Here we go again with more of this au. I don't know, I kinda like it. I feel like people don't understand the horror of being dropped into your favorite video game or show. Like you could easily be killed and you don't know if you will be revived? Nah, sorry man, I ain't here for this getting killed plot. Anyway, you can get caught up here:
One of the features Luz loved about Titan’s Will was that the player could find the glyphs at any point, time, and order, so long as the player knew where to look. For instance, normally players get the light glyph first by using a demonic disposable camera with a cracked lens while Eda performed the light spell at the beginning of the Owl Beast Arc. However, there is a moment, between beating Wrath and the group of three leaving, where the player could roam the courtyard. Most players and speed-runners went straight to Eda and King, in a rush to get the game going. If they had looked around, specifically at a scorch mark on one wall, and interacted with it a few times they would get the fire glyph. Luz had discovered it by accident on her first New Game + run.
This information became invaluable to the human after she ran into Amity for the first time. After that meeting, Luz decided she at least needed the four main glyphs but when she sat down with a pen and paper and made the circle to put the light glyph in, she realized a problem. She couldn't remember what the glyph looked like. Any of them.
Luz, who had doodled them onto the corners of her school work because she was bored, couldn't remember what the glyphs looked like. She had panicked that first night but eventually calmed down enough to plan. She refused to get involved with the plot even though it would give her the chance to find the glyphs. Thankfully she remembered the Knee Event.
The Knee Event was the canonical time where the protagonist found their second glyph, the ice glyph. During the event, the protagonist has to learn a second spell so they won’t fail the Hexside Placement Test. If the player already had two spells at this point, they still go with Eda mentioning that they are “really dedicated to getting in”. Eda and the protagonist head to the Knee and usually end up running into Amity and the Blight twins. By the end of it, the player got another spell and leveled up some bonds.
Luz didn't care about that. At least, not now as she tried to stay out of the story. What mattered was that while learning the ice glyph this way, the player learns that the light glyph is also a constellation.
She was in no rush to get to the Knee, until she ran into Eda. It had to be a bad sign to run into two plot important characters and Luz refused to get dragged into the game now. She might get caught off guard but she wouldn't be unarmed.
They left for the Knee Friday afternoon, closing Raven’s Nest early. The plan was to spend two days and two nights there, which should be enough time for Luz to learn her two spells. She spent that first night staring up at the sky, connecting the stars in hope of finding a glyph. She even used Observe until it leveled up. Nothing.
Eventually, Raven told her it was time to call it a night and the two entered their respective tents. Luz woke up the next morning to a softly spoken conversation.
“Aren't you two a little young to be out here all on your own?” Raven had asked. Luz figured it was probably just some traveliers, or some St. Epiderm kids. That school was said to be on the Knee, an hour or two’s walk from the ruins Luz and Raven were camping at.
“With Willow around?” A younger, boyish voice laughed. “We’ll be fine.”
Wait a damn minute. She knew that voice. That was-
“You flatter me, Augustus.” A third voice said. It was feminine with a teasing undertone. Luz knew that voice too.
What the hell were Augustus ‘Gus’ Porter and Willow Park doing on the Knee?
It was mentioned earlier that when players took part in the Knee Event they usually ran into Amity Blight. The keyword being usually. The second purpose of the Knee Event was to level up two bonds, the Owl Lady’s and the lowest Hexside bond available at the point in the game. More often than not it would be Amity who’s social bond was just made a few event’s back, but it was possible for other characters to take part of the event.
Luz exited her tent and was met with said characters. The first was a girl, the same age as her. She was taller than Luz by a few inches, with short navy hair and olive-green eyes behind a pair of black rimmed glasses. Like most witches she had pointed ears. The second was a dark skinned boy who was two years younger than them. Luz easily had a head, maybe one and half, on him. Then again Luz was rather tall. He had short black hair that was shaved on the sides and dark eyes. These two were Willow and Augustus.
“Look, Luz,” Raven joked, “I've met a few more strays.”
Luz chuckled nervously and used Observe on the two just in case she was wrong.
Titles: Illusion Prodigy]
She was two members away from meeting the entire Hexsquad. Thankfully the two didn't show until mid-game.
“We aren't strays.” Willow deadpanned.
“We are if we can get some free food!” Augustus argued. Willow elbowed the teen.
“I have no issues with that.” Raven smiled and offered the younger teen a bowl of warm soup.
Luz wanted to tell Raven that they probably shouldn't give food away to strangers, even if Luz knew who they were. She really didn't want to get involved with plot shenanigans. Instead, she sat down and accepted a bowl of her own. Raven was too nice anyway.
The human busied herself with her food before rushing off to try and learn her glyphs.
There were three options for the Knee Event. Amity’s, Willow’s, and Gus’s.
In Amity’s, the youngest Blight was at the Knee to beat the twins' score on some test. The protagonist, frustrated with Eda’s lessons, steals Amity’s training wand and accidentally angers a Slitherbeast. The demon native to the knee ends up taking Eda and the twins hostage, Amity traps the protagonist and goes to save them. The protagonist ends up discovering the light constellation after activating the light glyph, which leads to them discovering the ice glyph in a snowflake. They escape and help by distracting the slitherbeast while Amity saves the others.
In Willow’s, the plant witch was at the Knee to find a special plant that emitted an icy fog. Luz forgot the name of the plant but Willow wanted to take care of one and none of the markets on the Knee seem to have it. The two would meet up and mess around during a break. Willow ends up being the one who angered the Slitherbeast, by accidentally flinging it into the air. The beast knocks Eda out, takes Willow hostage, and shoves the protagonist into a cavern as it leaves. Much like with Amity’s, the protagonist discovers the ice glyph and uses it to escape. They wake up the Owl Lady and go to save Willow. Except, she’s already escaped by the time the two track the Slitherbeast down.
Then there was Gus’. He comes to the Knee to practice a complex spell, only to get frustrated. The protagonist, annoyed with Eda, joins him in lying in the snow. Gus confides in them that he hates being younger than everyone, that his classmates either treat him like a child or use him, and the teachers put so much pressure on him. He says that’s why he likes being friends with the protagonist. They treat him like a normal person. If the player chooses to tell Gus that they enjoy being friends with him too, the protagonist places a light glyph between them. Gus activates it and they watch it float up into the sky and join the constellation. This inspires the protagonist to look into a snowflake, and so they discover the ice glyph. It’s presumed that they thank Gus because as the two lie down he says “you're welcome”.
Gus’ was the only one where the Slitherbeast is left alone. It was Luz’s favorite.
“Fraah!” Luz screamed at the top of her lungs as she still couldn't find the ice glyph. The snow in her hand ended up thrown against a tree.
“What did the tree do to you?” Willow said from behind her.
“Nothing.” Luz huffed. She watched as the vapors that were her breath floated up.
“Hate to see what you'd do to someone who wronged you.” She could hear the playful smirk on Willow’s face. Usually Luz found it endearing, but she really wasn't in the mood right now.
“What do you want.” It wasn't a question.
“To find a Misty Mint but I’ll settle for your name.”
That was the name of the plant. A Misty Miny. If Luz got dropped into a cavern, that Slitherbeast will have more to worry about than whatever Willow did to it.
“Rude to ask for someone else's when you don't offer your own.”
“You done being pissy, now?”
Luz groaned and let herself flop back onto the snow, kicking up a small flurry. The chill of the snow was nice. Made her muscles relax some.
“Cool, because Augustus has been dying to meet you ever since Raven told us she met you around here too.”
“Great.” Just what she needed.
