"How much longer?" Caden groans.
"You really are a child." You laugh.
"I'm 13! I'm a teenager!" Caden exclaims
"When did you turn 13?" You ask.
"Um... like I think 2 months ago...?" He says.
"Well you're freshly 13, so you're still a child." You tease.
"I am not!" He says.
You smirk and pick up a rock right next to you. You hold it up and plop it in his hand.
"Here, why don't you add this one?" You say.
"This is just a regular plain old rock." Caden says.
"Well regular rocks deserve some love too don't you think?" You ask.
"There's nothing special about it though." He grumbles.
"So?" You ask.
"So it's lame." Caden rolls his eyes.
"Nah. I don't think it is." You smile.
"We've been walking for years." Caden grumbles shoving the rock in his pocket.
"I'm sure we're almost there." You say.
"...After we get this are you guys going to leave?" Caden asks.
You look over at him. He looks kind of sad.
"Well... yeah, we need to go back to our time." You say.
Caden frowns and holds his hands together. He looks down and then blushes a little nervously.
"Can you and Hunter come visit again?" He says quickly yet nervously.
You blink a few times and then you frown. When you look over at him he's holding his hands together and he looks like he has a little bit of hope in his face. You put your hand on his shoulder, and he looks up at you.
"...I don't know if we can, visiting the past too much may lead to bad things happening." You say.
"...You guys are nice though." Caden says softly.
"You actually like us?" You ask.
"....yeah." Caden frowns.
"...I know I'm a lot younger and annoying... and I'm not from your time period but... um..." Caden blushes
"M-maybe we could all be... like friends." Caden says rubbing his arm.
Your heart breaks. What are you supposed to say to this? You can't just leave him all sad. You can't let him be lonely.
He's not safe here with his uncle either.
...You shouldn't have talked to him, you shouldn't have gotten attached. Now you wish you could take him with you. If you were to take him with you what would that even mean? What would that do?
"I..." you mumble.
Caden looks over at you. What are you supposed to say? Do you really have to break his heart?
"Um..." you say.
Caden blinks and then shakes his head.
"You know what? Never mind." Caden says softly.
"...I know that that might... complicate things." He shoves his hands in his pockets.
You don't know what to say. He caught on quick, now you really don't know what to say.
"...I'm sorry." You say.
"Don't be, I understand." Caden says.
"Forget I said anything. It doesn't even matter." Caden mumbles.
You frown and continue walking. Caden continues walking alongside you. You really do want so badly to take him with you but that... wouldn't work.
"Aren't you worried?" Caden suddenly asks.
You blink.
"About Hunter? He's been gone for a while. What if he found the blood before we did?" Caden says.
"I don't think so. Titans blood is usually in one area." You say.
"You sure?" He asks.
"I'm sure." You say.
As you continue to walking you begin to hear something flowing, you look up ahead and see something. Your eyes widen and you pick up the pace. Caden looks up at you and follows you.
"What? Do you see it?" He exclaims.
"I think so! Come on!" You grab his arm.
"Geez! Don't rush me!" He says.
"Who was it who kept asking if we're there yet? Aren't you excited?" You smile and continue running.
"Okay okay!" Caden says.
You run up and then to your surprise. You see a small lake of dark blue liquid. Your eyes shimmer and a big grin spreads across your face. Caden looks at you and grins too.
"What you smiling for? Wasn't it you who said titans blood is useless?" You giggle.
"Nothing!" Caden exclaims and runs over to it.
You catch up and run over with him. He leans down next to the small lake of titans blood. You lean down next to him and look at it.
"Oh my Titan! This is so much!" You grin.
"What is it you need it for?" He asks.
"That's a secret." You say.
"Oh sure be all mysterious again. I love it when you do that." He grumbles and folds his arms.
"Shoot. I wish I had something to put it in! Why didn't I think of that!? Ummm..." You mumble and go through your bag.
"You really came this unprepared?" Caden says.
"Shut up!" You say going through your bag.
"Damn it!" You say.
"What if you soak it in something? Like a piece of cloth? Or something?" Caden says.
"Yes! Great idea. Good job Caden." You say and rip a piece of your jacket off.
He smiles brightly, and watches you rip a piece of your jacket off.
You ball it up and dip it into the little lake. The cloth sits and absorbs all the blood into it. After a few moments you pull it up and shove it in your pocket.
"Blood ball." You smirk.
"Funny name." Caden raises an eyebrow.
You hear running footsteps right behind you guys and you quickly turn around. Caden turns around quickly and grins.
"Look he's back!" Caden tugs on your sleeve and grins.
Hunters standing there catching his breath. He wipes the sweat off his forehead and looks over at us. He swallows and nods.
"Ugh- um. Hey. Sorry I took so long." Hunter says.
"It's okay, I'm glad you're alright." You say and stand up and walk over to him.
You hold the sides of his arms and smile. He smiles a little at you, you watch his cheeks go pink. Caden tugs on Hunters sleeve.
"We found the blood, look." Caden points.
"Oh- nice. I uh- I didn't find any!" Hunter smiles nervously.
"I didn't really have anything to put it in... I was dumb I didn't think of bringing a bottle or a vial or something." You laugh.
"Oh.. uh.. how inconvenient." Hunter scratches the back of his head.
"So I ripped some of my sleeve off and it's all soaked in it. I think it'll do nicely, don't you?" You smile and pull out your blood ball.
It drips a little on the floor. Hunter stares at it and nods nervously with an awkward look on his face.
"What's wrong? You seem nervous." You say.
"Nothing, this place just gives me the creeps." Hunter says softly.
You, Hunter, and Caden go silent. The only sound to be heard throughout the cave is the sound of your little blood ball dripping. Hunter blinks and looks at it drip and then looks back at you.
"We should leave." Hunter says.
"Okay. Hopefully there's a way out we can find." You say.
"We'll find a way out." Hunter smiles.
"Yeah, let's get out." You say and begin walking with them.
"What did you guys talk about while I was gone?" He asks.
"Nothing. Um... I was telling him how he shouldn't listen to what his uncle says." You say.
"Which I could say the same for you too." You smile a little.
Hunter folds his arms.
"Yeah." Hunter rubs his arm.
"Who is your uncle anyway? What's his name?" Hunter asks.
"...um.." Caden says.
Suddenly Caden's eyes widen, he gasps a little and steps back and he stops in his tracks. He looks up ahead nervously.
You look over at him confused as to why he stopped walking. Hunter looks over at him as well, also confused.
"What's wrong?" You ask.
Hunter furrows his eyebrows and notices Caden looking ahead, confused Hunter turns his head and he looks the direction Caden is looking.
Hunter gasps quickly a little and takes a step back as well. He grabs your arm.
You look over at Hunter who looks shocked, you look down at Caden who looks afraid. So you look up ahead.
At least a few yards away stands none other than... a man...
He's wearing some sort of mask with 2 long pointed horns and he has longer ashy blonde messy hair. He's in some sort of robe as well, and he is looking directly at you all.
That mask, is none other than emperor Belos's mask, only it's carved in wood.
"Is... that..?" You say cautiously.
"M-my uncle." Caden says.
"That's Belos." Hunter whispers.
Hunter looks over at Caden.
"You can't have the same uncle as me." Hunter says in disbelief.
"Belos? Who's Belos that's my uncle..!" Caden whisper yells.
"His names Philip!" Caden whisper yells.
The man's footsteps are heard and he's slowly approaching the 3 of you.
You grip Hunters sleeve.
"Caden. I thought I told you to investigate them... I certainly didn't ask you to play with them." Belos tilts his head.
"H-he has the same voice." Hunter whispers.
Caden doesn't say anything. He doesn't move. How long has he been following you both? How long?!
Caden stands there in shock . He's already disobeyed his orders, he's befriended you both, he accepted a gift from you, and he's helping you with your mission.
He already had considered you and Hunter as his friends. If he were to have heard Caden talking to you about how he wants you and Hunter to visit him he wouldn't know what to do.
Belos chuckles and approaches us three some more. He crosses his arms and then taps his chin
"Running around aimlessly in a cave looking for... what was it... titans blood?" Belos's laughs.
Caden backs away.
"Befriending people?" Belos takes a step forward.
"And what was it? You said I... scare you? After all I've done for you? That's not anyway to talk about your dear uncle... is it Caden?" Belos says.
Caden and Hunter take a few steps back. You stay where you are still trying to process the situation. You look over at Caden and Hunter and it seems like Caden's starting to scoot and hide behind Hunter.
Hunter notices this and even though he's just as nervous as Caden is, he tries to protect him. You back up and stand next to Hunter, helping Hunter protect Caden.
"Hiding? Pathetic." Belos scoffs.
He rolls up his sleeve and it reversals a bunch of glyph combinations all bonded together. They're engraved on his skin.
Caden grips Hunters arm tightly.
"No.. no no no no." Caden mutters.
Hunter furrows his eyebrows and grips Caden. Belos taps his arm and immediately Caden lifts up into the air. Hunters eyes widen.
"No!" You exclaim and you and Hunter try and grab him.
Caden grips on Hunters sleeve to try and not get pulled away. You grab Caden's arm too.
However, Belos's magic hold he has on Caden pulls him out of you and Hunters grasp. Caden goes flying over to Belos. He breathes frantically, and tries to struggle to get out of Belos's magic hold.
"Caden!" You exclaim.
"Shit-" Hunter gasps.
As soon as Caden's close enough for Belos to grab, he pulls him by the arm and digs his fingers into his skin.
"Disobeying your only family? Am I nothing to you?" Belos taunts him.
"I-was gonna come back I-"
"Come back?" Belos interrupts.
"Why even bother coming back if you prefer these people you had just met over me who's been taking care of you ever since I pulled you out of the rubble from the utmost kindness of my heart?" Belos scoffs.
"I... never- I didn't say that! I just-" Caden says nervously.
"And here I thought making you younger than the others.... would prove to give you much more of a potential since you'd be learning at such a younger age." Belos scoffs.
"Others..?" Caden says.
Belos smirks.
Hunter takes a step back and he makes a nervous breathy noise. You grab his arm.
"You are nothing... but...a traitor, just like the others before you." Belos smirks.
Hunters eyes are still widened and he refuses to blink. His fists are clenched tight, he's just a kid. The ways this is going isn't good.
Belos glances at Hunter and sighs. He tilts his head at Hunter.
"Seems like my future grimwalkers aren't of any benefit either." Belos scoffs.
"...What?" Hunter mumbles.
"Pity pity..." Belos clicks his tongue and moves his hands up to Caden's throat.
"Uncle-" Caden gasps
"Don't hurt him!!" You exclaim.
Belos glances over at you and you can tell underneath his mask he has a smirk. He shakes his head at you and turns to look back at Caden. Caden's struggling trying to pull his Uncles hands off of him.
"As if I'd care what you have to say you pitiful witch." Belos scoffs.
"D-Don't talk to her like that! A-And let him go!" Hunter suddenly speaks up, taking a step forward.
Belos raises an eyebrow, only gripping Caden's throat tighter. He's struggling to break free.
"It seems I'll never get the perfect Caleb I've always wanted.." Belos sighs.
"No matter how hard I try, not matter how many grimwalkers I make... He will always be WEAK." Belos hisses turning his arm into a slimy sharp blade.
"NO!!" Hunter shouts.
He was too late. We were both too late. Without any hesitation, or any thought or input. Belos had impaled Caden right through the stomach.
...This was too much to process all in one setting.
All you could hear was a tight, sharp choke escape Caden's mouth. The entire cave went silent, dead silent. Hunters eyes were widened as well as yours. You were all staring at what Belos had just done to him.
The silence lasted for a good minute. Until Belos quickly pulled his green bladed arm out of Caden's stomach. Caden was dropped onto the ground.
A loud cough and splat was heard and his blood splattered all over the floor.
Hunter shivered and your fingers twitched. Everything was quiet.
All you could hear was Caden struggling to breathe and you were frozen unsure what to do.
Belos dusted off his hands and let out a relieved sigh. He then folded his arm and looked over at you both.
"I think I've come to the decision that any grinwalker I make won't ever be proven worthy." Belos sighs.
"I guess I'll just... continue... making duplicates over and over to help me with my tasks and... once proven disloyal I guess... dispose of them." Belos scoffs and shrugs.
Hunter was trying so hard to keep it together but all he could look at was Caden hyperventilating trying so hard to stay alive on the floor. When he looked at Caden, he saw himself, and the more he saw himself the more it frightened him.
Is this... what has happened to the other guards?
Is this what will happen to him?
Why would Belos do such a thing? And Caden is so young...!
"Why... would you do this..?" Hunter struggles to say.
"I'm just meeting my objective. I can't have failures ruin my plan." Belos sighs.
"Tell me... do I get my empire..? My order? A throne? What's my future like..?" Belos smiles manically underneath his mask slowly approaching Hunter.
You grab Hunters arm and back away.
"My army..? My guards? Are the covens... real..?" Belos steps closer.
"TELL ME HOW SUCCESSFUL I'LL GROW." Belos shouts.
Hunter flinches and seems as if he's trying not to cry. You grab his hand and continue walking backwards with him as Belos walks closer.
Belos glances at your held hands and then back at your faces.
"Tch, Love. Pity, just like Caleb, it only poisons your mind." Belos sighs.
"I'm sure... I'll be pleased to see you when you return." He tilts his head.
"I would kill you now... but... I don't know what my future tasks I need you to complete are... maybe you had some usefulness." Belos smirks.
"I'll let that fate fall to the me in the future." Belos grins.
You glance at Caden. Who's twitching on the ground. Hunters trembling.
That's it, you can't let this continue anymore. You whip out your palisman and pull Hunter onto it. As soon as he realizes you grab him he hops on with you. You fly over Belos and as you do Hunter reaches out his arms and scoops Caden up.
Caden gasps slightly, still struggling to breathe.
"I got you, I got you, it's okay." Hunter says shakily. You continue piloting your palisman.
"No point saving him! He'll be dead in practically minutes!" Belos hollars.
"Shut up for once!" You yell.
Hunter looks back at Belos with a shocked expression. Belos doesn't bother chasing after us, he watches us fly away out of the cave.
All you hear is Hunter quietly crying, and Caden struggling to breathe as you all fly out of the cave.