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A gasp run in the darkness as magenta eyes flicked across the expanse of nothing. Hunter frantically looked for some sign of anything – life, buildings, trees, even stars, but nothing.
It was just Hunter. There was no Flapjack chirping nosily as the bird worked his way under his boy’s chin. No King throwing a rather adorable tantrum at having his spot on the sofa taken. No Eda lazily drinking Apple Blood as she handed him a book on wild magic. No Luz to provide comfort for the terror slowly climbing its way up his body.
Opening his mouth, the former guard tried speaking to no avail. His mouth felt dry, his throat scratchy. He tried again, a hoarse choke leaving him instead. That mishap caused him to spasm into a coughing fit, making his knees buckle as he fell to the ground. Once the fit had passed, leaving his throat even more sore, Hunter began to realize the ground wasn’t actually ground. One of his gloved hands pressed against it. It was solid... ish. It moved like water, rippling from his collapse and his finger tracing in it. It felt like he could just sink in and disappear, yet it was solid enough to hold him up, not allowing him to sink.
Curiosity momentarily replacing his fear, Hunter tilted his head and continued poking at the dark water-like ground. It wasn’t completely black like he’d previously though upon opening his eyes. There were mixes of gray and a sickly dark green in it, swirling around as he messed with the substance.
SPLASH!
A scream left the teenager as he bolted to his feet.
Whipping around, eyes wide and panicked, Hunter spotted a ripple in the ground, disturbing the colors around it. He panted heavily, the scare having spiked his adrenaline. He trembled slightly, ears peeking upon hearing another splash to his left. He turned, barely registering what seemed to be a hand retreating back into the ground.
”H-hello.” Hunter hated how his voice trembled and stuttered. “Who’s... who’s there? I-I’m warning you!”
It was now the realization of Flapjack being gone fully hit him. He didn’t have anything to defend himself with. And so he threw his hands up, clenching them into shaky fists. He was no expert in hand-to-hand combat, but he knew enough to at least make a getaway if need be.
A laugh sounded behind him. His head snapped around, body following. He froze, paling as he began noticeably shaking. His bravado from before disappeared completely.
A cracked Golden Guard mask lay only a few feet from him. There were flecks of red on it. He turned away, feeling his stomach churn uneasily.
”Look, Hunter,” a voice echoed around. “Look at what he did.”
Hunter only obeyed our of absolute fear, realizing the voice was his own. Or so he thought.
When he turned back to the mask, a figure stood with it, stopped over. They scooped up the mask in a gloved hand, standing as Hunter realized the armor they wore was exactly like his own, minus the darker color. The person rubbed a gloved thumb over the flimsy mask. It was made more for identity than for actual protection, as was –
Hunter cut that thought off immediately. There was no time to think of him. He focused on the face of whoever had spoken, his breath hitching as he recognized the blonde hair and magenta eyes.
Their faces were identical. Well, mostly. This duplicate was missing the gap in his tooth, scar on his cheek, and nick in his ear. Instead, he had a crooked nose, tilted smile, and a scar running cireclty over his right eye, from his forehead to his chin. The eye was cloudy, meaning whatever had happened had cause loss of vision in that eye.
”I... you – your –“
”Number fifteen,” the other him sighed heavily, eyes dark and mouth grimacing. “Your predecessor, if you’d like.” His voice, while similar to Hunter’s, didn’t have the same intonation. It was dull and slightly deeper than Hunter’s own, giving him the impression he was older.
”I’m not older,” the Grimwalker huffed, clutching the mask in hand tightly. “I was fourteen. Belos just messed up the spell and I turned out different. He called me Lloyd.” He clicked his tongue bitterly.
Hunter took a step back. “How’d you –“
”We’re in your mind. I can hear whatever you think.”
Hunter still didn’t move. Lloyd has a constant glare on his face now, directed at the mask in hand.
”I was the one he petrified,” Lloyd began and the scene switched, the dark expanse rippling.
Hunter gasped as he saw Lloyd, dressed in his own Golden Guard uniform and poised in a fighting stance, standing down the Emperor. Lloyd held the familiar artificial staff in hand, clenching it tightly.
Belos said not a word and suddenly the spell that had been used to almost turn Ed’s to stone was activated.
Hunter couldn’t watch as he heard Lloyd screaming, the stone crawling up his body as he seemingly reached towards him.
As quickly as it begun, it stopped, Hunter being thrown back in the limitless room. He was panting and shaking, hands finding themselves in his hair. He didn’t realize he was crying until he heard the drip drip drip of tears hitting the ground.
He went to turn to Lloyd but he was gone, replaced by one Hunter’s own age. He was missing an entire ear.
”I... drowned...”
And so it went. Hunter met his predecessor’s and was immediately thrown into their memories, watching their untimely and gruesome demises. Vaporization, drowning in quicksand, stabbed by Bella’s cursed form, crushed, falling from a cliff... if you could name it, he saw it happen over and over and over, each more horrific than the last. He felt sicker and sicker each time, nearly throwing up if this nightmare would have let him. He was instead dry heaving, sweating and crying. He wanted Flapjack. He needed his dearest friend with him, to break him free from this nightmare that seemed to go on for hours.
Fourteen more times he had to witness his previous deaths until the last came. It was obvious this man was grown, in his late twenties or even early thirties. His eyes, unlike Hunter’s own, we’re a bright blue, different yet so similar to Belos’s. They held kindness and understanding. He spoke no words as he approached Hunter and showed him what happened to him.
Stabbing, once more, but different. Hunter couldn’t turn away as he watched what he assumed was a young Belos, no mask and no eerie green scar covering his face, approach the young man. The blonde was smiling wide, gesturing at someone and excitedly talking. Belos merely smiled, tightening a grip on a knife behind his back. Despite somehow knowing the blonde was older than Belos, he looked so much younger.
When the other had turned, Belos ran forwards, slashing his knife at the original’s back. Hunter winced, covering his ears as the older screamed and turned around, whipping out a dagger of his own. He appeared to be pleading, holding the dagger in one hand whilst placatingly putting the other in front of him.
It was then Hunter noticed the fire around them. He didn’t know when it got there or how long it has been there, but it kept him entranced as the two fought, the blonde dodging while young Belos kept charging and swinging his dagger.
Hunter felt a hand squeeze his shoulder, making him glance to the taller individual at his side who was watching the scene with tears of his own.
”I... apologize for what you are seeing, Hunter.” His voice was smooth, his accent making his pronunciation sound exactly like Belos. “But they wanted you to know why you exist – why they existed.”
Hunter shivered before turning back to the scene at hand. He turns just in time to see Belos ram the blade deep into his opponent’s stomach, the older freezing. His grip loosened and the dagger fell, clanging to the ground. Young Belos grimaced and ripped his own dagger out, the squelching sound making Hunter sick.
Belos’s dagger fell to the ground just as the blonde staggered and fell on his back, one hand on his wound and another laying on the ground. His blue eyes met duller ones, managing to crack a mirthless smile.
”I suppose... I... taught you too well,” the older whispered, the sound of his own voice making Hunter go still.
It was so soft, so quiet, so... kind. Even after Belos killed him, he was so kind. He even managed a small, “I’m sorry,” before falling still, Hunter left with the uneasy reflection of Belos in the abandoned blade on the floor.
as the memory faded away, Hunter became aware of tears trekking down his cheeks. He had unknowingly clenched his jaw but his teeth were letting him know, the pressure alone making the hurt. He took in deep breaths, suppressing sobs and turned to the older man. Tears of his own were falling down his face, mingling with the dark water-like flooring as they dropped.
”I’m who you were made after. My name is Caleb and Phillip is my brother...” he – Caleb mumbled, looking down at the ground.
Hunter said nothing as he stared down as well, seeing his own reflection. His hands were still trembling as he took a step towards Caleb. The older man almost fell backwards as Hunter practically tackled him in a bone crushing hug.
”I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Hunter sobbed, the dam breaking as fresh tears spilled and he cried his heart out. “Sorrysorrysorrysorrysorry –“
”Hunter. Hunter! It’s okay, none of this was you fault –“
Hunter ignored him as he released him and backed away, breathing speeding up. He fell to his knees once more, panting viciously as he tangled his hands in his hair.
”Out of all the Grimwalkers, you look the most like him.”
The mere thought of the words made him choke.
”I was petrified.”
”...burned.”
”...drowned...”
”Stabbed.”
”Broken neck.”
”We never got a chance...”
”He knew what we were up to.”
”He caught up...”
”Caught us...”
”...never saw it coming...”
Hunter cried harder as he heard the other Grimwalkers echo in his head, drowning out Caleb’s pleading and calls. He choked on the nonexistent air, removing his hand from his hair and proceeding to claw at his shirt collar.
It felt too tight, everything was suffocating! Didn’t he already remove that cloak! He as so scared!
No, no, nononono –
Hunter let out a yell as he jolted up, the action making him fall off the couch. He panted, panic still flooding his body as he flipped back over on his back. He scooted around, shoving himself in the corner of the living room and crying.
Hurried footsteps following by concerned chirping made their way to him. He cracked open his eyes just in time to see Luz, Flapjack, King, and Ed’s round the corner at the stairs and run into the living room. Flapjack immediately let out a shriek and zoomed to Hunter, flying around his head and chirping.
Hurt! Hurt! You are hurt! Please breathe! the bird called in his mind, voice barely a whisper through the fog.
It was then that Hunter realized he was getting no air in. Not proper air. He was gasping, barely getting any air into his lungs. Luz and Ed’s were immediately at his sides, King directly in front of him.
Luz was speaking but he couldn’t understand her. Eda’s face only grew more concerned. When she let out a small whistle, his attention turned to her.
”Hunter... Hunter, breathe,” she said, tone firm but soft. “Just follow after me, okay?” She started inhaling and exhaling deeply, clearly showing him what to do.
Hunter tried – he promised, he did try! – but it wasn’t working. It felt like a weight on his chest, all the voices still yelling in his head.
Suddenly, there was a warm weight pressing against his leg. It moved and wiggles before settling on his stomach. It grabbed his hand and put it on it’s belly, Hunter recognizing the soft fur of King beneath his hand. His hand was covering his chest and lower abdomen, feeling the tiny demon breathe.
”C’mon, Hunter,” King urged, tiny hands gently holding Hunter’s hand. “I can’t subjugate you if you pass out...”
That got a wheeze of a laugh from the older boy. It was cut off as he continued crying, but he tried to focus on Kong’s tiny breaths. He squeezed his eyes shut, willing his attention on the breaths and trying to copy them.
It took a while, and some encouragement from Luz and Flapjack, before Hunter was able to breathe mostly regularly. Luz was pressed against his side, having realized Hunter wanted it after he had tried reaching for her. Flapjack was nestled on his shoulder, nuzzling him and letting out soft chirps. Eda was still sat in front of him, and King was still sat on his stomach, eyes droopy as Hunter moved to pet him.
Hunter sniffled before looking at Eda. “Sorry.”
”Pshh, don’t be, kiddo,” the Owl Lady waved it off. Her tone then softened, eyes watching him with a mother’s love. “I’m just glad you’re okay...”
Hunter would’ve cried again if he wasn’t already so exhausted. He wasn’t use to this kind of love. Barren was the castle of such, and Belos rarely ever gave him affirmation, so this was new.
Eda scooted to his other side, bringing all three of her kids into a gentle hug. “You’re all gonna be okay, no matter what.”
Exhausted, emotionally and physically, all five of the Owl House residents huddled together on the floor. One by one, they fell into slumber, Hooty eventually peeking through the window.
The tube bird smiled knowingly. “A slumber party? I’m in! Hoot!”
Although excited, he managed to keep his voice quiet enough to not wake anyone as he wormed into the house and curled around them. He closed his eyes and followed them into sleep.