The Half-Titan

Friendship

~Chapter Seven - Friendship~

It's been a week since the incident with the human in Latissa. After Hunter and I returned to the castle, he was required to report back to Belos. Let's just say it didn't go well. He made a snarky comment to Kikimora about his "disappearance" then stormed passed me towards our rooms. I haven't talked to him since. 

Now, I was sitting in my room, bored out of my mind. Instead of talking to me, Hunter has been slipping notes under my door about how my help wasn't needed today. He has been doing that for the past five days. It was getting frustrating. I've wasted nearly a week in the library reading about the Boiling Isle's history instead of looking for my brother. 

I guess it's not that wasteful. I've been able to catch up over the past fifty years. Apparently wild magic caused destruction to many cities around the Boiling Isles. Belos went around preaching about what wild magic does to a soul. He dedicated his life to enforcing the coven system so witches and demons could be safe from themselves. And he claimed it was all according to the Titan's will. 

If only people could see through his lies. I guess they've only known the same thing over the last fifty years though. 

Suddenly I heard a shout of pain and then Hunter bursts into my room, falling on the floor. The palisman from Latissa that was previously pulling on a strand of Hunter's hair was now on his chest pecking at his nose. 

"Ow! Flee stupid bird!" Hunter said, pushing the palisman off his chest with the back of his hand. "Hunter! Are you okay?" I asked, leaning down to inspect his condition. I noticed a small bump on his head with a bruise forming, and a scrape on his elbow. "Sit up. I know healing magic that'll help." I said. 

Hunter sat up, leaning his back against my bed. I drew a circle with my finger as I concentrated on the spell. A ring of blue formed around my hands. I held them up to Hunter's elbow and almost instantly the scrape turned to a faint scar. The bruise on his head was now completely gone. "Are you okay?" I asked. 

"Yes. Thank you." He said, refusing to look at me. He stared at his hands the whole time. 

"Hunter." I started. "Why have you been avoiding me?" 

It was quiet for a moment. He opened his mouth to begin talking, then just as quickly closed it. He pulled his legs to his chest and rested his chin on his knees. His shoulders tensed up as he did so. "Listen, I know the incident in Latissa led to some...confessions. I see you even made a new friend, besides the human. You may have said something you weren't ready for me to hear. It's okay. I don't see you any differently now then I did when we first started working together. I understand if your name is...sensitive. What do you want me to call you?" I asked. 

Hunter seemed to relax a bit. "That's the thing, Podarge. The only person who ever calls me by my name is Belos. It's somewhat...nice to hear it from someone else. The issue is...you now know more about me than I do about you. I've been avoiding you cause I've been too scared to admit that, even to myself. I knew you would drive it out of me." He admitted, finally looking at me. 

"Well, what would you like to know?" I asked. He unwrapped his arms from his legs and thought for a moment. "Well, where did you come from? Before you met Belos." He asked. 

"Years ago, I built a castle for my brother and me. It's far away from the Boiling Isles. Off your maps. So we'd be safe from those trying to hunt us. I sought out the Emperor thinking he'd know where my brother is. Instead he had me join the coven and assist you. If I fall out of line he's threatened to arrest me. So I guess I've never tried to grow close to anyone in case that happens." I confessed. 

"I understand. You don't have to worry about that though. I've never reported to Belos about you. I guess having a partner is helpful." Hunter said. 

There was a long pause. It felt like the two of us had been sitting on the floor of my room for hours, but it had only been a few minutes. "Friends?" He asked, breaking my train of thought. 

"Friends." 

~End~