Chapter Text
“I don’t have time for this.”
The hatch on Kikimora’s mech had barely clipped shut before the abomatron’s form smashed against the ground, the ex-golden guard’s heart practically ripping out of his chest as he threw his body out of the bot's way.
He felt his eyes slide close as his middle hit metal plating, a dull throbbing now tingling up his right arm from where flesh had cracked against steel.
He didn’t have time to react before something unnaturally cold wrapped around his middle, the defector’s feet now wildly kicking air as something slimy lifted him further and further from the ground.
Hunter could have sworn that his heart stopped as a singular manic eye zeroed in on his own.
The teen felt the grip of the abomatron’s hold tighten as it barreled through the Blight’s factory entrance, its shoulder effortlessly twisting inward as it only pushed through a new layer of abomination goo.
The teen felt his teeth clack together as more and more space was pushed between his captor and his Hexide friends behind him, only the sound of mechanical whirring and heavy footfalls adding to the crescendo in his chest before the mech halted all together.
Time seemed to freeze as his body was spun towards the group chasing behind, his jaw going slack as a series of green tendrils rushed towards him, yet they stopped just shy of his form. He could have sworn that he heard Captain’s voice grunt from somewhere as the room went dark.
The mech’s gooey exterior was almost frigid now as its pilot began rapid firing from the bot’s cannon. Though the lasers never seemed to find its target, the purple beams only succeeding in briefly illuminating the floor as it wildly blew holes through the ceiling.
The boy felt his nose twitch as debris began splitting from the factory's roof tiles, both plaster and concrete kicking up dust as pieces of the building sickeningly slammed the ground next to Kikimora’s side.
“I don’t need all you cretans but this one is mine.”
Hunter felt his pupils widen as his gaze found the now once-again-visible teens in front of him, his breaths halting as his eyes locked with each of his allies, the most desperate being Luz, her gaze widening as her neck cracked sharply towards the illusionist prodigy, the later’s stare just as, if not more mortified than the human’s beside him.
The captive felt his stomach drop as his body once again rose from the ground. Yet, he was being raised to a higher altitude now. Much higher. He thought he heard a few voices scream his name as both he and the mech passed through a hole in the ceiling.
“Well well…The Golden Guard .”
Kiki had started speaking though her words sounded more muffled now, less legible. Twisted laughter broke through as a pink wall of something began growing in front of him, his body automatically flinching against the droid’s hold as he felt himself being tossed against something smooth.
He felt something in his chest quicken as his brain connected the pink color to the see-through sphere-like contraption surrounding him from the center of the meck’s palm.
“Demoted for shaken loyalty. Not productive enough on missions to keep her rank.” There was more snickering now, an unhinged sort of giggling sound emanating from the demon’s chest, the biped’s tongue curling sharply as she mocked her past overseers. “Let's see what those condescending witches think of their superior now!”
The teen didn’t realize that he had started standing again until his palms slammed into the opposite wall of the orb, his pupils shrinking into fine needle points as they searched through the hole in the Blight industry’s ceiling, the opening now much too far away for the boy to ever have hope of seeing if his allies were still inside.
“I told them my potential was being squandered in the “crate coven!” I have so many coven scouts to petrify once I get back.”
High up.
Titan he’s high up.
But he can’t use his staff.
Flapjack isn’t with him. Hunter had been disarmed by Odalia and the other Coven guards during the fight, but at least the cardinal wouldn’t be broken. Amity’s father was a powerful witch that they now had on their side. It was his factory too. The elder Blight could retrieve the avian. The bird would be safe. He had to be.
And the barrier was using a strong type of Oracle Magic. It’s possible that Flapjack wouldn’t be able to break through anyway. And, even if the teen could miraculously escape purly on his own, he would only break his neck from this height, would be little more than a squashed fairy along concrete.
He didn’t register that his legs had buckled beneath him until a dull thud echoed inside the chamber.
“Let’s see them try to demote me now! Let’s see who they're loyal to now!”
Kiki’s words were starting to sound distant again. A pitchy ringing sound had begun to replace it. Shaky legs found his middle as the Blight building vanished beneath the clouds.
“I can't wait to see their faces after I bring the most coveted traitor right to the emperor's doorstep! Belos will have t-”
All coherent sound from the biped demon had ceased, the teen’s spine going rigid at the mention of the dictator’s name. The image of a gripped sweater and crushing darkness flashing across his vision.
“...had to do was… for your “rebellion” to show up. And Adrian said trying…s so difficult. …honestly not… why… eep around su… weak coven head…”
The words were fading out much faster now, the pounding in the teen’s ears only getting stronger. His chest buckled painfully.
He should keep it together. The resistance needs him to. But its hard. It’s so damn hard.
Because he knows there's no one left to free him, because he’s starting to realize that his luck may really have run out, because he can recognize the path they're taking up the Titans sternum, because they're getting closer to the castle, because he can see the edge of Conformatorium as they….
“Maybe I’ll…age during Day…ity! O…par…ill final…e why I… be…”
It’s hard to breathe again. Titan why can’t he breathe again?!
They're over an ocean. The colors purple, brown, pink, white sickeningly swirl together. The hue of the Titan’s bones are the last of the world he sees before he forces his eyes close.
“...otion ge…om…thi…a…ne i…r…fe…”
Die.
Titan he’s really going to die isn’t he?
Petrified, killed, murdered, forgotten-
No. No no no no no no no…
He can't. He can’t. Ti-Titan he can’t. It can’t end like this. He can't end like this. Not after everything. Not after he was just starting to live his life for himself. Not after finding a place he could maybe, eventually feel like he belonged to.
Please he can't. He can’t, he can’t, he can’t, he can’t, he can’t he can’t, he…
“al…ne…p…o……u……s…”
Shaking.
He doesn’t know when he started shaking.
Black spots are starting to cluster around his vision. He’s not getting enough air. Gus’ breathing thing. Something about a breathing thing. Fingers? Sitting? He can’t. He can’t remember how it's supposed to go.
“...f…h….d….g………..”
Something shifted. The mech’s dipping. Maybe it isn’t. Maybe it's just him.
His mouth is gaping, but he can’t feel his chest anymore. His arms are clawing against his body but he can’t feel them anymore.
“..o…a…”
He’s going to die like the god below him. He’s going to die like Belos’ friend from the emperor's past. He’s going to die like those palismen. He’s going to die like the failed clones before him.
He’s going to die, he going to die, he’s going to diediediediediediediediedie…
“...h…”
“.u…”
His eyes are open again. They’re descending. He wants Flapjack. He needs him. He can’t have him. Hunter’s chest tightens further, the feeling of pure dread drowning his insides. A sea of blurred coven scouts guarding the perimeter.
“...”
“...”
Kiki’s voice is talking again. Other voices follow. They've lowered down to the front yard. His body hits the floor. Red eyes meet Titan skull.
Hunter’s soul freezes.
He doesn’t pray to it anymore. He knows it won’t do anything. It can’t help him. Those pleas have all but died in his throat.
But for the first time when he looks into the holes where the creatures eyes once were, where the beast now called a god once searched the land, he doesn’t see a remorseful guardian, a kind protector, a gentle deity.
No. He can only see the portal door, can only see Belos muttering to himself, can only see the cage he will be locked into and the chains he will be bound in when he's brought shackled to his knees.
And so he can only jerk away when cold metal bites into his wrists, can only stutter and gasp out broken pleas and promises to guards he knows won't listen, only shakes and kicks against his bounds as he’s dragged into the throne room,
And only freezes and gapes as two phantom blue eyes finally reconnect with his own.