A Memory of a Memory (probable One-Shot)

A Memory of a Memory

Hunter burst out the door of the Owl House, his mind racing in a panic. He couldn't stay there, Belos knew where they were and he'd come for him. He'd come and destroy him. His body violently shook as he ran, he heard Luz call out his name but he couldn't stop. He was in danger, he couldn't stay, he couldn't! Memories flashed in his mind of the hundreds of Golden Guard masks he'd seen, of the portraits of death that Belos had stored in his subconscious. He let out a sob at the thought. That would happen to him, too. He'd seen the petrification of a Guard, the drowning of a Guard, a Guard set on fire, so many Guards, so many masks, he'd just be one more. He'd be one more and his uncle didn't even care. His whole life was a lie. He'd been running through the forest for hours, until he came up upon the rocky shore of a small lake. He didn't know where else to go, he was just stuck. Hunter slumped down onto the shore, and curled his knees to his face. Loud sobs began to echo out across the empty space, his tears not ceasing even though he felt embarrassed. How had everything gone so wrong? He couldn't believe how quickly everything had gone. He shouldn't have followed those criminals, he should've been more skeptical of the Inner Belos, he shouldn't have been so naive in the first place. He continued sobbing because that's all he could think of doing, he didn't have his guard up. What did it even matter, anyway? If the Emperor's Coven caught him, he'd be dead. If the Owl House weirdos found him, he couldn't go with them, they'd just inevitably be captured. He had nowhere to go, so he continued to cry long into the night.

At some point, he must've fallen into a short sleep, because he awoke at the crunch of the rocks behind him. He sat up, defensive, then dropped his guard again. He kept himself turned away from whoever it was behind him, and then the person sat beside him on the shore. "You look like you've had a rough night." The voice was unfamiliar to him, but it almost sounded like someone he knew.

"What's it to you? Just leave me alone, unless you're from the Emperor's Coven, then just cart me away already." The man let out a small chuckle, shifting a bit on the rocks.

"I'm not a part of any coven, Hunter. And I'm not here to harm you." Hunter jumped slightly at the mention of his name, then looked beside him. The man was fuzzy? Like he wasn't all there. He almost looked like a ghost. Realization suddenly hit him, this man looked like HIM. He had the same hair curl, the same nose, it was like looking in a mirror. But, he noticed this man had round ears. A human.

"How are you- Why are you here? Is this some kind of illusion my uncle's using to lure me in?" Hunter stood up and backed away from the man, panic setting in again. The man gave him a soft look, his hazy form dissipating here and there.

"I'm not an illusion, I'm not entirely sure I'm here though," he sighed, and then looked away. "But, I'm not with your uncle. I can't do anything to harm you." Hunter let out a breath, then shook his head.

"I must be dreaming, then. Or hallucinating. You can't be real." The man gave him a small smile and Hunter moved closer.

"Mayhaps that is the case. I'm just here because you need someone, at least for now."

"Who even are you? I know you, I have to." His mind was sifting through his memories. If he himself was a Grimwalker, then this might be some sort of subconscious version of another Golden Guard. Maybe? But this Grimwalker had round ears, had his uncle made one in that way? "You're another Golden Guard, aren't you? I mean, that'd make the most sense. I'm not sure why uncle gave you human ears, though." The man snorted, shaking his head.

"No, I'm not a 'Grimwalker'. I suppose I'm you, or rather who you're meant to be." Hunter looked at him quizzically. "It's alright if you don't understand. I'm someone who cares about your uncle so very much, but he just never learns and never changes." The man looked sad, and Hunter thought he might even cry.

"How do you know him? How do you know Belos?" A laugh erupted from the apparition, but his face still looked sad.

"He always comes up with the most odd names, doesn't he?" The man let out a small breath. "I grew up with him. And to be straightforward about it, we're brothers." Hunter gaped. "I think, maybe, that this is just me reaching out into the world to see what I'd find. He's trying to keep me alive by recreating me over and over again." The man still looked sad.

"I think I understand what you're saying now. You're the original Golden Guard, the first one." The man shook his head, an empty sigh coming from his mouth.

"No, I was never a Golden Guard. That's just something he made up to make you feel like you had a higher purpose when all he wanted was a me that was complacent." Smoothing his hair, the man stood up and then looked down at Hunter. "I don't know whether I'm here or not, or if this is just some strange Boiling Isles magic. But you have to know, Hunter. You're so much more than just 'The Golden Guard'. You're so much more than I was." Hunter looked away, his face falling.

"I couldn't even be of any real use to my uncle. And now I'm not even The Golden Guard. I'm just a memory of you. I'm not a real person." The man put his wispy hands on Hunter's shoulders.

"Of course you're a real person. You might be a recreation but you're more than that. You're you. And now you don't have to follow my brother's will. You're free, Hunter." Hunter seemed to relax at this, and looked into the eyes of the man who mirrored him.

"I wish I knew more about you, about our family. About why he's doing all of this."

"You'll find it all out, I promise. But I need you to promise me something, please just promise me." The man looked almost desperate, and Hunter nodded. "Please, promise me not to let him hurt anyone else."

"I promise." The man gave Hunter a look, one that his uncle had never truly given him before. A look of love, a look of understanding, and a look of pride.

"I'm sorry I couldn't stop him, Hunter. I'm sorry that you all have gone through all of this." The man was tearing up. "But, I know I can't do anything now. I'm so proud of you." Hunter then moved his arms to embrace the man, and the man returned the embrace. Then he felt himself dissipating, and Hunter realized it as well.

"Don't go, you don't have to go." The man held Hunter's face in his ghost-like hand, as though he was comforting a child.

"I think it's time. I'm not even here, remember?" The man smiled at Hunter, his body piecing off and floating into the sky. "We won't ever be that far apart, you and I will always be near each other." He lightly brushed Hunter's hair curl, before motioning to his own, and then he was gone.

Hunter awoke with a start, his body curled up on the rocky shore. Flapjack was nestled beside him and Hunter looked at his palisman with fondness. What a strange dream that was, but he felt somewhat better than he had before. He was grateful for it, whether it was real or not. And he remembered the promise he'd made to the man, to himself. He wouldn't let Belos hurt anyone else, enough was enough.