Storm's Hand (The Owl House AU)

Sturm was treading on new territory. After practicing a bit, he learned how to ride Blitz and fly with him. It wasn't that hard to learn, and it was about as easy as riding a bike. Running was still faster, but flying required less effort.

One day, he flew on Blitz and arrived at a house close to the edge of Bonesborough. It was smaller than Blight Manor, but it was still large and no doubt expensive. The teen landed carefully at the entrance and approached the front door. He took a deep breath, knocked, and waited.

After a few moments, someone answered the door. It was a witch in her early forties. She had dark red hair, round glasses, and a yellow blouse. Upon opening the door and seeing Sturm, her face immediately brightened with a smile.

"Why, hello there, young man!" she said, right before another witch approached her from behind. She was taller and had a more angular face. She had long pink hair and three eyes, with one at the center of her forehead.

"You must be Sturm," she added.

"Hello, Mrs. Hieron," he greeted, referring to both women. "Yeah, I'm a friend of Boscha's. She said she could help me out with something."

"Oh, now I remember! She did mention that. Please come in," the shorter woman said brightly, stepping aside to let the boy in. Sturm stepped through the door and prepared to take his shoes off, but the three-eyed lady waved her hand.

"Oh no, that's not necessary, dear. We'll go tell Boscha you're here," she said with a slightly proud smirk before closing the doors and heading upstairs.

Soon enough, the two women opened the door to Boscha's room and walked in.

"Hey, sweetie-pie~!" the red-haired mom greeted her warmly. Boscha looked over her shoulder at her moms while sitting at her vanity table, which also acted as her desk whenever she did schoolwork. Whatever emotion she had at that moment suddenly changed into an exasperated expression as she sighed.

"Ugh, he's here, isn't he?"

"Yes, he just arrived. He seems like a nice boy. You've talked about him a few times now, right?" the three-eyed woman asked, her knowing smirk never leaving her face.

"Yeah, I've mentioned him before. So what?" Boscha grumbled while rolling her eyes. Her pink-haired mother walked over and sat on the bed.

"Well, he's waiting downstairs for you, so shouldn't you go and greet your boyfriend?"

The words caught Boscha by surprise. She blushed for a split second before a defensive expression crossed her face.

"He's NOT my boyfriend!"

"Oh? I assumed that since you talked about him so often. But he is coming over to study with you?" the red-haired woman asked. Boscha hesitated for a moment and pouted.

"Yeah. I'm only helping him out with a few basic lessons, nothing more."

"Come on, Boscha. You are a pretty girl, and he is a very handsome boy. The red eyes, the long white hair... don't tell me you'd pass this up. You should give him a shot!"

Boscha's face became even redder than it already was. She let out an exasperated groan and looked away.

"Ugh, give me a break. This is a one-time-only thing, okay? I'm just going to help him as a friend."

As Boscha continued to talk to her mothers, Sturm opened the door and made his presence known.

"Everything okay here?"

Boscha instantly glanced back and froze as she saw him standing in the doorway. Her heart skipped a beat, and she looked away, trying to maintain her composure.

"Just talking," she said, but Sturm saw right through her, thanks to the redness on her face.

"Riiight..."

Boscha cleared her throat and looked back at her parents.

"Mom, mother, do you mind leaving us alone? Y'know...private lessons and all that."

The three-eyed woman giggled and smiled as she glanced between the two teenagers.

"Well, okay then. But leave the door half-open."

"Have fun, you two!" the other lady said before she and her wife left the room, leaving Boscha alone with Sturm.

"Well, I can see why you never talk about them," Sturm said once the two women were far enough.

"Heh, yeah, they're weird," Boscha chuckled. "Sooo, you're here to learn about potions, right?"

"Just walk me through the basics, please. I'll figure out the rest."

Sturm let go of his staff and Blitz began to fly around the room filled with trophies Boscha had won over the years. He smoothly swam through the air here and there while clicking. He moved until he ran into Maya, who sat on the nightstand close to the bed. He curled beside her like a snake, and Maya tried to pinch his tail with one of her pincers, but Blitz moved away and quickly smacked her with it.

Sturm grabbed a chair and took it to Boscha's vanity/desk. Boscha watched him walk over and sit down.

"Right. Of course. Let's start at the beginning."

Boscha opened her notebook, trying her best to focus... but she was also annoyed with herself for getting so nervous around Sturm. She flipped through her notes before stopping at a specific page.

"So, when beginning potions, you gotta start with a good foundation. The first step is to learn the basics, such as ingredients."

She talked about some of the ingredients that could be used. She tried so hard to keep her cool, but it was difficult with Sturm close to her. She would occasionally fumble over her words but quickly composed herself.

On the other hand, Sturm was focused on getting the information he wanted. So he took a risk and asked a more specific question.

"And... could you tell me about making a potion from a rock or a crystal?" Sturm asked, causing Boscha to look at him questioningly.

"Uh, yes... For a potion made from a rock, a crystal, or a gemstone, you'd have to ground the crystal down to a fine powder and then add it to a mixture of other ingredients. The type of rock you use matters a lot, as each has its own unique properties."

"I see. What do you need to do when you work with a gem that, for example, amplifies magic?"

Boscha raised an eyebrow, slightly taken aback, but she didn't think about it too much. She thought for a moment before answering.

"When meddling with the amplification of magic, you would need to add several other ingredients like herbs or organic matter that help fortify the effect of the gemstone's magic while simultaneously making the effects long-lasting. ... Is there a specific reason why you're asking?"

"Um... It's just a hypothetical scenario that I wanted an answer for."

Boscha gave him a doubtful look for a moment before laughing.

"I'm kidding. It's perfectly reasonable to ask about boosting up magic... But like I said, it's important to carefully mix other ingredients with it. In the situation you mentioned, you have to avoid diminishing its potency. But you don't want to add too much."

"Right. What are the ingredients you mentioned?"

"Well, it depends on which gem you are working with. Could you give me an example?"

Sturm couldn't think of any other mineral that could amplify magic. So he decided to let a tiny bit of his secret slip.

"Um... I'm guessing it's something close to a Galdorstone."

Luckily, Boscha didn't catch on, but she did pause and ponder.

"A Galdorstone? I'm not even sure those things even exist."

"Well, let's pretend they do, in this case."

Boscha paused again and tried to remember what she knew about those legendary relics.

"It is said that they amplify magical energy. So to make a potion from one, I think you could use... let's see... Some of the more common herbs that would work well in this situation are..."

Boscha paused for a few moments, going back through her notes. She suddenly noticed Sturm leaning in a bit... She felt her heart beating faster as she talked. She was getting more aware of every detail about him...

"What?" he asked, his voice breaking her trance.

"Oh, sorry. It's, um...you're really close to me right now."

"Sorry, sorry. I just wanted a closer look at the notes," Sturm said, backing off slightly.

Boscha cleared her throat and shifted away a bit. He was closer than she thought, and seeing him looking directly into her eyes...made her pulse quicken.

"It's alright. But if you need a closer look, just ask first, okay?"

"Right. Sorry. ... So, where were we?"

Boscha cleared her throat and looked back at her notes.

"Right. I was about to explain which herbs would work well with a Galdorstone, correct?"

The minutes slowly passed. Most of the conversation consisted of Boscha giving the lesson and Sturm asking questions. The boy was actually astounded that Boscha was so knowledgeable about potions. He'd half expected her brain to be all Grudgby, without academic knowledge. But he was pleasantly surprised to be proven otherwise.

They didn't speak much during the break. Suddenly, Sturm's scroll vibrated, indicating that there was a livestream hosted by... 'BADGIRLCOVEN'? He didn't remember following the Owl Lady. His finger must've slipped while going through Penstagram. It wouldn't be the first time something like that happened. He was surprised to see King looking at the camera.

"Hi, Dad. If you're out there watching this, I, uh... want to introduce myself. I like cheesy foods and conquering kingdoms. Though I haven't conquered any of my own yet. But maybe you have, and we can compare notes. I'd love to meet you. We could do parent-kid stuff, toss a ball, burn some cookies, catch me going on weird websites or something. Also, I-"

Stum rolled his eyes when King said the word 'Dad' and closed the video when that speech went on for too long.

"Ugh. Families are bull. QUICKTHUNDER1, out," he said, unfollowing the account and carrying on.

After about an hour and a half, their tutoring session finally ended, and they spent some time just talking. They would sometimes look at each other with smiles on their faces, or enjoy each other's company. But then came the time for them to get up from their seats.

"Thanks, Boscha," he said, stretching a bit. "You were a huge help. I owe you one."

"No worries," she said, stretching with him and closing her eyes.

"I guess that's all for now," he said, extending his arm and letting Blitz fly to his hand in his staff form. Boscha sharply turned her head to look at him.

"Wait, you're just going to leave now?"

"Sorry, but I need to go back home. I have work tomorrow."

"Alright," she nodded and watched Sturm move to approach the door. That's when she decided to make her move; it was now or never. "Um... Sturm?"

"Yes?" he asked, pausing to turn his head and see what the three-eyed witch wanted to say.

"Um...can I say something real quick?"

Sturm stared at her, trying to figure out what she was getting her point to, but he nodded. Boscha slowly stepped forward, getting red in the face, unsure about maintaining eye contact.

"Do you want... May I ask...um...if you would like to..."

She kept stumbling over her words and tried to lean in closer to his face. She looked into Sturm's eyes as she approached him. But Sturm wasn't dense. Understanding what she wanted most and seeing her hesitation, he rolled his eyes and chuckled.

"Tch. For such a tough girl, you sure know how to look ridiculous."

He suddenly put his right hand behind her head and pulled her face closer to his. Boscha's eyes widened in surprise as her lips met his. A million thoughts rushed through her mind at once as she froze. She was so confused and overwhelmed... She couldn't believe this was really happening. Her already noticeable blush turned into a deep shade of red, and she could feel her pulse within her temples.

Her first thought was telling her to pull away, but she didn't. Instead, she closed her eyes.

Unbeknownst to the two teens, Boscha's red-haired mother opened the door and held two cups of tea. She noticed Sturm and Boscha kissing in the middle of the room before smirking and stepping out, quietly closing the door behind her.

After a bit, Sturm and Boscha finally separated, taking a moment to catch their breath. Their faces were flushed a deep red, and their breaths were heavy. They were both slightly dazed. Sturm quickly regained his composure and smirked as he stepped back.

"You have my number. I'll let you know when I'm available. Well... see you around, Boschy."

"Okay, um... Bye," she said, giving him a quick nod.

When he left, her eyes continued to stare for a bit, even after her door was shut. She sat there for a few minutes, trying to comprehend what just happened. It was so out of the blue. Did he just do that? Still, she felt so giddy.

That was until both of her mothers stepped into the room, sporting huge, knowing grins.

"Ooooooooh-"

"BOTH OF YOU! SHUT IT!"

Sturm had been at it for quite some time. Thanks to Boscha's lessons, Sturm was given the necessary push to take alchemy much more seriously. He was already a gifted assistant to the greatest abomination inventor of all time, he certainly had the brains for something as complex as that.

He'd spent all his free time reading books and writing down what he'd learned. It wasn't easy, but he still got plenty of work done. Soon enough, the walls of his dark room were filled with sheets of paper scribbled with complex calculations and equations. Some were for the formula to brew the potion, and others were about researching the workings of the Galdorstone.

Such a sight gave the impression that it was the work of an insane student working in the field of science, accumulated for a couple of years at the very least. But with his accelerated mind, Sturm was able to work much, much faster.

The boy sat at his desk, writing on another paper, moving his hand at blinding speed. When he was done, he took a deep breath and began muttering.

"Alright. I've used all my limited resources to explore every variation of my theory. And it all comes to the same conclusion: it can be done. If my calculations are correct, the Galdorstone won't lose its power even if separated into multiple pieces. Even a single small piece should have the power equivalent of one stone. Theoretically, if I hold multiple pieces simultaneously, the effect should stack, thus doubling or tripling the power boost. Maybe this will apply to the potion I'll try to brew. Maybe the power will increase with each dosage."

As Sturm concluded his theory, Blitz flew beside his right arm and clicked, as if trying to speak. Due to the special palisman-owner connection, Sturm could understand the messages behind Blitz's pulsed clicks, electric hums, and whistles.

"What's that? Why don't I make jewelry with the stone and spare myself the trouble of brewing a potion that might not work?" he asked, repeating Blitz's question. "I considered it. But I realized it would be a bad idea. If, for example, I made a ring, it could be noticed and raise suspicion. Plus, it can be easily taken off. I need a method that not only will guarantee my power won't be stripped away, but that also will not be easily spotted. The power needs to be imbued into my system. And fortunately, I have the necessary tools, thanks to my savings."

Sturm cleared his desk, reached behind himself, and pulled out a box of alchemy tools, including an alembic, calcinator, retort, mortar, and pestle. He grabbed the Galdorstone he stole and a device similar to an angle grinder.

"Okay. I've done my calculations. Everything is in order... I hope this works."

With that, he closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and released a jolt of electricity to activate the saw. He quickly cut the Galdorstone in half. Once the stone was split, the halves fell in opposite directions on the table, revealing a precise, clean cut. Sturm turned off the angle grinder and put it down. He took a piece and held it for a few minutes before realizing something: his theory was proven correct! The aura glowed around him just as strongly.

"YES! Yes, I was right!" he said, almost jumping with joy before composing himself. "Alright. Now to take this half...and cut it further..."

Sturm repeated the process until the half turned into quarters. Once again, he was proven correct when he picked one of the smaller pieces and sensed no changes when he felt the power boost flow through him again.

"Time to get to work."

With that said, Sturm took a quarter of the Galdorstone half, put it on a small towel, and used a hammer to crush it into multiple pieces. Once done, he put the fragments into the mortar and used the pestle to crush and grind them into fine powder.

He poured the powder into a jar and reused the mortar and pestle to grind other ingredients suggested by Boscha. Then began the complex process of making the mixture and turning it into a liquid. He worked hard to ensure no trace of the other ingredients remained except for their positive effects on the Galdorstone powder.

Eventually, after a long, meticulous process... it was done.

There, in a small glass vial, was the key. The insurance of his place at the top. With just a small piece of the Galdorstone, Sturm made a unique potion; one that he was sure no one else ever made. It was the only one of its kind.

"Yes... It's finally done!" Sturm said, an overjoyed grin spreading on his pale face.

With his hands shaking, he nervously took the vial. For a moment, he stared at the tiny bottle in his hand. He almost couldn't believe how he got here. A mere nobody, creating something so special from a legendary relic. That alone was enough for him to go down in history, but he aimed for something much higher.

As he raised the vial and parted his lips, Sturm hesitated. What if the potion wouldn't work as intended? What if it had another effect other than the power boost? What if it killed him or did something worse?

"No. I checked the formula several times. There should be no mistake. Geniuses don't make mistakes. I am better."

And if it all went wrong, what would he lose? Sturm gathered his will and threw his head back in one swift motion, chugging the contents of the small vial down his throat. It was awfully bitter, and the aftertaste was even worse.

A moment passed as he stared at the now-empty bottle. He didn't feel any different. As the disappointment settled in, his hands gradually started shaking. Before Sturm could process what was happening, he suddenly got struck by a splitting headache. As soon as the pain came and his heart started racing, haunting images flashed before his eyes.

Lightning crackling in a cloudy sky. The mouth of a cave. His gloved hand.

As the déjá vu hit him, Sturm suddenly felt weak and his vision darkened as he collapsed onto the floor and passed out until he was out like a light.

"Uggh... My head... What happened...?"

Sturm groaned as he started to come around. His vision was all blurry and he heard ringing in his ears. While opening his eyelids, he found himself lying on the floor of his small, dark room. His mind began to replay the occurrences, regaining his strength as he did. He scrambled to his feet. As he got up, he expected to feel sick, nauseous, or feeling like having an indigestion, but...no.

He didn't feel like that. Not at all!

Not only was the migraine gone, but he could breathe easier too. He also felt lighter than a feather, alive with energy. He couldn't remember the last time he felt so rejuvenated.

"Whoa..." he exclaimed, taken aback by his new state. Suddenly, Blitz popped into view, moving around him worriedly. "Blitz?"

The electric eel clicked rapidly in response.

"How do I feel? I feel... I feel good!" Sturm replied with a joyous smile now on his face. "I don't know what I ended up making... but I should bottle and sell it, because I've never been better!"

To test his newfound state, he did a cartwheel across the room. It was suddenly so much easier and faster than the last time he did it.

"Whoo. That felt like nothing! Also, don't wanna miss breakfast."

He did a backward somersault through the air and reached the door. He grabbed the key, opened it, and zoomed downstairs into the kitchen.

"Morning, guys!"

When he finished his sentence in a sing-song voice, he realized the kitchen was empty, save for the abomination butler.

"Weird. At least one of the Blights usually sits here at this hour," he said, walking over to the sink and filling a cup with water. "Wait, what time is it?"

Sturm took his scroll and opened it. When he saw the time, he spat the water in shock and coughed.

"WHAT?! THREE MINUTES BEFORE CLASS STARTS?!"

That explained why no one was here! They must've already been at work or school! A panic began to set in for him. He'd never been late for school, not even once. As quickly as a flash, he zoomed up the stairs and toward his room, dressed in his school uniform, grabbed his staff, and zoomed out the front door, not bothering to close it – the butler could do it. It all took five seconds.

As he moved through the forest, a realization instantly clicked in his head. He was moving so much faster than before. It must've been the same speed when he held the Galdorstone in the Forearm Forest.

Just like last time, he felt different than the hundreds of times he sprinted to school. He could think and react quicker. Everything around him seemed to move slower when he ran. He could feel the wind against his pale face. Even though he ran super fast while the world slowed down around him, he could still carefully choose how and where to place his feet, swing his arms, and turn his torso.

He didn't just run on the trail this time. He used his further-enhanced agility to leap and bounce off from tree to tree or use the increased voltage to blast a few out of his way.

Before he knew it, Sturm was already in front of the building. Everyone around him moved in slow motion as he sprinted past the crowds of students.

When he got into the hallways, Sturm stopped sprinting and time seemed to resume its original speed. Upon stopping to catch his breath, the boy took out his scroll to check the time.

"Whoa! I got from Blight Manor to Hexside in under one minute and a half? A new record!" he cheered.

And before long, the school bell rang/screamed, and everyone headed to class.

Sturm rushed into the classroom faster than usual and sat at his desk. It took a while for the other students to enter and take their seats. After waiting a while longer, the teacher from the Healing track stepped in and sat at the desk.

"Hello, children, and welcome to the mandatory first aid class. Today, we will learn about resuscitations in case you lack healing magic," she said, promptly beginning the lesson and using magic to show a holographic animation of a witch's heart. "When you find someone unconscious, it is important to check their pulse. If you sense nothing, there is a chance they might suffer from cardiopulmonary arrest. In that case, you must call for help or perform CPR as swiftly as possible. You have only minutes to resuscitate the person before it's too late."

When the teacher began to talk about chest compressions, Sturm stopped listening. Most of the lesson the teacher gave was full of information Sturm knew about or could have guessed himself. In his hyper-accelerated perception of reality, the minutes seemed to tick by slower than usual. Frankly, it was getting boring, and he disliked sitting still for too long, so he would tap his foot or fingers.

As time went on, he felt another strange sensation... It seemed to originate from his mouth. He couldn't tell what it was, but...he could almost taste it. He couldn't describe it, but... he liked it.

School was FINALLY done for the day. Sturm felt like he'd been stuck there not for a few hours, but a few days. Still, everyone was moving and talking like nothing was off or wrong. He zipped over to his locker and started sorting his books and supplies so fast that his arms were blurry to the observer.

The boy closed the locker and was about to zip out of the building. But by the time he turned around, he was already face to face with Boscha. Both of them were startled, Sturm by her unexpected appearance, and Boscha by the suddenness of his moves, so they jumped a bit.

"Gah! Boschy, you scared me!" Sturm said with a hand on his heart, as his perception of time returned to normal so he could hear the three-eyed witch speak.

"Sorry about that," Boscha said, still not used to the nickname he gave her. Her eyes darted around for a moment before looking back into Sturm's. "Mind if I ask you something?"

"Um...sure?" Sturm said, still not used to Boscha approaching him out of the blue. Boscha knew what she was about to say, but admittedly, she was nervous. She scratched the back of her head, a sweatdrop forming on her forehead. She let out a sigh before starting to speak.

"Okay, um... I enjoyed having you over last time, and I was left with plenty of questions after...you know. I've been thinking... Would you like to make things official by going out sometime?"

Sturm was taken aback by what he'd heard. It was to be expected, in a way, after kissing her back at her house, but he didn't expect her to ask him out the very next time she saw him.

"Are you...asking me on a date?"

"NO! ... Yes," Boscha sighed in defeat.

Sturm wasn't the type to blush often, but at that moment, a bit of red appeared on his snow-white cheeks. If that happened to him a while ago, he would have refused. He only got close to Boscha so he could get what he wanted. Lately, however, he's started to feel something.

"Well, then. Who am I to pass this up?" he smiled. "How about Thursday, after school?"

"That sounds...perfect!" Boscha beamed, squeezing the Grudgby ball close to her chest. "I'll text you!"

And with that, Boscha turned around and left. Everyone she walked past looked at her with surprised looks. Whenever Boscha smiled, she only did so because something was going her way, or when she was bragging about something, or because she successfully put someone in their place. This time, however, her smile was genuine. No one's ever seen her do that before.

Sturm continued to smile as he watched her leave. But once she was out of sight...his expression slowly changed. The taste in his mouth returned. He knew what it reminded him of. It was a craving; the sensation one would get while eating from a box of sweets and knowing there are more. He didn't know what prompted this...but he still liked it.

The day went by as normal. After returning to the manor to have lunch, he worked with Alador on a project commissioned by Odalia. It appeared to be an abomination-based, manually controlled robot. It was bigger than any Abomaton they'd ever worked on and had a long way before it was finished.

"Why does your wife want this built again?" Sturm asked as he handed Alador a wrench.

"I have no idea," he said bluntly. "And frankly, I don't want to ask her questions."

"It is a little weird. It doesn't seem to be on the list for mass production."

"I don't suppose it is. Now fetch me the pliers."

Sturm continued his work by handing over the tools Alador required or welding some pieces together.

Suddenly, and without warning, Sturm's hands began to shake, causing him to drop the pliers he held. Sturm breathed heavily as the tool hit the ground, creating a loud thud. This caught Alador's attention, and he snapped away from the unfinished robot and removed his goggles to look in Sturm's direction. But by the time Alador turned around, Sturm was fine.

"Sturm? Is something wrong?"

"I...I don't know... My hands just shook."

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah. I think so," he said before bending over to pick up the pliers, but when he tried to get back to work, a surge of electricity suddenly jolted around Sturm's body. The boy barely felt it, but he did make the lightbulb above him and Alador flicker, and accidentally dropped the pliers when his hands shook again.

Alador put his tools down and approached the boy.

"What's happening with you?"

"I-I don't know, it just happened."

"Mmm. Maybe you've overexerted yourself lately," the man said thoughtfully. "I think you should clock out for the night."

"What? I can still help, Mr. Blight," Sturm protested, sensing that his hand was about to shake again. But he quickly clenched his fist and concentrated his muscles to prevent it, causing electricity to crackle lightly around his forearm.

"I know, but if you keep this up, you might cause some unwanted damage," Alador continued. "And besides, I think I can continue the project myself."

"But if Odalia finds out I left work early, she'll wring my neck."

"I'll deal with my wife. Just go to your room and rest."

Sturm was about to protest again but thought better of it. Sturm may have been intelligent, but Alador was wiser. He was one of the few people Sturm respected enough to listen. Seeing no other choice, Sturm turned and exited the workshop.

By the time Sturm got upstairs, he already had the key out. He unlocked the door and stepped inside. Upon looking ahead and seeing the mess he'd made of the place, the taste in his mouth returned, now stronger than ever.

By the time his eyes landed on the desk, the alchemy set and the mess he made there...along with the sliced pieces of the Galdorstone.

And that's when it hit him.

"So that's what it is... The potion."

Sturm thought for a moment, trying to think this through. The potion may have improved his physical abilities, but he was already feeling the side effects, which he could not predict.

Blitz moved over beside his head and clicked again, speaking with Sturm. After a short pause, Sturm responded.

"Blitz... Did you ever have that little feeling you know that you shouldn't do something... but you REALLY just can't help yourself?" Sturm's grin spread across his face as he closed the door and approached. "Besides the few hiccups I've had, I felt great... Maybe it wouldn't hurt if I got more juice."

With that said, Sturm got to work again. He followed the same process of crushing another quarter of the split Galdorstone into powder, adding some ingredients, and letting his brewing supplies do their job. This time, however, he increased their capacity to get a slightly faster result.

Long after midnight had passed, the second potion was finally ready. When Sturm drank it again, he could've sworn it tasted different. Was it just him, or was it...sweeter? Either way, he liked it better than last time.

Just like last time, a surge of pain coursed through his body after a few seconds as his powers pulsed from within. He grabbed his head as he breathed heavily through his teeth and electrical sparks appeared around him.

He closed his eyes and tried to think of something to distract himself from the pain. As he went through this second transformation, he accidentally thought...of a memory.

Sturm was 11 years old when he enrolled at Hexside. While this was a welcome change in his life, he unfortunately got to be in the same class as Amity due to both signing up for the Abomination track. Amity had barely changed throughout the month. She was still annoyed at Sturm's existence and gave him a look every time they crossed each other, either at Blight Manor, the halls of Hexside, or during class.

That lasted until one day when Sturm scored number one on a test, ahead of Amity. He created a mini-golem with more qualities than everyone else in his class. That was enough to tip her over the edge, and she sought to confront him.

That day, Sturm had his cowl up, covering his whole head save for his face and neck. And instead of a fingerless glove, his left hand was bandaged. Amity, on the other hand, didn't look much different than in the present, save for her hair, which she hadn't dyed green yet.

Amity caught up to him after class while he walked to his locker. He was alone when she found him, which was likely the best scenario for what she had in mind. She sharply turned him around, grabbed him by the cowl of his uniform, and pushed him against the lockers. Sturm was caught off-guard as Amity leaned her face right up to his.

"Whoa, what the-!"

"What did you do to get ahead of me?!" she demanded, leaning closer to him to the point that she was practically breathing in his face. It took Sturm two seconds to process what Amity said.

"What do you think? I spent the whole weekend studying! You know that!"

"Don't make me laugh. You didn't just study – you cheated, didn't you?"

"How in the world can I cheat on a practical test?"

"Don't play dumb, I know you're too worthless to beat me fair and square."

When Amity was but an inch from his face, Sturm pushed Amity away, making her stumble back slightly.

"Okay, seriously, what's gotten into you?!"

Upon regaining her balance, Amity coated her forearm in Abomination slime and pulled herself back towards him again.

"What's gotten into me? You show up from absolutely NOWHERE, move into MY house, and suddenly you're doing better than me at school? I worked hard to be at the top of my class! Do you have any idea how much this irks me?!"

Sturm tried to free himself from Amity's grip, but his hands slipped whenever he grabbed the Abomination-coated arm.

"Okay, at first, I thought you were just a stuck-up but pretty girl. But now, you're being downright delusional!"

"The only one who's delusional is you if you think you'll get anywhere without MY permission!"

"And what will you do if I keep getting A-pluses?"

"You won't. Because I won't let you. You think you're better than me? I see you getting out of line again, trying to move on up, I'll have Mom fire you and you'll go back on the streets, where you belong."

The boy's eyes widened. That was the first time Amity threatened his livelihood. He was just rebuilding his life, and she was a direct danger to him. Instead of begging her not to do anything, he glared at her defiantly.

"You wouldn't dare."

"Try me, you tramp."

Sturm fell silent. He wanted to tell her that she was horrible but realized that nothing good could come of provoking her further. At that point, Amity let go of his shirt before stepping away and folding her arms.

"Know your place. Worthless trash."

And with that, Amity turned around and walked off, leaving Sturm shaken and frustrated.

The pain lasted until sunrise. Sturm didn't get a wink of sleep. The only other living thing present to witness all of this was Blitz. He may not have been as intelligent as Sturm, but even he knew something was wrong. During the whole night, while Sturm grunted and growled from the pain, he didn't dare go near him.

In a split second, Sturm sat up and snapped his head to face Blitz with a big, amused grin.

"Ithinktheeffectsarestacking," he spoke the words almost too fast to understand. "Myperceptionhasdefinitelyaccelerated. Maybeabouttentimesfaster."

Then, in the blink of an eye, Sturm got up, opened the door, and zoomed out of the room.

Luz, Willow, and Gus were hanging out and talking in their classroom by themselves. The human girl had wonderful news to share: she and Amity were a thing! Willow and Gus couldn't be happier for her.

The bell at Hexside rang/screamed once more, and after just one second, a blur dashed into the room and stopped at a desk. The three kids opened their eyes and saw Sturm sitting at his desk and going through multiple papers, grinning from ear to ear, and he couldn't seem to stop moving.

The three got a little startled by his sudden appearance. The others watched him for a while as he smiled and giggled to himself. Under normal circumstances, they would have found giggles like those very adorable, but something was clearly wrong with him.

Those weren't cute giggles. He seemed more...hyper than usual. And his little laughs sounded like the rumbling of a chainsaw.

Willow waved to him as he stopped moving. Sturm then gave Willow an energetic wave before slamming his hand on the desk, looking down and scribbling something on a sheet of paper. She noticed that his expression didn't change.

The three became unsettled with Sturm's friendly and subsequent aggressive gestures. Luz waved at him and tried to get his attention with a look of worry, wondering if something bad happened.

Sturm then looked up and noticed that the kids were trying to get his attention.

"What?" he said quickly. Luz looked at him directly now, with a concerned look.

"You alright? You're acting...hyper," she said, unsure if that last word was an apt description of his current state. Sturm giggled quickly again.

"Ohyouhavenoidea! IfeelSOgoodtodayIfeellikeIcandotenthingsatonce!"

Luz, Willow, and Gus looked at each other, surprised and nonplussed. They did not see Sturm's rapid speech coming. Though it was difficult, they managed to understand him.

Gus coughed to get Sturm's attention. When his head turned to face the young illusionist, Gus spoke.

"Uh... have you taken anything?"

From Sturm's point of view, Gus's speech was slowed down and low-pitched. In fact, ever since he woke up, everything seemed to move in slow motion while his body and mind accelerated at an unprecedented rate.

The day before, he could control the pace of his perception of reality to communicate with other people. But that second dose of the Galdorstone potion took that control away from him.

But that didn't matter. He felt good and powerful, and that's all that mattered.

Hearing Gus ask that question took him aback? Did he know? Did he see him drink the potion? Did he want the power? No, he wouldn't let him know.

Sturm repeatedly tapped on his desk, which sounded like the beats performed by a mad drummer.

"Imnottellingyou."

Their eyes went wide at the response. Sure, they knew Sturm was unfriendly, but they didn't expect him to be so blunt. That's when Willow decided to step in and call him out on it.

"What's gotten into you?"

"Nobodydeservestohavethispower. Noonebutme!" he declared, causing the three friends to look at him suspiciously.

"What power? What are you saying?" Luz asked, her voice being just as low and slow as the others from Sturm's perspective.

"ImsomuchfasterIcanabsorbinformationquickerandmyspellsarestronger! Watch!"

As quick as a flash, Sturm raised his arm toward the wall beside him and shot a gigantic lightning bolt, creating a massive explosion and sending dust everywhere. Luz, Willow, and Gus coughed and waved their hands to shield their eyes from the debris.

Once they opened their eyes, they saw a giant hole in the wall, but Sturm was unharmed.

The three almost jumped from their seats at the sudden show of destruction. They stared at Sturm, completely startled by what happened. But then the white-haired boy laughed nervously.

"Hahawhoops! Icanfixit!"

He zoomed out of the classroom and returned seconds later with the materials necessary to fix the wall, including wooden planks, paint, some bricks, and fresh cement. After a few seconds and a cartoonish-looking dust cloud, it looked like nothing happened. Such a sight would have made the members of the Construction Coven either jealous... or moist.

"There! Goodasnew!"

The trio stared at the restored wall before their jaws hit the floor. They were surprised that he repaired the wall so quickly and that it looked like the explosion never happened in the first place. Luz would have compared him to a cartoon character if her mind had not been blown. She was about to comment, but Sturm spoke up before her.

"SorrybutIgottago! IneedmyspeedtodosomeshoppingcreatemoregadgetsforBlightIndustriescleanthemanorandbeatmypersonalrecordforthemostlapsaroundtheRightArmallbeforedinner! Seeya!"

He then zipped out of the room again, leaving a strong gust of wind behind. The trio glanced at the door before looking at each other with utterly confused expressions, baffled at what just happened. They'd never seen anything like it in their lives.

"What in the world was that?" Luz asked.

"Dunno. But I don't like it..." Gus replied, feeling very uncomfortable.

All of Sturm's activities he listed were overwhelming, but he completed them anyway. Once again, he proved the benefit of moving at super speed while the world around him moved with super-slowness.

After finishing the last task, he zoomed through Bonesborough's streets, sprinting between pedestrians and dodging moving rudimentary vehicles.

After a while, he returned to Blight Manor, he zoomed past the front door and entered the living room, where Edric and Emira were sitting on the couch, watching the big game on their family crystal ball.

He zipped in and sat right between the twins on the couch.

"'Supguys?"

The twins jumped and were surprised by the sudden appearance.

"Good Titan!" Edric exclaimed, followed shortly by a chuckle from Emira.

"Haha. Sparkles, you scared us for a second there."

"Sorryaboutthat. Didthebiggamestartyet?" he asked. The twins hardly understood him, so they glanced at each other before looking back at their friend.

"Uhh, yeah. The game started," Edric replied.

"What are you in such a hurry for?" Emira asked.

"Imnotinahurryyoureinahurry!" Sturm grinned as he pointed at the twins while moving his hand back and forth. The twins look at each other with a confused expression.

"What are you on about?" Edric asked.

"Yeah, you're the one zooming around and talking really fast," Emira added, but she and Edric were cut off when Sturm placed his index fingers close to their lips.

"Shush!" he spouted before pointing at the crystal ball. "Whoswinning?"

Both twins looked at the crystal ball, smirking and brushing off Sturm's strangeness.

"Looks like the Bruisers are winning. They're up by 4 points," Edric replied. Emira just chuckled.

"It's only the first game. I'm sure the Hounds will catch up and wipe the floor with them."

Edric reached his arm in front of Sturm and playfully pushed Emira.

"I don't know. They look like they're really giving it their all. Maybe the Hounds are going to lose this time."

"Oh, come on! They never lose! Are you crazy?"

Both of them began to argue back and forth whether the Hounds would win or lose. This annoyed Sturm so much that electricity began to crackle around him. While talking, the twins' green hair stood momentarily before the red-eyed boy unleashed a sudden surge. This caused an electrical interference that made the lights above flicker, and then the crystal ball's image changed to static.

The twins stopped arguing and saw the aftermath. They tried to change the channel, but all it showed was static. Then they turned to look at Sturm.

"Uh... Did you do that?" Edric asked, but Sturm looked at him, genuinely confused. He wasn't aware that he unleashed his surge.

"Dowhat?"

"The... The crystal ball just went...staticky. Did you do this?"

Sturm met Edric's questioning eyes. Suddenly, his pulse began racing, and some tiny, over-tightened screw in his mind abruptly stripped out.

"WhatyoureblamingMEforthatpunk?!" he asked aggressively as he got in Edric's face, who put up his hands defensively.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! Easy! Easy!"

Emira blinked, caught off guard by Sturm's blow-up. She gently grabbed his shoulders and pulled him back.

"Cool it, Sparkles! No need to get hostile with us."

Sturm sharply turned to Emira and pointed a finger charged with electricity.

"Callme'Sparkles'againandIllfirealightningboltthroughyourbrain!"

Edric and Emira's eyes widened as they saw the glowing finger. Emira's scared face quickly faded into a glare and released Sturm's shoulders before rising from the couch.

"Yeesh. Don't be such a jerk," she said with a frown and a disappointed glare before storming out.

"Yeah. Thanks for ruining our night," Edric said, glaring at Sturm as he got up and followed Emira out of the living room.

Sturm's expression then softened.

Even with Sturm's hyper-accelerated mind, it took him too long to process what he had done. But by then, the damage was already done. The twins had already left the living room. He had never acted like that towards them before. Sure, he teased them a lot, but he never threatened them. He didn't even know why he acted like that... They were merely asking him questions and he became confrontational.

Even though he didn't consider the twins as such, they were Sturm's only friends. And what little semblance of friendship he had with them was severely damaged.

Sturm briefly returned to normal speed just to get off the couch and try to follow them.

"Wait! Guys! I'm s..."

He was suddenly cut off when his hands began to shake, just like they did the previous day. Electricity surged around him again, causing the lights above him to flicker. And the taste in his mouth slowly returned... The craving...it was back with a vengeance.

Suddenly, Sturm changed his mind.

"Ah, great... the twins are mad at me..." he thought before looking up. "Well, who needs 'em? I have this power, and I'll make it grow. No matter what it takes."

His mind accelerated once again and he zipped over to his room. Upon locking the door, Sturm immediately got to work on another shot.

He knew that if he drank more, the effects would intensify. But at that point? He couldn't care less.

Sturm repeated the same process as the last two times. But this time, he increased the capacity of the alchemy set. While processing the liquid, the equipment shook from the boiling mixture. He could've sworn it would break at some point.

Luckily, the equipment was resistant enough to withstand the whole process, at least for now.

Once the potion was complete, Sturm wasted no time consuming it. The same painful sensation returned, but he couldn't let himself pass out. He tried to distract himself once again by searching through another memory. This one, however, was more recent than the last.

Amity was thirteen years old when she started working at the library. As Hexside's top student, she had to get as much credit as possible, and working at such a respectful establishment was the perfect choice.

One day, she searched the bookshelves to put back a few books. When she finished, she turned to her right to see a 14-year-old Sturm standing near her, glaring at her accusingly.

Amity rolled her eyes and turned to face him, her eyebrows furrowing slightly in annoyance.

"What do you want, Sturm? I have more important things to do than talking to you."

"You better have a good excuse, Blight..." he said, stepping closer. Amity just raised an eyebrow.

"Excuse for what?"

"I just spoke with Professor Hermonculus. He said that I'm off the Academic Decathlon team!"

Amity's expression immediately changed from irritation to complete surprise, her eyes widening slightly as she stared at him. But then she smirked.

"Oh no, that's so terrible, I am so, so sorry," Amity said sarcastically.

"I had done nothing but study for the better part of the semester! Why would you say all those horrible things about me to our teacher?!"

"Because you don't deserve a spot on the team when I'm the best there is. Not on my watch. You don't deserve anything besides being a low-level assistant. So stay out of my way if you can't handle it."

Amity's arrogant smirk was enough to make Sturm furious. It took every ounce of his being to control his muscles and prevent him from appearing on the news the next day. But for all his self-control, he was still fourteen, and he couldn't resist commenting on this.

"... Yeah, keep talking, you puke-green-haired projector."

Amity's smirk quickly dropped as her eyebrow twitched. Her tone became sharper and more aggressive as her temper promptly flared.

"Excuse me?" she said before stepping closer and poking Sturm's chest to punctuate each sentence. "Let me make this clear: I'm a prodigy, and you're just some lowlife. Now unless you want to sleep in a dumpster again... Know. Your. PLACE!"

Amity's voice rose in pitch with every word she spoke as her temper was fully ignited, her anger and arrogance being channeled through her words.

"Now go away and let me finish my work. Worthless riff-raff."

As Amity walked off to continue her job, Sturm just stood there, floored by this. It wasn't the first time she wronged him, far from it, but this was by far the most extreme thing she had done. She could have gotten him expelled, and she didn't care. She sabotaged his school projects, prevented him from getting A's, spread rumors about him at school, and prevented him from joining other clubs or making friends, all because she didn't want him to succeed anywhere.

Sturm may have detested her by that point, but that marked the day he'd developed genuine feelings of true loathing for Amity.

No. Worse... That was the first time he truly and utterly hated her.

Hate. Hate.

Once again, Sturm did not sleep for a single minute. When he opened his eyes, he felt...different somehow. He looked around the room to see if anything had changed. He looked at Blitz. He seemed to move slowly in the air, like a cloud on a lazy sunny day. On the other hand, Sturm could just move around his palisman like a rabbit on a sugar rush.

Despite being awake for what he perceived as weeks (48 hours of real-time) he still felt energized.

He peered through the blinds of his window and saw that it was morning. His routine told him it was time for school, so he bolted out the door and headed for Hexside.

When he got there and entered the halls, he was greeted by a sight he'd anticipated, but still surprised him. The students were already there but were moving so slowly that Sturm could barely see them move. Judging by the looks on their faces and their activities. To them, nothing has changed. Nothing seemed off or wrong. All sound was slowed to the point of near inaudibility. The voices of the students were gone, shifted below the threshold frequency of Sturm's hearing.

He did manage to hear the school bell, though. The normally ear-piercingly loud scream and rings were frequency-shifted by his mind to a long, low tone. The previous day, Sturm could still hear and communicate with those he interacted with, albeit with some difficulty. But now, verbal communication with anyone was impossible.

He realized that attending class would be a terrible idea. Not only because he wouldn't be able to hear the voices of his teachers, but also because every second also seemed to last about half an hour, maybe more.

So he decided to go around Bonesborough to finally make his own schedule. All the activities that followed were done on a whim, with no thought or plan put into them.

He zoomed out of the school and went around town. No time at all had passed. He zoomed into his favorite chocolate store and took a few bars. He didn't steal them, he left a few small bags of snails on the counter for the shopkeeper to take.

While moving through the streets, he saw an old demon lady getting robbed by a young ruffian. He caught the kid red-handed as he ran with the purse. It was like seeing a still frame from a movie. Sturm calmly took the purse from the thief and gave it back to the lady. He then smacked the thief across the face, picked him up by the back of his jacket, brought him to the nearest police precinct, and dropped him off there.

He went to the park and watched how the people relaxed, ate snacks, and did many other things. Children were playing or walking with their parents. It was like a very innocent picture one would frame and hang on a wall or post on Penstagram. But to Sturm, it was something entirely different.

Seeing other families being happy and together filled him with annoyance and anger. So he decided to leave Bonseborough for a bit to escape that distasteful scene.

He visited nearby towns and decided to explore them. He visited museums. He participated in races and won before they even started. He baked enough cakes to fill a few bakeries.

Still...even after doing all of these things...he still felt no fulfillment whatsoever.

Then, he impulsively returned to Bonesborough and entered the library. He collected a few books and chose a lone, empty table before putting the books on a big pile next to where he would sit.

Despite turning the pages so quickly that he almost tore some of them, most of the time he spent finishing those books was spent on page-turning.

After reading all the books in the pile, he put them back where they belonged, and grabbed some more. He finished them as well and did the same thing again. And again. And again. And again.

He didn't even know why he was doing this anymore. He'd read so many books that he felt exhausted in the short span of real-time he truly spent in the library. He'd spend days doing nothing but finishing books.

It all came to a boiling point while reading a book with an elbow on the table and a hand under his chin.

"This... is so... STUPID!"

He threw a book across the room out of irritation. The book slowly spun through the air before hitting the wall with a faint rumbling sound (the only sound he had heard for hours) before hitting the ground slowly.

"To heck with it, I'll just sleep it off."

Frustrated, he returned to Blight Manor to see if he could sleep off the potion's effects. He entered his room and flung himself into his mattress. He closed his eyes and lay there for hours... and hours... and hours... He didn't even feel remotely sleepy despite being awake for what he perceived as days. Maybe even weeks.

As he sat up, his hands began to shake again, and electricity crackled around him. Slowly. It was happening again. The withdrawals came quicker than before. This gave Sturm no choice but to make another potion. He didn't even care if his situation got worse. He didn't care about anything at that point. He just wanted to drink it. To enjoy its sweet, sweet taste. To feel the rush of power. All that mattered was the potion; the power.

"I shouldn't do this... But I can't help it!"

With Blitz watching helplessly, Sturm went back to make his concoction. He grabbed the last piece of the Galdorstone's half and ground it into powder. However, Sturm moved the pestle so fast that he broke it in two. This only added to Sturm's already great frustration.

He ignored this setback and continued with the rest of the procedure. He pushed the rest of his alchemy tools to their absolute limits, causing the table to shake and steam to fill the air, forcing Sturm to open the window.

As the alchemy set brewed the potion, Sturm decided to look in the mirror on the door in the interior of the door. He was shocked by what he was looking at. He couldn't recognize himself anymore.

He was an absolute mess. He had no idea when or how it happened, but his hair was much longer, reaching the upper middle of his back. Not only that, but his clothes were wrinkly and filthy, and his eyes had bags under them. To sum it up, he looked unhealthy.

That sight made him cringe. But he couldn't stop even if he wanted to. He needed this.

The brewing lasted until nightfall. But to Sturm, it felt like months. His crow phone and scroll buzzed with countless messages and calls from people who tried to question him about his absence, but he ignored all of them. He didn't know if someone had knocked on the door or tried to turn the handle. He couldn't hear them anyway.

Just as the alchemy set finished brewing the potion, the fire Sturm used to heat up the retort was excessive and made the tool burst, sending glass shards everywhere and damaging the alembic and calcinator while creating a huge mess.

Luckily, the recipe he wrote down, the other half of the Galdorstone, and the remaining ingredients were still intact.

"AH, COME ON! I spent my savings on this!" he yelled out, but from an outside perspective, it would sound like the grumps of a chipmunk. However, the boy immediately tried to calm down. "No, no... It doesn't matter. I only need to replace the set. But how... I got it! Hexside must have a few supplies! I'll just go there with my super speed and take what I need. No one would notice. ... But first..."

He grabbed the potion and chugged the potion in one go. It felt like a slug sliding down his throat due to the unchanged gravity. But the taste more than made up for it. It was sweeter than ever, like peach syrup.

"Now to get those supplies before the potion takes effect."

He decided to take action immediately and go to Hexside to steal a new set before the potion took effect. He was confident of it.

Sturm tried to leave but accidentally ripped the handle off the door. Of all the abilities Sturm had anticipated the potion would enhance, he did not suspect it would affect his already impressive strength. The boy growled, his rage starting to boil over.

Suddenly, his stomach started to rumble as if he had an indigestion. Sturm began to breathe aggressively. Soon enough, the rumble turned into a stomachache. The kind that only made the innards hurt, but caused no nausea.

The potion was taking effect faster than Sturm had anticipated.

"No, no, no, not now..."

He realized that he couldn't wait to fix the door anymore. He needed to leave and get that equipment urgently. So he lifted the blinds, opened the window, and jumped off.

When Sturm landed on the grass, he immediately zoomed off and kept running to the end of the Blights' property near the woods.

That's when the potion took effect. The stomachache was just the first sign. Each symptom that followed was worse than the last.

Things started to go wrong when his legs shook midstep, causing him to trip and fall to the ground, sliding across the forest floor before stopping. The pain was intense, but that was the least of his worries. He looked down and tried to move his legs, but he could barely move them.

"My...my legs! MY LEGS!" he cried. "They barely work!"

Stum flailed his almost limp legs wildly to get them to work properly, but it was useless. He then tried to scream, but it sounded more like a whimper. Sturm began to crawl. He didn't know where he was going. The manor was no longer anywhere in sight. He grabbed the nearest tree and propped himself up, but his legs kept shaking. He tried to run but couldn't; his joints ached and his bones felt like jelly. So he took a few shaky steps forward, grabbing each tree on his way for support.

After a while, things got impossibly worse. Even when the world around him slowed down, Sturm moved as if he was moving slightly slower than regular speed, now that he could barely run.

Then, suddenly, Sturm slowed down as well.

All the dull noises he could pick up ceased, replaced by the most perfect silence he'd ever experienced. Everything around him seemed to completely freeze. During the effects of the last dose, Sturm's perception of time was a few hundred times slower. But now, that effect has multiplied thousands of times. Every second seemed like days. While everything around him was frozen, he moved no faster than a sick sloth.

The pain never let up. It seemed so endless. But it gave Sturm plenty of time to think. If every second seemed like days, then each minute would be like years. Even if the next withdrawal symptoms would reappear and reset his perception of time in the next few hours, this nightmare would last centuries.

After what felt like a year, Sturm reached his breaking point. It was all too much. The silence, the slowness, the seemingly unending night, and the sight of the trees? It was maddening!

"I CAN'T TAKE THIS ANYMORE!" he thought. He didn't care about the rush or continuing to brew the potion anymore. He just wanted to end the pain.

Sturm spent a full day moving to stand straight while clasping his hands to the trunk he was holding. He slowly leaned his head back and clenched his eyes shut, preparing to smash his skull and finally end his suffering.

Suddenly, he bashed his forehead against the tree at full force, breaking off a huge chunk of the trunk. But not his head.

Of all the abilities Sturm had expected to be enhanced by the potion, his durability was the least he'd expected. He didn't suffer any injuries, but the pain was just as intense. The pain wasn't at all lessened, not even by the slowness. The nerve signals sent pain into his brain, undiluted by the change in his perception of time.

Sturm stumbled backward and fell on the forest floor, moaning and groaning in pain while the slow world spun around him.

Feeling dizzy, Sturm rolled over and got on his hands and knees, breathing heavily to prevent himself from vomiting. After a while, he looked up and saw something...

Or rather, someone.

She couldn't be real. She couldn't be here.

Sturm didn't know whether this was really happening or if he was hallucinating. The latter was likely the case, but was this another side-effect of the potion, did his suicide attempt cause him brain damage, or had he finally gone insane? He didn't know.

It may not have been real, but his feelings toward that person surely were.

"You...!" he growled angrily. "Did you come here to gloat at my torment? Or is your appearance here a part of it?!"

He waited but got no answer. Typical of her.

"Silent as always, huh, Lisa? Maybe that's why you're always treated better. Is it because they find you endearing...or because you're actually theirs? I would have lived a normal life, if not for you!"

He picked up a stick and threw it at the person from his past, who wasn't even there. When the stick missed, Sturm turned his head to face another imaginary person he knew. This time, however, he screamed angrily.

"That goes for you too, you deranged animal!"

Sturm got so angry that, out of sheer spite, he rose from the ground and sluggishly stumbled deeper into the darkness of the woods.

"If I can't finish myself, I'll at least finish what I started..."

The next morning finally came at Blight Manor. Amity had a routine of waking up before the rest of her family. After waking up and stretching, she exited her room and headed down the stairs for breakfast. Her parents never bothered to cook for her or her siblings, so they had the abominations to handle it. As she entered the dining room, she pointed at the idle butler.

"Abomination, prepare breakfast," she said, sitting at the table as the butler got to work. She picked up a book on the table and opened it to read while waiting for breakfast.

Suddenly, as Amity looked for the last page she was on, she noticed something move from her peripheral vision. She looked up from her book and turned to see what it was. A look of pure confusion appeared on her face as she saw Blitz approach her. She straightened her back while in her seat to watch the floating eel.

"Uh... Hey there," she said, a bit taken aback. "You're Sturm's palisman, right?"

The floating eel couldn't talk, but judging by its rapid electronic clicks and frantic gestures, he wanted to get her attention. Blitz waved his tail, indicating that he wanted her to follow him. Amity looked in the direction of his gestures.

"Are you trying to get me to look over there?" she asked, but Blitz bit the wrist cuff of her pajama shirt before tugging it to force Amity to follow. "Alright, alright! I'm coming!"

Amity stood up and followed Blitz up the stairs and down the hallway where hers and the twins' bedrooms were. Then they reached a particular door.

"Sturm's room? But... no one enters Sturm's room. Edric learned that the hard way," Amity said hesitantly, remembering the incident that scarred her brother for life. But Blitz moved closer to Amity's face and gave off an electrical hum, emphasizing that she had no choice.

Amity took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

"Sturm? Are you in there?" There was no answer. She knocked again. "Sturm! Wake up!"

She tried to open the door, but the handle moved weirdly, yet it was still locked. Amity expected as much. But then, she had an idea. She used her right index finger to draw a small spell circle. A tiny bit of abomination goo shaped as a key appeared on her fingertip. She carefully inserted the makeshift key into the hole and turned her finger.

After a few seconds, the key turned, and the door was unlocked. Amity then slowly reached a hand out to open it but hesitated. She had the strange feeling that if she opened that door, she would see something unpleasant on the other side. What if she caught him naked or something?

Either way, she had no choice. She grabbed the handle and cautiously pushed open the door.

"Sweet Titan..."

Amity's nervous expression changed into wide-eyed shock upon viewing Sturm's room for the first time and stepping inside the doorway. Not only was the room so much smaller and duller than her own, but it was also a complete wreck. Amity took note of the open window, the countless papers on the walls displaying equations that looked like the scribbles of a madman, bed, or any real furniture other than the desk or closet. But no sign of Sturm.

She walked over to the desk and peered at the books on potions and alchemy. She noticed the broken alchemy set and examined it, looking rather confused and intrigued.

"What is all of this? Sturm, what have you been up to...?"

That's when she saw a small chunk of a glowing blue sphere. It looked as if it got cut in half. She didn't recognize the Galdorstone, for she wasn't even sure it existed.

Amity picked up the stone, examining its precise, clean cut. She inspected it closely before looking around the desk for anything else that could lead to Sturm's whereabouts. Upon looking closer, she saw the sheet of paper with the recipe/formula for the power-enhancing potion.

Amity read over the formula. Her eyes widened as she read about the effects of amplifying magical power. Sturm was already stronger than she wanted to admit, but she couldn't imagine what he would be like with more power. And due to his spiteful, vindictive nature, he'd be a danger to anyone who would even dare look at him funny.

"Oh, no! I need to find Luz!"

She decided not to waste any more time. She took the remaining half of the Galdorstone while holding onto the formula and immediately rushed into her room to change before heading for Hexside.

Finally! Sturm stumbled from the forest and headed for the school's front entrance. Students were already entering and filling the building as they waited for the first class to begin. The timing couldn't have been better. Sturm felt the rush of seeing other people after ages of solitude.

He'd been trapped in those woods for thousands of years, yet only a few hours had passed. And for thousands of years, he was in constant pain while his grip on reality had become more tenuous.

At that point, he didn't care if he got caught stealing. He didn't want all the agony to have been for nothing.

When he got close, he collapsed to his knees and started crawling up the stairs, enduring days of stupid expressions on the other students' faces. They all looked at him, perplexed or amused to see him crawl on all fours.

Time slowly accelerated over those days. The students began to move faster and faster. Sturm then heard soft, low rumbles, which rose in pitch slowly. After a while, he finally recognized their voices. He felt his heart pumping and the air rushing through his lungs for the first time in centuries.

But the pain was still there.

Then everything was back to normal speed. Everything moved too fast, there was no time to think about anything.

Anything, except for that sweet, sweet taste of his own potion...

He sluggishly got up and pushed open the doors, almost startled by the sound of heavy wood being moved. To him, everything moved so fast. It was overwhelming. How could he once exist at this speed, let alone greater? How can a person process information in a world where everything moves quickly?

He stepped inside and started heading for the Potions track classroom, hunched over, with electricity crackling around him, using slow, steady steps. On the way there, she stumbled upon a familiar.

The instant she saw him, Boscha's face turned sour, and she dropped what she was doing to confront her negligent boyfriend.

"There you are!" she yelled angrily before marching toward him. "Where have you been?! I've been calling you for HOURS yesterday!"

Sturm's heart skipped a beat at the sight of Boscha's angry face. He'd been awake for so long and was so caught up in his little...trip, that he forgot about the date with Boscha. He didn't dare answer as she continued to yell at him.

"I waited for you for two hours for our date but you didn't show! Where in Titan's name were you?!"

Sturm didn't know what to say to her. He was already stressed out, and Boscha was not helping. He tried to walk away, but the three-eyed witch wouldn't have any of it and she kept getting in his face.

"Hey! Don't you walk away after standing me up! HEY! Sturm, I'm talking to you! Answer me! Where's your uniform? And why are you so filthy?"

Sturm finally lost his patience with Boscha and stood straight, raising his head to face her with a look of pure irritation.

"I feel fine, Boscha, never better you're a great girlfriend NOW GET OUT OF MY WAY!"

Without even thinking, Sturm forcefully pushed Boscha to the floor. Hard. She fell on her back and shook her head before looking at her boyfriend with a stunned look.

Upon seeing Boscha hurt, Sturm's expression softened, and regret quickly dawned on him as he realized what he'd done. He was about to speak but was cut off when Boscha suddenly rose to her feet and blew up on him.

"WHAT IN THE WORLD IS YOUR PROBLEM, YOU FREAK?! I thought you liked me! Or were you leading me on this whole time?!" Sturm tried to speak up, but again, Boscha interrupted him. "No! No! I don't wanna hear it! You didn't have me for even a week and you failed miserably! Have fun being single again, you jerk!"

With that said, she turned around and stormed off with tears in her eyes. By the time Sturm found his voice, the damage was already done.

"Boschy, I'm... I'm s..."

He stopped himself. Boscha was long gone. It was already too late to apologize. It was always hard for him to do so anyway.

He looked around and saw a few students staring at him as if watching a soap opera or a freakshow. He turned to them and immediately glared at them.

"What are you all gawking at?!" he yelled, slamming his fist against one of the lockers and accidentally allowing electricity to pass through their metal frame. The students present quickly walked away in fear. "Idiots..."

When he calmed down, he realized something else... his hands started to shake again. Something big was coming. And he knew he wouldn't like it.

Sturm continued to stumble toward the classroom for the Potions track. His breaths were heavy, and he clutched his head while yelling through his teeth. He was angry about the breakup and in a lot of pain.

Finally, after thousands of years of enduring the agony in the forest, Sturm found the Potions track classroom.

As he drew closer, one of the students opened the door to leave, but upon seeing Sturm's unkempt and unsettling appearance, he closed the door in fear. Sturm was annoyed but tried his best to stay calm.

"Hey, would you open the door? Please?" he asked, knocking gently. After he got no response, Sturm leaned back as he looked at the ceiling, letting out a frustrated groan before the knocks turned into loud, angry banging. "Hrrrrrrrrrr, OPEN THE BLASTED DOOR!"

He banged on the door so hard that he cracked the wood. Then he pointed his finger at the door and shot a lightning bolt to blast the door to pieces. The handful of students present shrieked in panic at the suddenness and the fact that the door was destroyed just like that. They turned to see Sturm enter the classroom, looking worse for wear and sporting a furious look.

"All of you. Out," he said with suppressed anger. One of the students stepped forward to confront him, still scared of him.

"What? You just blasted the door, and you're not supposed to be-"

"I SAID GET OUT!"

Sturm grabbed a chart from the wall and tossed it at the students, narrowly missing them. Afraid of making Sturm angrier and/or getting hurt, the students fled the classroom.

Once alone, Sturm began to search for the pieces he needed to replace his alchemy set. He tossed a few desks to the side, threw open the cabinets and drawers, and tossed other useless stuff aside like it was nothing. He could not find what he was looking for.

Sturm groaned and clutched his head before chuckling. It wasn't like the nervous laughter he sometimes gave off when he was anxious, this laughter was much more maniacal. He began to speak through his breaths and laughs.

"What... kind of school... doesn't even have... Ahahaha! A MORTAR! AND PESTLE?!"

When he finished that sentence, Sturm heard footsteps coming from the door. He turned around, expecting to see the principal, so he prepared to shoot electricity in case he tried to reprimand or remove him by force. But instead, he saw Luz, Willow, and Gus.

Seeing them made something boil inside of Sturm. His smile quickly dropped and turned into a glare.

"You... Again?"

"Sturm, what's happening here? What have you done?" Luz asked, looking around the trashed classroom.

"Why were those students running past us?" Gus added.

"And why aren't you wearing your uniform?" Willow asked, pointing at him.

"None of your business," Sturm replied brashly. "Now go away. If you know what's good for you."

Luz stepped closer to get a better look at Sturm. He looked drastically different than she had seen him earlier in the week. He looked so unkempt and sickly, especially with the longer hair. When she saw his hands shake, she knew something was seriously wrong, but she didn't know what.

"What happened to you, Sturm? Are you in pain?" she asked.

"What do you care?"

"Sturm, you're clearly not yourself. Let us take you to the infirmary," Willow said nervously, still a little afraid of him, but she tried to stay focused. Gus just nodded in response.

"Please, just calm down and let us help y-"

Sturm immediately leaned closer to the three, specifically Luz. His presence caused the hairs of the three kids to stand up from the electricity building up in the air. Sturm stared into their eyes, speaking sharply through his clenched teeth.

"I don't. Want any 'help'. From anyone," he said, the last few parts sounding slightly distorted. Luz tried to speak calmly, to control her own fear.

"Why not? You're clearly unwell. We need to get you checked out."

Luz then slowly moved the hand up to Sturm's shoulder. But when she got too close, she was instantly shocked by a surge of electricity, as if she had touched a bug zapper. The human girl let out a brief scream and got knocked back, grasping her hand as she sucked in air through her teeth. Willow and Gus immediately rushed to Luz's side to check on her.

Sturm just walked past them and headed for the door.

"You'd be lucky if that's the most pain you'll feel today..." he said before stumbling out of the classroom.

"Luz! Are you okay?!" Gus asked out of concern.

"Yeah... He just nicked me, I'll be fine," Luz replied, shaking her injured hand to relieve the pain. She got up and followed after Sturm, who continued to shuffle through the school's halls toward the exit.

"Quit following me!" Sturm said, looking over his shoulder.

"Not until you tell us what's wrong!" Willow demanded. "You gotta talk to us."

"Why don't you go home and talk to your tulips, Park?"

Willow briefly stopped walking, absolutely shocked and appalled by Sturm's comment. But Luz wouldn't let him go off the hook so easily.

"Hey! You don't get to insult my friends like that!" she said, pointing at Sturm, who reached the doors leading outside.

"Maybe not, but you get to try an experiment involving a fork and a toaster!"

Luz gasped in complete shock at what he just said to her. How could he say something so messed up and disrespectful?

Sturm forcefully opened the doors with a huff and stepped down the stairs leading to the paved path outside the school property. Once the three concerned friends reached the bottom of the stairs, they saw Sturm walking for a few more steps before stopping to groan and mumble. The withdrawals came back with a vengeance, and they were building up toward something dangerous.

"Urgh... It's starting...!"

Luz, Willow, and Gus looked at each other, unsure what this meant.

"Sturm...you're scaring us," Luz said, showing the fear she normally had the restraint to keep hidden.

The white-haired boy stopped moving and stood straight. There was a moment of pure silence, and the air suddenly became thick. Sturm slowly turned around to give the three a menacing look with a small trace of fear. When he spoke up, his voice was once again distorted.

"Good... You should be scared of me."

With that said, the hairs of the three teens suddenly stood up as a massive electric charge began to build in the atmosphere. Sparks began to crackle around Sturm and he winced as they got increasingly frequent and powerful. Eventually, the boy clutched his head and screamed from the top of his lungs.

"AAAAUUUUUGHHHHH, HURTS HURTS HURTS!"

A brilliant white light burst from Sturm, creating a massive shockwave that knocked Luz, Willow, and Gus to the ground, causing the windows around the school to shatter. Fortunately, no one was hurt by the shards. Unfortunately, there was a bigger problem.

After being suddenly thrown back from the blast, Luz felt how the air got knocked from her lungs as she tried to stand back up again, dazed and confused. She and the others managed to get back up on their feet. They opened their eyes after being temporarily blinded by that light. Once their vision adjusted, they saw Sturm's figure standing in the middle of a combination of a cloud of dust and the light from the electricity.

When the dust cleared, they finally saw Sturm's new form. His posture and body language became aggressive as electricity sparked everywhere around him. His eyes were now glowing a pure white, and he breathed with his teeth clenched from pain and uncontrollable fury.

Luz, Willow, and Gus gasped when they saw him, and their fear skyrocketed when they saw his empty, glowing eyes staring right into theirs.