─── · 。ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
You and Hunter showed the offender no mercy. You fought side by side, having each other's back in combat.
Setting the argument earlier aside, the two of you worked well as a team, something that the scout did not expect. In fear, he ran in hopes that he still might carry through with his plan to expose the Golden Guard.
Realizing that this will put Hunter in trouble, you chase the scout in panic.
He called for your name but you didn't answer. It was like your mind was fogged. Irrationality took over.
Your mind was focused on one thing and that's to make sure that you get your hands on that scout. Without hesitation, you cast one of your strongest capturing spells.
That was all you remember before everything went dark.
"Y/N?!"
"h-Hey wake up!"
A muffled voice echoed.
You open your eyes to blurry vision, slowly focusing to reveal Hunter's worried expression.
"Y/N! c-Can you move? Are you hurting anywhere?" He frantically asked in a panicked tone.
He cradled your head as you lay on the ground. Your head spun, you felt tired and your hands felt sore yet you forced yourself to sit up.
"Where is he? Did he get away?!" You panicked.
"What are you talking about?"
"The scout? The video!? He's going to get you in trouble!" You faltered.
"Y/N, you summoned a legion of oracle spirits outta the ground then blacked out and that's what you're concerned about?!" Hunter scoffed in disbelief.
"What was that even?!"
You quickly stand. "Hunter we gotta get him..."
'ah biscuits, I stood up too quickly.' You thought as your vision started to go dark again. It was because of natural reasons this time.
"Wha- hey! Hunter quickly catches you.
"Thanks." You peeped.
"Can you please just stay still for just a moment?!" He exasperated.
He let out a heavy sigh. "The scout is apprehended ok?"
You were too stunned to speak. Or was it because your head was still tingly from standing up too fast?
"Are you ok?" Hunter worriedly asked. Your lack of response concerned him.
"I'm fine... it's just a totally normal oracle spell." You fixed yourself up and dusted your clothes.
"Y/N, I'm not stupid. I've read enough about oracle magic to know what's normal and what's screwed up."
"Well, maybe you're just wrong." You debated.
"Oh yeah? Show me your hands." He ordered.
You were caught off guard.
"...no."
Hunter approached you and grabbed your hand. You tried to push him off with the other but he held that too.
"Just let me see!"
"No!"
Both of you bantered as you struggled to escape and he tried to remove a glove from your hand. It's just that he had to hold on one after the other because you keep swatting him away.
"Hunter, No! This is a violation of my constitutional right to privacy!" You glare at him. "I will call the authorities!"
"Y/N, I'm literally the authorities!" He bleated.
"Hey, my face!" His words are muffled as you push your hand against his face.
He grabs that hand, the one you used to cover his face, bites the glove off, and drops it on the ground.
'You sly mother fudger.' You thought, too stunned to speak as you looked at him in disbelief.
"Y/N..." He felt his heart sink after seeing your hand. Your fingers were pitch black, turning a dark purple as the color reached the wrist. Your hands were sensitive, slightly in pain. You tried to hide it to avoid suspicion, but that clearly hasn't worked.
You quickly pull your hand away from him. You cringed as you looked away. You couldn't face him.
"I knew it! You see, this is what wild magic does to you. And not just any wild magic, Y/N, you're practicing the dark arts!" He scolded.
"This is wrong. This is so, so wrong!"
"You see Belos consume Palismen on a daily basis and this is where you draw the line?" You grumbled under your breath whilst you crossed your arms.
"And for all that time I tried to help him. But he just pushed me away."
"Please, not you too..."
Your angry expression softened as you looked at him. He was just genuinely concerned.
"I-I'm sorry. I didn't see it that way." You tried to apologize.
"Please tell me what's going on. I want to help." He pleaded.
You paused for a moment to collect your thoughts and stood up. "Ok. but don't freak out." You sighed.
"I'm not making any promises." He declared.
"Hunter!" You shot.
"Ok, ok, fine. I won't freak out." He sighed.
You took a deep breath and mustered all the courage you got before speaking out. "Maybe I sorta... made a deal with an ancient powerful spirit trapped in a spell book to make me stronger so I could protect my friends. But in exchange, I have to give up a piece of my soul every once in a while."
"... No biggie."
You forced a smile after dumping all your thoughts in one single breath. Hunter does not look very happy about it.
"You what?!' He exploded.
"You said you won't freak out!"
Hunter placed his hands together on his face and took a long, deep breath.
"I can't help it! This is so messed up. Your soul? Your hands? What?!" He proceeded to freak out even more.
"I know! But I was aware of the consequences." You justified.
"Nothing is worth risking your safety for!"
"What if there is?!" You snapped.
Hunter's eyes widened and was left speechless. Silence filled the air around you. You sink into the ground and bury your face in your knees and sigh.
"Look, everything has been so messed up lately and I refuse to just accept things as they are. I wanted to fix things and I swore that I would do it on my own. But instead, I dragged you along in this mess."
"I'm sorry..." You softly spoke.
Hunter sat right beside you. "Can you tell me more?" He asked in a gentle tone.
"I don't want to burden you even more than I already did." You sniffle, trying to hold back tears.
"You know, an amazing person once told me... that it's okay to be vulnerable sometimes." The boy bashfully spoke.
"I will listen."
You hesitate at first but you finally mustered up the courage to talk.
"I wanted to find my parents using the seeking spell. My real parents."
"If that works out, I could help King find his dad. Then after that, I could even help Luz find a way to build a portal."
"Then maybe, I could finally find peace." You confessed.
Hunter paused for a second, lost in thought.
"Where is the book?" He then suddenly asked.
"In my satchel. Why?" You reply.
"Good. Then there's no time to waste." He stood up and dusted himself off.
"What?" You look at him, confused.
"You said you wanted to cast a seeking spell right? Then I'll help you."
"R-really?"
"Only if you promise not to do this again." He reaches his hand towards you.
"I-"
"Ok." You hold his hand and he helps you up.
. . . . .
You open up the book and a cloud rises from the pages. The smoke transforms and takes shape of a spirit with human-like features. They had hair that seemed to break the laws of gravity, flowing like how hair would do underwater. They wore something similar to how a gypsy was to dress, the fabric weightless in the air. Only that as a being in spirit form, they were almost a translucent purple with eyes that glowed of the same but a brighter color and had no pupils.
Hunter's eyes widened at the supernatural being and put his hand in front of you out of instinct.
"Half-blood, you have summoned me. I believe you have the needed resources?" Their voice echoed in a monotonous yet intimidating tone.
"I have everything for the spell." You nod.
"And the Belladonas?"
"They don't exactly match your request..." You shy down as you take the flowers out of your bag. "...but I-"
Before you could finish, the spirit turns to its smoke form, spirals around you, and takes the flowers.
"They will have to do." They giggled.
Hunter became confused with the sudden change in tone.
"What are you gonna do with those?" Hunter blurted out, knowing very well that Belladonnas are highly poisonous.
His jaw dropped when he saw that the spirit started eating the toxic plant.
"Oh titan, I have been craving these for ages." They sang in delight. "Literally."
They turn to Hunter and immediately seemed intrigued.
"My, my..." The spirit hummed before vanishing into smoke and reappearing behind Hunter. "Curious. It's been a long while since I saw one of these."
"h-Hey! Back off!" Hunter yelled.
"Oomf- this one has issues." They proceed to give Hunter a judgy up-and-down look. "Now, where are we? Ah, yes."
They appeared right in front of you with a grin.
"Back to business."
"Now, chop-chop, I have to get back to my beauty sleep. It's not easy to stay this fabulous after centuries after all."
Without hesitation, you give your hand and the spirit draws a spell circle on your palm.
"Hey wait!" Hunter grabs your wrist and pulls you away from the oracle spirit.
"What the heck are you doing?!" He scolded.
"This is part of the process. They need some of my life force before this could work." You explained.
"We already talked about this. No soul-sucking! Why is that so hard to understand?"
"Besides, what do they need it for anyway?!"
You click your tongue and divert your eyes away from Hunter's
"You don't even know do you?" He gives you a disappointed look. It is true, you never knew the terms and conditions. You just agreed out of desperation.
"Well, it worked fine before."
"No, it didn't. And I don't trust you!" He pointed at the spirit. "Maybe you're going to use her soul to power your evil plans of destroying this realm and the people in it!" He accused.
"Wow, judgy much." They scoffed.
"I need her life force to power the spell. Without my physical form, I cannot perform any magic. Thanks to the brat who trapped me in this book, the only thing left of me is my grand knowledge of very powerful spells." They bragged.
"So excuuuuse me, if you don't need my help, I'll see myself out."
"N-no wait!" You called out.
"You said, you'll help me." You shot Hunter an angry look.
"I did, but this isn't what I had in mind. This is dangerous!"
"And I'm willing to take that risk, Hunter." You asserted.
He stared into your eyes and gave you a look of refusal.
"Please." Your eyes begged.
He finally breaks. "Fine. But this time, they will use my life force." He spoke.
"No!. I started this and I'm the one who has to finish it. All I need from you is to respect my decision."
You hold his hand and your fingers intertwine. "After this, everything will be better. I know it."
. . . . .
The oracle spirit gives you the instructions for the spell. It took a while but Hunter's help surely sped things up. And with that, you had a spell circle on the forest grounds with all the ingredients you have collected, incorporated into it.
"Lastly, the spell requires a concealment stone." The spirit instructs.
"Where will we get one in the middle of the forest?" Hunter complained.
"I got it." You take off your (F/c) crystal earring and with that came a poof of blue cloud, revealing your true appearance wearing an oversized bad girl coven shirt and (F/c) pajamas.
Hunter looks at you, surprised.
"What? It takes way too much time to be that fabulous." You smirked.
"Well, you still look great.." He blushed.
"I never said I didn't." You gave him a smug look.
"I-i know. I just wanted to let you know." The boy shied down.
"Seize the flirting in my presence. I simply cannot stand it." The spirit sassed. "Now place the stone at the center of the circle or so help me, titan."
You do as they instruct.
"Finally!" They would've rolled their eyes but they didn't have any pupils.
"Remember, just ask the seeking spell what you desire to find, whatever or whoever it may be. You only have one chance and if you fail you will have to start over. However, it can only find those that are present in the mortal realm." They discussed.
You already knew this and have already accepted the spell's limits.
"Now that has been accomplished, toloo~" They chirped and instantly vanished.
"What now?" Hunter asked.
"I want to find my parents." You pronounced.
Just as you spoke, a projection came out of the concealment stone. Your heart raced both from excitement and fear of what could be. Hunter holds your hand and your nerves slightly calm down.
There was a woman in the projection. She had dark hair and eyes that resembled yours. "Mom?" You uttered. Tears stream down your eyes but it wasn't of sadness. You felt hopeful. The woman was sitting on a rocking chair, humming to herself. You had no idea what tune it was she was humming but she had a beautiful voice. You looked at her eyes and they looked empty, almost lost. Your smile slightly fades. Yet you stayed optimistic, you had never felt more confident that everything would be right after this triumph. The projection reveals the location of your mother.
Pennhurst Mental Hospital, a sign read. It was far from home, the woman who you once called mother, made sure of that. Her and your grandparents all pushed your biological mom away.
"She's ok..." You smiled
Hunter looked at you and couldn't help but smile himself.
The projection fades.
It started showing a different image. It was of a man. He had hair the same color as yours and eyes of gold. He had some dirt and grime on his face and had a big smile. It looked like he was working on something made out of wood but you couldn't put your finger on what exactly it was. But what took you by surprise was his ears. They were pointed.
"My dad was a witch!" You gasped. You had the idea for so long now but it was unreal to finally know the truth.
"He must be here in the Boiling Isles! Where is he?" You beamed.
Then, your smile fades as the projection started to glitch.
"What?"
"I won't let you do this!" It was your father shouting. He looked angry, enraged even as he held his side.
You cover your mouth when you realize that there was blood on his clothes.
"If I have to be stuck here with you then so be it! You're not going back there." His breathing was labored as he declared those words.
"He's in trouble, I have to help him!" You run closer to the spell circle.
"Where is he? Show him to me!" You cried out.
The projection started to glitch even more. It started to warp aggressively then suddenly, only static was to be seen. After that, the projection disappears all together.
Hunter saw the hope drain from your eyes as you knelt before the inactive spell circle.
No more tears flowed from your eyes. You stopped crying all together. No expression was on your face.
"Y/N?" He called.
You don't answer.
"Y/N, I'm sorry. Are you-"
"Let's go back." You suddenly spoke.
His eyes furrowed in uncertainty as he looked at your face. You were smiling. Why?
"I'm sorry I put you through this."
"Y/N, Are you feeling alright?" He asked in a worried tone.
"Why wouldn't I be? I got what I want." You stood up. "The truth."
You walked passed him. With your back on Hunter, you summon your staff.
"It's getting late. The coven heads might realize that you're not in the castle. You should go." You spoke in a blank tone.
"What about you?" He raised an eyebrow.
"I know my way." You replied.
Yet he saw your hands. They shaked.
"No. I'm taking you home." He walked towards you and held your shaky hands.
"I can do it. Don't bother yourself."
"Y/N, it's not safe for you. You're not in the right condition." He objected.
Only then did tears started to fall from your eyes. They didn't stop. You wanted them to but they just won't.
"I'll take you home, ok?"
"...Ok."
─── · 。ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
A/N:
Thanks for reading.
This chapter should have been out the day after the chapter before but it was exam week so I just couldn't.
Anyways, hope you enjoyed~
Byeeeeeeeeee!!