power lighting up the night like a storm. The ground beneath us trembled, and I could feel the air thicken with dark energy.

"This isn't just about Gus," I shouted to the others. "This is about stopping Belos before he can do any more harm!" Amity and Odalia nodded, their faces grim. We had to focus on the bigger picture, but the pain of losing Gus was still fresh, and the anger was palpable.

The battle raged around us as we approached the Titan's Palace. The once majestic structure loomed over the landscape, its grandeur tainted by the malevolence that emanated from within. We could feel the dark magic pulsating, a stark contrast to the light we had brought together.

Hunter was a formidable opponent, his skills honed by the Emperor's Coven. His every movement was a dance of death, and Willow, fueled by anger and grief, met him with equal ferocity. I knew we couldn't defeat him without a plan, so I turned to Amity and Odalia. "We need to find a way to distract him," I said through gritted teeth. "Create an opening for me to get to Belos."

Amity nodded, her fiery hair whipping around as she conjured a fiery bird, sending it soaring towards Hunter. He sneered, swiping it away with a flick of his wrist. But it bought us a moment, and I took it. I sprinted towards the palace, dodging falling debris and the Emperor's minions that had come to the battle.

But as I neared the grand entrance, a shadow fell over me. I looked up to see Hunter, his eyes glowing with an unsettling mix of anger and amusement. "Where do you think you're going?" he sneered. He jumped at me with lightning speed, his sword flashing in the dim light. I rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the blow.

My heart raced as we exchanged a flurry of spells and counterspells, each one more powerful than the last. The ground beneath us cracked and crumbled, trees withered, and the very air grew heavy with the weight of our battle. I knew I had to end this quickly. I couldn't risk letting him alert Belos to our presence.