Mentally and Physically Tearing Him Apart

Chapter 5

Emperor Belos sat on his throne looking down upon the Kikimora who was giving him the latest report about the Golden Guard.

"My lord, none of our scouts have managed to find him yet, but I swear I will bring him back to you." Kikimora pledged. Belos got up from his chair and started to pace back and forth a couple yards in front of her.

"He's a smart boy, you won't find him out in the open so easily." Belos noted to himself out loud. He growled out irritatedly and ran a hand over his mask. "I fed him, found him and took him in, gave him power when he had none, and this is how he repays me?!" He clenched his clawed fists in anger.

"I know his...betrayal has been hard on you Emperor, but we will search every corner until we find him." Kikimora said once again, clasping her hand behind her back.

"Good. I need him for the Day of Unity."
.

Kikimora had gathered a team of scouts for their next expedition, venturing out in the woods behind town. She had remembered the words of her emperor, how the Golden Guard was most likely not in the city at all. She was perched on top of an Abomiton, Blight industries's newest creation, as her and about a couple dozen other soldiers marched out looking for Belos's once beloved pet.
.

Hunter didn't know how long he was outside, but he didn't care. The tears that were streaming down his eyes were now dry, leaving his eyes puffy and red. He sniffed quietly as he thought about digging his grave and burying himself alive again. As soon as he ran outside, Rascal came flying after him. He cupped in his hands and it provided as much comfort as it could while Hunter sobbed. But once Hunter started to calm down, Rascal chirped at him, saying that they should go back. Hunter shook his head, he said he wanted to stay outside a bit longer, not wanting to go back inside after the scene he had caused in the Owl House. So they stayed out longer together.

Hunter had owed everything to his uncle, and he knew that. The reason he even survived this long in this world was because of Belos's help. He was the one person Hunter swore to help no matter what. And now, that same person now viewed him as a traitor, and went as far as to put a bounty over his head. Hunter would be lying to himself if he said he didn't feel a bit betrayed as well. He felt tears prickle in his eyes again, but he immediately wiped them away. No, he wasn't going to start crying again.

Suddenly, Hunter heard a rustle in the trees and voices from behind the bushes a few yards in front of him. He quickly got on his feet and hid behind a tree, peeking his head out to see who was there. He now could hear a squeaky voice talking to a group of other people.

"Walk faster! We don't have all day troops, we need to find him today!"

Hunter froze, his eyes widening and goosebumps prickling at his skin.

Kikimora.

'No no no no no- they can't find me!' He thought to himself panicked as he turned around to start running back to the Owl House. Rascal flew close behind him. He looked back making sure he was far away from her before running straight into something. Hunter fell back onto the ground. He looked up to see what he had run into. It was an abomiton. Hunter frantically looked around and saw that the forest was absolutely swarming with abomitons and coven scouts. While he was distracted, the abomiton grabbed him by his waist and lifted him up. It wrapped its arms around him tightly across his chest as if it were giving Hunter a hug. He squirmed viciously in its grasp as Kikimora was lowered by the Abomiton she was perched on and looked up at the boy.

"Well, well, look what we found here. The Golden Guard sulking on his own in the middle of the woods." Kikimora sneered, smirking.

Hunter bared his teeth at her angrily. "I demand you unhand me!"