What if the truth is required but your tongue is dry and you can't get it out now? What if you're floating away but you get too high and you can't come back down?
-TV Girl
Belos was back, truly back. Hunter had been right- more than right. Especially when his body was being controlled and manipulated by a man meant to be dead.
In the distance, Luz was able to hear her friends, more importantly the people she had come to see as her family and even maybe her future wife. They can't see this, not when she wasn't even sure if Hunter was apart of this or if he really was being manipulated.
"I saw you. You knew exactly how to get here, didn't you?" Belos continued on, his expression cool and smooth. His face was still mostly overshadowed as he stepped closer, the body of Hunter transforming into something unseen as his mullet grew out again, his skull crackling as green antlers arose from his head and the goop spread up and down his body, dancing across his scars. His eyes glowed blue instead of their normally casual reddish brown.
"You.. You survived." Her voice was brimming with disbelief and fear, unsure what this man was capable of.
"I did. Thanks again for keeping.. This one around," He glanced down at his hands, before adding, "But i don't need any of you anymore.
He had reached out to grab her, only dodging narrowly because of Flapjack.. The palisman had transformed into a staff and began to allow her to use his magic. She shook slightly, taking n aim for Helos- staying slightly off for good reason.
"Oh, you're not even trying right now. What, afraid you'll hurt him?" He sneered, flexing and stretching out his clawed fingers.
The group came around the corner, gasping at the sight... Hunter, but not. Luz with Flapjack's staff in her hands, aimed at whatever had Hunter's face. The group tensed up, each with a palisman turning it into a staff... Besides Edric.
Helos noticed them. Perfect. Even with the rare chance this one survived, he'd still be able ti ruin him.
"See, this is why you're so useful Luz. You're so desperate to help people, you even helped me release the Collector." He grinned, causing a slight murmur from the younger witches and humans. Had she really done so-?
"W-what? I.. I thought you were done with them and had wanted them gone!" She exclaimed, his voice doing its best not to embarrass her and break.
"Oh, of course not.. And not to mention, I thought THIS Grimwalker was a lost cause." He grinned, gesturing to the body he was in.. He had called Hunter a Grimwalker- and he was correct.
"A what?" Ed muttered, but he knew that name. Hunter had read a book entirely on Grimwalkers.
"Because of your help, we can finish our work as human hunters, starting with them!" He grinned, his arm lashing out to the group kids. Amity stepped in immediately, deflecting the arm with a burst of magic from her staff.
It didn't take the group a lot of time to attack onto whatever Hunter had become. While Gus and WIllow had more or less protective attacks and tactics meant to confuse him. Amity went in strong, blasting at him directly, Raine and Eda could only watch- knowing they'd hurt him, Edric was having a horrible time. What the hell happened to his boyfriend? He couldn't bare to move, watching the attacks in horror, then being more horrified as he lashed out back.
Luz held the staff in her hands and glared at him, gasping for air. With a quick speed boost, she had wrapped her arms around Helos, barring him in with the staff.
"I know you can hear me Hunter... Fight him off!" She said, trying to get to the real Hunter.
Her attempt failed.
She was flung off to the ground with a groan, the staff flying out of her hand. Flapjack detransformed, fluttering to the monster. He chirped and chittered, pecking at the antlers.
The bird was snatched out of the air by a green hand, held carelessly and unsafely. While everyone was scared and concerned, Edric could only hear ringing. The fighting stopped everyone knowing he finally had something over them.
"That's right. You wouldn't want me hurting your precious palisman, would you?" He said, his tone filled with contempt.
"Oh, but then again, I don't... care what you want." He shrugged simply, before colsing his fist.
A snap resounded through the whole forest as his claws dug into the feathery body of the cardinal, piercing the wood and causing glowing green goop to drip it. Edric screamed.
He couldn't help it.
What seemed to be the blood of the creature seemed to harm Helos, his hand opening and releasing the frantically chirping bird, which was to be caught by Luz.
"Oh, Flapjack... Flapjack, you'll be okay." She mumbled to the bird, who was struggling to breathe.
Hunter had come back into control. He had been fighting so hard to take his own body, his own mind back before this point, but he had truly snapped then.
"You know what I want, Belos?" He took the dug up vial into his own hand, holding it shakily.
"I'd like to quit that stupid counselor job and never step foot on that camp again." A step towards the lake, a glance to his friends.
"I'd like to study magic and do what I want to." Another step, a glance towards his adoptive witch parents.
"But most of all, I'd like to make sure you never hurt anyone again!" He tossed the vial into the lake, a sad smile and a glance to the boy who had inspired him so heavily.
"No!" Belos called out, taking control as he jumped into the lake again. Through the murky water, it was visible he had grabbed onto the vial and had forgotten to hold his breath, now sinking to the bottom. Everyone rushed to the edge, staring down in fear.
Except Eda.
"Move." was all she said before jumping in, soaking herself to find that boy and bring him back up.
She dragged him back onto the surface. Edric sat down on his knees, and was given his boyfriend back. He couldn't help but cry, looking down at him.
The green goop lifted itself from his body, manifesting itself as a wendigo like being.
"Caleb! You'd stab me in the back again?" Belos' voice shrieked out at the boy.
"You did it to him first." Luz responded, her voice filled with tears.
The creature scoffed, shattering the glass on the gate and opening a portal back to the human realm, crawling through.
No one could care though, they were much too occupied with their friend, their family.
Hunter's body had just been covered in new scars, Edric's heart breaking even further.
"G-guys, he's not breathing!" He gasped out, trying to shake him awake.
Flapjack chirped sadly from Luz's palm, using the last of his strength to flutter onto Hunter's chest. He nuzzled the boy's face, laying down.
Hunter woke up suddenly in a field of pale yellowed wheat, the sky an ever paler blue. He could feel his hair brushing against his neck again.. He hadn't been able to feel it ever since Edric cut it.
He sat up suddenly, looking around. He began to walk about, calling out for his lover, his adoptive sister, his palisman.. He didn't find them.
In a clearing in the field though, sat two people.
A young witch man in his late 20's with ashe blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail. He was wearing a white button up and black trousers with black suspenders. A human woman around the same age sat beside him. She had choppy, short, reddish brown hair that had been slicked bair. On her body she wore a raggedy brown dress with an apron, a hand on her stomach. She appeared to be pregnant.
As they were the only other people there, Hunter couldn't help but come up to them. "Uhm.. Hello?" He mumbled weakly.
They both turned. The man looked similar to Hunter, but with more sunken cheeks and darker eyes, the woman had almost gold eyes and a plump face.
"Darling, isn't this the newest one Pip had made?" The woman besides him asked with a sweet smile and an old accent.
"I'd believe so. He's the one who won." He smiled right back at her, standing up.
In his hand was Flapjack, who looked happier than he ever had before.
"Caleb.." He muttered, suddenly recognizing him.
"A sharp young man too, I must respect that in today's youth. You've come out well, Hunter." Caleb laughed huskily, Flap chirping along.
The witch he could only assume to be Evelyn struggled to stand for a moment, before getting helped by her husband.
"A beautiful young man... Just as you, my dear." She smiled lovingly, leaning her head on Caleb's shoulder.
"Wait wait wait- you two are dead. Have been for what, centuries? Why am I here-? Why is FLAPJACK here?" He couldn't be dead- he had so much to do and resolve still..
"Don't worry about it. You'll be right back to your Edric soon. Flap's... gonna stay here, with us." Caleb responded, looking down at his bird.
Hunter was still confused, until he pieced it together.
"He's... not there anymore, is he?" He asked sadly, looking down at the floor.
"Sadly no, sweetheart. That won't matter for you though. Flappy's been around longer than we've been here, it was his time. Plus he's with Caleb again and we know how much you love him, but... he is Caleb's." Evelyn responded a bit sadly, her hand rubbing her belly.
"You, uhm... you're right. I'm glad he's back with you guys, you deserve him back. I still have Ed too and maybe I'll make my own one day." He sniffed slightly, but quickly wiped his eyes.
"That's the spirit. Now go on, Hunter. You'll see us again when it's your time. But it's not your time now. You still have a whole life in front of you. Live it proudly and happily- better than my Evie and I ever could." Caleb giggled, nuzzling faces with his wife.
Flapjack floated up into the sky in thick bubbles of light, his body soaking into Hunter's. Edric's tears continued to dribble down his face- first, his boyfriend, then the last remnant of him.
Then a miracle happened- Hunter stirred.
He groaned, slowly opening his eyes.
"Hey guys... Is everyone else okay?" He asked, making sure to keep a smile.
"..actually, Flapjack.." Gus began, unable to even look him in his eyes.
"Don't. Don't. I already know." His voice cracked as he spoke and for the first time, no one made fun of him for it.
Ed was still crying, more happily. "Sit up slowly, love. Are you in pain anywhere?" He asked his boyfriend, helping him up as best as he could.
"I'm okay." He mumbled, still leaning into him as he sat up.
"The portal's still open... This could be your last chance." Raine suggested to the group, and they took it.
Each had a personal good bye to the realm.
"Goodbye, demon realm! Thank you for showing me your secrets. I hope to see you again." Hus bowed to the whole of the realm overdramatically, as he always was.
"Thanks for the memories! We'll be back after we get some revenge." Willow said simply, waving.
Luz and Amity walked in together, holding hands and staying close.
Eda and Raine stayed behind Ed and Hunter, knowing Hunter probably needed their time.
Ed kept an arm tightly around him, holding him bot close andn up as they stumbled towards the portal.
Just before they passed through, Hunter's grasped at his shirt and mumbled.. "Let's go home, Flap."
They stepped through, Eda and Raine just behind them.
It was time to find out what hell broke lose in the months they were gone.
haha L i made a sad chp that u nerds read haha hope ur hurting
1953 words.