Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Sorry… There’s a lot to explain.” Hunter mumbled twiddling his thumbs together nervously as the students and employees of Hexside studied him like some newly found artifact. He was no stranger to large crowds or attention by any means, but in this moment the amount of eyes on him made his skin crawl. Titan, he wished he was wearing his Golden Guard mask. Then again, his stomach flip flopped at the idea of ever having to put the thing on his face again. Principal Bump stepped out from the crowd, “Then you’d better get started.”

Hunter swallowed the panic down and looked at Gus and Willow for help. Willow placed a comforting hand on his shoulder and Gus stepped up to his rescue. Hunter smiled gratefully, and took a deep, shakey breath.

“What do you want to know?” Gus asked on Hunter’s behalf to the staring crowd.

Bump turned to Hunter ignoring Gus, “You said the Day of Unity isn’t about the Titan or magic, if what you say is true, then what is it about, Golden Guard?” Hunter cringed at the old title, “I’m not exactly sure,” Angry whispering immediately started from the crowd cutting him off.

Hunter shrunk in on himself even more.

“B-but I do know it’s not good! I don’t exactly know the details, but he’s going to try to perform some sort of spell to get rid of wild magic or something? The Coven Heads all think that it’s to create some sort of wild magic free utopia where they have control over people, but there was whisper that people would… die. I think the spell is going to be channeled through coven sigils. I believe it’s all part of the Emperor's plan to get rid of all the witches and demons that inhabit this world. He wants.. he wants everyone dead. I don’t know all the details of the plan, but I think that’s his goal. I’m sorry I can’t be of more use.”

Hunger cringed at the apology, his tongue easily switching into the practiced mannerisms of the Golden Guard. How could he have been so stupid to ever serve Belos? Titan, how did he never find it suspicious that Belos didn’t share nearly any details about the Day of Unity with him? The knowledge he was actually told was even more limited. Most of the ‘details’ he just shared were inferences he made after seeing what he saw in the man’s mind.

The crowd erupted into questions and chatter, dozens of different  conversations mixing into one big mob of fearful voices, “Did he say people would die!” “Oh thank the Titan, I don’t have a Coven Sigil.” “He wants everyone dead?” “Wild magic free utopia? What does that mean?” “Is it really going to be bad?” “How can we even trust what he’s saying! He used to work for the Emperor!” “What does this even mean?” “I don’t want to die!” “Get rid of wild magic?”

Hunter took a step back instinctively, the mob overwhelming. The adrenaline from the fight was wearing off and his posture slipped from exhaustion. He hadn’t gotten more than 5 hours of sleep in the past few days, and it was starting to have an effect on his body.

Bump smacked the bottom of his Palisman staff on the ground letting off a loud echoing boom, immediately quieting the crowd as people jumped at the noise. “I think what most of us are wondering is-how do we know that’s the truth Golden Guard? How do we know you're still not covering up for the Emperor?”

“It’s Hunter.” The boy mumbled in response.

“Did you even ever quit?” someone called from the crowd. “Yeah why’d you run away!” “Yeah what happened!” “We want the truth!” The crowd started yelling again and Hunter backed away, the angry voices piling on top of eachother getting heavier and heavier on his chest until he felt whatever was keeping his panic from bubbling up pop. He vaguely heard Willow’s voice chime in defending him about how he just fought beside them against Graye, but her voice just mixed in with the rest of the crowd.

He felt the cold hands of the past Golden Guards at his ankles, and his breathing hitched. He tried to form some type of answer, but his sleep deprived brain couldn’t formulate a sentence. Titan, he was so tired.

“I ran away because.. he was gonna ki- he was gonna…” He couldn’t finish the sentence as the memories replayed in his head and the realness of the sentence hit him yet again. He’d come to the realization a few nights ago but the thought still set him off every time, “Sorry- I.. Gus I- can’t breathe- didn’t mean- sorry-” He hiccuped between each word, his breathing speeding up.

Fear washed over him as his vision blurred and his head felt heavy. Not here, not now, please Titan. He was okay, he was okay.

“Hey buddy you’re okay! Remember the method!
You’re gonna be okay. Focus on me and Willow.”

The crowd quieted again, all eyes on him. His face felt like it was almost bubbling, the prickling tingling feeling taking over his body. He felt his eyes glass over which just made the feeling of panic already overwhelming him worsen. He didn’t need all these random civilians watching him cry. He wouldn’t allow that to happen.

The hunger of not eating properly for almost a week didn’t help. He felt light headed.

Titan, he was used to these, so why did he always feel like he was dying during them? He knew deep down he wasn’t but there was no other logical explanation in his mind for what he was feeling right now.

The voices calling out to him felt distorted. Or was it just one voice? The world felt dizzy as his thoughts spiraled and the world darkened. His eyelids felt droopy and the heaviness that had been pulling on them the past week was suddenly unbearable. The eyes on him just made everything worsen.

“Hunter… hear us… Hunter!” Was he falling? Why did everything feel like it was happening so slowly?

The world went black as he smacked his head against the concrete floor.

…

“I think he’s waking up.” a soft, worried, digitized voice noticed.

Where was he?

“Hunter you good?” This voice was more masculine and sounded closer. Hunter opened his eyes drearily. He felt the rough leather material of the thing he seemed to be laying on. It gave in at his touch. A couch? Someone with an older voice spoke up from another room. “Oh shoot, is he awake? I should be there to explain things and re-introduce myself.”

Hunter’s eyes droggily looked around. Where was he?

A darker witch with glasses and a strangely familiar face suddenly came into view and welcomed Hunter, “I’m so sorry we weren’t able to ask first, but you were obviously you know,” he gestured toward Hunter’s head injury which weirdly wasn’t throbbing but almost… prickling? The man continued, “So we just turned to Darius who said this would be the best option for you.”

“Willow I’ll catch you up later I gotta go.” Gus said into his floating scroll portraying Willow’s face on it. She nodded understandingly, “Tell Hunter to keep ice on his head and update me later! Goodnight!”

The call ended with a beep.

“Darius?” Hunter whispered confusedly. Darius knew where he was? Why had he not told the Emperor? What was going on?

The panic began to rise back up. Darius… knew? Was Darius going to bring him back? No. No, No, No, No, No. He couldn’t go back. Belos would kill him.

He didn’t want to die.

He sat up, suddenly quite alert as his fight or slight instincts kicked in and the adrenaline began to be pumped through his body. He went to stand up before a small hand pushed him gently back down reassuring him, “Hey it’s okay don’t worry you’re safe dude.”

Was he though? No- Gus wouldn’t turn him in like that. Right…? How well did he really know the boy? Maybe- maybe he would.

Oh Titan Darius is going to come for him. He’s gonna come for him, and he’s going to take him back, and he’s going to have to face Belos and Belos… Belos will kill him. Belos will kill him. He scanned the room for an exit, noticing the front door just a couple yards away, as his breathing began to pick up again.

Suddenly the older witch spoke again, cutting off Hunter’s spiraling thoughts before he could act on anything, “Oh sorry I forgot you don’t know. There’s a lot to explain. Darius Deamonne is a part of the C.A.T.T.’s, a rebel group that is working on taking down Belos and the Day of Unity. He asked me to look after you since he knew you and Augustus were friends. He didn’t want to leave you in the hands of someone whom you had no connection with.” He paused and stared at Hunter trying to gauge his reaction.

It took a minute for the words to seep in. Darius was working… against the Emperor’s Coven?

The man spoke again, “Oh sorry! I completely forgot to introduce myself, I’m Perry Porter, Augustus’ father. It’s an honor to meet the one and only Golden Guard.” He said, reaching out to shake Hunter’s hand.

Hunter’s stomach dropped at the title, and he saw Gus gently elbow his dad for using it.

Hunter’s hand reached out to shake the man’s, muscle memory kicking in from all the times he had to formally greet people his whole life, however he felt disoriented and his mind was still catching up to all the information that was just thrown at him.

Perry understood the message Gus tried to convey with the elbow.

His reporter instincts were uncontrollable, but he knew now was not the time nor the place to be asking the trembling boy about his past. “Sorry… Anyways, Darius just wanted you to have a safe place to stay until the Day of Unity, and I wanted to help.”

Hunter nodded, trying not to think of what he would do after those two weeks were over, he didn’t want to go back to eating trash out of the Hex-side garbage every day.

A wave of shame hit him with the thoughts.

Of course this was a temporary thing! He shouldn’t even be permitted to stay here in another person’s home in the first place. He couldn’t believe that he thought a single ungrateful thing about this. The Porter's didn’t have to do this. Didn’t have to allow him to reside in their house. Didn’t have to  waste their food or hard earned money on him. He was beyond grateful for there generosity, and he’d worry about the future when the time came.

If  there even would be any future after the Day of Unity.

Gus’s voice broke him out of his trance “Hunter you good dude? You took a really hard fall early today.”

“What? Oh sorry yeah I’m fine- Thank you. I just got… overwhelmed I guess. Haven’t slept well the past few days” He rubbed his neck embarrassedly, uncomfortable about this whole situation.

Gus just stared at him sadly, wondering quietly why the boy had been hiding out in Hexside.

Gus’s father spoke up again, “We have your room just about done, just need to get the extra sheets out of the wash. We had you rest here on the couch while we got everything ready. You had quite a fall, so we put healing bandages on your injury, if you feel the tingling in your head that’s why.”

Ah that explains the feeling.

“Thank you.” He repeated. Everything felt surreal. He didn’t know what else to say. He tried to study his new surroundings. The Porter home was small, but comfortable. A fireplace surrounded by many hanging photos lining the walls caught his attention. He stared at a certain one containing Gus, Perry, and a dark skinned woman with tight braids cascading down his back. Her dark eyes were bright with pride. Gus’s mother perhaps? He didn’t want to ask, he’d never heard Gus talk about her and didn’t want to pry.

“Of course, and if you need anything at all please feel free to ask. Oh I layed out some clothes in your room, some of my old stuff. If stuff doesn’t fit right, I can go out to the market and get you some new stuff later today when I go out for groceries.”

Hunter immediately spoke up feeling like a burden, “No, no it’s okay you don’t have to do all that for me! I’m grateful for your hospitality. Thank you sir.”

He barely realized he was bowing.

Perry let out a chuckle and placed a comforting hand on the boy’s shoulder.

“It’s no biggie son. I’m glad I can help.”

Hunter straightened up and looked at the man’s kind eyes.

Maybe he was safe.

Maybe he just might be okay.

Chapter Text

Gus studied the blue mirror pinching it between his fingers, the tinted see through surface gleaming as the sunlight shining through the window hit it. 

It’d been 4 hours since Hunter woke up in the house. He’d taken a shower after he’d gotten the hint that he smelled like absolute shit from the few indirect comments Gus has made. He knew he  didn’t mean anything by it. Hygiene was the last thing on the boys mind over the past few days, so he appreciated the reminder.

He’d opted for a dark blue t-shirt paired with a pair of plaid pajama pants. The shirt was quite oversized over the scrawny boys chest but he didn’t mind. It was clean, and that’s all that mattered. He’d thrown out the clothes he’d been wearing previously. They were pretty disgusting before he even put them on. He had to dig through the lost and found at Hexside to find them the night he arrived at the school.

They’d just finished dinner and so the two boys now sat on the floor of Gus’s room. Hunter moved the circular rug on the floor around with his foot mindlessly, pushing a part back and forth so it folded and unfolded. He looked up at Gus who was fiddling with something in his hands.

“What’s that?” Hunter asked, sitting propped up against the dresser across from Gus’s bed, desperately trying to break the awkward silence but also slightly curious. He was sure he’d seen the object before.

“Oh, I stole it from Graye after the fight,” He replied nonchalantly as if the task was easy, “He described it as a ‘magic amplifier’ for Illusion magic before he used it on me to get information on Galdorstones,” Gus couldn’t help but notice out of the corner of his eye how Hunter’s eyes widened at the mention of Galdorstones. He briefly wondered why, but discarded it in his mind as nothing important. 

Gus shivered thinking of the feeling that the amplifier had given him. “When he did it felt so.. eerie.”

He knew using illusion magic to dig up memories hurt, and was something even extremely skilled witches struggled to do, but the amplifier seemed to enhance the magic and make the pain even worse. It seemed so easy for Graye to do it. 

“Why..” Hunter hesitated, “Why was he asking about Galdorstones?”

Gus raised an eyebrow at the question, “I’m not sure. When I accidentally.. yah know, engulfed the whole school in a giant illusion, one of the mirages I made was of the looking glass graveyard. I went there with my..” Friends? Backstabbers? Bullies? “With people I knew, a few weeks ago, and he wanted to know where it was. Said the Galdorstones would ‘make a great gift for the Emperor’. Not sure why he would need them though, he’s already the most powerful witch on the boiling isles. Why do you ask?”

“Oh.. no reason, just curious I guess.” He mumbled staring at the wall. Gus knew there was more to the story by the hidden fear and far away look in Hunter’s eyes, but he didn’t want to pry into his new friend's life.

The room was quiet as Gus thought about that day. He again thought back to when Graye used the tool on him.

“It was like I could feel these hands grabbing my memories and yanking them to the front of my mind and shoving them in front of my eyes, making me relive them. Titan it was so…” “Violating?” Hunter asked. Gus let out a half chuckle nothing really funny about the memory, “I mean I was gonna say weird, but yeah exactly. I’m not even sure how to use it. I didn’t even know these things existed.”

Hunter shrugged, “Makes sense. Those things are used to stabilize and enhance illusion magic. Sorting through people's memories is a rare thing for a witch to be able to do. That mirror must make it easier to perform the spell. Those things can make you really powerful. They’re really rare.” Hunter shared, pushing himself up to come over to inspect the gadget.

“I wonder how you’d even use it? I guess I just have to channel the spell through the mirror…”

Gus rubbed the golden edges of the mirror  with his fingers and in that exact moment his whole world went to shit.

He didn’t know how he’d done it truly.

Maybe the memory had triggered his powers, and his self conscious shot the spell through the mirror. He didn’t know in all honesty.

All he knew was a blue light had abruptly shot through the mirror, bounced off the standing mirror next to his wardrobe and shot into Hunter’s temple. 

The former Golden guard had dropped to his knees and let out a raw scream at the sudden, immense pain exploding through his skull. His eyes widened in fear, his pupils now glowing blue. Gus froze in horror and shock and the next thing he knew unexpected, unwanted memories started playing all at once in front of him.

Memories that didn’t belong to him.

Horrible, horrifying memories that shouldn’t belong to anyone.

…

“NO YOU CAN’T!” Hunter yelled as Belos held the Palisman up to his iridescent blue eyes, pointy fingers digging into the creature's body. The Palisman squeaked out, trying desperately to claw its way out of the man’s grip. Hunter immediately slapped his hands over his mouth regretting his precipitous intervention.

Belos paused, lowering the terrified creature.

“What did you just say to me, Golden Guard?” he growled.

“I…nothing… sorry, Lord Belos. I didn't mean to speak out of turn. I- I just didn’t know you were going to… kill them. I mean, aren’t they harmless creatures? I- there has to be other ways to help with your curse. We should try to find a way to spare them- I could take out more books on wild magic and find an alternative-” 

Hunter’s rambling was cut off by the sharp pain slicing through his cheek.

Firey agony replaced where his flesh once was.

He let out a scream, his eyes squeezing shut and his whole body scrunching up, as he tried to make himself smaller as if that would protect him from the pain.

He knew not to scream. He knew to bite his tongue. The pain was usually something quick and sharp, like a slap or a tendril just barely slicing his skin. A warning. However this time Belos had misaimed, his arm jerking at the last moment.

And he couldn’t contain the noise.

The blood dripped down his face was warm and sticky; he tasted iron. 

And titan there was a lot of blood.

And it hurt.

The breeze of motion hit him in the face as the Emperor materialized in front of him grasping his wrist sharply. He didn’t seem nearly as shocked as Hunter at the chunk of flesh missing from the boys face. In fact he seemed angry.

Dangerously angry.

Hunter took a step back, jumpimg in fear at the materialization and flinching away from the tight grip on his wrist. He forced himself to look up, swallowing back the vomit that threatened to escape his stomach at any point.

Don’t let this escalate further, you’re fine, you’re going to be fine, breathe, ignore the pain, there’s no blood, don’t focus on the blood, just focus on him, don’t make him mad, don’t make him more mad. You messed up. You spoke out of turn. Screw up. Screw up, Screw up, Screw up, Screw up.

 “You do not ever get to question my methods, Golden Guard. These ‘harmless’ creatures are what CAUSED this whole mess in the first place!” Hunter cringed at the sharp crunch as Belos’s hand transformed into a gooey spike piercing straight through the Palisman he still held in his hand, the glowing insides spilling out as Belos inhaled them.

The creatures cry’s diminished.

The silence was deafening.

Hunter’s pupils dilated, looking down at the ground unable to hold eye contact anymore. 

He let out a quiet whimper as some of the green gore from the creature fell onto his face mixing with the blood that was choking him.

He coughed splattering it onto the floor and on Belos’ cloak. He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t breathe. 

Calm down, he’s mad, you have to calm down, look at him, calm down, it’s okay, you messed up, deal with it, calm down.

But he couldn’t calm down.

The pain was blurring his senses. Tears that he didn’t mean to let through were blurring his vision.

Adreneline coursed through his system, and his face burned.

I’m not okay, I’m not okay, It hurts It hurts It hurts

Hunter tumbled backwards as Belos shoved the boy to the floor.

“Ow Uncle wait st-stop!” He choked out, the blood that was coating his teeth dribbling onto his uniform. 

Talking ignited a searing pain in his jaw.

It hurt so badly.

Belos’ masked figure towered above him. His shoulders tightened and his eyes widened as another spike was shot out at him, cracking the floor right next to his ear.

Another warning to shut up.

But he didn’t listen. He couldn’t listen. He couldn’t hear. Life was happening before his eyes before his brain could register what was going on. Nothing felt real. All he knew was pain.

“Uncle I’m sorry please!” he wheezed.He felt new blood coat the side of his head as the new pain joined, warmness was spreading on the cold tile around his ear. 

He instinctively tried to crawl backwards scrambling to get away from the pain that made his vision waiver. But he couldn’t get away. The pain wouldn’t go away. It wouldn’t stop.

Belos materialized in front of him again crouching down and picking him up by his collar. He coughed up more blood, sputtering. He was having more and more trouble keeping his eyes open now, his vision wavering. 

Hunter felt his whole body squeeze up, as his atoms broke apart and rebuilt themselves as Belos materialized yet again, taking Hunter with him this time, landing near the side of the throne room.

Hunter’s head slammed back against the wall as he rematerialized.

He could barely keep his eyes open now as a new pain exploded in his skull.

He couldn’t see. He didn’t know what was going on. Everything hurt.

He wanted to die.

Belos grabbed his collar and slammed his head against the wall again this time pinning it there, weight pushing down on his throat. Hunter’s legs dangling down like a weightless puppet.

Hunter choked on blood, his lungs burned as Belos limited the amount that could reach them.

Titan his face hurt.

“Don’t speak back to me ever again boy.” He growled. Hunter just groaned, his body giving up on him, and his eyes fighting to stay open, the now lack of oxygen not helping the matter. The world spun and faded in and out of view.  “I SAID DO YOU UNDERSTAND?” He roared, his eyes glowing blue.

He wasn’t stable. He needed more Palisman. If Hunter hadn’t spoken up, he’d be okay. Uncle would be okay. He’d caused this. He upset his curse.

Titan it hurt

“Ye- yes.” He managed to choke out before his vision wavered once more and he faded into the darkness.

Before he had lost consciousness, when his body was slipping away. being pulled into the darkness, if he hadn’t been so out of it, he could’ve sworn he heard a peppy child’s voice laugh. 

…

Prodigy, Special, Golden Guard

Work, No sleep, Just work 

Meetings, Mistakes

Pain, Blood, Hurts

No sleep, Just work, Do better

Missions, Capture, Kill

Insignificant

Mess up, Pain, Blood

Hurts

No sleep, Just work

Tired

Mistakes, Pain, Blood, Hurts

Unwanted

Trying, Not good enough, Work harder

        Grimwalker.

Suffocating

Scared

Run, Run, Run, Get away, Run

Alone, Starving, Scared

Reading

Galdorstones

Bones 

Selkidomis scales

Palistrom wood

Stonesleeper lungs

Scared, Confused, Alone

Hurts

Not real

No home, No family, No food

Not real

Scared

Not real not real not realnotrealnotreal 

Not real

Hunter’s past flashed in front of the two children, pain and suffering overlapping and mixing together into one terrifying mesh of agony and memories Hunter didn’t want to remember and Gus most definitely didn’t want to live through. 

Gus just sat there in shock as the memories flashed by.

It was only a few seconds before he was able to break himself out of the terrible trance, finally realizing what was happening. He cut the spell off and sat there staring at the wall, terrified. 

In just a few seconds Gus had lived through every worst part of Hunter’s life.

He felt the pain of every time Belos had.. attacked Hunter and left him with an injury no child should have to deal with, as if he were Hunter. He felt the despair, the feelings of insignificance, the lack of love, the tiredness after going multiple days with less than 5 hours of sleep or cutting it out in its entirety. He felt the fear, the agony, the exhaustion, everything.

Titan what would have happened if he hadn’t found Hunter this morning? His stomach dropped at the thought. And Grimwalker? Hunter was a Grimwalker? Gus didn’t know much about the creatures, but he knew they were clones of the dead. No wonder Hunter was such a mess when he found him. He ran away from the Emperor's coven after finding out he was a copy of someone else.

Titan, how did Gus mess up the spell that bad. He- he didn’t even mean to cast it!

He wanted to throw up thinking about all the blood and pain he saw in that short lived terrifying overview of the boy’s life who lay in front of him clutching his head.  

Gus barely noticed how tight he was hugging himself- fingernails digging into his flesh.

His stomach churned and he realized he was still shaking, and he was suddenly aware at how much he was struggling to get air into his lungs.

He clutched himself tighter.

He couldn’t make sense of what thoughts were his and what were Hunters.

Pull yourself together Gus, he needs you, you're fine.

He swallowed back the terror and his heart dropped as he looked at Hunter, who just sat there, chest rising and falling concerningly fast, his eyes glassed over and frozen on the ground. Gus slowly unraveled his arms, reached out a shaky hand and placed it on his shoulder awkwardly in a failed attempt to seem comforting. Both boys' bodies still trembled.

“Hunter I- Titan I didn’t mean to even perform a spell. I.. I’m so sorry. Are you oka-” 

Hunter yelped, jumping away from Gus, his breathing much faster than normal. His chest rose and fell with each shaky breath.

Gus stood up and stepped back away from him without thinking, fear overcoming him. 

He couldn’t look into his eyes anymore knowing everything he’d just seen.

Hunter saw the quick instinctive step back and looked down at his own still gloved hands, his face scrunching up his pain and fear. 

Gus knew why he wore those gloves now.

The memories of all the times Hunter tried to shield himself from Belos’ anger, leaving scars he refused to let Hunter heal, came back to Gus and he froze up staring at the panicked teen breathing heavily staring at him with as much fear Gus knew he was projecting back. 

He looked more scared of what Gus had seen then what he’d had to relive, because he was staring at Gus like he was… well like he was like Belos.

Gus felt sick.

Hunter’s eyes darted forwards Gus’s hand which he only now realized he’d placed on his own cheek. The same cheek Hunter’s scar lay. He couldn’t help it. He’d been Hunter. He just lived through everything. He looked in the mirror to assure himself that he was Gus- that he didn’t have a scar. Hunter looked at the boy with terror Gus had never seen until seconds ago. He grabbed his hand from his face, gripping his wrist sharply trying to get it to stop shaking.

“I’m sorry- I didn’t… I didn’t mean for you to see that. I didn’t mean to scare you- you weren’t supposed to find out- or.. or see that. I’m not a bad person- I.. I promise. I’m… I need to be alone.” He managed to get out, quickly turning on his heels and sprinting out of the room wiping away the childish tears falling from his face. 

Gus just stood there grasping the mirror that caused all of this in the first place, cutting his palm with the sharp side, warm blood trickling down onto his carpet.

He barely noticed the pain.

His knees gave out from under him and the newly acquired, haunting memories made the world spin in front of him.

He felt a tear fall down his cheek.

What was his problem recently? Just yesterday he turned the whole school into a giant illusion after he lost control and now this? What was going on with his magic recently? What was going on with him?

He’d hurt Hunter. He’d seen everything.

And he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to unsee any of it.

He cried and sputtered as his dinner emptied out onto his bedroom floor. 

He really screwed up this time.