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The last thing Hunter remembered was the simple melody of a flute and Gus. The younger witch looked back at him helplessly while Head Witch Graye only smirked as he succumbed to the flute’s spell.
When he woke again, he stared at a familiar ceiling through bleary eyes. Beneath him was the familiar comforting firmness of a mattress, and on top of him is the comforting weight of a blanket. The two combined plus the lingering effects of the sleep spell he was under made it all too tempting to drift back to sleep.
And drift he did until he realized where he was.
Hunter shot up with a start, throwing the blanket off him as if it burned him. He leaped out of the bed, heart racing as he backed away from it, eyeing it as if it would attack him at any given moment. His eyes darted wildly around the room.
“Flapjack?” He called out in a hushed tone, looking around the room for the cardinal. They needed to go. Now. “You can come out, it’s okay!” His hands start shaking when she doesn’t come out of her usual hiding spot. “Flapjack?”
He dropped onto his knees, wincing in pain from the way they knocked against the brick tile. He pushed up the dust ruffle and felt sick to his stomach when he found her nest was gone. He quickly pulled himself out from under his bed, his heart pounding in his chest as he tried to fight back the nauseous feeling.
He knows. He found her and he killed her. Just like all the other Palisman. Just like he’s going to do to you.
Hunter’s hands started shaking harder and his breathing picked up as he stared at the floor. His eyes darted to the window and he laughed at himself.
Of course! She’s outside! You’re overreacting!
He stood on trembling legs and hurried over to the window so he could open it. But when he touched it, a shock of magic ran through him, making him stumble back with a yelp of pain. He held his hand to his chest, his heavy breathing now more of a wheezing sound as he backed away from the window.
Blood pounding in his ears, Hunter quickly turned around and pulled the door open. He gasped when the two coven scouts stationed outside crossed their halberds to prevent him from going any further.
Ignoring the way his hands trembled he tried to speak. “W-What is the—” he cleared his throat when his voice came out far too squeaky and far too panicked to be taken seriously. He hardened his expression. “Move.” He ordered in the most commanding tone he could muster. But they make no move to obey. “Now.”
“S-Sorry, sir,” said one of the scouts. “We, uh… We can’t let you out.”
“I am your commanding officer and I am ordering you to stand aside.”
“We’re sorry, Your Highness,” The other scout said and Hunter’s mouth turned dry at the title. “But, we can’t. Emperor’s orders.”
Hunter broke into a cold sweat, suddenly finding it difficult to breathe as his throat tightened. He backed away from the door as one of the scouts closed it with a spell. He backed away from the door until his back hit the far wall and he sank to the floor, hiding his face in his knees.
He can’t breathe. He dug his trembling fingers into his hair, the pain doing little to ground him as his heart beats so fast he swore it was going to burst at any moment.
Or shatter, in his case.
Screwing his eyes shut he tried hard to remember that breathing thing Gus had taught him. It took him a moment, but he eventually managed to get his breathing under control enough that he didn’t feel like he was going to pass out. Slowly, he raised his head and finally took in his surroundings. His eyebrows bunched together in confusion when he realized…
Everything was just as he left it.
But things were still… Off. The stack of books on his desk was too neat. The knick-knacks on his shelves were in the wrong places. Drawers that he knew he left open or ajar or had something hanging out of them were now closed. Anything that could be used as a weapon was missing.
His room had been completely torn apart and put back together.
Hunter glanced back at where Flapjack’s nest should be under his bed, and then back at the window. She’s fine… She has to be… She’s smart! She probably went to find the human— Luz. Or she’s still at Hexside…
Hexside.
Gus.
He has to get back! They're all going to be forced into covens! He has to help them before it’s too late! But— But how? He has no magic. No way to get out of here, and as soon as Unc— Belos is told he’s awake he’s as good as dead! He got to his feet and looked around for something he could use, but the only thing left was his books and useless trinkets. Hunter’s eyes fell on his desk. To the stack of papers and a pencil.
Hunter sat on his bed, staring at the door. His leg bounced impatiently as he knew he was wasting valuable time by just sitting here waiting for someone to open the door. But it’s his best bet. He knows the castle like the back of his hand, if he can just slip by whoever opens the door, he can run to the docks and grab an airship.
He just needed someone to actually open the door.
As if the Titan was actually listening to him, he heard footsteps outside and his ears twitched at the sound. Hunter stood from the bed and held his breath, tightly clutching the papers in his hand as the knob turned.
The door opened and he ran
A hand grabbed him by the arm, and without much thought he took one of the glyphs he had drawn and pressed it to their forearm, bursting it into flame. But it wasn’t enough for them to let go. All it did was cause them to tighten their grip so hard he heard a crack and pain shot through his arm.
Hunter looked up at his captor, breath hitching at the sight of glowing blue eyes glaring angrily at him from behind a golden mask. The next thing he knew, he was harshly thrown back into the room, the back of his head smacking against the brick wall.
“Now, now,” Unc— Belos spoke, his tone the same as if he were scolding a young child. He patted out the fire on his sleeve as if it were nothing more than a mild inconvenience as the door closed behind him. “Is that any way to behave, Hunter?”
“You think I’m just going to sit back and let you kill me?” Hunter demanded as he got to his feet, ignoring the throbbing pain in the back of his skull. “You raised me better than that.”
“Oh come now, no need to be so dramatic, Hunter.” Belos chuckled as he approached him. “I told you before, didn’t I?” He leaned forward, and Hunter tried not to shrink back. “You’re such a hassle to replace.” Involuntary tears sprung to the boy's eyes at that, and Belos only chuckled again at the sight. “Besides,” he turned away from him. “Even if I tried, the next grimwalker wouldn’t be ready. You can’t rush them, you see. They never quite come out properly.”
“They never come out looking or behaving the way you want them to…” Hunter muttered and Belos hummed.
“You were nearly perfect,” Belos sighed wistfully, taking off his mask. “You look so much like him… The only real difference being those eyes of yours and that ugly little gap in your teeth.” He said, and Hunter’s hand instinctively flew to cover his mouth. Belos looked back at him, and this time Hunter could see the condescending smile on his face. “Perhaps that’s why I’ve always been easy on you.”
Hunter clenched his fists at his side, the scars on his body telling a different story. He wanted to say as much, but he knew better than to speak out of turn. Especially now when his life was quite literally at his mercy.
“Perhaps you’re too much like him…” Belos continued with a short hum. “You have the same nasty rebellious streak…” He sighed tiredly. “All of you do.” Under his breath, he muttered, “I can never quite beat it out of any of you…”
“Is that why you killed them?” Hunter asked, voice quiet.
‘Sometimes I think you make those things just to destroy them. You have fun with it! Admit it!’ That… Shadowy Kid’s voice echoed in his head, and he looked up at the man.
“Or… Or do you… Have fun… Killing us?”
Belos stared at him quietly, and even without the mask, Hunter has a hard time knowing what was going on in his head. But then he smiled, and… Hunter could tell it wasn’t to comfort him.
“Of course not, Hunter,” the man assured him, speaking as if he were comforting a frightened child after a nightmare. “It hurts me much more than it hurts you.”
“Liar…”
Belos’ eyes narrowed and he approached the boy again, towering over him. “You’d be wise to remember your place, Hunter.” He said. “Or do you want to wind up like the others?” He stared at the boy, smiling when his shoulders dropped and he looked away. “Good boy.”
Hunter grit his teeth when Unc— Belos ruffled his hair, screwing his eyes shut to stop himself from crying. How could he just submit like that? He should fight back! Say something! Try to run away again! He should—
Snap!
Belos snapped his fingers and pulled Hunter from his thoughts. “Now, you are going to be the good boy I made you to be, and you are going to stay in your room until further notice.” He turned away from him. “You’d be wise not to try anything, lest your Palisman pay the price.”
Hunter’s heart stopped, his eyes widening in horror. “You—” He choked out, unable to stop himself from crying this time when Belos only smiled at him. He hung his head in shame. His ears twitched at the sound of the doorknob turning. “W-Wait!” He lunged forward, grabbing onto his cloak. He swallowed when the man looked down at him with annoyance. “W-What about the students at Hexside..?”
“Ah,” Belos pried his hands off his cloak. “Don’t you worry now, you’ll see your little friends again on the Day of Unity.” He patted his head. “Play your cards right and I might even let you say goodbye to them.”
Hunter’s breath hitched and he backed away from the Emperor. He stood in the center of the room, Belos’ shadow cast over him as he put his mask back on and opened the door. The man waited for a moment, testing him to see if he would try to run again. He smiled when he didn’t. He stepped through the door and without so much as glancing at him, he said,
“Welcome home, Hunter.”