Changeling Witch

Dance Battle

"M---Ma?" Hunter stammered, backing up. "Wh---what are you doing here?"

"Hunter, what is this terrible place?" Camilla asked as the portal vanished behind her. "This---this isn't camp. Have you been here all these weeks?" She gasped. "And is that a weapon?"

He let out a yelp and dropped it. "I---I can explain!"

"Mijo... have you been lying TO ME?"

Grom---and it was Grom, not his mom, but his mind refused to acknowledge that---transformed again. It was still Camilla, and it still had something that resembled her voice, but it had a much more monstrous appearance now. It was something that could hurt.

Something that could kill.

Hunter instantly turned tail and ran.

"I can't do it!" he shrieked, passing Gus comforting King in the hallway. "I can't face my fear!"

"WHY ARE YOU RUNNING, HUNTER?" Camilla-Grom shouted, rushing after him.

Hunter's heart was beating so loudly, he didn't even register that the entire school was following them. Every emotion that he'd been squashing down since he got here---guilt, fear, shame, self-hatred---had risen at full level.

He slammed open the doors to the school and raced into the woods, ignoring the tears that had started to come.

"I don't wanna be Grom King anymore!" he yelled. "I give up the throne!"

Hunter skidded to a stop at a cliffside, bile rising in his throat. No no no no no---

"WHY CAN'T YOU FACE ME, HUNTER?" Camilla-Grom said, creeping closer and closer. "WHY CAN'T YOU FACE YOUR OWN MOTHER?"

He covered his ears. "You're not really my mom! You're just wearing her face!"

"HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT, CARINO? YOU'RE BREAKING MY HEART!"

"Spicy toss!"

A blast of flame came from the skies. Hunter's eyes widened as he saw Eda land on the grass a few feet away.

She pointed Owlbert at Grom. "Hands off my human, you misshapen excuse for a monster!"

Grom didn't seem to notice her---or care. It just continued to advance.

"Eda, you were right," Hunter finally said, letting everything pour out. "I'm not ready. I couldn't face---"

"That's all right, kid," she told him, starting to do a spell circle. "I got this one."

At that exact moment, Edric broke through the trees and threw himself in front of Hunter.

"Edric?!" Hunter exclaimed.

"STAY AWAY FROM HIM!" he shouted at Grom.

In response, a tendrel of goo shot out from Grom's more monstrous half, lifting him into the air.

"I'm sorry, Hunter!" Edric cried. "I---I should've fought my own battle! I---"

His eyes glowed blue as Grom's eyes did the same.

Hunter's heart leapt into his throat. "Ed---no! Your fear!"

It set him down and transformed again.

This time, it was the shadowy figure of someone around Edric's size. Who... who is that? Hunter thought, cautiously taking a step closer.

The figure pulled a note out of Edric's pocket, keeping eye contact with him the whole time. As Edric's face fell, it ripped the note in half, crumpled it, then turned back into goo.