[squeaks] [panting]

[grunts] Who's there? Reveal yourself.

[gasps]

Hmm.

[grunts]

Luz! I need your help.

I think Francois is trying to start a rebellion.

In a minute, King. [shudders]

I'm getting close to figuring out this glyph combo.

It's always glyphs and portals with you these days.

What about King?

Why don't you ask Lilith for help?

She was in the Emperor's Coven.

She has more experience with unruly mobs than anyone.

[giggles] Watching the ink dry is the best part.

[groans]

A fresh cup of tea for my favorite cup of tea.

That's you, Lulu.

Well, Hootsifer, you truly are a gem.

How do you always know what to do?

[whispers] What's going on? Is Hooty blackmailing her?

Oh, I think they're actually friends. Isn't that nice?

Okay, this'll work for sure.

Now you see me...

[gasps]

...now you don't.

I guess it only lasts as long as I hold my breath.

Still pretty cool, huh? Don't ever do that again!

Do that again. How ever did you accomplish it?

Since you guys discovered that we can make new spells by combining glyphs,

I've been experimenting.

I got the invisibility idea from your history books.

Fascinating.

As the lead historical scholar of the Emperor's Coven,

my aid could be very helpful in‐‐ [grunts]

An ambush! Men, defend your ruler!

[groans] I'm done for, Lulu.

Hootsifer, this is make‐believe.

Ah, to die in your arms.

Avenge me. [groans]

[squeaks]

The King of Demons yields to no one!

Historically, demons have never been united under a single rule until Belos.

There's no such thing as a King of Demons.

Blasphemy!

Clearly you know nothing of my reign of terror.

Allow me to tell you.

I was once the mighty King of Demons.

I was beloved almost as much as I was feared.

But one dark day, an evil spell was cast,

transforming me into this.

Oh? What happened to your crown of power?

A trifle! That was just to test Eda and Luz's dedication to me.

They passed.

My real crown is still out there.

But when I shrank, my memories got, uh, fuzzy.

How convenient. A hole in your memory for each hole in your story.

[laughs] Nice one, Lulu! Up top! [grunts]

Hey, I remember plenty.

I remember armies bowing before me,

being served the greatest of feasts,

and falling from a massive height as that evil hex shrank me.

One day, I'll return to my rightful place and all shall fear me!

Aw, you're gonna be such a good tyrant.

Who's the scariest demon king? Who is it?

[giggling] Me! It's me!

Your dedication to this farce would be charming if it weren't so sad.

Don't blame me for your ignorance.

I'm not a liar, and I can prove it.

[scoffs] He called me ignorant. Me!

Stop it, you guys. This story is really important to him,

so the least we can do is play along.

You mean indulge his silly fantasy?

Yeah! I'm a house of principles!

You're asking me to lie? Hootrageous!

Could you please just go with it? For his sake?

[straining]

All right, you two shall regret ever doubting me.

We're going to my castle.

Uh... What's wrong, Luz?

I thought you said we should just go‐‐ Go with him.

I said we should go with him, right?

How could I forget what I just said?

My historical expertise is being questioned, and I will not allow it.

Hooty, would you like to accompany us?

[gasps loudly] I'll get ready!

[cracking, squishing]

[all gasp]

[footsteps]

Porta‐Hooty, reporting for Hooty!

[dry heaving]

[retches]

Hmm? Where'd everyone go?

Man, they made a mess in here.

Oh, well. It's been a while since I had room to put my feet up.

[King's voice reading]

Oh, no. Not again.

Oh!

[motor sputtering]

Are we still flying? It's been hours.

Should we call it a day? Or perhaps a night?

[chuckles] Hooty, your sense of humor is infectious.

There it is!

[laughs]

This island shouldn't be here. It's not on any of the maps.

It's always been there when I looked for it.

After I shrunk, I woke up here, in Eda's arms,

and she carried me away.

Like a wittle baby.

Aw.

[grunts] [grunts] Fine.

Aw. [gasps] Look!

Ah, home sweet home.

[chattering, panting]

That tower is certainly intriguing, but‐‐ Oh!

[grunts]

Thank you, Hootsifer. [muffled] My pleasure.

But couldn't we have landed a little closer?

The treetops are so thick, this is the only way in.

Plus, now I can dramatically do this!

Ooh. A door fit for a tyrant.

[giggles] That's me!

I'll find you guys another way in.

Wriggle, wriggle, wriggle.

Huh. What a strange material. And this symbol.

I've never seen anything quite like this.

Ha! I've seen better graffiti.

I've got better graffiti on me.

Luz, look. This predates any language I know.

King's story may be a fake, but these ruins are a history mystery. [giggles]

Eh? What's a mystery?

[laughs] The only mystery is how Lilith can be so smart

and so wrong at the same time.

Academics, am I right?

You so are. Come on in.

Ah, the chamber where I would devour the hearts of my foes.

The taste was cold and bitter, but I bet yours would be sweet, Luz.

With all the sugar I eat, it better be.

[buzzes]

[gasps]

Can't believe your eyes, huh? My castle does have that effect.

Yeah. [chuckles] So much wonder.

[gasps] Are you seein' what I'm seein'?

[Lilith] These carvings, they're ancient.

Wh‐what does that mean?

Well, if I've never heard about this ruin,

let alone this entire island,

who knows what other parts of history we scholars have missed?

Are you saying...

That he may actually have been...

[together] The King of Demons?

Ah, my kingdom.

I, uh... I got some bone dust in my eye.

What was up there?

[King] I can't quite recall.

I just remember a muffled roar.

Probably some minion praising my name.

Well, uh, wanna head back? This is all so cool,

but Eda's probably on her third cup of apple blood by now,

and last time, it was real hard getting her off the roof.

Your Majesty! It's me, faithful ol' Hooty.

You know I was messin' around with you the whole time, right?

"Your Majesty"?

It's clear these ruins are of immense historical value.

Perhaps you could tell me more about them.

[King laughs] I suppose I could, uh, regale you with some tales.

Am I using that word right? Regale?

[rattling] [gasps]

Uh, guys, are you hearing this?

I'll show you where my throne used to be.

It was made from the teeth of my enemies and... [chuckles]

...boy, was it awkward to sit in.

What are these things?

[groans]

Just kidding. I'd never leave someone hanging. Up top, buddy.

[shouts]

[rattling]

And that's how I would annihilate my enemies.

Who needs due process, am I right?

What does this image represent, my lord?

[King] Uh, it's hard to remember.

But that handsome devil looks familiar, huh?

Tour's over. We gotta go, now.

But there's so much to learn.

This environment is not conducive to learning.

It's conducive to death.

Ah, you saw the horrifying monstrosity room.

Don't worry, they can't hurt you.

[rattling]

That one can. Let's go!

[grunting]

Dang, girl, you've been practicing.

You may admire my progress when we get out of here alive.

[all panting]

Get out of here. I'll hold it back and meet you outside.

Eda! We can fight it together.

You can't beat this thing. Go.

It's been a while. Miss me?

More running, less stopping!

Edalyn said to wait here.

We can't let her fight it alone.

We have to go back. [crashing]

Edalyn!

[groans]

You're hurt. What of that horrible creature?

‐[rattling] ‐[gasps]

It can't get past the entrance. We're safe now.

That thing must be guarding this place against intruders.

But it's my castle. How could we be intruders?

Uh... um...

You don't believe this is my castle.

Luz, you think I would lie to you?

King, I... You aren't lying.

You just don't know the truth. [sighs]

It's time for me to tell you how we really met.

Eight years ago, I was looking for a place to hide from the Emperor's Coven.

I never knew this place existed, and it just appeared out of the mist.

So I landed.

Now, I was one hot tamale, but the Boiling Rains were even hotter.

I needed shelter, but when I found it...

I wasn't alone.

Who's there? Reveal yourself.

[scurrying]

[gasps]

[chatters]

[chatters, pants]

Did you make all these? What are you?

[Eda] I assumed you were just some stray dog,

but then that thing was gonna kill us both, so I picked you up and bounced.

[shouts, grunts]

Against my better judgment, I took you home with me.

I had gotten you the collar 'cause...

well, that's what you do when you get a new pet. But then...

[chuckles] Oh, look at you. A king amongst his subjects.

King. King! [grunts]

It spoke. Yeah, that's right, a king.

You know what else kings do?

They command armies and eat delicious feasts.

[chattering]

[Eda] And that's how you got the idea that you were some despotic overlord.

Oh, but you were finally happy, so I kept playing along with it.

Y‐You're lying.

I'm not.

Eh?

[gasps]

[King] My army...

my feasts...

my life...

[shouts] Ah, no! Keep that thing away from me. It's messing with my head.

King, it's gonna be okay.

You're all just making fun of me like usual, right?

[wheezes] No.

No, no, no, no. [sniffles] No, no, no, no, no.

[sobbing] No!

King!

King! King!

Please come back!

I can't fly.

The tree cover is too dense.

I regret ever playing a part in this.

[sobbing] Is this what regret feels like?

I hate it!

I lied to him, even though I knew he trusted me.

Now he's all alone.

For now, let's split up.

The island is small, and he's even smaller.

He can't have gone far.

Don't worry. We'll find him.

[sniffles]

[Luz] King! King!

Eda was right, wasn't she?

I was never king of anything.

I'm nobody.

You are somebody, and I love that somebody very much.

I'm sorry I lied about what I believed.

Everyone lied.

And I was too caught up in the fantasy to realize it.

[sobbing] I don't know what to do, Luz.

I can't tell what's real and what's fake.

[Luz] Something's not adding up.

One of your memories is falling, right?

Probably another stupid thing I made up.

No. What if that's a real memory?

Why does it matter?

You said you remember a roar from up in that shaft.

Maybe that's where you fell from.

Eda found you in those ruins.

There's gotta be a clue in there about where you came from.

I don't know, Luz. What if the story gets worse?

You might have been alone before, but you have us now.

Whatever we find up there won't change that.

So, what do you say?

Okay.

King! You're all right.

[sighs] You're mad at me. I get it. I would be too.

I'm so sorry, King.

[King] Boop.

No more secrets, okay? You have to promise me.

Only truths. I promise.

Great. Now, before we leave, we have one more thing to check out.

[rattling]

Special delivery: pain.

[all inhale]

You sure they'll be all right?

Hooty knows what to do.

[shouting]

You sure they'll be all right?

[shouting continues]

Ready? I've always wanted to do something like this.

They're in place. Hold your breath.

[inhales]

[blows landing]

[Luz] Fly, fly, fly!

There's... There's...

Nothing here.

[rattling]

It's coming! [whimpering]

Huh?

[all straining, panting]

Well, I think we're safe for now.

But how did we get the door open?

Huh?

This room is old.

Very old.

I knew there was something up here.

I'm like the mystery whisperer.

The butler did it. Magnifying glass. Secret door.

It looks like that creature was made to guard whatever was in here.

King, does any of this feel familiar to you?

I'm not sure, but I think I know how to jog my memory.

Eda, I'm ready.

Are you sure?

I am.

[gasps]

I remember a deep roar.

[roars]

And then something happened. [crashes]

But I was too small to do anything.

So I went back to sleep.

And the next time I woke up...

[straining, grunting]

[chittering]

[coos]

[fusses]

[rattling]

[coos]

King...

That roar, it meant "son."

I don't know how I know that, but I do.

Someone called me their son. Luz, I think it was my dad.

Maybe that was him in all those wall carvings.

Stop.

That thing was defending King from us this whole time?

Huh. All right. [shutter clicks]

Oh, sorry. Were we discussing important revelations?

I'll‐‐ [clears throat] I'll just do this later.

[gulps]

Maybe you weren't exactly the King of Demons, but‐‐

I was important to someone.

If he's out there, I want to find him.

I'm not that old. It could be possible.

[sniffles] Would you help me?

I'd do anything for you, buddy.

Then can we keep him? [rattles]

[together] No. Yes!

[Luz] Whatcha doing there, King?

[King] This symbol was all over that tower.

What if it's my name?

[groans] Gooey.

It's too bad Jean‐Luc stopped moving outside the ruins.

I liked having a big, scary minion.

Yeah, too bad.

Luz, is it okay to still call me King?

It feels kind of weird when I'm not the king of anything.

Well, you'll always be king of my heart.

That's good enough, right?

Yeah. Good night, Luz.

And Francois.

Now Jean‐Luc.

[shudders] Bummer, looks like I'm all out of kisses.

Maybe next time. Good night!

I've never seen markings like this.

Hmm. Ooh, is it some kind of ancient language?

And those old carvings, who were they depicting?

Any ideas, mystery whisperer?

I don't know, but whatever we discover, we'll be there for King.

No matter what.