Finn once again found himself within the void.
"Are you kidding me? Now is not the time for this! I have other things to do than talk to some skeleton with control issues!" he shouted into the emptiness.
He waited for a response, but none came.
"Hello? This isn't our usual dance. You usually show up with some somber soliloquy about how great you are, and how I should be honored to learn from you."
Silence.
He looked around suspiciously. "Alright, joke's over, you can come out now!"
"Child." The Lich's voice suddenly called out from behind him.
"Ah!" Finn lurched forward, startled. He turned around. "Seriously? A jump scare? Pretty low-hanging fruit, even for you," he criticized.
The Lich remained unfazed. "Now that our memories are restored, I have a clearer picture of what needs to be done."
Finn rolled his eyes. "Alright, lay it on me. What type of evil are you trying to make me do now?"
"Listen, I—" the Lich began, but Finn cut him off, already listing possibilities.
"Probably something like, 'Now that my memories are fully restored, I shall usher in a new age of pain and suffering the likes of which the Boiling Isles have never seen before! Mwahahaha!'" Finn dramatically threw his arms open and let out an exaggerated evil laugh. "Something like that, right?"
"No, I—" the Lich tried again, only for Finn to interrupt once more.
"If it's not that, then maybe something like, 'We shall now travel back to the human realm and resume what I started all those years ago—ending all life in the universe.'" He blew a raspberry. "I mean, come on, man, get some new material. Something fresh, something new, something that I haven't heard you say a thousa—"
"I am going into hiding for the foreseeable future," the Lich said, cutting him off this time.
"—nd… Say what now?" Finn blinked, confused. "Okay, what are you up to this time?" His voice turned suspicious.
"I have no time to explain in full detail, though I doubt you would even comprehend it," the Lich said, beginning to retreat into the darkness. "But know this: a certain entity is out there. If they get their hands on me, they could twist not only this realm, but every realm in existence."
Finn watched him, still trying to wrap his head around it.
"In my absence, I grant you access to my full power. Do not waste my gift," the Lich continued. "But I shall give you one parting gift."
The sound of a steady heartbeat echoed through the void.
"The last glyph. I designed it so its power can only be transferred from one host to the next. It can bring your enemies to kneel before you. To obtain it, follow the sound of the beating heart, end them, and claim what is rightfully yours. Its name… is CONTROL."
The Lich vanished fully into the void, leaving only his disembodied voice behind.
"Farewell, boy. May we meet again under better circumstances."
"Hey, wait! What do you mean by—" Finn stopped as the silence returned. "…And he's gone." He scratched his head, confused. "This is bad. If whatever he's warning me about is strong enough to scare him away, I really need to up my game. Also, why does everyone I know talk in riddles now!? Seriously! Speak normal for once!"
"YES!" Luz's voice suddenly called out.
"Huh. Guess it's wake-up time."
=======
It was another typical morning in The Owl House. Finn, Luz, and King were in the living room. Finn was passed out on the couch, with King sitting next to him, using Luz's phone. Luz was sitting on the floor, using a magnifying glass to examine a purple flower. After finding what she was looking for, she muttered, "Come on, work this time."
She drew a new glyph on a piece of paper. It looked like an inverted triangle with a line at the bottom, connected to an arrow pointing down, with a single circle and a dot in the middle. As she tapped it, the glyph glowed green and sprouted a flower with blue petals.
Luz gasped in surprise. "Yes! Check it out, King! My glyph skills are blossoming." She then fanned her hands out like a blossoming flower, grinning proudly.
Unknown to the two, Luz's exclamation had woken Finn up, but he decided to keep his eyes closed and listen in on their conversation.
King looked down at Luz's new glyph, unimpressed. "You think that's impressive? Check this out." He showed Luz what he was watching on her phone. "Two warriors battling to the death!"
What played was a video of two kittens playfully wrestling.
"Ah, I see we're getting enough Wi-Fi through the portal for cat videos," Luz said, glancing toward an open portal door, where a cord ran through it to her phone.
King ignored her and focused on his cat video. "Senseless violence. Yes—attack! Death is your god!"
Luz squinted at him. "I regret teaching you about the internet."
King scoffed. "What possible regrets could come from the internet? Oh! Did you know the Earth is actually flat?"
Finn stifled a chuckle. Both of them glanced at him, but shrugged it off as one of Finn's many sleeping habits.
Luz snatched her phone back from King. "Yup, that's not right." Her phone vibrated with a new text message. It was from her mother. The contact photo showed her smiling with her eyes closed, under the name Mama with a heart emoji. The message read:
How's camp today, cariño? <3 —Mama
Luz looked shocked, a hint of guilt on her face. She tried to reply but kept deleting her message over and over again until she finally sent a simple thumbs-up emoji.
"I don't know," Finn said, suddenly looking over her shoulder, "I think a thumbs-up is pretty lazy for a response from you, Luzy."
Luz sighed and collapsed onto the couch with a pillow over her head. "What am I supposed to say?" she mumbled, muffled by the pillow. She sat up suddenly and, in a mock cheerful voice, said, "Hey Mom, not at camp actually. I'm in the Demon Realm, learning to be a witch! Oh, and I found Jack—yeah, he was possessed by an ancient evil that's trying to end all life, but don't worry, he's fine now. Also, did you know that demons and magic are real? She will end me."
She slid dramatically onto the floor, holding her head with a panicked expression.
King placed a hand on her head. "Nah, she'd be freaked out by our world anyway. So actually, by keeping the truth from her, you're doing her a favor."
"Hmm, the demon at my shoulder makes a good point."
Finn then placed a hand on Luz's shoulder. "Okay, let me tell you how it would really go down. First, your mom will be really hurt you kept a secret like this from her for so long. Second, she'd probably ground you until you go to college. Third, it'll be hard for me and my mom to spend time together with you and your mom and all the awkwardness in the air."
Luz looked up, surprised. "Your… mom?"
"Yeah. As much as I want to just rush through that portal right now and see her," Finn said, then ducked behind Luz, grabbing both her shoulders like a shield, "I know that using you to absorb most of the weirdness when we return to the human realm is the best option I've got."
Luz's face fell. "Listen, Finn. I have something to tell you about your mom. You see—"
She was cut off by Hooty swinging into view.
"Good news, Luz! Time to fill up that darling little head of yours with…" Hooty paused, then regurgitated all of her schoolbooks. "Mmm hmm, delicious knowledge!"
"I am so thankful I can open up a storage space for all of my junk," Finn deadpanned.
Gus leaned in from the doorway. "Please hurry," he whispered.
Willow joined him. "The more I look at him, the more uncomfortable I get."
Hooty replied simply, "HOOT HOOT!"
Relieved by the interruption, Luz gave them finger guns and sat up. She kissed King on the head. "Don't spend all day watching MewTube, okay?"
Finn then picked King up by the leg, held him upside down, and lightly headbutted him before dropping him back onto the couch.
"Don't be a couch potato, King. Save that for the weekend."
"I forge my own path!" King shouted, shaking a fist at Finn and Luz.
=======
In the atrium at Hexside, various students were busy putting up decorations—mostly streamers and abomination balloons. Luz walked in, perplexed by it all.
"Something's different today. Did everyone get a haircut?"
"Oh yeah, I forgot you've never been here for the social event of the season," Willow said with glee.
"Welcome to your first—" Gus began, but was interrupted by Finn tapping him on the shoulder.
"Goops, it's time. Follow me," Finn said with a serious expression.
"You got it, Finn!" Gus happily followed along.
"Ah, what was that about?" Luz asked, puzzled.
Willow just grinned. "You'll see. Just don't blink," she said, pointing toward Finn walking down the hallway toward Skara.
"Hey Skara," Finn called out, waving to get her attention.
"Yeah, Finn? What do you need?" Skara beamed, clearly hoping this was what she'd been wishing for.
Finn snapped his fingers. The area went dark, and colored lights began beaming from the floor and ceiling. Music started playing in the background. Gus conjured an illusion of fireworks that spelled out:
'Skara! Will you go to Grom with me!?'
Then the fireworks swirled into a single word:
'Please!'
Finn stood in front of the message with his arms open, confetti flying, lights shining, music blasting—all eyes on him.
Skara squealed with joy. "Ah! Of course I will!" She hugged Finn tightly. He returned the hug as the illusions transformed into bursting fireworks. Everyone around them cheered, and a spider demon student finished hanging a large Grom banner made of spider webs above them.
Luz gasped. "Yeah, go Finn! So based on Finn's prom-posal… you guys have a weird version of prom here on the Boiling Isles? I was kicked out of my last school dance for dressing like an otter." She struck a pose—one hand on her hip, the other behind her head. "But maybe here I can be your Grom queen?"
Willow looked away awkwardly. "That's… not something people usually sign up for."
Just then, Amity came around the corner, not paying attention. She bumped into Luz, dropping all her books and a purple piece of paper.
"Watch it, nitwit." But when she saw who she'd bumped into, her tone softened. "Oh—hi Luz and co. Sorry about that." She bent down to pick up her things.
"No problem. Let me help you." Luz handed back her books but held onto the note. "Here, your note."
Amity quickly snatched it from her. "Man, you got some quick grabbers."
"But not as quick as mine—yoink!" Finn snatched the note from Amity. "Now then, let's see what secrets you hold." He began unfolding it, much to Amity's horror.
"Please, Finn, don't!" Amity panicked, trying to retrieve the note while Finn kept it out of reach. "It's just—it's private!"
"Finn, please give Amity back her note," Luz said politely.
"Fine," Finn groaned, handing it back. "Nice handwriting, by the way," he whispered to Amity, letting her know he read it, which made her blush. "And for the record, I think she'd say yes. Pro tip: bribe her with a cookie first. She loves those." He chuckled at her flustered expression.
"Hey, I thought you'd be with Skara right now, prepping for Grom," Luz said with a sly look.
"Well, Skara said she and her friends needed help getting ready, so she told me to meet her at the entrance. That gives me all the time I need to get myself looking extra fancy for the big night." Finn slicked his hair back with his hands.
Suddenly, the school's PA system crackled to life. Students all around murmured nervously.
"Attention, Hexside students. This is your principal speaking."
"Oh man, this is it," said Gus.
"He's announcing who'll be this year's Grom royalty," said Willow anxiously.
"This year, I have the privilege to bestow our highest Grom honor to… Amity Blight," the principal declared. Everyone gasped. "Our Grom queen!" Many students sighed in relief that they hadn't been chosen. "Yes, congratulations to Amity. Will she be able to top last year's Grom King, Finnian Whispers, who historically ended things in under a minute?"
While others gave Amity looks of pity, Luz cheered. "Woo! Am-I-Ty! Get it, queen!" She held up her hand for a high five.
"Yeah! Amity!" Finn grabbed her hand to complete the high five.
Amity blushed and ran off.
"Do you hate high fives?!" Luz called after her, baffled.
Willow placed a hand on Luz's shoulder. "You might want to give her some space. Being Grom queen is a tough job—even for Amity."
"Oh come on, I mean she's no… Finn," Finn said as he started flexing his muscles and striking poses. "But she's got a good head on her shoulders—she'll be fine."
The speakers crackled again.
"Oh, and before I forget," Principal Bump continued, "Mr. Whispers, please report to the gymnasium to help with Grom decorations."
"Well, there goes my afternoon. See you back at the Owl House, Luz." Finn opened a small portal to his money stash, took out a bag full of snails, and tossed it to Gus. "And here's that payment. Thanks for the help with the Grom-posal, Goops."
Gus grinned at his newfound wealth. "Hey, anytime you're paying this kind of cash, I'll always be there for you, buddy!"
Finn just waved without looking back as he walked off toward the gym.
=======
In the gymnasium, Principal Bump was busy giving orders to students decorating the place for Grom.
"Very good, lower the streamers."
"On it!" Finn flew up to adjust all the streamers on the ceiling.
"Fill the punch bowl."
"Got it!" Finn, with his newfound power, teleported to the punch bowl. He began mixing various liquids together until the concoction spouted fire. Taking a small sip from the ladle, he belched out a tiny flame.
"Huh… needs something extra." He popped in a single strip of gum. "That should do it."
Bump admired Finn's energy. "Well, you seem to be in high spirits, Mr. Whispers."
"Well, asking out a cute girl to Grom will do that to anyone, Princey B."
Bump frowned. "Don't call me Princey B. And how's my disco ball?"
The snaggleback was hanging from a rope with glass shards embedded in his shell.
"Nauseous."
"Great!" Bump gave him a thumbs up. "Just keep it up for thirty-six more hours." He then exited the gym to tend to other arrangements.
Finn flew up to the snaggleback and slapped his shell to spin him around.
"Hang in there, buddy!"
As Bump was leaving the gym, Luz stepped inside.
"Ah, my first school dance experience on the Boiling Isles."
Finn noticed her and flew down beside her.
"You're not really missing anything. It's just a dance, Luzy," he said, lazily looking around the gym.
Luz, however, was undeterred. "I can't wait to get overdressed!"
"Ninety-nine percent of your wardrobe would be considered overdressed," Finn quipped.
"Take awkward photos."
"This is the Boiling Isles. Every photo is awkward by human standards."
"Push all the buttons—wait, what?" Luz had spotted a black podium with spider legs and a single shiny red button on top.
"Luz…" Finn warned. "I know it's in your nature to press every button you see, but—"
Luz didn't hear a word. She was already transfixed by the button.
"Hey-lo… don't mind if I do." She pressed it without hesitation.
"Why do I even bother…" Finn facepalmed.
The center of the gym split open, revealing a ramp leading down into a dark underground chamber.
"Whoa." Luz was amazed. Suddenly, two weapon racks rose from either side of the ramp.
"Medieval torture seems like a strange theme for Grom, but hey!"
Finn raised an eyebrow. "How do you read so many fantasy books and still not figure out what's going on with all these clues?"
"They're not for decorations," Amity spoke up, appearing from the top bleacher where she'd been sitting quietly. She walked down toward Luz.
"This arena is where I'll make my debut as Grom Queen."
"Right? So why don't you seem excited?" Luz was puzzled by her tone.
"Do you want to tell her, or should I?" Finn dropped an arm around both of them.
"I'll take your silence as a yes. So Luz, Amity has to fight a horrifying sludge monster called Grometheus the Fear Bringer—Grom for short."
"Yeah, that's… pretty much the short of it," Amity confirmed.
Finn conjured an illusion to demonstrate. "Every year, Grom tries to escape the school, and a student is chosen to stop him before he reaches town." He waved the illusion away.
"And ever the optimist, Bump throws a party and calls it tradition."
"The worst part," Finn added, "is that Grom can read minds and shapeshift into your worst fear.
"And mine is very embarrassing." Amity added.
Finn snickered to himself, drawing attention from both girls.
"What? Not everyone can be like Finn." He struck another flexing pose.
Amity rolled her eyes. "The reason he's acting that way is because Finn here is the only Grom King who ended the fight in under a minute."
"All while looking fine as hell, I might add!" Finn grinned, still in strongman mode.
Luz tried to comfort Amity. "Ignore him. Anyway, Amity—if this worries you so much, why not tell Principal Bump you want out of the death match biz?" She gasped. "Unless… talking to Bump is your greatest fear."
"Aha ha ha, no, but that's actually a great idea. Thanks, Luz."
Luz was still thinking hard about how to help, when—
"Lay down a tarp—I'm gonna puke!" the snaggleback yelled from above.
Finn acted fast, scooping Luz up and tossing her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
"Go, go, go! Cover your eyes, Luzy! I believe in you, buddy—hang in there!" he shouted back at the snaggleback as he ran out of the splash zone.
=======
"I'm home!" Luz announced. "Guys?"
"Owl Lady and annoying demon, please respond!" Finn called out, staring at his scroll with a melancholy look.
"Hey, Finn. Is everything alright?" Luz asked, concerned.
"Yeah, it's just… I haven't heard back from my dad since I texted him about getting my memories back."
"Oh, right! Sorry, it's just—I keep forgetting someone adopted you while you were here." Luz laughed awkwardly.
"Yeah, he's the best dad ever." Finn smiled, clearly proud to have someone like Raine in his life. But then his face darkened. "A lot better than some other dads I know."
"Finn… do you want to talk about… him?" Luz asked gently, knowing Finn had father issues before coming to the Boiling Isles.
Finn's face turned sour. "No, I don't. That jerk isn't my dad." After a moment, his expression shifted as a thought struck him. "Hey, do you think I should introduce my new dad to my mom?" This caused Luz's eyes to widened. "Yeah, you're right, it might be a little awkward between them."
She looked down, guilt flooding her expression.
"Look Finn, there's something I've been meaning to tell you about your mom—"
"Hold that thought, I got a new message." Finn's scroll lit up. "Hey, check it out—Skara just texted me a photo of her in her Grom dress. She looks really nice. Huh… maybe I should get her one of those flower bracelet things." He turned back to Luz. "Oh sorry, what were you saying about my mom, Luzy?"
Luz flashed the biggest, most awkward smile she could manage. "You know what? I'll just tell you later. Don't want to ruin a fun Grom night, am I right?"
Her smile only grew more strained.
Finn, completely missing the tension, grinned and pulled Luz into a hug.
"In case I didn't say this before—thank you, Luz. For helping me get my memories back, and for helping a lost boy find his way home to his mom."
Luz's face twisted in absolute terror and shame.
Breaking from the hug, Finn brightened with another idea.
"Hey, you know what? All four of us—you, me, both our moms—we should get some pizza to celebrate our reunion! Wouldn't that be great? Oh! Is that old pizza place still there?"
Luz looked like she was about to burst into tears.
"OW! Careful with those pins!" Eda snapped at King. She was wearing a sharp three-piece brown suit with a red shirt and black shoes.
"Why am I even doing this?! I don't even wear clothes!" King grumbled, fiddling with a green tailor's apron wrapped around him.
Luz jumped at the opportunity to change the subject and escape her emotional turmoil.
"Hey, sweet duds, Owl Lady! What's the haps?" she asked, plopping herself into Eda's nest.
"I'm chaperoning Grom tonight. So I gotta look sharp," Eda said, admiring herself in the mirror.
"You and responsibility don't mix, Eda," Finn deadpanned.
"And Gus asked me to co-MC the fight." King held up a flashy flyer depicting him and Gus back to back wearing sunglasses. The caption read "GROM with your Grommentators!"
"We're gonna turn this bloodbath into a funbath!"
Finn leaned over to read the flyer. "Hey, that sounds great. I actually have a little musical surprise planned for everyone at Grom."
"Well sorry you wasted your time," King declared, striking a pose, "because everyone's gonna be too busy admiring us tonight!"
Eda turned to Luz with a smirk. "Ooo, did they announce the victim yet?"
Luz frowned. "Yeah. It's Amity. She's kind of freaking out though. I wish I could, like… take her place or something."
The moment she said that, Finn, Eda, and King burst out laughing, clutching their sides.
"Hah! A great joke, Luz." King finger-gunned her with a wink.
"Oh man, can you imagine?" Finn wheezed, falling to the ground. "Luz… against Grom!"
"Oh, listen kid—that's a noble sentiment," Eda said, trying to contain her chuckles, "but Grom's a little above your pay grade."
Luz's cheeks flushed with anger.
"You're a human. You're… fragile. Now if we were talking about Finn, that'd be different. I mean, yeah he's human too, but he can really fight. Did you hear he ended his Grom fight in under a minute?"
Luz had had enough.
"Hey! I've been learning lots of new spells! I could totally handle it!" she said, full of confidence.
Eda raised an eyebrow. "There's a horrifying spider in your hair."
Luz turned to leave the room, determined. "Nope. I'm not as fragile as you think, Eda. And I can't be so easily fooled either."
As she walked away, a large three-eyed spider clung to the back of her head.
Finn gently plucked the spider off, tossed it into the air, and blasted it into a puff of ash with a fireball.
BOOM!
Luz jumped. "What was that?!"
Finn quickly wrapped an arm around her and turned her away from the remains.
"Nothing. Nothing to worry your web-covered head about at all."
=======
Luz was wandering through the woods, swatting at bushes with a stick and muttering to herself.
"Fragile? Eda doesn't know me! I'm brave! I'm a bad boy," she declared, proudly thumbing her chest.
"Pretty sure 'bad boys' don't mutter to themselves in the middle of the woods," Finn said sarcastically, not looking up from his scroll.
Suddenly, they heard something approaching through the underbrush.
"Ominous footsteps. Creepy woods. This is no problem." Luz held up her stick like a sword, ready to face the unknown.
Finn activated his oracle magic. Thanks to the Lich's power boost, he no longer needed to form a square with his fingers—his eyes simply glowed black.
"Hey Luz, no need to panic, it's just—"
"Luz chop! AHHHHH!" Luz charged recklessly toward the sound before Finn could finish. She swung her stick at the dark figure—knocking it straight into a mud puddle.
Lighting a glyph to see what she'd hit, Luz gasped as the glow revealed… Amity.
"Woo, nice shot, Luz," Finn said dryly. "You managed to knock Amity down with one hit. I may have underestimated what a great fighter you are."
"Not the time, Finn!" Luz rushed to help Amity out of the mud. "Oh my gosh, Amity, I am so sorry."
Amity groaned. "And here I thought this day—" She slipped again on the mud, only for Luz to catch her mid-fall. "—couldn't get any worse."
She plopped down onto a tree stump while Luz sat beside her in the mud, smiling awkwardly.
"Oh, trust me, princess," Finn said, floating over, "there's still plenty of time for this day to get worse."
"Ignoring that for now," Amity muttered. "So… I talked to Bump. Was it terrifying? Yeah. But he said no. I'm still Grom Queen—unless I find a replacement." Her tone turned somber. "But who'd want to switch with me?"
Luz thought for a moment. Then she stood up with dramatic flair, left fist over her chest.
"I would."
"What?" Amity blinked in disbelief.
"Yeah, what?" Finn echoed, just as stunned.
"Amity Blight," Luz proclaimed. "I'll do it. I'll take your place, and face Grom in the arena. I'll be your fearless champion."
Finn stared at her, then calmly placed a hand on her forehead.
"Huh. No fever. So I can only assume this is more… CRAZY TALK!"
Luz batted his hand away. "I will be her fearless champion."
Finn, unconvinced, conjured a simple illusion—a single bee buzzing near her head.
Luz immediately panicked, flailing at the imaginary insect and falling face-first into the mud, sliding a few feet away.
"Fearless champion…" she mumbled, face still in the dirt.
=======
Luz was digging through a chest of clothes. She pulled out a black sleeveless dress with a ruffled skirt, a yellow belt, and a crescent moon on the chest. She hummed, imagining herself wearing it, then placed it on the floor. The next article of clothing was a full-body otter costume. She seemed to enjoy the thought of wearing the costume over the dress.
Her phone buzzed, snapping her out of her thoughts. It was another text from Camila. It read:
"Mira! Visiting our fav after-school snack spot!"
Under the message was a selfie of her eating a sandwich in front of a sign that read: "Chimichurri Sandwiches!"
Beneath that was another message:
"Miss you BEBÉ! XO, MAMA 💕"
Luz's smile faded. She could only manage to text back a tongue-out emoji in response.
"You really need to learn how to tell the truth, and maybe give your mom something more meaningful than emojis, Luzy," Finn said, reading her texts over her shoulder and squishing his cheek against hers.
Luz frowned. "And you should learn about personal space!" she snapped.
"I did learn personal space. That's how I get so close to people without them noticing," Finn said smugly. He escalated things by giving her a two-armed side hug. "See? My personal space and your personal space are now our personal space." He grinned, loving how little had changed between them since they were kids.
Luz, however, was not enjoying it. But before she could retaliate, Hooty interrupted.
"Luz, you have a guest!" he announced, rubbing his face against her other cheek.
Luz swatted both of them away. "Finn, stop acting like Hooty! And Hooty, stop acting like Hooty!"
The door opened, and Luz lit up.
"Amity!" she called joyfully.
Amity, clearly annoyed, was picking feathers out of her hair.
"If that bird tube ever talks to me again, I'm going to destroy it."
Finn, of course, couldn't resist. He snapped a photo of her disheveled appearance.
"You look nice with feathers in your hair. It's very… rustic," he said, stifling a laugh.
Amity glared. "You! Delete that photo!" She pointed at Finn, then turned to Luz. "And you—are you ready to train?"
Instead of answering seriously, Luz held up her clothing options.
"What should I wear to Grom?" she asked, showing the dress and the otter costume. "This one says witch with a dark side… but this one says I'm an otter… with a dark side." She smirked, hand under her chin.
Amity scowled. "Luz, you need to take this seriously."
"Yes, she is absolutely right!" Finn said dramatically. He took both the dress and the costume, his eyes glowing as he cast a spell to fuse them. The result was a black dress with an otter hood, matching otter paw gloves, and otter paw boots.
"Behold! I am now a fashion icon!" he announced proudly.
Luz and Amity stared at him in silence, then decided to ignore him entirely.
"Alright, back to what I was saying," Amity continued. "If you can't defeat Grom, everyone on the island will have to live out their worst nightmare!"
"You wanna hear my worst nightmare?" Hooty said, shoving his face into Amity's eye.
"Or how about mine?" Finn did the same on the other side.
Amity made good on her earlier promise and began beating Hooty like a wild animal. Luz rushed to hold her back while Finn egged them on.
"Come on, Hooty, you can do better than that! And Amity, if you wanna land a solid punch, you gotta really lean in!"
After thoroughly pummeling Hooty, Amity slowly turned to Finn.
"YOU!" she roared, before charging at him.
"Uh oh. I knew this day would come," Finn muttered. He calmly put on a white blindfold, stuck a lollipop in his mouth, puffed out his chest, and stood ready. "I'm ready."
"AHHHHH!!!" Amity screamed and launched herself at him — only to crash headfirst into the wall.
"Oof." She groaned and slid to the floor.
Finn, who had been invisible nearby, dispelled both his illusion and invisibility.
"Wow. Hard to believe that old gag still works." He looked down at Amity's annoyed expression.
"So, what did we learn?"
"Help me up, and I'll forget everything that just happened," Amity groaned.
=======
Outside the Owl House, Amity was pacing back and forth while Finn, Luz, and the twins—Ed and Em—watched her.
"Grom will transform into your darkest fears," Amity said, stopping to point directly at Luz. "What are you afraid of, Luz?"
"Ooo, ooo, I know!" Finn enthusiastically raised his hand.
"I am not letting you say anything!" Luz snapped. "Zip it, FINN!" She'd had enough of his random behavior for the day.
Ed decided to offer an example. "Want to say our greatest fears? On three. One, two—"
"Being alone forever," he said.
"Being stuck with you forever," Em finished, looking away in disgust.
Finn immediately fell to the ground, holding his stomach in laughter. "Oh man, that's gotta hurt." Recovering just enough to get to his feet, he patted Ed on the shoulder. "Sorry, bro. But don't worry… oh man, I can't even lie right now!" And back to the floor he went, laughing again.
Luz ignored the chaos, deep in thought. "In preparation, I made a list," she said, handing a folded piece of paper to Amity.
Amity snatched it quickly. She and the twins opened it—and immediately started snickering.
With barely contained laughter, Ed and Em began casting illusion spells of Luz's supposed fears.
The first was a phone screen displaying a smug-looking man with the caption:
M'LADY
"AH! Jerks online who want to debate!" Luz cried out.
The second was a strange creature: the body of a cat, but the head of a man.
"AH! Human souls trapped in cat bodies!"
The third illusion was simple: a carton of milk being poured into a glass Luz was holding.
"No! I'm lactose intolerant!"
Finn stood stunned at what Luz considered nightmare fuel. "Dang, Luz. After everything you've seen on the Boiling Isles, I figured your fears would be… I don't know, less dorky."
He then punched the phone illusion to pieces. "Easiest way to get rid of a jerk is just punch them in the face." He punted the weird cat creature. "And it's good!" Raising both arms like a goalpost. Finally, he snatched the milk glass from Luz's hands and tossed it straight at Amity's face.
"Fear not, Luz! Finn is here to save the day—yet again!" he declared, striking his most heroic pose.
Amity stood still for a moment, milk dripping down her face. "Alright, that's it!" She grabbed Finn by the wrist. "Come with me. We need to talk—now."
Finn smirked mischievously. "Oh, Amity, I'm flattered, really. But I think we should just stay friends."
Ed and Em picked up on the joke immediately.
"Awww, Mittens! Are you finally going to tell Sunshine how you really feel?" Ed teased, sliding up to her right and throwing an arm around her.
Em did the same on her left. "Who knew you were so bold? Taking Sunshine somewhere private for some… close contact! I wish I had that kind of courage." She winked at Finn. "Hey, Sunshine, I guess that means we're gonna be in-laws soon."
Amity turned bright red—equal parts embarrassment and rage. "That is not what I was doing!"
"No, no, I understand." Finn said with exaggerated sympathy. He then scooped Amity up bridal style. "I know you couldn't resist me forever. So I'll let you down gently… in a quiet place… where you can cry as much as you want, okay?" With that, he carried her around to the back of the Owl House, leaving a very confused Luz behind.
The twins weren't done.
"Don't be too hard on her, Finn. A broken heart is the hardest thing to heal!" Ed teased.
Em waved dramatically. "Don't worry! I still believe in you two! I'm sure you can work out your differences!"
=======
Finn gently lowered Amity to the ground.
"Sooo… what do you want to talk about?"
Amity crossed her arms, clearly done with the jokes. "Enough, Finn! You've been acting weird all day. So what the heck is your deal?"
Finn's grin faded. His expression turned serious. "I'm just helping Luz."
Amity blinked. "What does that mean?"
"Amity, Luz is really important to me. I… sort of promised I'd always look out for her. So sometimes, yeah, she needs a little protection."
Amity opened her mouth to argue—then paused. "…Luz doesn't need protection. She'd figure something out. She's resourceful."
"She is," Finn agreed. "She's also stubborn, headstrong, and… kind of naive." He started ticking things off on his fingers. "And she always runs headfirst into danger. Man, you should've seen the stuff I had to save her from when we were kids." He rubbed his eyebrow. "Took forever for this one to grow back."
"Crazy story I absolutely don't want to hear," Amity said, half amused. "But yeah… that does sound like her."
Finn nodded. "So here's my plan: I let her have her moment. Let her build up confidence by facing Grom. But when things go south, I step in and save the day. Trust me, I've been doing this forever. I actually read about it in a book once—it said, 'Let your companion run around and tire themselves out, then clean up after them.'"
He paused, brow furrowing as he processed his own words. "Huh… now that I say it out loud, that's literally how you train a dog." He scratched his chin thoughtfully. "And… Fur-ever Friends probably wasn't a metaphor like I thought it was. I should've questioned it more when it told me to offer treats and brush their hair to improve your bond."
He turned back to Amity, who was now staring at him in stunned disbelief.
"…But never mind that," Finn said quickly. "Let's just go train Luz."
Amity stood still, processing what she just heard. Part of her wanted to object to Finn's approach—but deep down, she couldn't deny he had a point.
"I just hope no one gets hurt because of your plan, Finn."
With that, the two of them turned and headed back toward the others to resume Luz's training.
=======
Amity was surprised to find Finn brushing Luz's hair while she munched on a cookie.
"So… what did you two talk about?" Luz asked between bites.
Amity blinked in disbelief. "Uh, what is going on here?"
"Oh, nothing." Luz smiled, clearly enjoying herself. "Finn just handed me a cookie for a snack break while he brushes my hair. It's weird—we haven't done this since we were kids." She chuckled softly at the memory. "Back then, we'd go to the park, toss a frisbee around until I got tired, and then he'd do exactly this."
"Yup. Luz is a good girl, and good girls get treats," Finn said, patting her head. "I'm also brushing her hair because I want her to look pretty and properly groomed for the big fight." He stifled a laugh, finally realizing something. "Hey Amity, do you think Luz would look good in a choker?"
He held up a black collar-like choker with metal spikes.
"Wow, that looks so cool!" Luz took it, but then raised an eyebrow. "Wait… why does it have a round tag with my name on it?"
Finn didn't miss a beat. "Oh, that's so people know your name! Makes it easier to make friends, right?"
Luz nodded, completely buying into it. She put the choker on proudly. "That makes perfect sense. Thanks, Finn! What do you think, Amity? Isn't it amazing?"
Amity gave a forced smile. "Yeah… it's really something, Luz." Through gritted teeth, she redirected the conversation. "We need to get back to training."
She gently shooed Finn away and faced Luz seriously. "We haven't done enough. The reason I can't face Grom… it's not just because of gross stuff. It goes deeper." She poked Luz in the chest. "What's your real fear?"
Luz thought about it, then looked up at the stained glass window of Eda's room.
"My real fear is that Eda thinks I'm too fragile to handle this." She glanced down, then looked Amity in the eye. "And if she's right… I'll never be a real witch."
The twins exchanged knowing smirks and quickly cast a joint illusion spell. A massive twenty-foot version of Eda appeared before Luz, hair blowing dramatically.
"You're inadequate," Illusion-Eda declared.
She cast another spell, summoning a high chair with Luz now trapped in it, wearing a bib that read "Weak Baby." Luz sat there with a horrified expression.
"This is too good to pass up," Finn said, pulling out his scroll to snap a photo. "That's one for the memories."
"NO! NOOOO!" Luz yelled, struggling.
Just then, the real Eda strolled out of the house in her suit, holding a yellow bow tie. "Alright, ditch the yellow. Got it." She stopped in her tracks when she saw the illusion. "Wait a sec… is that supposed to be me? Dang, I look great."
She admired the illusion for a moment before realizing what was happening. "Hold on—you're training to be Grom Queen?"
Still stuck in the chair, Luz glared up at her. "So what if I am?!"
She rocked herself out of the high chair and tumbled to the ground, dispelling the illusion.
"You think training is gonna help against Grom?" Eda folded her arms. "Luz, you always go overboard, and then either me or Finn bails you out."
"I'd say seventy percent me, thirty percent you," Finn chimed in, making a quick estimate.
Eda rolled her eyes. "What's the fun in watching a kid get eaten by a monster if it's my kid?"
Luz stood back up just as the weird cat-with-a-human-face creature walked past her again.
"Well then maybe you'll both enjoy watching me defeat Grom!" she shouted, karate-chopping the creature into oblivion. She then posed, hands on her hips, eyes shut in defiance.
Eda looked concerned. "Eh, don't worry. I have a plan that'll keep her safe."
She was surprised to see Finn already standing next to her.
They both watched Luz for a moment before Eda turned to Finn and gave him a nod.
Meanwhile, Amity stepped up beside Luz and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Luz, I still don't think you're ready. But… we're literally out of time."
Luz smiled with newfound confidence. "I'll take it."
Eda leaned toward Finn and whispered, "Does your plan involve knocking Luz out and taking her place?"
Finn's eyes widened. "Huh. That's actually way better than what I had planned." He shrugged. "Oh well. Let's save that for the next time she does something dangerous and life-threatening."
=======
Finn was waiting at the gym's entrance, pacing back and forth. He was wearing an old tuxedo he'd gotten permission to use from Raine.
"Okay, tux—check." He dusted himself off and straightened his bow tie. "Hair—combed and gelled." He ran his hand through his hair. "Sweat." He lifted his arms to check and saw two dark spots under his arms. "Moderate." He cast a spell to get rid of any sweat on him or the tux.
"Okay, everything should be good. And why wouldn't it? I mean, it's not like something will go horribly wrong, ruining the night and your possible future relationship with Skara, right? RIGHT!?" he yelled to no one in particular.
For the first time in a long time, Finn was actually a nervous wreck.
"Don't screw up, don't screw up, don't screw—"
"Hey Finn."
As Finn was motivating himself, Skara appeared out of nowhere and greeted him.
"Skara!" Finn was embarrassed she'd seen him like this. He was enamored with what she was wearing: a red dress with a pink vine pattern, yellow dress shoes, and gold star earrings. Her hair was let down, cascading over her back. Finn didn't know if it was magic or if he was hallucinating, but when she smiled, he saw a bright aura surrounding her, with musical notes fluttering around.
"Uhhhhhh." Suddenly, his brain stopped working, a hint of pink dusting his cheeks.
Skara giggled at Finn's expression. "Wow, never saw you make that face before." She waved a hand in front of his eyes. "Hello? Is anyone home?"
Finn snapped out of his stupor. "Uh, how much… did you hear?" he asked weakly.
With a playful laugh, Skara answered, "Oh, I'd say about the time you were going through your checklist." She leaned in closer. "But hey, it's nice to know you care so much about impressing me." Smiling, she hooked her arm through his and led him into the gym. "Come on, I'm sure nothing will ruin the night, so no need to be nervous, okay?"
"Uh, yeah, sure," was all Finn could say as he followed her, smiling all the way.
Grom had just started. Music was playing, people were dancing. Willow was conjuring corsages for the girls and boutonnieres for the boys. Everyone clapped, appreciating her effort.
Finn spotted Eda standing under a flower arch near a wall, checking her watch.
"Skara, I just need to check in with Eda real quick. I'll be back in a sec."
"That's alright. The night is just beginning." Skara kissed Finn on the cheek. "But hurry back, okay? I want to have you all to myself."
Finn only responded with a goofy grin and a nod, then walked over to see what had Eda so irritated.
King, however, beat Finn to it. "Why so twitchy, witchy? I'm trying to remember if I've ever seen you this worried before."
"Well, of course I'm worried. I'm going to have to save Luz from a nightmare monster." Eda groaned and leaned against the flower arch. "Ugh, so much for Mama's night out."
Finn tried to calm her down. "Relax, Eda. If worse comes to worst, I'll jump in and save Luz as usual." He gave her a reassuring smile. "So enjoy tonight—eat some food, drink whatever you've got in that not-so-hidden flask, and have a great time."
Unfortunately, Eda still looked sour. Finn shrugged—it looked like nothing would cheer her up tonight. So he made his way back to Skara, who was waiting for him on the dance floor.
"Hey, sorry to keep you waiting," he said. She smiled at him—he was ready to get the night started.
Suddenly, the lights went out.
"Ladies, gentlemen, and assorted demons," Gus announced from the stage, with two spotlights shining on him. "It's almost time for our main Grom event! Please, please, take a seat—and beware, the first three rows are designated splash zones."
The crowd roared with applause.
"Looking good there, Goops!" Finn called out. "Dance a little! Get the crowd pumped before the fight!"
Skara giggled. "Aww, I think it's nice you like to support your friend." She linked arms with him again, resting her head on his shoulder.
Finn was in bliss. He couldn't remember the last time he felt this relaxed and happy.
But that all changed when he noticed Amity sneaking away from the dance.
He knew when a Blight was acting shady—trouble was never far behind. Still, he pushed the thought aside and focused on enjoying what little time he had left with Skara before saving Luz yet again.
Meanwhile, Eda and King had taken seats on top of the bleachers outside the splash zone.
"Wow, Gus is really good at this," King said, impressed with Gus's showmanship as he danced on stage. "They're hanging on his every word."
King started to panic, pulling out flashcards which scattered across the floor. "I, uh, hope my material's up to snuff." He collapsed into his seat, turning to Eda. "What do you think will go better with the youths? Close-up magic or impressions?"
"Oh, King." Eda grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and lifted him up. "Teenagers are brutal. They'll boo anyone—and that kind of public humiliation can stick with you for life."
She stared him dead in the eyes. King screeched in fear.
=======
Amity was exiting the gym when she turned back to see everyone enjoying the dance. She pulled out her folded note from earlier, staring at it while contemplating what to do with it. Suddenly, Luz showed up in front of her.
"Not sure if it's nerves or I accidentally drank some milk, but…" Luz had both of her hands over her stomach, her face contorted in pain. "Something's making my stomach squirm."
Luz wore brown combat boots, purple leggings with a ballerina tutu, a white collared button-up shirt, and a black tailcoat. Her hair was slicked back.
Amity approached her, eyeing Luz from head to toe with a hand on her chin.
"You look… nice. Strange, but nice."
She placed both her hands on Luz's shoulders.
"And thank you, Luz. Honestly, I'm kind of amazed at how fearless you are."
She looked away, breaking eye contact.
"You've done things I could never do."
"Heh, yeah right." Luz crossed her arms and smiled with confidence.
"Going soft on me, Blight?"
That little joke made Amity giggle.
"In your dreams."
Suddenly, Gus's voice rang out.
"Now introducing our Grom Queen! You know her!" He pointed toward Luz.
"You love her! You've at least heard of her!"
He directed the spotlight on Luz.
"Luz… the… human!"
The crowd erupted in cheers.
"Wish me luck," Luz strained to say, giving Amity a thumbs-up before running toward the underground entrance.
"Luck," Amity whispered.
The podium with the button appeared on stage next to Gus. He immediately slammed his fist down on it, activating the mechanism to open the entrance to Grom. The center of the floor began to part. Those who were still standing on it gasped in surprise—including Finn, who was about to share an intimate moment with Skara.
"Oh, come on," he grumbled under his breath.
"Goops!" He got Gus's attention, then pointed strongly at him and slowly swiped his thumb across his neck. Suffice to say, Gus was thoroughly freaked out.
Walls adorned with weapons appeared on either side of Luz. She chose a flail and enhanced it with an ice glyph. As she confidently descended into the depths of the gym, a black sludge appeared behind her.
"There you are, Grom-a-rama. Not too scary."
Finn facepalmed.
"Luz! You realize you just jinxed yourself into an early grave, right?"
The black sludge morphed into three cat-like creatures with human faces, each begging Luz for help.
"So weird," she muttered, then swung her flail over her head and struck the floor, summoning a pillar of ice that launched the cat creatures away.
The crowd cheered her on as Gus continued his commentary.
"And there she goes, folks! Using that characteristic human magic to keep Grom at bay! And now, to hand things over to my co-MC, King!"
He handed King the mic as King nervously stepped onto the stage.
"Hello! Hexside! So, uh…" King pulled out a deck of cards, dropping most of them on the floor.
"Oh gosh, um, ha ha, woo… wow, these lights are warm."
He tugged at his bowtie anxiously.
Finn couldn't stand to see King like this.
"Sorry, Skara. I have to save my other friend from a different kind of monster: opinionated teenagers."
He teleported beside King.
"Finn?"
"Don't worry, buddy. I've got you."
"Oh, thank the Titan," King sighed in relief.
"I think I was starting to lose the crowd."
"Just give me the mic, and everything'll be okay." Finn held out his hand, and King eagerly handed him the mic before fleeing the stage.
"King! Wait up, come back!" Gus chased after him.
"Okay, people!" Finn addressed the crowd.
"Looks like Luz is putting up a good fight! Her use of glyph magic is something to behold, am I right?!"
The crowd cheered louder for Luz.
"You're not coming from a place of intellectual honesty, so debating you would be pointless!" Luz shouted as she slammed down another ice glyph with her free hand. It summoned an ice stalagmite that pierced a giant floating smartphone.
"And she's done it again, folks! Luz the human has crushed yet another one of her fears!" Finn whipped the crowd into a frenzy again.
"But can she keep it up!? Cheer louder to find out! Grom's on the ropes—feels like the finale is close at hand!"
"Let's finish this! Human style!" Luz declared, confident in her victory—until Grom loomed over her, casting a massive shadow. Grom had transformed into a deformed hybrid of Eda's owl beast form. The crowd looked to Eda, who quickly used her hair to hide her face.
Instead of attacking, Grom extended a tentacle and touched Luz's forehead. Both their eyes flashed blue before Grom transformed into something unexpected: the portal door to the human realm.
As the door opened, a woman wearing glasses and blue medical scrubs stepped out.
"Mija?" she asked Luz.
Finn's eyes widened.
"Mama Camila?" He knew instantly he had to act. Ever since they were kids, Luz could never stand up to Camila—she never wanted to disappoint her.
"Alright folks, this is the part of the show where I get my hero on."
Just as Finn made his move, Luz bolted from the gym into the hallway, screaming.
"I can't do it! I can't face my fears!"
A monstrous version of Camila chased her. It had her mother's upper torso, but the lower body of a quadruped creature with multiple eyes and sharp teeth.
"Grom has escaped!" Principal Bump shouted, echoing the panic around him.
"Everyone!" Finn got the crowd's attention.
"I know you're all scared, but don't worry."
He raised his fist into the air.
"I've got this!"
There was a brief silence—then roaring cheers. Everyone had seen Finn defeat Grom before. Why not again?
"Alright! King, Goops—I need you two to do commentary on how awesome I'll be beating Grom again!" He spotted Amity and Eda emerging from the gym.
"Eda, Amity—I need you two to safeguard Luz while I annihilate Grom."
No one questioned him as they all left the school.
=======
Luz was running through the woods, hands over her face, on the verge of a breakdown. "I don't want to be Grom Queen anymore! I give up the throne!" Grom was right behind her, ready to end their fight. As Luz ran, she stopped at the edge of a cliff overlooking the Boiling Sea. Trapped, she could only wait until Grom finished her off.
"Hey Grom!" Both Luz and Grom looked up to see Finn flying in fast with an outstretched fist. "Time for a rematch, mono to ugly monster-o!" His punch landed right on Grom's face. Finn then landed, rushed straight at Luz, picked her up, and tossed her over to Eda, who was flying overhead. Before they left, he called out, "Hey Luz! No comments on my quips, okay!? It's kind of hard to come up with something good on short notice!"
Luz only nodded. "Just make sure to beat that thing!"
Eda landed just outside Grom's attack range, with Amity finally arriving from the woods. Even though Finn had fought Grom before, Eda was still worried about him.
Finn cracked his knuckles. "Okay, just to be fair, I'll let you make the first move. I mean, I've had weird fights before, but even I don't want to beat up anything that looks like my best friend's mom."
Grom then touched Finn's forehead with a tentacle, and just like what had happened with Luz, it transformed into what was supposed to be his greatest fear.
Finn, Luz, Amity, and Eda all became wide-eyed at what they saw. Grom had transformed into Finn.
"Hey kid, are you seeing what I'm seeing right now?" Eda asked Luz.
Luz nodded. "If you're seeing two Finns about to fight each other, then yes, yes I do."
"I don't get it," Amity questioned. "Finn is the most confident idiot I know—why would he fear himself?"
"Alright, I know I said I've had weird fights before, but this has got to be in the top ten easily," Finn said, getting into a fighting stance. "Bring it on, ME!"
Grom silently pulled out its version of Lady in staff form. Grom's Lady had all black skin, white empty eyes, and a blue and white flaming mane. It then transformed into a spear.
Finn was shocked. "Wait, Lady can turn into a spear?" His question was answered when Grom-Finn tried to skewer him. "Okay, that's a yes!" He dodged and moved, casting a spell to freeze Grom-Finn in a block of ice. "Ha ha, too easy."
As Finn walked toward Eda, Luz, and Amity, he waved to them with a smile, happy with his apparent victory. Then, suddenly, he was caught by surprise— a rainbow-colored whip wrapped around his neck.
"What the—?" he managed to choke out, grabbing the whip before turning around to see Grom had freed its upper half from the ice, now wielding a new weapon. "You know, I should really start training with Lady more." He was then flung up and down repeatedly, smashing into the ground around Grom. Grom finally slammed him so hard into the ground it created a crater.
As Finn crawled out, he muttered, "Is that all you got?" dazed and shaking.
Grom transformed its weapon again—this time into a war hammer.
Luz called out, "Finn! Stop giving him time to think of new ideas! You're only making it worse for yourself!"
"She's right! Stop messing around and just end it already!" Amity shouted.
"Relax, Luz! I've got this! Also—Amity! If you're so great at fighting, why don't you step in, huh?" Finn retorted, then summoned Lady. "Alright, Lady, let's show Grom you can't beat the original." He copied Grom and now had his own war hammer. "Whoa." He twirled it. "I know I already said this, but I should really do some training with Lady when this is all over."
His monologue was interrupted when he bent out of the way as an arrow made of light flew past his head, grazing his cheek. He took a breath. "Okay, what was—huh." He noticed Grom had another new weapon—a rainbow bow with light arrows, already nocking another shot.
"Are you kidding me!" The shot was fired. Finn rolled to safety, but Grom launched a volley of arrows into the sky, raining them down. "Oh crud." He started running, barely staying ahead of the arrows. "Crud, crud, crud, CRUD!" Even teleporting wasn't enough to escape.
Seeing Finn struggling, Luz cried, "Eda, we need to do something! Finn's going to get destroyed!"
Amity agreed. "Luz is right. I don't know what's going on with Finn, but he's in no condition to win."
Eda shook her head. "Sorry, kids. If I'm right, Grom is using every trick Finn knows—and more. Some of this stuff is probably things Finn's never even tried. My best guess? Our old pal The Lich must've had thousands of years of experience, and Finn just let Grom take a peek at all of it."
Her point was proven when Grom unsummoned his bow, had his Lady curl around his forearm, forming a gauntlet with a single spike. Grom charged the exhausted Finn, ready to strike.
"See? We'd only slow Finn down if we joined in. Besides, it's Finn we're talking about—he's gotten out of tougher spots than this."
Luz could only watch in horror. "Oh, I hope you're right," she said fearfully.
"We should still have a backup plan, just in case," Amity suggested.
Eda gave them a serious look, saying only two words. "Trust. Finn."
They turned back to the fight, faces etched with worry.
Finn was near his breaking point—exhausted, barely recovered from the beating, now dodging a gauntlet spike. Then an idea hit him. "LADY! SHIELD! NOW!"
On command, Lady transformed into a round shield just as Grom struck again. The shield deflected the attack.
Finn exhaled. "Oh man, I am so glad that actually worked." But his relief was short-lived. Grom held out its arm—the spike began spinning.
"AHHH!!!" Finn held up the shield, blocking Grom's drill attack.
He jumped back just in time to avoid a new weapon—a scythe. "Oh, come on!" The scythe resembled Lady's staff form, but the mane had grown into a blade.
"Could this get any worse?" Grom answered by setting the blade on fire.
"I just walked right into that one, didn't I?" Finn deadpanned. "Alright, let's GO!"
Finn charged, shield ready. Grom parried, struck Finn in the stomach with the grip, and hooked his legs to trip him—without cutting.
As Finn tried to rise, Grom held the blade to his neck. In that moment, Finn knew he had been beaten. His mind raced for an escape or a plan.
"You should have trained more with your powers," Grom spoke—for the first time in the battle. It removed the blade, grabbed Finn by the collar, lifted him up, and dusted him off.
"Now then, let's talk."
Finn, stunned, couldn't believe this. Grom, the fear bringer, wanted to talk?
Seeing Finn remain silent, Grom continued. "Do you know why I won this fight?"
Silence.
"It's because I applied all the knowledge The Lich gave you."
"What?" was all Finn could say.
Grom shook its head. "The Lich gave you everything—knowledge about magic, warfare, everything you needed to survive." It placed its hands on Finn's shoulders. "There's no time. You need to absorb me."
"Why would I do that?" Finn asked, wary of a trap.
"Because I've seen the future." Grom's eyes glowed white. "There's an impending battle. If you fail, everyone on the Boiling Isles will perish—including me." Its grip tightened. "Absorb me like you did the crown. Maybe with my help, you'll become the hero you were meant to be. But before I go—one last piece of information."
Grom leaned in close and whispered something.
Finn shook his head. "No… no, you're lying."
"It's the truth. I read Luz's mind. I've seen everything. Confirm it with her. Learn the truth—and be free of your torture."
"You're not an idiot, Finn. You had suspicions since your memories returned."
"Shut up," Finn whispered.
"She was your mother. You saw the signs—how sick she looked before you ran to the Boiling Isles."
"Shut… up." Finn's voice rose.
"You have to accept that she is most likely—"
"SHUT! UUUPPP!!!" Finn broke free, wrapping his hands around Grom's throat. "I will grant your wish. Prepare to be nothing more than a forgotten memory!"
Luz, Amity, and Eda were shocked by Finn's sudden shift. Luz wanted to run to him, but Eda and Amity stopped her. All they could do was watch.
Finn's voice grew deeper—resonant, like The Lich's. "I will become the new fear bringer!"
He opened his mouth, and Grom's being dissolved into nothing.
With Grom gone, Finn dropped to his knees, fists clenched, holding back tears and pain. He didn't notice the new gold crown on his head.
"Finn, are you okay?" Luz's voice reached him.
"Yeah, after all that, I'm surprised you haven't collapsed yet," Amity added.
Finn controlled his breathing, locking down his emotions. "Yeah, Luz, Amity. I'm fine. Just a little worn out is all." He hoped they'd believe him.
"Finn, you can tell me any—" Luz started.
"Wooo! Kid, you did it! You did what no witch has done before! You. Slayed. Grom!" Eda exclaimed.
As if on cue, the crowd emerged from the woods. King saw Finn's new crown. "And there you have it, folks! Finn has done it again! All hail your new Grom King!"
The crowd erupted, chanting, "FINN! FINN! FINN!" as they carried him back to Hexside.
Finn played along, trying to silence the truth Grom had left behind. "Woo! That's right, people. Bow down to your King!"
But Luz and Amity watched with worry written all over their faces, their concern growing as Finn disappeared into the celebrating crowd.
=======
Finn was now on stage, a spotlight beaming down on him.
"Well, we had an interesting Grom this year, haven't we, folks!?" Gus announced to the crowd, who cheered in response.
"Not only that, there's a special surprise for all of you!" King continued, finally comfortable speaking in front of everyone. "Our Grom King here got a musical guest to make an appearance tonight!"
The crowd started to murmur with excitement.
"Please let me introduce you to—"
Gus jumped back in. "One of the most—oh, who am I kidding?—the best musician to ever live!"
"Marceline the Bard Demon!" both Gus and King shouted simultaneously.
Marceline then came out from the side of the stage.
"HELLO, HEXSIDE!" she yelled out, causing the crowd to erupt in cheers. She smiled warmly at their excitement.
"I came here to sing a song for all of you tonight because of a little deal I made with your Grom King here." She pointed at Finn, who just stood still, observing the situation.
"So, Finn, go grab your date—because this song is for couples only."
Finn made his way off the stage and joined Skara on the dance floor.
"Miss me?" he said playfully.
Skara wrapped her arms around him and leaned in close.
"Yes, I did. Now I just hope you'll stay with me long enough for this dance."
Before Finn could respond, Marceline decided to have a little fun with him.
"Hey, Finn's date!" she called out to Skara, who looked a little shocked by the sudden attention. With a mischievous smile, Marceline continued her little joke.
"Just be careful around Finn, okay?" she said with a chuckle.
While Skara wondered what she meant, Marceline added,
"Just a little heads-up from an ex-girlfriend—Finn can get a little handsy when the mood is just right."
This caused both Skara and Finn to blush wildly, while everyone around them quietly laughed to themselves. But Marceline continued without a care in the world.
"So my advice? Lean into it instead of pulling away. Trust me—you'll have a much better time."
She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.
"JUST GET ON WITH THE SONG ALREADY!" Finn practically screamed, trying his best to hide his embarrassment.
Marceline just laughed at him.
"Okay, Casanova." She readied her guitar.
"This one goes out to all those who want to dance with that special someone in their lives!"
She closed her eyes and started strumming her guitar slowly.
⸻
Slow Dance With You
⸻
"Slow dance with you…"
Everyone grabbed their dates and started dancing to the song.
"I just wanna slow dance with you…"
Marceline started to levitate off the ground, floating from one end of the stage to the other.
"I know all the other boys are tough, and smooth, and I got the blues… I wanna slow dance with you…"
Finn was enjoying himself. After everything he had just been through—the fight with Grom and learning something he really didn't want to know—he pushed all those dark thoughts aside.
He just wanted to dance with Skara and end the night on a high note.
"I wanna slow dance with you…"
A ghost suddenly appeared behind Marceline, singing backup vocals. Apparently, Marceline had picked up a few tricks from her dad to help with her music career.
"I just wanna slow dance with you…"
Marceline floated over the crowd, beaming as her music brought so many people together.
She caught sight of Finn and Skara, looking into each other's eyes like they were the only ones there.
This brought a genuine smile to her face. She was happy for him.
"(Slow dance) Why don't you take the chance?
I've got the moves I'd like to prove…"
Marceline and her backup ghost singer then sang together in perfect harmony.
"I wanna slow dance with you…"
=======
The rest of the evening was filled with the usual school dance activities, including taking lots of photos. Luz started with one of just herself striking a silly pose, then forced everyone into taking a group photo with her.
After the dance ended, Finn—being the gentleman he at least pretended to be—escorted Skara back home. As they landed in front of her house, Skara smiled at him.
"Finn, I had a really great time tonight," she said.
"Yeah, me too," Finn replied, scratching the back of his head.
"Sorry everything got a little crazy there, though," he added, trying to laugh it off.
Skara laughed at that.
"Come on, I've known you for a while now. Crazy is basically your everyday default."
Finn then started nervously,
"Sooo, Skara, I've wanted to tell you something for a while now. Ummm, I, uh, that is to say—"
Skara just rolled her eyes, tired of Finn dancing around the situation. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a kiss, all the while thinking,
I'd probably graduate from college before he'd make the first move.
When they separated from the kiss, she said,
"I like you too, Finn."
Finn's brain completely short-circuited.
"Wha-huh, a—yes?"
Skara laughed at his befuddled state.
"And for the record, if you asked, I would love to date you."
Then her expression softened with concern.
"But I think there's something bothering you, something you're not telling me. If this is going to work out, I need you to be completely honest with me. When you're ready for that, then we can talk about us, okay?"
She smiled and entered her house.
"Bye, Finn. Love you," she said sweetly before closing the door.
Finn just walked away, not really knowing where he was going, but with a big, goofy smile plastered across his face the entire time.
=======
Luz, Eda, and King had just arrived home.
"Man, that was one heck of a Grom!" Eda said, still full of energy from the dance.
"Who knew Finn had that type of arsenal at his disposal?"
Hooty chimed in,
"Well, why don't you ask him?"
He dragged Finn into the house.
"I found him wandering around the woods."
"Finn? Fiiinnn?" Luz said, waving a hand in front of Finn's face. He stood there with an ear-to-ear smile.
"Huh, I wonder what's got him all smiley like this?"
Eda recognized that look instantly; she had seen it enough times on some of her exes.
"I think Finn here had a fun time walking his date home."
This caused Luz to blush slightly.
"I guess Marceline wasn't kidding, huh?" she stammered, then quickly retreated to her room.
"Hey Finn, say nothing if you're okay with me taking your crown," King said, taking full advantage of Finn's current state.
"I didn't hear a no. Yoink!"
He pulled the crown off Finn's head and placed it proudly on his own.
"Now I am Grom King!"
Meanwhile, Luz entered her room, closed the door, and opened her window to sit on the sill.
In the end, I couldn't face my fears, she thought, a depressed look on her face.
Maybe I am fragile.
Her phone buzzed, and she glanced down to see a new message from her mom.
'Miss you, Mija.'
Luz hesitated, contemplating what to send back. At first, she considered just replying with a duck emoji, but then deleted it and instead wrote,
'Miss you too, Mami.'
"See, Luz? Writing to her is a lot better than just sending an emoji," Finn said, suddenly appearing beside her.
Startled, Luz almost fell out of the window, but Finn caught her just in time.
"Whoa there!" he said, pulling her back inside.
"Easy does it now."
Panting on the floor from the shock, Luz glared up at him.
"Finn! Are you trying to kill me!?"
Then she noticed he wasn't acting like his usual self.
"Hey, are you okay?"
"Luz," Finn began, more serious than she had ever seen him, "I need you to tell me something. Something important."
Nervous about what Finn was going to ask, Luz nodded.
"Okay, what is—"
But before she could finish, her phone buzzed again with another message.
"Oh, uh, just give me a minute, please," she said.
"Oh, uh, of course," Finn replied, his resolve starting to crack.
Luz read the new message:
'I love you too, Mija! P.S. I love receiving your letters!'
Finn glanced over her shoulder at the screen. His mind was made up.
"Aww, that's a cute way of saying text. Now then, what did you—"
But as Luz turned around, Finn was already gone.
=======
Finn entered his home, quietly making his way up the stairs to his room. He stopped just before opening the door, summoning Lady with a simple gesture.
"Lady… could you sleep in Dad's room tonight? I really need to be alone."
Lady hovered there for a moment, clearly upset. They had been together for years — it hurt to leave him like this. But she could tell how desperate Finn was. After a small, reluctant nod, she flew off down the hallway toward Raine's room.
Finn finally stepped into his room, shutting the door behind him. He took a shaky breath, then cast an illusion spell.
In front of him, a woman appeared — short blonde hair, orange blouse, brown skirt under a doctor's lab coat, beige shoes, and a white hat with animal ears on top.
"Hi, Mom," Finn said, voice cracking, tears already forming in his eyes.
It was Minerva Campbell. His mother.
"I heard something really crazy today," he continued, his throat tight.
He let out a short, bitter laugh.
"But then again, I heard it from a shapeshifting sludge monster, so… can't really trust it, right?"
His legs gave out. Finn dropped to his knees, fists clenched, tears falling freely onto the floor.
"I won't believe it. I just… can't," he whispered.
Wiping his face roughly, he forced himself to sit up a little straighter.
"So until I hear it from someone I actually trust… I'll keep holding on. Just like you would."
He smiled — it was small, and broken, but it was a smile all the same.
"After all, you're the smartest, toughest mom in the world. Nothing bad could ever happen to you."
The illusion shimmered once… then disappeared.
"Good night, Mom. I'll see you soon… when I'm back in the human realm."
Finn stumbled over to his bed, collapsed onto it face-first, and closed his eyes.
Hoping — praying — that tomorrow would be a better day.