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Hunter trudged through the halls. The walls that seemed to almost stretch to the sky, as he felt so little. He would stalk the walkways in utter shame, the blood that stained his left shoulder being evident proof of that. As he'd clutch onto his shoulder now, just forcing himself on the path back to the privacy of his room. With any possible guards he passed by during his venture, they'd just be staring at him. Staring at his shame, and watching.
They didn't have the gall to say anything.
And he'd hoped he'd been at least saved with such silence, but alas.. It seemed luck never was on his side. In his disgruntled walk of shame, he'd find himself bumping into a larger figure. A dark purple chest plate with a gold collar and pointed shoulders. Those light purple pants, some sort of lavender shade. White, mid-length gloves that protected their hands that probably never got themselves dirty. Those white-heeled boots with purple toes. And of course, the pink side cape. It rested, originating from their left shoulder. Personally, Hunter wasn't fully a fan of the color scheme. However, he at least gave them credit for pulling off an interesting look when you're head of a coven.
His bad shoulder had hit right into their cape, as Hunter immediately spun to meet their eyes- Bright green eyes that were initially filled with disdain, only to soften to shock and confusion once they got a single good look at him. They'd originally speak with an angered, "HOW DARE—-" Probably annoyed someone had run into and ruined their precious clothing. But they immediately stopped once they saw the bloodied-white cape, and then the golden arm band to signify his identity.
That shift from anger to a softer tone, however, didn't calm or reassure the younger at all. No, they'd flinched at their initial angered tone. Immediately raising their arms to protect themselves for fear they might have to return to their room with yet another injury. This sudden, fast movement, also reopened the wound on their shoulder. The blood starting again, and the stained splotch becoming even thicker. He silently seethed his breath in a disgruntled sensation of pain.
Darius would stare in shock for only a moment's worth, before shaking his head, and lightly placing a hand on Hunter's right shoulder, as he observed the growing blood on the left. However, hunter would flinch and pull away from the touch. Darius stared for a moment, frowning, before the man pulled his hand away. Whatever the case, he still turned to the other, hissing with a, "What the hell happened?"
Although his words seemed harsh, they were also.. full of worry. Concern. Maybe they pitied him. Maybe they see him as some weak kid that needs protecting, or this kid that shouldn't even be here. Because he didn't belong in this place. He was such a sore sight, wasn't he?
As Hunter gritted his teeth, stepping away. "It's fine, I'm fine." He'd reasoned. Almost sounding in denial with how he spoke that. Well, maybe he was in a bit of denial.
At this, Darius stared, before sighing. Taking not a moment's longer, covering Hunter in abomination goo. Not bothered enough to have some heartfelt chit-chat when there was a child currently bleeding. The would-be rising scout yelped in surprise, "What the-" Instantaneous. As the goo ceded, he found himself standing in the clinic. Witches a part of the healing coven, whom turned to stare at him in shock- Before quickly setting him down, and tending to his wounds before he could even be given a chance to react. And he didn't bother attempting to argue, allowing them to simply mend the wound on his shoulder.
Their hands glowing, as they held their fingers raised over the wound. He didn't bother to react. Just slumping a bit, and looking away. Huffing for a moment, narrowing his eyes from behind the mask. It was good that his most visible wounds were being treated, but the whole shame of everything that occurred had still lingered. And for everyone to see him now like this now, as if he putting on some sort of show. The newest drama, or gossip of today. It was utterly disgraceful. He was supposed to be a teenage prodigy. The nephew of the emperor, not.. this frail, magic-less figure. A weak figure that was bleeding heavily from the shoulder just because his uncle got a little, what Hunter saw to be reasonable, pissed.
They ended up fixing the injury to the best of their ability, but his cloak was still dressed with a large red blood splotch. Which is fine.. He could fix that later, that was the least of his worries. As he looked down for a moment, clutching his hands. They'd ball into fists.
"Do you have any other injuries that need to be addressed?" His head snapped back up, as Hunter looked towards the sound of the voice. One of the healers was looking back towards him, expectantly waiting for an answer. And with a weird expression on their face. He couldn't tell what it was, annoyance? No. It wasn't that. He'd annoyed many people before, and that was not the kind of stare they used. This stare was different, and difficult to understand.
"Uh, no." He lied, "I'm all good now, thank you." The boy prodigy would slowly say, but half-instinctively found their hand beginning to rub their cheek. It hurt touching it. And.. his face was probably bloody, but wearing a mask did a pretty good job of hiding that. It seemed to work well enough for others around, as the healers would soon enough nod and turn away. Focusing onto other patients littered around the room. So.. He supposed that meant they were done with him?
He took this cue to stand up, and start slowly creeping over to the door. No one went up to stop him, or tell him he needed to lay down for a bit, or anything else of the such. With no further words exchanged, he took that as a signal to get out and would do so. Stepping out, and turning to head back to his room.
He'd just wanted to be left alone by now, but it looks like that wasn't gonna happen. Because oh gee, look at that, a certain someone was standing in his path. Darius. Leaned against the wall, arms crossed, who turned to look towards Hunter once they had exited the clinic. Had they been waiting outside the whole time..? No. No, they most likely arrived a few minutes ago. But why? Maybe they'd come to ridicule him. Mock him, for his feeble body. For allowing himself to stalk the halls in such a state. That was it, wasn't it?
He tried to walk past him. He wanted to ignore him. He just wanted to get back to his room, and be left alone right now. But of course, he had to be stopped. "Hey." The older's voice was.. soft, warm. Inviting, even. It was strange. It was like the soft tone his uncle used, but.. different. There was no malice, or hidden tone behind the voice. There was no anger, or disdain waiting to come out and snap at him. Which was so strange, especially when coming from the head of the abomination coven.
He stopped. Not turning towards the other, but indeed giving them this chance to continue talking. Truth be told, he.. really liked the tone of voice they used. It was different. It was new. It was welcoming, almost gentle. A voice he'd never heard directed towards him before.
"Can we.. talk? Do you want to talk about what happened?" He'd heard the other slowly approaching him, behind him now. As Hunter found his body sagging a bit, unsure of how to answer. Were they.. concerned? Worried, even? No, this was just pity. Pity that he didn't need. He messed things up, he was the one who screwed up. He didn't need sympathy for that. Not when he's failed his uncle.
As Hunter would scoff, gritting his teeth for a moment. "What is there to talk about?" He'd turn back to meet the other's bright green eyes. Crossing his arms, as he stared at the other. Noting the look in their eyes. Soft, fully of sympathy and pity for him. He didn't need this. No, he didn't deserve it.
"What is there to talk about—??" The other had to do a double-take, almost stumbling over his words in surprise. "Your cloak is soaked in blood." He'd pointed out, his voice raising now in this weird sense of protectiveness. Which.. made Hunter flinch. And he hated how he flinched at the raised voice. Darius hated it too, as he sighed- Rubbing the bridge of his nose, before coming to a calm. His voice returning to a softer volume as to not distress the child further, "Who did this to you?"
Hunter would stare at the abomination coven head for a moment, almost in a bit of shock. Surprise. He was at a loss for words, I mean, why the hell did he care so much? Maybe he was just nosy. Though, he never took Darius for the snoopy type. Butting their head in private matters.. Or perhaps they wanted to gain an edge over them with such knowledge? Maybe hold it over their head.. That seemed to most plausible reason. If not, then why else?
"Listen, it's nothing really-" He'd assured, "I just.. upset Belos, and.." Why was he saying this? It was his personal matter. Darius didn't need to know. In fact, they shouldn't know. So, why was he telling him? As he grunted for a moment, "Look, it's nothing, just leave me alone." He'd eventually just snapped, picking back up his pace, and hurrying back to his quarters. Leaving Darius behind to just stand there, alone in the hall.
The man in question stared, still processing what the younger had blurted out to him. "..Belos did that to you..?" He mumbled softly to himself for a moment, before shaking his head as his hands clutched themselves tightly. His own uncle.. Left a boy with a bleeding shoulder. All because they had upset them? Darius hummed in thought to himself, headed to his own room.
He had his lingering doubts.. His mentor, the last golden guard, was paranoid. Yes, the last few interactions before their passing, they were extremely paranoid. Anxious, of Belos. Indulging sleepless nights, dedicating his sanity to some sort of mystery. It was harsh, watching his mentor's declining mental well-being. They were one of the greatest witches he'd ever known, and they were slowly falling. Then, their passing. They said it was an accident, but perhaps it was much more than that.
With the behavior and cryptic warnings from his old mentor, and now this? Darius had a creeping feeling in his chest, and thought his fears might just be right. The emperor seems to be hiding a lot of his true self, and maybe.. Everyone should be afraid of what he's really like. Whatever the case, there was most certainly more to the story than people were letting on. And Darius was going to figure it out. Even if that called for treason.
The fate of the boiling isles might be at risk. So for the sake of everyone, for seeking justice for his mentor, for the safety of Hunter, he was going to look much further into this problem. Because it needed to be addressed.
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"This was a test, and you failed it."
"Now get out of my sight."
His uncle's words stung harsher than the gash on his cheek ever could. At least that would heal. Leave a scar, maybe. But the humiliation and embarrassment from his encounter? That wasn't ever going to heal. Not until he fixed it himself. He needed to redeem himself. Do.. something. Something to prove his worth as the emperor's nephew, something to show that he'd be worthy to be appointed as the golden guard, and to earn a staff. (Which would be really nice) It would help to allow him to perform magic, since he was moreso half a witch. Unable to perform magic himself, he instead heavily trained his body and skills so that he wouldn't be holding others back.
But what could he possibly do to prove himself?
That was the big question, wasn't it? It had to be something big. Some sort of marveling achievement that would prove his worth. That would prove everything he's worked towards to get to this point. But what could he possibly do to prove that? There was nothing.
He flopped on his bed, kicking the wall next to them for a moment, as he groaned out in utter frustration. How was he supposed to prove himself? His eyes narrowed, as he slowly sighed. Breathing in shakily for a moment, having to keep himself from completely falling apart. It was annoying. So very, very annoying. Maybe he just.. wasn't built for this. Maybe he wasn't supposed to prove himself, but titan knew he wanted to.
Slowly, he pulled himself back up. And when he did, his eyes landed on something. Papers pinned on his wall. He had plenty of those, but one in particular drew his attention. As his eyes widened, he'd quickly jumped out. A new excitement growing inside of him, he grabbed the paper. Ripping it off the wall, where he stared at it. Looking at it over, and over again. Of course! Of course, this was it! This was what he needed! It was all so clear now, why hadn't this occurred to him earlier?
A wanted paper.
He smiled at it, humming in thought for a moment. Then, he shoved the paper into his pocket. Declaring to himself,
"I need to catch an owl."
And with his achievement, he could finally make Uncle Belos proud. It wasn't going to be easy. He was going to have to opt for stealth, trickery, and all sorts of other scheming. But he was going to do this, and prove the worth of his name.
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A/N;; didn't bother to fully grammar check this haha, I'm so fricken lazy.
Anyways, thoughts and comments are always appreciated. I love reading them ^^