Mentally and Physically Tearing Him Apart

Chapter 4

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"...Emperor Belos, did this to me."

There was an eerie silence, everyone else's eyes went wide. Hunter had his arms crossed across his chest looking down on the ground, uncomfortably and a bit ashamed. After a moment Luz opened her mouth to speak,

"You mean he did all that to you?" She asked softly with concern laced all over her face. Hunter refused to look up but he nodded. He fiddled his fingers against his arms that were crossed.

"Yeah- but I deserved it, I should have just done better- I should have just been better-"

"Kid, what are you talking about? You can't possibly blame this form of abuse on you." Eda said while trying to put a hand on his shoulder, but he slid further back to avoid the touch. Eda noticed it and recoiled her arm back.

"But it was my fault, I shouldn't have hid Rascal from him. And I shouldn't have failed." Hunter had always been told by Belos that failure would never be tolerated at any cost. That he couldn't fail no matter what. So when he always came back from a mission unsuccessfully, he would fear for the worst. Hunter didn't fail too often though. He was one of the highest ranking guards, and he was a prime example to all the other guards, being at his uncle's right hand.

"You do know you are allowed to make mistakes right? You can't be perfect all the time." King added while climbing off Luz and onto the table.

Hunter shook his head, "No- no I couldn't make any mistakes. And when I did..I really hoped he didn't notice." Hunter didn't notice he was basically admitting all of this to these people, he just guessed he needed to get all this out of his system. And it helped having someone to talk to, just like it was nice getting his Palismen.

"Look Hunter, whatever mistake you made doesn't mean you deserve to get treated like this." Eda said uncharacteristically reassuringly.

"But he found out about Rascal!' Hunter shot back as he got up from the chair and started to pace in the kitchen, "And he knows that I know how important Palismen are to him. Which is why I have to go back and apologize- again." Hunter concluded to himself as he turned around to face the group. He walked over to the counter and scooped up Rascal. "Come on buddy, we both finished eating." Hunter started to walk out of the kitchen but Luz stepped in front of him blocking his way.

"Wait! You can't leave, you won't make it out alive if you go back!" Luz cried.

"Why do you even want to go back? Wouldn't you rather stay far away from him?" King asked, tugging on Hunter's leg. Hunter stumbled back a bit to avoid King touching him.

"Look dog-"

"It's King!"

"Okay, Look King, I don't have anyone else other than my uncle, I need to go back." Hunter growled out irritably. Hunter rubbed a hand over his arm and looked down, "Thanks for feeding me and assisting my injuries but I should really get going now." Eda got up from her chair to stand next to Luz, blocking the entrance out of the kitchen even further.

"Look, maybe we should talk about this more." Eda added trying to think more logically and calmly for once.

Hunter suddenly felt his heart drop and backed away from them until he hit the kitchen counter. "You're all trying to keep me here?! By forcing me?!"

Luz waved her hands frantically as she stepped closer to Hunter. "No! No, we aren't trying to keep you here by force. We are trying to convince you to stay. Not because we want to or anything- but you look like you wouldn't last five minutes out there."

Hunter felt himself ease a bit. He definitely didn't want to stay here, but he still was torn between going back to the emperor's castle or not. He wanted his uncle's forgiveness so badly, but he knew there was a huge chance that if we went back, he would just get even more hurt than before. But even if he decided to leave, would he even make it? He still felt so incredibly weak, better than before but still not as good. Yes he did have his palismen, but if he wanted to prove to his uncle of his forgiveness, he would have to not use Rascal in front of him at all. And if he did go back to Belos, he would forcefully make Hunter give up Rascal. And he wasn't sure if he was able to do that. But he couldn't go back empty handed either.