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The rain of the human realm was as beautiful as he remembered it. As bad of a state that Belos was in, he had just enough of himself to be able to enjoy the life around him. The smell of grass and dampness, the sound of the thunder far away, the rustling of the green leaves on the trees. He was home.
But he wasn’t done yet. The grimwalker was still loose, and those meddling kids were certainly planning to go back to the Demon Realm. At least the human kid did. She did tell him all about the witches and the monsters that she cared about. How foolish of her to try and sacrifice her precious human life for a sliver of hope to save some lowly witches.
But the wrongs she chose to live with were the last of Emperor Belos’ concern. For now, he had to concentrate all of his power on getting his last surviving chunks together. How kind it was of Hunter to bring so much of his being home. Maybe he wasn’t all that hopeless after all.
Still, even he didn’t bring much. When the emperor attempted to recreate his body, he didn’t have enough to recreate his old form. But he had just enough for the new plan he had formulated. One that would let him infiltrate those poor souls and learn about all of their progress first hand, while remaining safe. And if that plan failed, well… Chunks or not, he still had just enough of his power to defeat them.
As Belos exited the lone abandoned house in the middle of nowhere, he heard rustling in the woods. A wolf stepped out of the shadows, growling at the potential human snack to feast upon.
Belos smiled, things were aligning just perfectly for him.
~ ~ ~
“But how are we going to make it back to the Demon Realm?” Amity asked.
Despite the serious tone of the conversation, she was sitting on the swings in Luz’s backyard.
Now that the kids had briefly explained the events of the past two seasons (of their lives) to Luz’s mom, they had calmed down just enough to try and look at everything that they’ve had, and try to find a way to save the Demon Realm.
“There has to be a way. We did find some magic elements for Vee when she needed it. There's plenty of magic in the Human Realm, we just have to find it.” Luz reasoned from the other side of the yard.
The kids positioned themselves in a circle as they brainstormed. But their meeting was cut short when they heard a scream coming from the woods.
A small child’s scream.
In a minute, a small child ran out of the woods and towards the small gap in the fence. He managed to jump through it, just in time as the jaws of a vicious wolf snapped shut behind him. The canine was too big for the hole in the fence, so it merely growled before turning around and returning to the woods.
Hunter was the first to reach his hand for the child. Something about him felt… strangely familiar. But his question was quickly answered when the kid rose up and looked at him, saying the one thing Hunter expected to hear the least.
“Caleb!”
The small child who resembled Philip Witterbane got up on his muddy hands and made a beeline for the grimwalker who tried scooting away from him. But he wasn’t fast enough, and the child had wrapped his hands around his torso as tight as they could, sobbing into his newly acquired human shirt.
“I’m so sorry I didn’t listen and went into the woods! I got lost and scared, and then- and then there were scary noises, and a wolf came after me! I'm so sorry!”
Despite not looking up, Belos knew exactly the way Hunter was looking right now. Scared and confused, unlike his friends. Luz, of all, was probably the first to see through his disguise. But little did she know, he was always a good actor. He didn’t become the Emperor for just his pretty eyes.
“I’m sorry, please forgive me Caleb! I won’t ever disobey your word, ever ever again. I’ll listen and I won’t go into the woods alone again. Please don’t be mad, Caleb?” The child finally looked up.
Despite the teary eyes, Belos felt triumphant. He could see the fear and shock on Hunter’s face, and most of all that utter confusion. He knew exactly how conflicted Hunter would be, now that Belos was putting himself in his own place. Showing him how delightful it can be to have a small and defenseless thing beg for his mercy. If Hunter was anything like Caleb, and Caleb was anything like Philip, he would surely find it alluring.
“P-Philip… I…” Before Hunter could reply, he stared up behind Belos, at his friends.
When Belos turned around, he found them all pointing different spells in his direction. They didn’t buy it…
The kid stood up, turning around and spreading his hands out to shield Hunter from his own friends.
“Don’t you dare hurt my brother, you evil witches!” He screamed with a strained voice.
Looking ready to protect his brother with his life despite crying in fear just a moment ago. But it wasn’t necessary.
“Wait, they aren’t evil… they’re friendly witches.” Hunter said, placing his hand on Belos’ shoulder and guiding him to put his hands down.
“But they’re witches… they’re no good. They wanna hurt us!” Reasoned the small child.
Hunter stood up, now seeing that the child barely reached up to his waistline. The child who resembled Philip immediately clung to his leg, looking around with scared eyes.
“They don’t want to hurt us… they’re friends.” Hunter said to his friends rather, raising his hands to gesture for the others to put their spells away. They didn’t.
“Don’t tell me you’re actually falling for this!” Luz was the first to say it. “Hunter, this is-”
“A child named Philip, yes, that’s what this is.” Hunter shot back.
Amity put away her spell circle, but Hunter still leaned back when she took a step towards him. She spoke softly to him.
“Hunter, I know you want to believe this, because you thought of him as your family. But by all accounts that we know of, there is a good chance that this is Belos pretending to be a child, so that he can… do something bad to us.”
Hunter looked down. The child pressed against him tighter, only letting go to wipe under his nose.
“I understand wanting to find something good in the family that wrongs you.” Amity continued.
She really did understand. That hurt the most. Hunter looked at her with sadness in his eyes. Then he turned towards the child.
“Hey Philip, it’s okay. Everything is fine. Could you please… go stand by the fence for a minute? It’s a… little game. I’ll call you over when you’ve won.”
Wiping his tears, the kid nodded.
“Promise they won’t hurt you?” He mumbled.
Hunter nodded. Belos held his hands together to his chest as he slowly stepped away. He thought it was stupid, as he continued to hear the kids just fine from where he stood, but he kept the teary and scared expression on his face.
“If this really was Belos… do you really think he’d pretend to be a child?” Hunter started.
“Yes!” Luz immediately replied. “He’s trying to trick us. We’ve all seen he is capable of shapeshifting.”
“No, no. Hear me out. Last time we saw Belos he was ready to kill us. Do you really think if he had enough power to shapeshift, he wouldn’t use it to kill us all already?”
“To be honest, he is kind of a sadist.” Luz reasoned with a tint of trauma to her words. “It’s in his style to trick you, just so that his reveal is more painful. I mean, he did pretend to rule the witches before attempting to genocide them.”
“What else do you think this could be?” Asked Willow.
Hunter took a glance at the kid by the fence, then looked back at his friends.
“I think… because only a small portion of his ‘chunks’ made it to the Human Realm, this is all they were able to regenerate into. I probably got splattered as I ran under it… I stepped into it too. But that’s not the point. There has to be a side effect to a small part of Belos being separated from… his whole part?” Hunter shrugged, pulling an awkward smile.
When nobody smiled back, his face became serious again.
“Okay, let’s imagine that this really is just… Philip.” Luz started, “Let’s put him into an orphanage.”
“What is that?” Hunter tilted his head.
“It’s nothing bad. It’s a place in the Human Realm, where kids go when they don’t have parents. He doesn’t have parents. And if this is just a child, we should have no problem just… leaving him with the other kids, right? You know, in a safe place for real small kids?”
Luz put her hands on her hips, waiting for Hunter’s argument. She wanted him to admit that he just wanted to have some hope in Belos and keep him close. She didn’t expect him to call her out on her own bluff.
“So if he really is still evil and dangerous, you’d rather put him in a house full of small innocent children, than keep him with us, a group who has defeated him before?”
Luz’s raised shoulders slowly lowered. So did her face. She didn’t have a further argument, and even if she did, the silence that formed was broken by her mom.
“Who wants muffins?” She cheerily announced, stepping into the backyard with a tray of freshly baked muffins in her hands.
As serious as the conversation was, the kids didn’t have it in them to refuse a light snack in the middle of all the stress. Hunter turned around and waved his hand, calling Philip over. The child came close, once again gripping Hunter’s pants with one little hand, while he held the other up to his chest. He looked at the muffins in questions like he hadn’t eaten in centuries. And perhaps that was true.
“Oh? There’s another one?” Luz’s mom asked, getting down on one knee to level with him. “Who are you?”
“I’m Philip Wittewbane!” The kid proudly announced the name that the kids haven’t mentioned to Luz’s mom yet, “And this is my brother Caleb, the best big brother in the whole wide world!”
The kid hugged Hunter around his leg as he said that.
Looking down at him, Hunter felt something stir inside of him. Like a weird feeling he had never felt before, and couldn't’ classify if he wanted to.
“Y-yeah, we, uh… didn’t realize he came with us through the portal. Sorry. But that’s the last unexpected kid, we- I promise! There was nobody else in there.” He quickly added.
“Well aren’t you an adorable little witch.” Luz’s mom’s mom sense kicked in. She reached the last muffin for the kid to take.
And Belos happily took it. Then he looked up at the grimwalker of his brother, and reached the muffin for him to take. Hunter pushed it back down, letting the younger have it. So Philip carefully broke it in half and reached one of the halves for Hunter. That’s what they settled on.
“Thank you, and uhm… Miss Luz’s mom?” Hunter started awkwardly. When he felt Philip reach for his leg again, this time he took his little hand into his own. It was so weird to feel a whole small palm fit inside of his own. “Thank you very much. But… I understand that a lot of us suddenly had to become your responsibility. And I don’t want to trouble you any more than you’ve already been… troubled. So we’re going to move away.”
A gasp came from Willow’s direction.
“I heard that there’s a place called Orphanage, where I can go with my brother. We’ll find shelter there, but we’ll still come here to plan our… plans.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Luz’s mom said softly, “You’re not inconveniencing me in the slightest. Besides, your brother is so small, I’m sure he can fit with the rest of you in the house. Better keep him by your side than lose him in the Human Realm.”
The kid in question nodded. He would have squeezed Hunter’s hand tighter, if the older wasn’t already holding his whole palm. In a way, it felt weird even for Belos, to have the lowly grimwalker disarm him so easily by simply holding his hand. Right… Holding his hand…
As the matriarch made her way back to the house, the rest of the kids looked at Hunter with concern and disbelief in their eyes.
“We can’t argue with her now.” Luz shrugged, “But that doesn’t mean we won’t keep our eyes on him.”
“Look. I know the risk being taken here.” Hunter finally addressed, “But one thing you should realize… is that I’m the one the emperor wants dead. If anyone is endangered the most by this, it’s me. And I’m… I’m taking that risk for myself. If I die, you will have just enough time to-”
“You won’t die!” The child interrupted. “I won’t let anybody hurt you, Caleb! They’ll have to go through me first! And I’m the legendary witch hunter. They’ll tremble in fear before they can get to you!”
The malicious and manipulative Emperor Belos had earned himself a pat on the head for his words.
And that’s how his stay was settled.
~ ~ ~
“Are you sure you don’t need any help?” The voice came from outside the bathroom.
This was undignifying to say the least, and humiliating on more accounts than Belos thought was possible.
“Thank you, I’m fine!” He announced, stepping down the makeshift ladder of thick books leading up to the toilet and fixing his overalls in place.
He opened the door for the lady that Luz called ‘mother’. She had been so kind to him, the great Emperor had found himself baffled by the long forgotten feeling of parental care. But he would put up with any humiliation, in his plan to make it back to the Demon Realm, where he can recollect himself, and then-
“I’ve got a present for you!” The lady announced happily, bringing forth a small bag with something rustling inside.
As the innards of the bag were revealed, Belos gulped down hard, and smiled with his childish little face. As he said, he would put up with any humiliation… No matter the cost… the end will justify the means… he hoped.
~ ~ ~
“Hey kids, there’s something I want to show you!”
The kids in question looked at the woman by the half closed door.
“We may not have a lot of magic in this realm, but we do have…”
She let the door to Luz’s room swing open, letting every kid in their pajamas witness the great Emperor Belos in all of his glory.
“...Unicorns!”
The great witch hunter, killer of thousands, grimwalker master Emperor Belos stood in the doorway as a small child in a unicorn themed onesie.
They will pay dearly for this indignity, he swore to himself.
Despite the humiliation, this seemed to be yet the most effective aid for his plan, as the kids in the room awed and cooed at him.
“It’s almost like he isn’t a heartless monster that killed thousands.” Willow whispered to Gus, but it didn’t escape Belos’ ears.
Still, as the great manipulator he was, he put on a happy face and giggled at the kids in the room. He made his way to his brother, walking so clumsily he had collapsed right into Hunter’s lap. He ran his hands around his brother's torso and gripped his shirt, as if he was afraid the boy would poof away if he stopped holding him for a moment.
“Look, brother! I’m a… a uni… a…” He had already forgotten the word the lady had used for him. Those made up creatures weren’t present on Boiling Isles.
“A unicorn.” Hunter corrected him, picking Philip up and setting him down to sit in his lap instead. “They’re like horses… but with horns. And they’re magical.”
“Am I magical?” The kid asked with wonder in his eyes and voice. True to Luz’s claim earlier, he took satisfaction from the worry on Hunter’s face.
“...Uhm… yeah… sure.” He said, unsurely.
Looking around, Belos spotted a stuffed animal that fit the description he was given. A white horse with rainbow hair and a horn on her forehead… and a pair of pastel wings on her back? What’s next, fire breathing dragons? Zebras speaking in rhymes? Oh those humans and their modern day fantasy. Still, the emperor crawled his way over to the toy and reached for it- just to have it snatched from his hand at the last moment.
He looked up at Luz, who was sitting on her bed and clutching the toy to her torso. Belos stood up and reached his hands, unsaid pleas for the toy in his innocent eyes.
Luz was visibly uncomfortable, but after an exchange of looks with her friends, she gave the malevolent tyrant the satisfaction of holding a stuffed alicorn princess in his hands.
“tank u c:” The evil villain cheered at the lowly brainwashed human, quickly making his way back to the safe zone of Hunter’s lap.
Before he could triumph in his small victory, the door to the room opened again after a polite knock.
“Oh, I almost forgot.”
Belos heard a giggle come from Luz, then Vee, then from Hunter himself as the boy placed a hand on his shoulder. He looked up at the looming shadow of the motherly figure above. Emperor Belos thought he had been through the worst torments both of the realms had to offer, but it turns out there was more that the Human Realm had yet in store.
He didn’t care. He kept a happy and awestruck face on. He would go through anything, he would handle any humiliation for his greater plan. He will make all of them (except maybe the mom) bow down and wither under the most painful of torture spells he knew. He would rip apart the innocent horned horse toy. He would…
He couldn’t bear it. He closed his eyes. When he opened them again, the matriarch had left, and the rest of the kids were now laughing their butts off at the imagery of the great Emperor Belos, now in a unicorn kigurumi, with a stuffed animal in his hands, and a pacifier in his mouth.
Images were documented on both the Human Realm’s and Demon Realm’s communication devices.
They will pay dearly for this indignity when their lives will be at his fingertips again, and they'll be begging him for mercy from a fate worse than death. Oh, they will.
~ ~ ~
The humiliation proved itself worth it when the innocent and undignifying look the Emperor was forced into proved to sooth the group’s suspicions. In the words of Luz the Human, Belos was now less “sus” in their eyes.
To the point they all felt safe enough to fall asleep in the same room as he was in. In fact, he was given a blanket and a pillow right by Hunter’s side.
Everyone slept soundly while Belos rose from his sleeping place. The human and the witch with pastel purple hair slept on the bed, in each other’s arms as two victims of pure love would. The idea of being in love with a witch sickened Belos, but Luz’s life choices were truly none of his concern. The rest of the witch kids and the basilisk had been given blankets and pillows as well.
It was quiet. Peaceful and quiet. So quiet, it was hard to imagine that all of those kids had gone through severe psychological damage so recently. But Belos could hardly spare a fuck to give about that.
He turned his attention to the grimwalker. Now that he wasn’t tall himself, as Belos stood by his side, he got a rather close look at all of his features. Hunter looked so… serene. Something in that relaxed half-smiling look on his face rang a bell in the back of Philip’s head.
It has been over 400 years, yet he still remembered running to his brother’s side during a particularly stormy night. He remembered like it had only occurred yesterday, hiding under his brother’s blanket and staying close to him. Being soothed by the sound of his heartbeat, and surprised by the brave look on his face as he slept through the rainstorm. Caleb slept so peacefully through the worst of the storms.
And now Hunter was sleeping so peacefully through the destruction of the Demon Realm.
As if the universe had read Belos’s mind, a gentle tapping on the window let him know that it was raining again. The thunderstorm didn’t scare him as much anymore. It wasn’t the reason he instinctively scooted closer to Hunter, he told himself.
That grimwalked was just a thorn in his side. Belos was simply here to dispose of this feeble reminder of his failure. He was a better version than many before him, that’s true, but he was still a grimwalker. Just a grimwalker. This wasn’t Caleb. It wasn’t his brother, sleeping so soundly. He didn’t care about Philip. He didn’t love him…
The sudden noise of thunder made Philip jump. He wasn’t scared, Titan no. Simply caught off guard as he was deep in his thoughts. But he ended up falling by Hunter’s side.
As he tried to get up without waking him (not that he cared about the grimwalker, he simply didn’t want to draw more suspicions his way), he felt Hunter shift in his dream. Belos held his breath, staying in place. He simply needed to wait for Hunter to fall asleep again, in the event that he woke up.
Hunter never opened his eyes, but his hand reached around and rested over Philip’s side. In a second it withdrew, only to come back with his blanket this time, and wrap around Philip fully.
Then he resumed his sleep.
Belos cursed in his mind. But for the lack of anything else he could have done, he laid on his side and closed his eyes. The grimwalker must have mistaken him for one of many stuffed animals in the room. He was not about to think that there was something more to the gesture, than simple mindless movement through the haze of sleep.
Another thunder forced Philip to scoot closer to Hunter, now digging his little fingers into his shirt. He felt a hand rest on the back of his head, slowly petting down his back, then back up and again and again in a gentle motion. And then he found himself relaxing into the motions, and the sound of the steady heartbeat, and the fearless face he was hiding his own childish mask under the chin of.
Belos should really hurry up with his evil plan. Clearly inhabiting the body of a child is affecting him in the worst ways.
~ ~ ~
A week had gone by in the blink of an eye. Belos did his best to stay with the group. When Luz suggested that they look for clues at the location called “The Sleeping Giant”, he cried and clung to his brother’s grimwalker’s leg until they let him come with them. Who could say no to a child so concerned with his brother’s safety? To not appease his apparent abandonment issues? They were too pure of heart to dare.
And that is how Belos accompanied them to the place and got to learn that they found a whole lot of nothing.
He did however enjoy being carried in what they called “a piggy back” style, and having the matriarch check up on him several times throughout the trip. He never complained, he never cried. He never whined. He attempted to reject the offered meal, but because the mother had insisted so nicely…
The great and powerful Emperor ended up sipping on a baby bottle as the grimwalker carried him on his back through their journey. In the end he even received a small trinket to commemorate visiting the sight. Something that the modern day humans called "a souvenir".
He fell asleep as they sat inside the strange mobile device they called “car”, and when he woke up he was back home with the rest of them. Witchcraft, he’d think, if he didn’t know any better.
Luz was right. The Human Realm has changed. Or maybe it’s just been way too long since Belos has been a child.
Their second trip was to the local museum. So many items that Belos remembered being novelties were put on display as timeless relics of the long forgotten past.
He squeezed Hunter’s hand as he stared at the statue that reminded him of too much for his comfort. When he looked at the older boy, Hunter looked just as discombobulated.
“Look Caleb, they look like us!” He still pointed out, to keep up the appeal.
“Yeah… they kinda do.” The boy replied.
They stayed by the side of the statue for a while longer as the rest of the kids moved on. Philip would have insisted on following them, he couldn’t miss a single clue they would come across.
But there it was, this strange feeling deep inside of him again. That strange feeling he felt as he called Hunter his brother, as he looked at him from below. As he tightened his grip - his whole hand was just big enough to wrap around a few of Hunter’s fingers.
When Hunter looked down, Philip knew that he was feeling the same thing. That strange calling of a familial blood.
Not that the grimwalker would know anything about that…
But looking in his eyes, Belos started to question if maybe, just maybe, he was wrong in some of his grimwalker knowledge. He had studied them for so long, he thought he knew everything.
Could it be that a small detail had slipped his mind?
The third trip took place in a pawn shop. When the seller mentioned a lady who fit The Owl Lady description, Luz almost climbed over the counter as she asked the human for more details.
Belos paid very little mind to them. It was clear the human didn’t have much to offer that could be of aid. Instead he focused on more artifacts of the past he used to call present. This time, they weren’t kept with respect as a piece of history. This time, they were merely toys and collector’s items up for their lowest sale price.
Philip looked over at Hunter as he pointed at the objects with childish fascination, asking if he remembered them. Hunter replied 'no' most of the time, much to Belos’s disappointment…
Why was he surprised? He already knew this was a grimwalker. Of course he didn’t possess any of Caleb’s memories. It’d be a disaster if he did.
So why did it make Philip feel so empty, that Hunter wasn’t recognizing a tool he had never seen in his own life?
On the fifth day the kids took a break, and with the mother’s best intentions, they tried to just enjoy being kids for a day of their lives. Something that they’ve been stripped off in their lives.
Gus and Willow stayed at home, telling Vee and the mother about The Demon Realm. Luz and Amity went on a date.
And Hunter was there with Philip. Bringing him toys and coming up with games. As if he had to entertain the Emperor. Just like the old times, but… maybe not quite like the old times.
Just like the way older times, when they were kids. Before everything went awry.
Belos played along, putting up with the made up game rules. Giggling whenever his brother made the toys in his hands talk in funny voices. Laughing at the silly faces he made. And even challenging Caleb to a game of “patty cake”, a novelty in human culture he wasn’t used to.
And for a moment, Philip wished that time would stop. He found himself wishing that life could be just like this, forever. Demon Realm and all the witches in the world be damned, he was here, sitting in his brother’s lap and nodding to sleep as Caleb read him a children’s book about a princess and a knightess, who loved each other.
Philip had laid his head on Caleb’s arm, feeling the sweet embrace of dreams at the corner of his mind, and trying to fight it for just one moment longer. Let this moment last a second longer. All of his empire for just a minute more of that sad Earthly scene of serenity.
His eyes shot wide open as he heard a witch address his brother. Caleb had stopped reading for him. His arms remained wrapped around Philip’s small form in his lap, but his eyes and all of his attention had shifted to the witch they called Willow.
“I think he’s asleep.” He whispered to her.
“You’re so good with kids.” She whispered back.
Like forbidden lovers, they spoke in whispers. Like bonded souls, they smiled at each other. Like a ray of sunshine, Caleb’s cheeks had warmed up with a subtle blush as he spoke to the witch.
Violent images swarmed Philip’s head. The memories of his brother leaving him for good, as he had fallen for a love spell of a local witch.
And then the Emperor Belos did what he never thought he would do.
He cried. He cried loud and distressed, like a child he was posing to be, yet not even trying to play this time.
And all of a sudden, all of Caleb’s attention was back on him. The witch attempted to sooth him herself, but her meek attempts were rejected and had only caused Philip to weep louder. With a quick apology, Caleb stood up with his brother pressed against his chest, and walked to another room.
He closed the door behind them and paced around, patting his baby brother on the back and whispering sweet words of comfort into his ears.
“It’s okay, you’re okay. Did you have a nightmare? You’re okay. You’re safe now. You’re gonna be fine.” All the words Hunter prayed to Titans to hear every day had a bittersweet taste in his mouth, yet he spoke them with genuine care. If he didn’t get to hear them, at least this innocent child would.
With time, Philip calmed down. He had his hands wrapped around Caleb’s shoulders as he spoke through the sobbing.
“Promise you won’t leave me for that witch? Promise?”
“What?” Said Caleb, “O-of course I won’t. You’ll…”
Philip heard him gulp, nervousness apparent in his tone, but he could tell his brother wasn’t lying.
“You’ll always be my brother.” Caleb said, voice weavering with uncertainty, “No friend or… anything will ever take that… that bond away from us.”
If his words were coming from his heart, why did he sound so uncertain?
And then it hit him. It hit Belos like a knife in the back.
This wasn’t his brother. It was just a grimwalker. So why did it matter so much how this mere copy would spend its life? Why did the fearsome Emperor, future Witch Hunter General, just cry like a child at the thought of losing this… this abomination? This monster. This brother shaped monster…
The weight of those thoughts was too much for his little shoulders. Belos laid his head down on Hunter’s shoulder and closed his eyes. Pretending he was still in that moment. The moment that felt worth living his whole life for, just to experience it again.
The moment that broke his dignity.
The moment he would die for.
~ ~ ~
It happened so suddenly. Luz and Amity ran back from their date to tell the rest that they found a leak into The Demon Realm. In a few minutes, all the gang was equipped and ready.
As always, Belos whined to be allowed to come with them. Usually his cries got to Hunter, but this time around, the boy was uncertain. He tried speaking Belos into staying. He promised he would be safe. He promised he would return unharmed.
But Belos insisted.
Hunter refused.
It was the first time Belos had shown some determination to his words since his play had started. He had to go with them. He had to go back. He had to reunite with the rest of his body.
And he had to… finish what he had started.
He ended up locked in their sleeping room, as the kids ran away towards their closure.
Luz’s mother was on her way to bring him some milk and cookies, when she abruptly dropped the plate with a loud scream. She moved backwards with terror written over her face, as she watched black rotten goo slide from under the locked door to Luz’s bedroom.
The goo took the shape of the child she had kissed goodnight on the forehead just last night. Then it zoomed past her, moving as an entity of no specific shape as it made its way out of the house.
Belos was just fast enough to catch up to the kids, and just sneaky enough to go through the portal behind all of them before it closed for good.
He fell on his face, realizing that he had morphed back into young Philip for some reason. A force of habit. Or it simply wasn’t the time to reveal himself just yet.
Even if Belos had other plans, he was instantly spotted by the group of friends.
“I told you to wait at home!” Hunter stepped towards him.
Belos had never seen him so angry before. He had never seen Caleb angry at all.
He knew the end of his play was nearing. And he knew it would be the end of those moments that he will never have back. And it didn’t matter. Belos stepped forward, gripping Hunter’s hand in his own.
“I’m not letting you leave me.” He said with the courage disproportionate to his small body, “Not this time.”
Before Hunter could decipher his message, a loud laughter rang through the air. Hunter instinctively covered Philip. He wasn’t sure if The Collector would recognize him as a type of Belos, but he wasn’t taking chances.
As the Collector appeared, floating through the air, careless as ever, the kids began to talk to them. Belos barely paid attention, instead looking around and assessing the situation.
They were back in that fateful, half destroyed room. The portal was destroyed, but the wall where the rest of his body splattered was still intact. All of his goop has dribbled into a puddle on the floor. Belos made a step towards it, but was harshly tugged back.
He looked up, to find Hunter holding him back. Hunter knew what Belos was going for. Whether or not he knew for what purpose, Hunter held him back.
“Don’t…” he whispered, pleading his brother, “please.”
Philip stared back, confused by his plea. Did he fear Belos’ wrath, once he was back in full power? Or did he not want to lose him as a child?
Philip could hope.
The brothers turned their attention to the dialogue happening in the foreground. They didn’t notice when Luz had been lifted up by invisible force and brought up to face The Collector.
“...But you can’t just do that to people!” She was saying, “They have lives! Your actions hurt them.”
“You’re being so boring.” The Collector yawned, turning around to look at their players.
In the middle of the field stood a giant owl-shaped house. Or rather, half a house. It was cut exactly in the middle, showing halves of the rooms to the half destroyed palace. Inside, various witches and monsters performed different household tasks, talking to each other like their lives didn’t depend on entertaining a child of the stars.
Just like a dollhouse.
Belos paid attention to the conversation between Luz and The Collector. She was trying her best to speak sense into them, but it was painfully clear they had already decided she wasn’t worth paying attention to. Those silly naïve kids, not seeing that their dearly beloved human friend was in imminent danger. Standing there still with all of their hopes in her convincing abilities. They knew she was good at making friends with the worst enemies.
Just not mischievous Gods.
Belos tugged his hand again, stepping towards the puddle of his form on the ground. He earned himself another tug from Hunter. He wondered if the boy even knew what he wanted to do. Or if he thought there was a different unknown force calling Philip towards that mud. Whispering for him to step towards it and regain the rest of his being.
“Please. Don’t.” Hunter begged.
And just for a moment, Philip believed that he wasn’t the only one wishing that those serene moments between them would last an eternity.
The Collector booed, throwing Luz over their shoulder. She flew up and then started her fastening descent into the abyss of a distance to the ground below her. None of the kids had any means that would be fast enough to catch her. Amity screamed her name, reaching her hand out helplessly.
“I’m sorry.” Said Philip, looking Hunter in the eyes. There was genuine pain in his stare.
His hand gripped Hunter’s hand tighter. The rest of his body ran off towards the puddle.
Luz had fallen long distances before, but it never stopped being so terrifying. That horrifying lack of gravity or any support to her body at all. That closing image of the ground that she would splatter onto, and if the Universe is merciful, she will die on impact.
Luz closed her eyes, wishing she had gotten to say sweet words of care and apologies to Eda and King, and all of her friends, at least one last time.
And then she stopped falling.
She opened her eyes, but the scenery she saw was no better. Her torso was tightly grasped in a hand of rotting ooze. And when she looked for the source of it, she saw the little kid that her mother had sheltered, one knee and one hand dissolving in the puddle of his own former body, and the other hand holding her over the abyss of death. He didn’t seem like he would be able to hold her for much longer. So with a loud grunt, he reeled his hand in, throwing Luz in the proximity of her friends, as his goopy hands retracted to his body.
Belos collapsed into the mud, feeling his body dissipate away. He heard Hunter’s voice call out for him. Which name was he calling, he couldn’t tell. Consciousness drifted away from him as he melted into the goop.
As Hunter made his way towards the puddle, he sat down by its side, staring with his tired, traumatized eyes. Waiting for a miracle to happen.
The puddle shifted around, then took the shape of a human body again. This time, a child of Hunter’s age laid on the ground before him.
Philip raised up slowly, rubbing the back of his head. Having all of his powers back, yet having to condense them into this small body was overwhelming. He looked up, meeting Hunter’s gaze.
They both said nothing. They both waited for the other. They both wondered if the other still wanted them dead.
Luz approached Hunter, calling him to leave Belos behind. And she was not the only one to recognize him.
“Belos!” The Collector called out, floating closer. “I thought I made it clear what happens to liars in my book.”
Before Belos could react, the one thing that made him question if was still alive happened.
“Stay away from my brother.” Said Hunter, as he stood between The Collector and Philip. A cane with his palisman in his hand.
“Hunter…” Luz called out. She sounded betrayed, but her face showed confusion.
It’s not that she thought Hunter was evil. She was convinced that he was confused.
Belos used the moment of silence to raise on his legs, although shakily. He turned his hands into two giant limbs of goop. He used them to scoot Hunter to the side with uncharacteristic gentleness, then he faced off The Collector.
“Pick on somebody of your power level.” He said in a voice that was layered in between the voice of his body, and his true, raspy voice.
Unamused, The Collector threw a giant floating pillar at him. Belos clapped his hands, shattering the rocky formation into pieces before it could reach any of the kids. The Collector shot again, this time sending multiple flying rocks aimed at the emperor.
Belos avoided every attack, not letting a single rock breach his defense. He held up, but his body started to give up. He coughed, some of his own goop coming out of his mouth and eyes. He turned towards the kids, who stood there in utter loss of words to be said.
“Run!!” He yelled, in a voice that left no space for arguing.
The group took the hint, running away. Hunter stayed in place, gripping his cane as he watched the duel. Luz stayed behind as well, tugging him to go with them.
“Hunter, this is Belos! What more proof do you need that he was lying to us the whole time?”
Hunter didn’t reply. Instead, he watched his brother collapse to the floor with a fit of a painful cough he knew all too well. His hands had retracted to his body, but it pulsed and shifted in between his human form and the monster under his skin.
Hunter took his stand again, shielding Philip from The Collector. It didn’t matter if there was nothing he could have done. He wasn’t leaving without Philip.
Before he had a chance to lose a fight, a voice as young and innocent as The Collector’s own rang through the air.
“Hey! Those are my friends! You promised you wouldn’t hurt them!” King announced, floating by. He didn’t appear to have much control over his movement.
The subtle wave of his hand spoke louder than the scream Belos let out earlier, prompting Luz to run while she could. She tugged Hunter hard, and the boy broke his hand free.
“I’m not leaving without him.” He stated loud and clear.
The boy in question was having a fit on the floor, finding it hard to breathe as he felt every bone in his body betray him and rot away over and over again. Somewhere above his head, Belos heard a chirp.
Flapjack landed by the side of his head, looking at him with those empty, yet strangely caring eyes for a red cardinal palisman.
Luz and Hunter watched quietly, both knowing what would usually happen, yet too paralyzed by literally everything around them to do anything.
Belos had reached his hand for the palisman. But his movement stopped as abruptly as it began, and he withdrew his hand with a pained groan.
It was hard to think, but something old and forgotten in the back of his mind whispered to him, “Don’t. This is Caleb’s friend. He’s not food.”
So he succumbed to the rest of his torment, even as the red cardinal hopped closer and rubbed against the top of his head sympathetically.
Hunter stepped towards him, helping Belos raise up with a hand under his shoulder. Only as he had his brother moving with him, did he finally follow Luz as they ran away, given a chance to survive by King talking to The Collector. Philip was only partly aware of what was going on anymore, but he followed Hunter in silence.
He said nothing. Neither of them did. Hunter didn’t know where to begin.
And Belos was sure that even the most genuine ‘sorry’ wasn’t going to cut it.
~ ~ ~
“Luz!”
“Eda!”
Belos watched as the human ran towards the witch she called out for. Their hug was only imperfect because she was lacking one arm, but the human was ecstatic to see her alive nevertheless.
“Oh Titan, you have another one?” The Owl Lady asked, seeing Hunter bring in the kid she had never seen before.
“We’re gonna need to find more than one therapist.” Lilith added, approaching with what appeared to be medical supplies.
“Yeah… about that… a-hah…” Hunter started.
Titan, he was so awkward. Despite feeling about half of his life essence present, Belos managed to roll his eyes.
“Alright, just tell me where it hurts. You’re safe now, it’ll be okay.” Eda quickly stated, freeing some space on the ground of their little hideout. “What’s your name?”
“Eda, I saw King. He was with The Collector. Is he…?” Luz changed the flow of the conversation.
“He’s fine. He made friends with the dude. At least he’s close enough that The Collector wouldn’t hurt him. But we have no way of reaching him.”
As they spoke, Hunter sat down, letting Belos down with him. He still kept a hand around his shoulder to prevent him from falling over. They looked at each other, unspoken conversations flying by with the apologetic and concerned looks on their faces.
Then their trance was broken again.
“Kid, do you need help?” Asked Lilith, sitting down by the boys’ side.
“I’m fine.” Said Belos in the voice of a teen. “But… you look like you need help. What happened to you? Your magic…”
Lilith fixed her hair, not too concerned with how this random child would know of her condition.
“I cursed Eda, my sister. I thought the Emperor would heal her, but… he didn’t. So instead I used a spell that saved her life, but made us share the curse. Neither of us can do any magic now.”
Belos sighed, reaching into the pocket of his jacket, and not stopping even as he realized that the thing he was looking for was missing from it.
“Perhaps I can still heal you.” He whispered in a strangely raspy voice for a kid his age.
Hunter raised his eyebrows at him. But before Belos got to add more, Luz stood in front of him, her fists gripped and anger seething from her whole being.
“Oh no you don’t. I knew you were lying from the start. I shouldn’t have let my guard down. But I won’t let you hurt them any longer!”
“Whoa, kid, calm down. It’s just a child. They look as traumatized as the rest of you.” Eda put her only hand on Luz’s shoulder, but the girl was firm in her stance.
“This isn’t a child. This is the reason we’re all traumatized. Eda, this is Emperor Belos!”
Belos stared quietly, waiting for any response. Waiting for them to gang up on him and kill him. But the response that came next surprised him.
“Yeah, right, that’s Belos. And I’m Kikimora.” Lilith rolled her eyes. “Luz, I know you’ve been through a lot, but-”
“No, you don’t get it. He really is Belos!” Luz turned around, desperation creeping its way into her voice, “Don’t you trust me? You know I wouldn’t lie about something like that.”
The two cursed sisters exchanged a look.
The next voice came from behind Luz.
“She’s right. I am Belos. But… I just want you to hear me out. You can see I can’t hurt you.” Belos whispered, clutching onto his side. His body wasn’t used to being whole again.
“I don’t trust a word you say.” Luz warned him, “All this time you were pretending to be an innocent child. You were still… yourself! I don’t care what you do now, I will never believe you.”
“I don’t ask you to.” Belos replied.
Everyone who tuned in to the conversation still didn’t seem convinced.
“I don’t care if you trust me or not. I know I will never redeem myself in your eyes. I know that no amount of apologies will ever make up for the damage I’ve caused. And I’m not even going to try. I just want to thank you.”
Luz raised an eyebrow at him.
“The week that I’ve spent in the Human Realm… has started with me planning to kill you, that’s true. But then you managed to remind me of… so many things I had forgotten. I got to feel the grass under my feet and the sunshine on my face. I felt cared for, and for the first time in centuries, I felt… like I’ve had a family. I have fallen asleep in the Human Realm, wishing I would die, because I have felt the happiest I’ve ever been.”
Philip turned towards Hunter, reaching a hand for his shoulder.
“I know I could never form an apology big enough to encompass all the ways I’ve wronged you. But I’m grateful… that I got to relieve the happiest moments of my life with you. At some point I had forgotten that you’re… you’re Hunter. I saw Caleb in you. His best sides that I’ve loved for so many years. And I realized that I was so afraid of losing… you, just like I lost Caleb, to another witch. I held so much prejudice against them, because a witch has taken away the one person I held dearest in my life.”
“Actually,” Gus coughed, “She didn’t take him away. She just kinda… fell in love with him. You killed your brother.”
“Oh yikes, it’s that sort of family feud.” Eda whispered to Lilith.
“I did.” Philip confirmed, “Because I was selfish and stupid. I can’t go back in time and stop myself. I can’t change the way this world has shaped to be.” He finally raised his eyes to meet Hunter’s, “But I can make choices now to keep you… and your friends safe.”
Hunter gulped, looking around nervously. But it was clear that the matter of accepting this apology, or rather a speech, was up to him.
“Look, kids, I don’t know what sort of play pretend is going on here. But I know this kid isn’t Belos. Belos would have us all dead by now if it was really him.” Eda spoke, returning her hand to Luz’s side. “Whoever he is, we’re gonna need all the help we can get to defeat The Collector. We can’t win a fight with them. But you might just be able to work your strongest magic on them.”
As Eda smiled and pointed at Luz's chest, Luz looked back at her in confusion.
“...My glyphs?”
“Your human magic of befriending the worst enemies, silly.” Eda smiled at her, then turned her head towards Hunter. “No offense, kid.”
“It’s alright.” He said, focusing his gaze on his brother.
“I can try.” Luz confirmed, “But we do have a problem at hand right now. This kid is Belos. We can’t just let him stay with us!”
“He was ready to hold The Collector off to let us escape.” Hunter finally joined the argument. “He didn’t hurt Flapjack, even when his life depended on it. You know it as well as I do.”
“Hunter, I want to be nice about this because I know what you’ve gone through,” Luz said, putting a hand against her forehead, “But you’re biased because he’s related to you.”
“He is! But that’s not the point. Luz, I’ve seen all the same things you did, and I’ve seen more. I’ve seen… Belos… before the Human Realm. I know he’s changed.”
“That’s just what you want to believe! Ugh!” Luz completed her facepalm, closing her eyes in frustration. Then she threw her hands up.
“Luz. I trusted you before. Now I need you to trust me.” Hunter said, placing a hand on Philip’s shoulder, much to his surprise.
“I do trust you. I just think you don’t have the best judgment, because you want to believe that there’s good in him, but there’s not! This is Emperor Belos, he was ready to kill you just a week ago! He almost killed me! He almost killed every witch in the Boiling Isles! You’re just biased because you think you’re related to him, but you’re not!”
Hunter leaned back, gritting his teeth.
“You’re not even related to him! You’re not Caleb! You’re a clone made from his dead brother’s leftovers because you’re a grimwalker!”
Hunter had forgotten how to breathe for a second, even as everyone around him made a loud gasp. He looked at his friends, who were now throwing concerned and scared glances in his direction.
While the conversation was happening, Belos didn’t waste time. He had extended his arm out. Lilith stepped closer, curious and somewhat suspicious of everyone claiming that this child was the vicious tyrant they all tried so hard to overthrow. She watched the boy turn his hand into muddy goop as he reached inside with his human arm and pulled something out. The small device in his hand extended and grew as he stood up, turning into his cane.
Lilith’s eyes widened in fear.
Everything transpired in the matter of seconds.
Lilith rushed forward, gripping her sister in her arms as she tried to shield her.
Luz turned around, looking at Belos as he pointed his staff at the sisters.
Hunter looked over, seeing that Philip was a wind’s gust away from falling over.
And then Belos used his magic. With a bright flash, Eda and Lilith fell to the ground, holding onto each other. Luz collapsed nearby, rudding her eyes from the bright flash of light that blinded her temporarily.
Belos felt his legs give up on supporting his body, but when he fell he didn’t reach the ground. Instead, he fell into Hunter’s arms. The former golden guard picked him into his arms and ran off. His physical training came in handy after all…
When everyone could see again, they looked over at the two sisters. Both of their eyes were back to their true colours. Luz held her hands over her mouth, asking an unspoken question.
Eda answered by drawing a circle in the air with her hand, then watching in awe as it turned into a small sphere of light.
She covered her mouth, looking over at Lilith, as tears threatened to spill from her vibrant yellow eyes. Then the two sisters hugged once more.
~ ~ ~
Philip was semi aware of how long Hunter had been carrying him for. His arms hung limply by his sides, although he was still gripping his cane tight. When he felt it in his power, he wrapped one arm around the boy who was carrying him through the woods.
Hunter was crying. Philip wanted to stop him and ask why, wanted to reassure him if he could. Wanted to ask him to stop carrying him, if that’s what brought Hunter physical pain.
But his request was fulfilled unsaid, as Hunter finally collapsed to his knees and lowered Belos to the ground.
Before the emperor had a moment to recollect himself, Hunter was right there, wrapping his hands around his torso and crying into his chest. Despite lacking lungs, Philip found it hard to breathe.
“Hunter, please. Have some mercy on my frail old body. I am over 400 years old after all.” He said, partly joking. Surprised he was still capable of that.
Hunter ignored his order (to Belos’s delight) and kept weeping, holding him as if he was afraid Philip would disappear if he let go.
“You’re so stupid.” Philip whispered lovingly. “Haven’t all your friends told you that I lied to you?”
“Shut up.” Hunter said, unafraid to challenge the authority of the once-great Belos, now merely a cursed human in his hands.
Philip placed his hand on top of Hunter’s back, rubbing slow circles into his back. He had read about such gestures in books and novels, but never had the chance to practice them.
Now that he thought about it, he never had the chance to be so vulnerable with his brother either. His body still wasn’t able to take his true form, and he didn’t know if it ever would. Maybe he was finally dying.
That would be okay. He had already lived the happiest moment of his life. Nothing would have topped it. But now that he was laying in the dirt, with his brother holding onto him for dear life, Philip supposed there was one more thing he would like to do before he dies.
“I love you, Hunter.” He whispered in a raspy voice, “As a brother that I’ve lost, and as a person that you’ve grown to be.”
He felt the hands around his sides tighten.
“I love you too.” Hunter said back, in between the hiccups from his sobbing.
Philip placed his other hand on top of Hunter’s head, now petting him in the same motion Hunter had taught him once upon a stormy night.
It was quiet and peaceful around. So, so serene, even for the Demon Realm, even though it was falling apart because of a child of the stars so close nearby. Philip closed his eyes, concentrating all of his consciousness on this gentle being in his arms. Perhaps he would be content if he died now.
But he didn’t. Philip opened his eyes with a sigh, pushing himself up with one arm and patting Hunter on the back to raise with him.
“Hunter. I don’t care if I make it through this. When you have nothing left to lose - is when you can go all in.”
“I don’t want to lose you.” Hunter said, rubbing his eyes.
Philip reached a hand, cupping his brother’s face in his palm. He wiped his tears with his thumb, giving him a light chuckle.
“There is more to your life than one bad man who hurt you.” Philip comforted him, “But I believe there is one last thing I can do before I meet my demise. I don’t want to hurt anyone else anymore. And that means…”
A cough that made his body jolt spoke for itself.
“Wait, that’s not true. You’re not hopeless. I’ve read about the wild magic that could help your condition. I studied it. If you just let me-”
Philip placed his thumb over Hunter’s lips.
“Brother, I’ve lived for long enough. I don’t think I deserve to live for longer even if I thought I could. If I lived for millenniums more, I would still never make up for all the pain and death I’ve caused. There is only one more thing I want to try before I meet my demise.”
Hunter wanted to argue, wanted to help his brother. But the simple motion had taken all the words out of his mouth. He lowered his head, nodding to show that he was going to let Philip do whatever he wanted now. And he earned himself a pat on the shoulder for it.
“You’ll get to live on your own and make your decisions… as soon as I give you the world to live your life in. Or I’ll die trying.”
Hunter wanted to say that he’d rather have his brother than this realm. But how selfish would that be? He was not the only witch in the Boiling Isles. Still, he could convey such thought with one more hug for his brother.
And so he did.
~ ~ ~
“I see The Collector!” Luz announced, leading her group towards the destroyed castle. “And I see… huh?”
“What are you seeing, kid?” Eda asked, but the answer soon became apparent.
As the CATTs made their way into the former portal room, they were greeted with the sight of The Collector, one hand propping their head despite them floating in the air, listening intently to the two brothers before them.
“...And when the mother kisses your forehead goodnight every night, it leaves a sense of warmth that runs through your body, and gives you sweet dreams through the night. And the sun wakes you up with a warm feeling on your skin.” Philip spoke, slouched over his cane.
“Hmm… that does sound fun. Okay, fine! I wanna try that ‘human life’ game! How can I play it?” The Collector announced.
Luz braced, for a horrible moment convinced that Belos was trying to send The Collector to destroy the Human Realm. But then Philip raised his hand.
“Not so fast. You know I’m… not as strong as you are.”
“Certainly.” Laughed The Collector.
“And even I had to hide my powers. Humans don’t like powers. If they find out you have any sort of magic abilities… they don’t react so kindly. They treat you like a freak, and try to take advantage of you. Being human means being weak and vulnerable. It means feeling pain and love, and despair and hope. It means having limits. Being imperfect, that’s what makes human life so worth living.”
The Collector squeezed their eyes, trying to understand if they were being fooled once again.
“Can confirm!” King chimed in as he floated helplessly above their hat, “It’s not as fun as it sounds, to be a scary and powerful monster. I’ve felt the most happiness in my life when I was sleeping in Eda’s arms, as if I was her lap palisman!”
“But how am I supposed to live a human life and know that I have all this power I can’t even use in their realm?” Reasoned the child of the stars.
“Simple. Erase your memories. When your time as a human runs out, you will simply return to your celestial form with all of your memories.” Philip suggested, “And by then, if you feel like it, you could go for another round. Humans develop and change, invent new things and discover new wonders all the time. There will always be something new for you to discover and experience.”
The Collector rubbed their chin, considering. Then they nodded.
“Okay! So I just go to a Human Realm and turn into a human child at… what was that place called again?”
“An Orphanage. It’s a safe place for small children.” Philip said, and Hunter couldn’t contain a chuckle. He knew exactly how his brother learned about those.
“From there someone will take you into their family. Or you will simply grow old enough to start a life of your own. It could be different every time you try. You’ll never know!”
The child of the stars laughed, turning around in the air then landing in front of the two brothers.
King fell down by their side with a loud thud.
“I’m okay!” He said through a pained ‘ow’.
“But before you go,” Hunter added, “It’d… be kinda nice if you could return this realm to what it was. The Human Realm is perfect when it’s untouched and imperfect. So is The Demon Realm.”
The Collector blew raspberries.
“Ugh, fiiine!”
With a wave of their hand and a bright flash, the castle returned to its former glory. Outside of its walls, the dollhouse was gone, and every witch and being were put safely on the ground.
A working portal whirled to life in the middle of the room.
The Collector stepped towards the brothers. Philip made a step back, but felt a bit more reassured when Hunter’s hand gripped his own. They were the same size now, but Hunter still wrapped his palm around Philip’s. He figured the gesture would be comforting.
The Collector took Philip’s other hand and put something in it. When the human looked down, he saw several keys to the portal in his hands.
“Don’t drop 'em this time.” The Collector chimed. Then they stepped towards the portal.
“I’ll see you in a lifetime!” They announced.
“Titan, I hope I’ll be dead by then.” Whispered Philip.
And then with a bow and a skip, they were gone through the door.
It was very quiet in the room, until Eda let out an awkward cough.
King was the first to scream out her name, running towards her and almost knocking her over as he jumped into her arms. His tail was wagging as Luz joined in on the hug. All of the kids and the rest of the adults began to hug each other, crying from all of it finally being over.
Philip and Hunter watched with soft, content smiles on their faces. Then Philip stepped away.
Luz had started to run towards Hunter, but stopped when she realized Belos was still there.
The former emperor was stopped in his tracks with a hand around his wrist however.
“Where do you think you’re going?” asked Hunter, a smile on his face as he spoke.
“Now that my castle is back in place, hopefully to my chamber. I could use a nap after all of this. And if the Universe is merciful, hopefully I won’t-”
“Cut it out, old man.” Hunter said, despite the fact that he was addressing a teen his age, “You’re getting that wild magic cure. And Titan help me,” (King perked his head up), “you’re still gonna be here when The Collector returns to tell us about their first human life.”
“Hunter-”
“‘Hunter’ what? What are you gonna do? Ground me?” Hunter put his hands at his hips and tilted his weight to the side. “You’re not the Emperor Belos. Everybody knows that guy died… right?” He turned towards the rest of the heroes in the room.
“Uh, yeah, sure?” Luz shrugged.
“Jee, I remember when he died right in front of our eyes!” Willow joined in.
“We killed him.” Gus confirmed.
“You’re just my brother, Philip. And my baby brother is getting that cure if I can help it.”
Philip rolled his eyes with a soft smile.
“Hun, I’m 400 years older than you.”
“I thought I was made in the image of your older brother, was I not?”
“ Hunter- ”
“Do I need to read you a bedtime story again?” Hunter teased, raising one eyebrow as he tilted his head. “Or do you miss your binky?”
Philip covered his face with his free hand, the other still gripping his cane so he could stand.
He made a point not to reject the offer though. He was certainly going to take it. Just maybe not in front of the group of kids who managed to, as the youth says it, kick his ass.
“What’s your guarantee that if you take away my curse, I won’t turn into dust in your hands?” He asked on a slightly more serious note.
“I told you, I studied this cure thoroughly. You’ll still have all your abilities, you just won’t have tuberculosis anymore.”
Philip raised his hand and opened his mouth to add more, but thought against it. He had all the time in the world to argue about it anyways.
Hunter had exchanged a hug with Luz meanwhile, patting her on the shoulder as he reached one of the keys to the portal in her hand.
“Come see us sometimes, okay? Like, not just Amity. Come see us too.”
“I will.” She nodded happily at him.
Having done that, Hunter caught up to his brother and reached a hand around his shoulder as they walked.
“So, Philip. You know, since I’m also immortal, it’s important to me that you will be stuck putting up with me for eternity as well. Then maybe in another 400 years I’ll consider and let you know if your debt has been repaid yet, or not…”
Then the two brothers disappeared into a separate hallway.
Luz made half a step towards her friends, when Hunter’s words finally caught up to her.
“Wait, what?!”