The Cult Of Seven Devils

Chapter 14: Beyond the Forest pt 3

Hunter revealed himself. He walked over as if he were a dictator of some evil army plotting to take over the world. "Miss me?" he joked. "So, you're on her side now?" Itsuki asked. "I'm just joining someone who doesn't make me feel less of myself," he said confidently. "We've been friends for years and this is how you repay us?!" Sakka yelled with pain as the awful acceptance was creeping on him that they were gonna die. Hunter's face turned from enjoyment to anger in a matter of seconds after hearing Sakka's shaky voice. He slowly walked over to Sakka. Sakka felt fear in his chest no matter how hard he wanted to suppress it. Hunter struck him on the head with his gun and began to stomp on him vigorously without any sign of remorse. The others began to yell at him to stop as their cries and wails echoed throughout the forest. After a few minutes of chaos, he stopped and began to catch his breath. Sakka laid nearly lifeless on the ground bruised and bleeding continuously. "See," Hunter said after regaining his composer, "You were never tough. That little act you put on isn't fooling anyone." Sakka grunted as he tried to sit up, the others rushed to help. "What kind of friend are you to have your loved ones beaten and killed for your pleasure." Itsuki cried. "You think I care for you all?" That's cute but no." He said with a straight-cold face. It's almost as if Hunter was changed he was persuaded by something or someone. "I gave up on you guys a long time ago," he expressed. Sakka was still trying to regain his strength and control. It's like his body was sent into shock unable to recover. "It's like you guys never saw my true potential," Hunter said, putting his hoodie back on. "It was always about everybody else and how they're doing but here Jaime reminded me that my old life was a mistake and here was the place to be." After gaining his breath Sakka was able to speak again "Stop acting like you're happy here. We know you're not." he said. "Don't let Jaime use your jealousy for you not being able to fully communicate with us as a friend." Jaime looked surprised for a moment. "I'm not using anything," she reassured. "Hunter just knows what's right." 

The teens didn't know what else to do. Ali was still injured and unconscious from blood loss and Sakka couldn't even move on his own. Itsuki and Quinn sat in fear clueless and tried their best to not end up like the others. "The clock is ticking," Jaime says coldly. Itsuki thinks for a moment, pondering on how to get out of this situation but then thinks back to everyone's past with a glimmer of hope with something that just might persuade Hunter to let them go. "Are you gonna let Dahlia die....?" Itsuki asked with a tremble of hope fading in his voice.  Hunter's eyes shot up with surprise and looked at Dahlia as she was strung up, exhausted from trying to free herself. Hunter looked back on the past and felt a sense of guilt and exposure. He loved Dahlia but didn't want to show it. He didn't know how. "Why...why would I care about her...?," he mumbled. Dahlia looked over at him with a smile, "Because...I'm your friend, Hunter." she said. But Hunter didn't care because he knew she'd never love him back. Even after everything, nothing would change. He swore deep down he didn't need her, "She's the least of my worries," Hunter said, but Itsuki knew he was lying under that cold demeanor. He saw it through Hunter's actions. His words, and his true emotions. "But, you love her, no?" Itsuki replied. Itsuki knew the true feelings Hunter had for Dahlia and planned to use it against him in one way, or another. Dahlia looked at Hunter with a surprised look, "What," she replied, "Hunter, is this true?" She didn't know what to make of it. Hunter glanced at Dahlia with a nervous face but purposefully covered his face out of fear and embarrassment. "Yes," he sighed, "It's true." Dahlia felt something for the first time in months. Was it happiness? Was she surprised? Was she scared? Perhaps, it was all of the above. She felt flustered seeing Hunter's embarrassment. On the outside, she was red as a tomato, but on the inside, she found herself scared and confused as to why he wouldn't tell her. "But...why?" she hesitated. Hunter looked at her with deeply confused eyes, "What do you mean?" he asked as he quivered thinking of how she would respond. "Why wouldn't you tell me?"Confused, Dahlia began to rethink how she felt even though she was still surprised. Deep down, she liked him and wanted to feel happiness again after all of this. But, then again, she was scared of him. Scared of why he would hurt his friends, Scared of...why he would hurt her if he truly loved her. Hunter looked away from Dahlia just to think about the moment, "Honestly," he said, "I was afraid you would reject me because of my impulsiveness." He thought back to every moment he wanted to confess to her but in the end, wouldn't out of shame and fear. "I'm not the best guy and deep down I know you know this." he explained, "But, I still wanted you to feel some type of charm toward me. I wanted you to feel like you could trust me." Dahlia was still confused. Sure he meant well, but, if he truly loved her, why would he sacrifice her? Why hurt her? These thoughts began to run rapidly around her head. She couldn't grasp the situation. "I did trust you," she made it clear, "but you still ended up destroying it." Dahlia wanted him to know that she isn't a foe but he has to understand what has happened here. "Look around, Hunter," she said while becoming emotional because she didn't understand anything. She loved him back, but, why hurt her and their friends...? "do you see the damage you have caused? You beat Sakka, you let Jaime hurt Ali, and Itsuki and Quinn are exhausted. I'm exhausted, Hunter." Dahlia began to let her tears fall after realizing she didn't understand anyone's actions, especially Hunter's. Hunter stared at the ground. He didn't plan for her to cry because of him or be scared, but now that the truth is out, and the actions he's done before. Who knows if she'll think of him the same. He looked at her and followed her tears. Hunter walked toward her and stood right beneath the fire she was above. His hood covered his face, Dahlia couldn't make out any of his emotions. Until he raised his head and saw for the first time a tear fall from his eye. "I didn't plan on hurting you, nor anyone else..," he said as his lower lip quivered, "I just wanted you to love me back." Hunter finally let himself go for the sake of Dahlia's heart, the heart he truly wanted. "I'm sorry, Dahlia," he said looking her straight in the eyes and Dahlia felt his sincerity. "it's my fault and if I could change everything, I would." 

Jaime began to get suspicious of where this was going. she felt like eventually one of her pawns would lose her grasp. "Hunter, are you truly letting herself go for a replaceable witch," Jaime said snarkily, " I mean, come on, she's definitely trying to distract you from your main goal, which is to kill her and her pathetic friends, remember?" Jaime walked over to them and stood behind Hunter, caressing his shoulders. She whispered in his ear, "Do you truly want to see her die?" She had a large smile on her face eager to see how he would react. Hunter was stunned. He was stuck between love and regret. He loved Dahlia, but he was also too far in with the cult. He almost made up his mind until Dahlia spoke. "Hunter," she whispered "I forgive you. But you have to promise me, you won't hurt me or our friends ever again. We are in this together" His heart lit up hearing her voice and her sweet words. He knew she understood him, she was after all the only person who did understand him. "So," Hunter spoke while looking at the ground, expecting the worst to come, "can we make this work? You know..., us?" Dahlia thought for a moment, she knew the outcome of saying no, but she didn't want to say no because she did truly love him and she knew that he would do anything in his power to protect her. Dahlia knew he was unstable, he just needed someone to teach him right and wrong. She wanted to be that person for him considering he had no one else. She looked at him smiling with tears running down her face, "Sure," she said, "I would love that." Itsuki couldn't believe that his plan worked, "Woah," he said, "I didn't think it would work." Quinn sighed, "Well, they seem perfect for each other. Besides, this might be a way to get us out of here." Jaime began to get frustrated seeing Hunter was not listening to her. Her control was slowly decreasing. She whispered in his ear again, "I will fucking kill her if you think about leaving me." This sent anger throughout Hunter's body, he didn't think for one moment. He elbowed Jaime in the stomach. She gripped her stomach and began to step backward, and in the blink of an eye, Hunter shot Jaime...dead in the head.