Against All Rules - Hunter || The Golden Guard x OC

15.) Hollow Mind (1/2)

  "Whoa, look at this memory!" He says about a painting of Belos guiding people away from a burning town. "You know, unfettered wild magic wiped out our family. Everyone knew too much and got themselves hurt. That's why Belos took in the survivors and dedicated his life to making the Coven system!" He smiles before running to another painting. "It's why he's so well-liked!"

  "It's manipulation and brainwashing, believe it or not." Ellie scoffs.

  "Someone gets it." Luz laughs.

  Hunter stops next to a painting of people reaching out their hands toward Belos. Happily and willing as well. Belos is holding a glowing floating orb with his left hand.

  "Our sigils protect us from ourselves, and make the Titan happy." He says to Luz before turning to Ellie and giving her a small smile. She just darts her eyes to the ground and tries to look away. Hunter notices another painting to his left and gasps, then walks towards it. "Oh! This is when I inherited my staff! You know, I'm the youngest scout to become Golden Guard. I, uh, never found out what happened to the previous one. Huh, why does Darius look so sad here?"

  Luz starts looking around and notices the painting she first saw when she woke up. She walks up to it and touches the part where Owl Beast Eda is at. If Ellie is stuck in his mind anyway, she might as well get some good stuff. She pulls out her phone and starts snapping pictures of her surroundings and some paintings. Suddenly, there's the sound of a child crying.

  "Belos?" Hunter and Luz say at the same time, getting Ellie's attention.

  "Huh?" Luz turns around and notices a dark figure resembling Belos approaching them.

  "Emperor, you're here! We beg for your assistance to return to the physical world, so that I may capture your enemies! And so she can ruin someone else's day." He looks to Luz and rolls his eyes before his heart drops. Ellie, he forgot where she stands with Belos.

  The dark figure stops in front of Hunter. The child figure emerges from behind it and shakes his head and hands desperately. Luz looks at him with a confused expression. One of these inner-Belos' is fake or something else. The dark figure roars and starts transforming and shows multiple glowing eyes on its body while screeching.

  "Hunter! Watch out!" Luz yells.

  Luz rushes to the front of Hunter and takes out some fire glyphs from her pocket, then slaps it. There's a big explosion with blasts strong enough to send them flying backwards. The three roll on the floor and then crash through a wall, falling down a dark void. Luz takes out a hover glyph from her pocket, grabs onto Hunter and Ellie, then activates it before they hit the ground. They manage to come to a halt near the ground, but the paper then disintegrates, causing them to crash into the ground face-first.

  "Where are we now?" Hunter asks.

  "Well, well, well, we must be in the Emperor's real mind." Ellie shrugs.

  "What do you mean the Emperor's real mind? That gallery-"

  "Was made of all the lies he tells. He's not who you think he is." Luz agrees with Ellie.

  "Hunter, there's a lot you don't know about Belos." Ellie sighs.

  Hunter notices an abandoned palisman on the ground and picks it up. The palisman just disintegrates in his hand, causing it to tremble. Hunter clutches his hand, then stands up. Ellie notices but can't bring herself to say or do anything. She's still more scared than she wants to admit.

  "We're probably being punished because you provoked his inner self." He points at Luz.

  "Well, his inner self had a thousand glowing eyeballs!" She shouts back.