#the GG before hunter is still petrified btw. just hidden for now }

[tcthinecwnself-a]

Oh hi there, I wrote a fic about the first time Belos “finds” Hunter.

When Hunter first opens his eyes, he’s seven years old. And the world is on fire.

Smoke stings those eyes as they blink open. Red and orange flames course through the little house he finds himself in. They lick at his clothes and his skin, but he can’t seem to stand. He doesn’t know how to.

All he knows is how terrified he is. So he crawls. There’s a lump on the floor. He crawls towards it, grabs onto fabric and pulls, when he turns it over, a face looks back at him. Half charred, melting, with a permanent expression of fear. Blonde hair half gone as ruby eyes stare blankly ahead. The smell is awful. The young boy screams, for he doesn’t know how to make any other sound.

“Hunter!!” A voice yells through the smoke and fire, through the falling debris. But the boy calls out nothing in response. “Hunter!” Whoever it is sound panicked, afraid, just as he is. There’s a loud sound as natural light floods the room. “Hunter! Hunter, where are you!?”

The boy watches as a figure emerges from the light. He is tall, long blonde hair flows past his shoulders, with a staff in his hand, debris lifts and moves to clear a path for him. He’s terrifying, the boy thinks for a moment, until eyes land on him. They are blue and kind. Gentle and worried. The man rushes towards him.

“Hunter! Oh, there you are!” The man stoops low, and the boy is lifted into his arms. Hunter, he is Hunter. Yes, that’s his name. How could he have forgotten such a detail? “Are you alright?”

Hunter says nothing, but he blinks, fire still fills the house. He looks up at the man and opens his mouth to speak, but no words emerge. Instead, his little hands cling to the material of his soft, white cape. Somehow, he knows this man means safety.

The man above him looks concerned, his brows furrowing for a moment before he says “Hunter, don’t you recognize me? It’s me. It’s your uncle. It’s Uncle Belos.”

Belos. He can’t remember that name. But as he looks up at the man, he knows he is family. Finally, the boy finds his voice “U - Uncle Belos… Uncle Belos!” Relief turns into tears as he shoves his face into the man’s chest. “I - I - Uncle!” He can’t think of much to say, but he’s just so happy his uncle came for him.

“There, there, Hunter, let’s get you home.” And they move out of the burning building into the light of the evening sky. The house collapses behind them, the only thing holding it up being Belos’ staff. As they walk out, Hunter’s eyes widen as he realizes that they are in a village, a town, and the fire was everywhere.

“Lord Belos!” A voice shouts, and a young man comes running up to them. He’s clad in shades of purple, and his hair flows in the wind. Hunter blinks at him. “We’ve looked everywhere, we cannot …” green eyes meet his, and a wave of confusion passes his face. “Sir, what … who is this?”

“This is Hunter.” Belos states plainly, and Hunter is shifted to sit better in his arms.

“But wh - where did he come from, who -“ The man blinks and then asks in a desperate voice “Where is the Golden Guard?!”

Belos’ silence must be an answer enough. For the man shakes his head.

“No, no. Where is he?!”

“Darius. This loss will be hard on all of us.” Belos is calm, voice comforting. “But now, we must look towards the future and take care of his heir.”

Hunter doesn’t know what he means, but Darius looks at him with sad, tearful eyes.

“Lilith!” Belos calls.

A young woman with long black hair runs forward, staff in hand as she almost yelps out “Y - yes? My lord?!”

“Help Darius look for survivors. And search for the wild witches who have done this. We cannot let this town go unavenged.”

“Yes, my Lord! Right away!” Lilith seemed to have to drag Darius into the wreckage, but as soon as they came they were gone, leaving Hunter alone with his uncle.

“Uncle Belos?”

“Yes, little one?”

With those eyes back on him, Hunter pressed his face back against Belos’ chest. “Home.”

“You wish to go home?” He asked gently, and Hunter nodded. “Worry not, Hunter. I will always be here to help you find your way home.”

The two walked from the burning town and towards home.