A True Witch (Part 1)

Titan Save the King

"Do you think friends should lie to each other?"

"N-no. They shouldn't."

"Then why did you lie to me?"

With a flick of his wrist, Hunter was lifted up into the air. The Collector simply blew on him, and the invisibility vanished. It took everything he had to not scream in pain from the tight grip.

"Caleb! Or, wait, you're called...Hunter? Is that right? Yeah I'm pretty sure that's what Philip named you. May I commend you for being the first Grimwalker to betray Belos and make it out alive! Ooo but it looks like you aren't in great shape regardless. You bit through your hand? Surprised your brain let you. But hey, you aren't like most people so maybe that has something to do with it."

Hunter groaned from the pain and tried to escape the grip, letting out a scream as his movement caused his broken rib to stab further into his lung.

"Don't worry, when I put you with the rest of the players I'll heal you up. Before I do that, I need to ask. How did you get back here? Where's the portal?"

Hunter refused to say anything, just glaring at the being. The Collector sighed and tightened the grip, making him cry out in pain again as he found that not only was his shoulder dislocated, left arm and a few ribs broken, lung punctured, and right hand bleeding, but part of his hip was also broken.

"Look Caleb, if you don't tell me, I might play a different game with you. How do you feel about tag?"

Hunter's breath hitched as he remembered what they thought of as tag. Luz was filled with almost paralyzing panic as she tried to think of a way to stop them. As the Collector raised their hand and pulled Hunter closer, her heart was pounding, sending a pain through her chest.

"I'm-"

"Wait!" Luz yelled, throwing her pin to the ground as she stood up, getting the Collector's attention, "Don't play with Hunter. He's hurt. That'll make it less fun, right? I'm perfectly healthy and will be way more entertaining."

"Human! I knew someone else was here. You seem different. Have you modified your physical form since I last saw you?"

"I...let my hair grow out?" Luz said, confused slightly by the phrasing of the question.

"It looks great on you. Now, you said you want to play with me?"

"Yeah. I'm guessing tag?"

"Nope! I have a different game for you."

Luz started to get a bit concerned at the thought of having a game specifically for her.

"What do you want to play?"

"20 questions! I'm thinking of something right now, and if you can guess what it is by asking me questions, you win!"

"Okay, sure. Sounds fun." Luz paused to think of what to ask, "Question one: Is it a person?"

"Nope!"

"Two: is it a place?"

"No, not that."

"Three: is it a thing?"

"Yep! Gotta get more specific than that to win, though."

"Four: can you touch it?"

"Yeah!"

"Five: is it natural?"

"Sometimes."

"Sometimes?" Luz asked, only hoping to get yeses or nos.

"Yeah, it's only natural sometimes. 15 questions left!"

"Okay, six: is it natural in the Boiling Isles."