Let me live! | Hunter X Edric The Owl House

2.33 Garden

{Edric's PoV}

It's the next morning. The Collector used his magic to repare the Boiling Isles. There's no trace left off the game. People started to live in thrir houses again and

However, it looks like some kind of mistrust broke out under the people. They have trust issues, are scared that the next monster could appear and destroy their lifes. It'll take some time for them to get used to the normal life again.

I'm sure they can do it. Those people can survive everything.

Right now, I'm searching for Hunter. When I woke up this morning he wasn't with me. I was sure we feel asleep together. So I looked around and I found a note on the ground.

Morning Sleepyhead,

I was awake quite early and I didn't had the heart to wake you up. Don't worry, the next time we'll wake up together.

There's something I have to do.

Meet me at the old Emperor's castle once you see this.

Love,
Hunter

So, I made my way to the Emperor's castle. By now it's quiet run down, we asked the Collector to not repair it. Hunter made it very clear, that castle won't be of use anymore and doesn't has to get fixed.

I don't know why he would want that, but I can thing of some reasons. Mostly that it'll remind him too much of what happened.

Of course, I still wonder why he'd go there. This is his first day in the Boiling Isles again and he goes to the place he was locked in?

Anyway, I finally arrived at the Castle. I take a look around and I notice another note hanging on a wall.

Castle garden.
~H

I place the note in my pocket and I enter the castle to search for the garden. Turned out to be a little difficult, I had no clue where it was.

Luckily, I was able to find it after my 27th try. The moment I arrive there, I look around surprised and impressed. The rest of the castle is pretty ruined and destroyed, but this garden looks fabulous.

"It didn't look like this when I came. I used plant glyphs." I hear a voice say. I look to my side suprised and I see Hunter sitting on the ground.

"Good work, it looks amazing." I say as I walk over to him. That's also the moment when I notice that he's sitting in front of two gravestones. One seems really old, it seemed like something was once written on it, but its not readable anymore. The other one is new and it has the words "Philipp Whitebane - Loving Uncle" written on it. I look at it suprised as I sit down beside Hunter on the grass.

"I always wondered who's grave it was. I thought maybe it was of someone from our family who died because of wild magic. But then there must've been more graves...I haven't told you yet, have I?" He holds two flowers in his hands, turning then a little between his finger tips. "The person I was created after, was my uncle's brother. His name was Caleb. The first 'Golden Guard'." I look at him suprised and then back to the grave. "My uncle killed his own brother. I always wondered if he regreted it, I mean he did create all Grimwalkers after him. And now, it looks like he really did if his grave is here." Hunter places down one flower on, apparently, Caleb's grave. "So I think he did love his brother. I'm sure he would've wanted to be buried beside him. I hope he can find his peace at last." Hunter places the second flower down on the new grave. I look at him, feeling a little bad and I place an arm around his shoulder.

"Are you alright...?" I ask, quietly. After a while he leans his head on my shoulder and closes his eyes.

"Yeah, it's okay. At the end, it was better this way." I hear him whipser. "The Day of Unity was stopped and the Boiling Isles are returning to some kind of normalization. Except for mental health, nobody was really hurt."

I keep looking at the grave, just holding him close to me. "You miss him." I simply say and Hunter remains quiet for a moment.

"So much." He whispers, gently I pull him onto my lap and I hug him. He hugs me back, breathing calmly. We stay like this for a while. Some minutes pass and I look down to Hunter. He's looking at his own hands, covered by his glooves.

"He forbad me to ever try and use wild magic. He also wouldn't use wild magic to try and heal his curse. It was because of his hatred for it, that's for sure. But there was also something else..." I look at him surprised as he takes of his gloves and places them on the ground. I don't think I've ever seen him take those off.

"When I was little, I saw my uncle experimenting with some potions and cauldrons. I wanted to help him." As he leans with his head on my chest I stare at his palms with big eyes. "So, I tried to take one of the vials filled with a potion boiling on a fire." I take his hands into mine and I gently stroke over the burn which is covering both his palms. "It was a bad burn. I may be a Grimwalker, but it looks like even the skin of a baby Grimwalker is very sensitive. It left these burns on my hands. They healed fast, but I kept those gloves on. To not constantly remind my uncle of the mistake he made. After some time they'd start to itch and hurt, my palms are very sensitive, but it was okay." He's quiet for some time. "Guess I won't need those anymore." He closes his eyes as I hug him gently. "And after that, he'd never try to use wild magic again and would make me promise to not use it either. I knew that, didn't forget. Guess I never thought about it being the reason he forbad me to use wild magic. Those last two years I always wondered what it was that he felt for me. Did he love me or was I only one of the many Grimwalkers? But realising this gave me the closure I needed." I keep on hugging him as I hear him sobbing quietly.

"There...it's okay, Hunty." Carefully, I stand up with him, carrying him on my arms. "Maybe we should go."

Hunter nods a little, I grab his gloves off the ground and place them on Belos' grave before walking away with him.

"Goodbye, uncle." I hear him mumble as we leave the garden behind us.

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Take care, Hatchling.