Chapter Text
Hunter never knew what it was like to have your purpose ripped out of your soul right before your very eyes. At least, that's what he wished would never happen. But as he would've said: "The Titan has big plans for you. . ."
After he and the human returned to the Owl House, Hunter was caught in a daze. He felt like he was floating, though that could've been a side effect of the glyphs he'd used. He's never understood how a symbol on a piece of paper could create such tremendous power. It kinda felt like the power surged through his body the same way Flapjack's own did. It was exhilarating.
But everything seemed wrong right now.
Everything was wrong.
"Don't crowd them," he heard the Owl Lady call out. "Are you two, okay?"
Was he physically okay? Probably, though he felt his lungs being congested with something vial. Something new. Something wrong. Course that could've been from almost being suffocated by. . . by. . . Never mind that.
But mentally, was he ever just okay?
Flapjack tweeted close to his ear, catching the blond off guard. He felt his eyes widen in realization as everything that occurred hit him like certain sludge he's accidentally been caught in.
"He knows," Hunter gasped out, wincing a bit as his voice cracked. "He- he knows we were in there. I can't. . . I can't go back."
Hunter felt his breathing picking up fast. His heart raced a million miles an hour and everything seemed to blur in and out.
"Kid, breathe." Yet Hunter couldn't hear a word The Owl Lady said. Heart pounding as blood roared through his ears. The Owl Lady looked at him with concern and reached her hand out.
For some reason Hunter saw him instead. A claw-like hand reaching towards him and being held out. As if he was trying to gain his trust.
Instead of taking it, he looked into her eyes and shakily got up off the ground, heavy breathing shifting to panting in mere seconds. Once up he tried to look towards the ground for comfort, only to see a certain cloak on him. He grunted and quickly ripped it off his body, and backed away.
Before Hunter knew it, he was already out the door. His eyes closed to prevent the tears from falling. He heard the human call his name, but it was too late.
He was already gone.
Hunter didn't stop running until his body couldn't take it anymore and collapsed on the ground. Every bone in his body shook in fear. But was it because of fear? He hasn't felt fear since. . .
And then everything hit him like a powerful blast of magic. Everything Belos had done was bad. Everything he had done was bad! Did this make him more like Belos? The very thought made his head spin in circles.
Yet there was more to him, wasn't there? He. . . he wasn't Hunter. He was a grimwalker. Course, he read about them when he would research wild magic. But Belos would try to hide those books from him.
And now he knew why.
Hunter had heard muffled voices as he'd tried to activate a glyph- any sort of glyph that would save him. He caught a few lines about grimwalkers- how Belos had to create a new one. . . and how he'd destroyed other grimwalkers; others that were like Hunter.
Others that had the same purpose as Hunter.
Others who were clones like Hunter.
It wasn't till he heard a small chirp that he noticed the wooden cardinal perched on his shoulder. He cooed and rubbed himself against the boy's cheek with concern. Hunter felt his breathing simmer down and eyes focusing once more into those of the wooden palisman.
It felt nice to be touched by Flapjack. It was the only comfort he ever got. So why did it feel so wrong after all this time to receive this comfort. And even after he's learned the truth.
Something in him snapped. And the next thing Hunter knew, he was back up again. His back against one of the many trees that surrounded him as his body shook once more. A body that didn't belong to him in the first place.
"You. . . You need to le-leave. You have to leave." Hunter stumbled over his words with regret filled each and every one of them. "He'll come and- and find you, and he'll then kill you."
Hunter had always feared of Belos finding out he had a palisman. But now it was different. Now, Belos would be trying to track him down. And once he saw him, he wouldn't hesitate to kill him like. . . like the others. . .
Hunter couldn't help but let out a sob-filled laugh. Belos was right all along. He messed it all up. His missions. His mind. His purpose. Those around him. Everything. And now he's messed up Flapjack's life along with his own.
The little palisman chirped in response, tilting his head in a confused manner. Hunter saw how Flapjack had begun to make his way towards him and was about to hold his hand out to the wooden bird, yet froze. He pulled back, regret mending its way into his heart doing so.
"I'm sorry," his voice was just barely above a whisper. "I don't want you to die because of my mistake."
And just like that, the wooden cardinal flew off into the distance, leaving Hunter to his lonesome thoughts. He hasn't been like this in a long time. He didn't like being like this. But he guessed this'll be his life once more.
Once he couldn't see Flapjack any more, Hunter slid down the tree, and brought his knees to his golden armored chest. He was starting to hate the sight of the metal even more. It was similar to the emperor's own mask he wore. A mask Hunter believed was his true self.
A forelock of hair fell into his eyes. He had no means of pushing it away for once. Why bother if it was just a part of him like the schemes he pulled for the emperor's favor. The hair was just sewn to him, as he was the doll, the puppet, Belos created to his liking. Like the puppet he was created to be.
Yet the coloring reminded him a bit of the golden guard sigil. A sigil that was sewn onto the cloaks of the other Golden Guards. And a sigil that got backstabbed by Belos himself. Suddenly he hated his hair now and moved the piece to behind his pointed ear. An ear made of the nature around him.
Hunter didn't even realize his arms (Were they even his own?) were trembling once more, or maybe they were still trembling, until that course of action. Just another flaw he was born- was created with. The emotions of fear dripped from the scars that were carved into his skin from. . . from. . . He couldn't remember. Though, from the looks of it, they were probably also caused by Belos.
Like every other source of his pain.
Now that he knew the truth, would this be a common occurrence? Forgetting the memories that shaped who he was. Not being able to recall any knowledge he learned about wild magic, which usually calmed him down, for not even a split second. Everything in his world was unraveling and he was the sole cause of it. Looks like the human was right, he is just the golden guard. Or, at least he was.
The human. She knew. She knew everything about him now. His likes and dislikes. His insecurities. His bond with Flapjack. Every aspect about him. To her, Hunter was an open spell book. And he hated that weakness deep inside of him.
Hunter closed his eyes. Silent tears (Where did his tears even come from?) fell as his mind processed what would happen. He was probably a wanted criminal at the palace now. After that he couldn't return back to the Owl House. Heck, he didn't even know what was right and what was wrong anymore.
Everything he ever thought was good was bad.
Everything he ever thought was bad was probably still bad.
Everything was bad and it was all because of him.
"What am I going to do now," he mumbled with uncertainty. No where was safe- he wasn't safe.
"Well, you could always stay with me."
The new voice caught Hunter off guard. He stood up and leaned against the tree for support.
The witch had two braided pigtails trailing down her shoulders, and a few pieces dyed green stuck out. She wore a yellow-like dress with a blue ribbon and a gemstone attached to the brooch. Her boots were scuffed with mud, and a few leaves were stuck in her hair. And golden glasses were topped on her nose with green eyes staring right at him.
"Captain?"
The girl smiled as Flapjack landed on her shoulder, her own palisman sitting atop the other.
"Hey, Caleb."