Aftershocks (Hunter- TOH Fanfic)

Chapter Five: Bad Dreams

 Belos talking in Hunter's head is in bold italics 

⚠️TW: Manipulation  

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Hunter was sitting in Luz's bedroom at night. He was by the window looking out it when he heard a ghost like voice. 'Hunter, come home to your family, the one person who you can trust and who cares about you.' Belos' voice echoed over and over agin in his head. You're lying, lying. It's not true, I can't trust you! Hunter thought but the voice fought back 'You trust this bird and wild witches more than your uncle who raised you! I always looked out for your best interests and you just run off, without a word!' It yelled. No, no I won't listen. You hurt me Belos, said it was for the best! Really!? You have broken my bones but you've also broken me! Hunter screamed in his head. The voice of Belos grew softer 'Well if you want to listen to your new friends at least give me a fair trial. Let me explain and make amends. I may not always been the best care taker but I've always loved you Hunter.' No I shouldn't go. I can't let him trick me. He's had is chances, I always came back saying sorry but I'm done now. Get out of my head! 'Hunter!' The Belos said with parental authority 'Come back home now! To your uncle and we can sort this all out. I will forgive you if you do the same for me.' No! 'Hunter, you will come back or I'll drag you back my self, you disobedient boy! And you will feel my wrath greater than anything you've ever felt! If you don't come home now.' 

Hunter was shaking, terrified. What was going on? How was Belos in his head or was this his mind playing tricks on him. He reaches out for his Aftershocks book but it's vanished, his heart beats faster as he goes to wake Luz and she's not there. 'Have they all left Hunter? There is no one left to protect you. So come back home to your uncle.' The poisonous voice said. Images crossed Hunter's mind of him being beaten by Belos. Surely he had no choice. Slowly he walked downstairs and out the front door into the cool night. It was almost like he was in a trance.

Voices called out but were quickly muffled by the voice of Belos talking in a loving voice. 'Good boy Hunter. Come back to your dear uncle and I will keep you safe.' Slowly Hunter kept walking then he felt someone grabbing him but he didn't stop to look. The muffled voices grew louder but he blocked them out. He felt strong vines wrapping around his arms and legs but he did nothing. Just keep walking. Emperor Belos forgives me. He says to come home.

Suddenly Hunter crashed to the ground and everything went black. He woke to see he was tied up by Willow's plant magic and the entire population of the Owl House plus Willow were starring down at him. 'Kid? Are you all right, what happened?' Eda asked concerned 'Well...' gasped Hunter 'I was asleep but then I heard Belos' voice talking to me wanting me to come home and-and it wasn't like I was dreaming of Belos, it was different. What if if it was really Belos. I-' he couldn't continue as tears started streaming down his face and a lump grew in his throat. He looked away embarrassed. Both Willow and Luz lowered themselves to the ground and hugged Hunter. He reached up to hug them back but his hands were still tied together so he just sat there trying to get control of his tears. 'Alright, Willow take Hunter to the kitchen and make him some tea or something. Me and Luz need a little chat.' Eda said in a calm voice. 

After Hunter had calmed down and him and Willow were in the kitchen he told her about his dream in detail. As he talked he fidgeted with a short bit of vine he grabbed when Willow untied him. For some reason he felt the need to keep it. 'Well, don't worry Hunter if Belos dare shows his face around here, I'll protect you!' Willow said heroically. 'Promise?' He said doubting 'Promise!' 'Well, I promise I'll protect you too Willow.' He said blushing. 'Yeah! We got each other's backs.' She told him, they looked into each other's eyes for a moment. Hunter could look into here caring eyes forever but then...

'Hunter! Willow! Come here!' Luz shouted from the other room and Willow looked towards the door. 'Let's go,' She told him and they walk out into the living room. 'Now, it's very important that we know if you dreamed Belos or if he visited your dream, because if he did that means he knows where you are. I know of a spell to visit someone in there sleep and to tell if someone is being visited you have to look at their eyes, see if they're glowing blue.' Eda said to Hunter as he began to catch onto what she was about to ask. 'So that means, even though it seems a bit scary, we need you to go back to sleep to see if Belos will visit your dreams.' Hunter must have look terrified because Willow grabbed his hand and said 'We'll be here the whole time.

So Hunter laid down on the couch with Willow still holding his hand and drank a sleeping potion Eda gave him. And he closed his eyes soon after he was asleep, completely blind to the world. 

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He opened his eye to see he was still in the Owl House living room but it's was a lot darker and the room was empty of people. But he had a comforting pressure on his hand. 'Hunter.' Belos' voice whispered 'You're back. Now it's time to come home.' No! I'm staying here and there is nothing you can do about it. 'You might want to reconsider. I will get my hands on you one way or another and then you'll pay for disobeying me!' The voice raged. Willow will protect me. His mind blurted it out before he could stop it. 'Willow huh?' Belos said maliciously 'I could hurt her  instead of you.' No! No! No!

'What will you chose? Will you come to me or will I have to take Willow away from you.' Fine! Stay  away from Willow. I'll go to you. Just don't touch any of my friends. 

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Hunter snapped wake, sitting up with a jolt, which caused Willow to let go of his hand. He gasped for air as everyone starred at him. 'Hunter, Eda checked your eyes and that was the real Belos and also we heard what you said. Hunter you can't go to Belos. I'll be fine he can't get me.' Willow told him. Hunter starred into Willows eyes 'I promised I would protect you.' He said before getting up jumping over Luz who tried to tackle him and running to the door 'Hooty keep the door shut!' Luz shouted and Willow summoned her vines and they wrapped around him causing him to crash to the ground. 'Sorry but I got to protect you too and we aren't letting you go anywhere.' Willow said in a determined voice. She move him onto a chair making sure he was tied to it. Hunter was still breathing heavily. 

'I'll untie you if you promise not to run away and just let us talk this out.' Willow told him looking into his panicked eyes. 'Sorry, no promises.' Hunter said unable to lie to her or look into her eyes. He felt weak, he was weak if he couldn't protect Willow and everyone else. 'Hunter. We will handle this together just listen to us.' 'Ok,' he said with tears in his eyes. 'Everyone, we need to pack up shop, fortify the place and I have some where we can go to hide with some friends on our side. Ok, Hunter?' Eda told everyone in the room but was looking directly at Hunter. He nodes and looked down at his feet. This is my fault.

'Willow call your dads tell them to extend their vacation and you are going somewhere else with me and Luz for a few days. Luz get Gus and Amity over here quickly. Hooty secure the house and get King up to date on the plan.' Eda said 'On it.' They all said in reply. My fault they have to leave their home. My fault Willow can't see her dads. My fault they are all in danger. Everyone ran off to their task leaving Hunter and Eda alone in the living room. 'Kid we got this ok. I need to go get some stuff, sit tight.' 'Like I have a choice.' He said jokingly. 

Oh Titan, this is all my fault. But they are willing to help me, why? 'Hunter! Are you still planning on running away to be a hero?' Willow asked goofily as she entered the room. 'Can't say I'm not.' ' Hmm' Willow sighed 'What to do, what to do. Oh I know!' She said before removing the vines holding Hunter to the chair but then she used a vine to handcuff them together. 'Now you can't get away from me.' She said patting him on the head while he sat there blushing.

'Oh, hey guys, doing a YouTube handcuff challenge?' Luz asked them as she came down the stairs. 'What's YouTube?' Hunter asked 'Never mind. Hunter I packed you a backpack it's got your clothes, books and other things and Flapjacks coming downstairs with King.' Luz said handing him a bag. 'Same for you Willow. Did you call your dads?' 'Yes.' Willow said 'They're ok with everything.' 'Well kids to tomorrow morning we head off.' Eda said coming into the room with Flapjack and King.

Wow! Probably my longest chapter yet with 1655 words!