Everything’s changed since you came here.

We begin with the less interesting (but still good) plotline about Gus’s mid-school crisis, rethinking his choice of track after his misguided use of illusions got Willow hurt.

Luz: Spill it, Gustanamo. Are you okay?

Gus: I’ve just been thinking. What if it’s time for me to explore different kinds of magic?

Luz: I’m all for trying new things, but what’s wrong with illusions?

Gus: Illusions are just so…you know…

They happen to run into some students from their rival school, Glandus, and Mattholomule, who used to hang out with them. And they just so happen to be on the hunt for powerful ancient relics, as you do.

Luz encourages him to tag along with them, and covertly hands him some glyphs.

Luz: Come on, man. You know I’m all about proving jerks wrong.

But Luz can’t go with him because she has a date with Amity some urgent research to do at the library.

Luz: Hey Em, hey Ed. Picking up Amity?

Em: Nah, looks like you’ve got that covered.

THESE TWO!!!!

Why, yes, there will be an abundance of pictures purely due to the adorableness on display.

Anyhow, the stated reason for this visit is to look up the diary of the human resident that was donated hundreds of years ago.

Luz: My mom probably thinks I’m missing right now. I have to get back as soon as possible.

Amity: Well, something this old would be kept in the forbidden stacks.

i just can’t

Amity: Only Malphas, the master librarian, is allowed in here.

Luz: No te preocupes. Todo va a salir bien. [Don’t worry. Everything’s gonna be fine.] Like my mom always said! I’m sure I can find another way-

Amity: Hey, wait! I never said I wasn’t gonna help. My staff card should be able to open those doors. But once we’re inside, you have to listen to everything I say. If we’re caught, I could lose my job.

Luz: You won’t lose your job. I promise.

Amity: Malphas is actually the one who gave me my job, and my own study room. He’s usually nice, but if we’re caught, he’d feed us to the book worms!

Luz: I know here, that probably means unholy bloodsucking snake monster, but in the human world, that’s just a cute name for nerds.

Amity: Huh. The human world sounds odd…

Luz: Maybe it would be less odd if I showed you around someday.

THESE TWO

Meanwhile, Gus & co. have reached the titular ruins (with a little help from Gus’s glyphs).

Bria: Things work differently at Glandus. Weak students are pushed around by the strong. But if I had a Galderstone, I might be able to change things for the better.

But then Gus realizes that the ruins are actually an illusionist graveyard.

Bria: Aw, Gus. You’re saying that as if it’s a bad thing.

Gus: What? Of course it is! These stones were theirs, we shouldn’t take them.

Bria: Even if these witches were alive, what would illusionists use Galderstones for, hi-def party tricks? Come on, Gus. Don’t you want to power up those cool spells of yours?

Gus: No. This isn’t right. I won’t let you steal these.

Bria: I don’t think you know what you’re saying, Gus.

Meanwhile, Luz finds the diary…

…only to find this critter’s already eaten it.

Luz: You little rat!

So they get caught, Amity’s fired, and they don’t even have the diary for their trouble.

Luz: Amity, I am so-

Amity: Not right now, Luz. Everything’s changed since you came here. Being around you, it makes me do stupid things, and I wish it didn’t.

Luz: It’s okay, I, uh, I do stupid things around you, too, Amity.

Amity: I think I need to go home.

Luz: Nada funcionará a menos que lo haga funcionar. [Nothing will work unless you make it work.]

Elsewhere, Gus is faced with a giant monster with no glyphs left, so in desperation, he just makes a copy of it as an illusion…but it turns out the original was an illusion as well.

Braxas: An illusionist has always kept watch over the Galderstones. We gain no powers from them, so we’re the least likely to use them for evil. Probably.

But the illusionists who are trying to make them give up the stones are swiftly trapped.

Bria: We’re playing by Glandis rules, Matty. You can have anything you want – if you’re strong enough to take it.

Mattholomule: Hey…I didn’t know she was gonna do this.

Bria: Matty! We need you to hold our stuff!

Mattholomule: This is exactly how it was at Glandus! Always Bria’s stooge…

Gus: Better a stooge than a clown. Bria was right. Illusions are nothing but hi-def party tricks.

Mattholomule: Yeah, I used to think that, too. But then I met some dork who used his powers to save me from a man-eating detention pit. All I’m saying is, if a dumb illusion can save a jerk like me, maybe it’s not as useless as you think.

So Gus finally starts using his wits (and his illusions). He lures away Bria’s goons fairly easily, but Bria herself proves to be more difficult.

Bria: Come out, illusionist! I’m not dumb enough to fall for these tricks.

So once he gets her alone, he starts a little horror show. Then he makes it seem like her magic isn’t working.

Bria: No, no, this is all just an illusion. It can’t actually hurt me. It can’t even touch me.

And that’s all it takes to make her run screaming.

Braxas: Keep honing those powers of observation, child, and there’s no limit to what you’ll be able to do.

So with the intruders chased off, Gus and Matty agree to spend some time fixing up the ruins with a person who may or may not be a ghost.

Gus: So, does this mean we’re like, friends now?

Matty: I don’t know.

It turns out, all Gus needs to do is THINK before he casts an illusion!

Amity: Ever since Luz came here, things have just gotten confusing. I’m thinking things I’ve never thought before, I’m feeling things I never used to feel!

Em: Is that so bad? You weren’t happy before.

They (well, mostly Em) help tease out her real feelings…and then help dye her hair a new color.

Amity: So, how’s it look?

Ed: Looks like you’re about to get in big trouble with Mom.

Em: I think it looks great. But yeah, maybe don’t tell her I helped.

And then Luz drops in, because of course she does.

Luz: I’m sorry about everything, I understand if you never want to see me again- it’s different.

Amity: Yeah. Mom always liked it green. I thought I could use a change.

And she managed to convince the librarian to re-hire Amity through a series of (offscreen) trials, as you do.

Amity: Looks like you made a new friend.

Luz: Ah! You’re the one that ate the diary! I hate you.

Amity: Wait! This is an echo mouse. It consumes knowledge through writing, and can play back anything it eats.

My journey through the demon realm is far from over, but today, I humbly donate my journal to the ages.

My name is Philip Wittebane, and I found myself in a world so horrid and so fantastic, few minds could have dreamt it. If only those at home could see what I have, and perhaps they shall, for the more I learn about this realm, the more I am certain I can harness its strange powers to return home. And today, I begin recording my journey, to create a portal back to the human realm.

Luz: Thank you, little mouse. I hope you and I can become good friends.

Amity: Don’t worry. You always have a way of sneaking into people’s hearts.

Then she KISSES HER ON THE CHEEK and i can’t anymore

THESE TWOOOO

Until next time…