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Hunter looked over at the half-buried throne, slowly being overtaken by plant life. He remembered all the times he knelt in front of it, bowing his head low as he could to make himself look as small as possible when Belos summoned him or when he came back from a mission and had to report to him. He hoped that if Belos chose to "correct" him for his mistakes, he would come out of it with one or two fewer injuries he would have to treat himself.
He remembered the numerous scars across his back, when Belos would command him to remove his armor so he could discipline him with a rattan cane. Hunter always sobbed when he was caned, and every time he cried he got struck again.
You’re quite lucky,” Belos had hissed. “When I was a kid, this was done across the bare buttocks. You should be grateful I’m doing it across your clothed back.”
Hunter was grateful. He really was. He was grateful for everything Belos did to hurt him. He deserved it, after all.
Another smack from the cane. Hunter let out a strangled gasp at the pain; his back almost giving out on him. He heard Belos tsk, and listened to the clicks of his heeled boots circle around him. Hunter felt his blood start to drip onto the floor beneath him. The excruciating pain started to set in moments afterwards, leaving him breathless.
He wanted to scream; to do anything, but he knew he couldn't, not when he was at his uncle's mercy.
"Do you enjoy watching me suffer?"
Hunter's ears twitched as he heard his uncle's voice speak up again. ‘Of course not’, he wanted to say, but he knew he couldn't do that either. This wasn't the first time he had been punished like this, nor will it be the last.
He heard Belos get closer until the footsteps stopped. Hunter tried to weakly pull himself off the ground, but he felt Belos's boot pressed against his back, pinning him down.
This was hopeless. He felt like he was going to die. Just like all the Golden Guards in the past.
Belos sighed from above him, which was never a good sign. "Hunter," He started, applying more pressure to his back and pushing him into the floor. "This isn't easy for me, you know. You were supposed to be the last one; the perfect one."
Hunter let out a pained cry, clenching his fists.
His heart ached; he knew this was his fault. Even looking back on it now, part of him still didn't want to make his uncle upset. Part of him still wanted to believe in his uncle’s lie. He wanted to so badly.
Sometimes he missed him. Hunter loved his uncle so much, and he wanted to believe that Belos loved him back. He wanted to ignore all the times he cried himself to sleep with an aching wound. He wanted to ignore the canings and agony and cries for mercy, begging and promising that he will do better, do better, do better.
Unfortunately, he never was enough. He always failed his missions, causing Belos to hurt him again and again. All of his gaping wounds, all of his sobs, all for nothing. At the end of the day, he was nothing, just a tool to be used and abused however Belos saw fit.
Another smack of the cane.