He never used to like it when people treated him like a child.
Hunter had been given too many responsibilities, succeeded in too many dangerous missions, and proven himself far too capable a witch to be looked down upon as some bratty kid.
Around Belos, though, things were different. Around Belos, he sometimes felt as though he could act his age.
"Is it true that the rain doesn't burn in the human realm?"
Hunter remembered the way that his ears fell as he asked that question, the way that the omnipresent tension that he had grown so used to melted away from his perpetually aching body, the awed tone that he spoke with. He may have sounded like a child, but around his uncle he did not care. He was too enamored by the very idea of it all.
To think. Rain that did not boil as it fell from the sky. It was as foreign an idea to him as he always imagined magic was to those born in the human realm, that there should be some small part of nature that did not seem specially designed to inflict on him as much pain as possible. It was the sort of fanciful idea usually confined to bedtime stories.
Not that Belos was the type to read him bedtime stories. If he had been, however, Hunter imagined he would've spoken in the same tone he used to tell his nephew about his past in the human realm. That dreamy, faraway voice. "It is. You know, I've been there before, did I ever tell you that?"
Hunter couldn't bring himself to talk, and only shook his head in response. Tender moments like these where few and far between, and he didn't like to spoil them by speaking.
"The trees there are green, the nights are quiet…" Belos' voice drifted off, and in that liminal space of only a second or two between sentences Hunter had time to daydream of such wondrous sights and sounds. Quick as a flash of lightning he could clearly picture himself reclining under the shade of one of those tall green trees with his uncle by his side, the only surrounding noise that of the soft chatter of harmless insects and of the wind blowing through the leaves. Somehow, his Palisman was there with them as well, safe and sound, chirping merrily somewhere in the canopy above. Obviously he knew that such harmony between his uncle and the cardinal was impossible, but still, it was his fantasy and he saw no harm in indulging in a bit of wishful thinking for a future where everything could work out fine. Where he could be happy.
The daydream didn't last long.
"I look forward to seeing it again," Belos finished.
Not, "I look forward to showing it to you." Not, "You'll see it all for yourself one day." Just, "I look forward to seeing it again."
At the time, Hunter had been so preoccupied with his missions, so fixated on being the perfect Golden Guard that everyone in the Emperor's Coven expected him to be, and so worried about being replaced that he never noticed all of the subtle hints that, for all that talk of how the Titan had big plans for him, his Uncle never actually considered him to be any meaningful part of his future. Only a tool, only a means to an end.
Looking back though, he supposed that it was all so obvious, that the way his Uncle had treated him wasn't right or normal. Especially now that he had something to contrast it with.
"So only the tops of the trees here are green?" Hunter did not sound at all disappointed, only curious. He ran his gloved hand against the tree trunk before him, feeling not quite the texture but at least the sensation of all the snags and bumps in the wood under his covered fingertips. He looked up at the leaves above, all a brilliant shade of emerald, with sunbeams pouring through the gaps and openings.
"Yeah, during the Summer, at least," Luz answered from behind him. "In a few months it'll be Autumn, and all the leaves will turn orange and yellow, then in the Winter they'll all fall off the branches. Then next spring, it'll start all over again." She reached over to put her hand next to his on the tree trunk, then turned to offer him a soft smile. "The bark's always brown though. That part never changes."
"Fascinating…" Hunter said to himself, meaning it wholly. All of the trees in the boiling isles were a violent shade of red, from trunk to branch to leaf. He much preferred these new hues that surrounded him.
"I know a library we can go to later, if you want. I'm sure there's tons of books on trees you could take out."
Hunter allowed himself to smile and nod, almost cautiously. "I'd…I'd really like that." He didn't sound nearly as excited as he truly was. Occasionally, he had to remind himself that none of his new friends would ever erupt at him like his Uncle used to at even the mere mention of Wild Magic, that it was okay for him to show a little excitement now and again at the prospect of discovering something new and beautiful. Truth be told, he couldn't wait to visit his first library in the human realm, to scour through books on the histories of this new world, to flip through tomes of fairytales to laugh with Luz about all the ways that humans had gotten magic wrong over the centuries.
For now though, he was content to spend a bit more time in the forest where Luz had taken him. His Uncle had been a liar about many, many things, but at least he had been honest about how beautiful the Human Realm was. The trees were indeed green, mostly at least, and it was in fact serenely quiet. Other than the constant rustle of the leaves above as they sashayed with the wind, the most omnipresent sound in Hunter's ear came from his right shoulder, where his Palisman was perched. In addition to the tiny thump-thump of his heartbeat, the little bird let off little chirps now and again, as if to remind his owner that he was still there, that he wasn't going anywhere, that they were safe.
All that was left for Hunter to experience was the rain.
Thunder cracked somewhere in the distance as dark clouds began to pass overhead and all of the sunbeams disappeared from between the leaves up above. Hunter knew at once that a storm was well on its way. The Human Realm and the Boiling Isles differed in many ways, but the omens that foretold rainfall seemed universal.
Except for the smell. The smell could not have been more different. The smell of coming rain in the Boiling Isles was acrid, acidic, metallic, a bit like that of fermenting fruit. This new scent was earthy and sweet and pleasant. Hunter enjoyed breathing it in.
"Finally," Luz said. "I was starting to worry the weather channel was wrong this morning when they said there was a high chance of rain."
She strolled over to the backpack she had left on the ground nearby and pulled from it a contraption unlike any Hunter had ever seen before, a strange black staff with a curved handle.
"What is that?" Hunter asked, somewhere between cautious and curious.
"This is called an umbrella." With a single press of a hidden button on the handle, the contraption sprung to life, and like a gigantic bat spreading its wings a black canopy unfolded from the staff over Luz's head. "We humans use them to shield us from the rain," she explained as she outstretched her hand in invitation, and Hunter went to join his friend under the new shade.
At first, Hunter could not stop staring straight above at the black canopy that now hung over his head. He had never seen anything quite like it. Back in the Boiling Isles, the only reliable shelter from the burning rain was a strong roof, and yet here in the Human Realm a paper-thin piece of canvas was protection enough. It felt almost too good to be true.
"So if the rain here is harmless, then what do we need a shield for?" Hunter asked.
Luz seemed to consider the question a moment. "You know how when you bring home a new kitten, you have to lock your old cat in the bathroom and have them sniff each other from under the door, otherwise they'll get overwhelmed and start fighting?"
"Belos never used to let me have any pets, but sure, I guess I get what you mean," Hunter deadpanned, his hand reaching up subconsciously to lovingly pet his Palisman on the head. The cardinal chirped in approval.
Luz laughed dryly. "Well, let's say you're the kitten in this situation," she explained as she met his gaze with her kind eyes. She placed her hand on his shoulder, an action that sent shivers down his spine and through his stomach. He sometimes forgot just how touch-starved he was. "I know better than anyone how intimidating it can feel to experience a new world for the first time. I wanted to help ease you in slowly."
Hunter gave his friend an appreciative smile, and could not help but consider how far he had come since that day he first met Luz after bursting from the boiling lake, all menace and intimidation. There was a time when he might have felt embarrassed to be compared to a kitten, back when he used to care about his reputation as the Golden Guard, the pride of the Emperor's Coven, but those days were long behind him. Now, he never wanted anyone to think of him as dangerous ever again.
Another crash of thunder, and every nerve in Hunter's body tightened. Another fluttery feeling grew in the pit of his stomach, altogether different from the pleasant sensation that came to his gut at Luz's friendly touch. His heartbeat increased against his will, and he found himself drawing in deep breaths of that sweet-smelling air.
"Nervous?" Luz asked.
There was no trace of judgement in her voice, and yet Hunter could not help but feel embarrassed. "Sorry," he said, turning his gaze away.
"It's okay," Luz gently reassured. "You grew up in a world where burning rain was normal. It must've been drilled into your head all your life how dangerous it was to get caught out in the middle of a shower. It's only natural you'd be a little scared. If you want, we can go back to my house and wait out the storm, try again another-"
"No," Hunter said, forcefully enough that it took even him slightly by surprise. "I just…I just really need to see this for myself. Please?"
Luz nodded with resolution, and within a few moments the storm began.
It was only a light sprinkle at first. In fact, if not for the soft sound of raindrops hitting the umbrella, each one landing a few seconds apart, neither Hunter nor Luz might have even noticed the rain falling from the sky at all. It wasn't long, however, before that gentle patter picked up in pace until it was impossible to make out any individual raindrop, only the torrential downpour that the two children found themselves in the middle of.
From under the safety of the umbrella, Hunter watched as the rain fell, absentmindedly petting his Palisman all the while, as much for his own comfort as for the cardinal's.
Luz nudged him in the side with her elbow. "Go on, touch it," she said, barely able to contain her excitement. Hunter overheard her speak with that same barely contained giddiness whenever she and Amity met for their Azura Book Clubs and she couldn't wait to discuss a particularly scandalous plot development.
Hunter was a bit less enthused. He took a break from petting the cardinal on his shoulder and slowly removed his left glove, pausing a moment to examine the road map of scars on his hand from his years in Belos' service. He always winced a bit especially whenever he took a long look at his index finger, jagged and curved from having been broken after his uncle threw him against a wall during one of his episodes. He had only been eight at the time.
Hesitantly, Hunter began to reach out, but paused just before his hand could cross that threshold between the safety of the umbrella and the storm raging outside. Every synapse in his mind was screaming at him that none of this was right, that all of this was somehow a trick, that as soon as his finger met water his skin would burn and blister instantly. Then, the sky in the far distance flared up with lightning, another thunderclap followed, and Hunter shot his hand back, as if an animal had just snapped its jaws and nearly bit off his fingers.
Luz sighed. "Here, hold this."
"Wait, wha-" Before he even realized what was happening, Luz pressed the handle of the umbrella into his hands and marched off into the rain. "Wait, Luz, come back!"
Hunter's cries were wasted. The human girl stood there in the middle of the enclave of trees, arms spread open, bearing the full onslaught of rain as it fell from the sky.
And yet…
Her skin did not blister.
Her flesh did not burn.
Her smile could not have been wider.
"See Hunter," she yelled, and her bright voice could be heard loud and clear over the storm. "There's nothing to be afraid of! It's just water!"
Before Hunter could say anything back, he felt a slight weight lift off his shoulder and saw a red streak fly past the periphery of his vision, and suddenly the first friend he had ever had was out there in the rain as well, perfectly safe, hovering right alongside Luz, each of them looking towards the boy under the umbrella with expectant yet understanding eyes.
For a moment, Hunter could only watch his two friends out in the rain, allowing themselves to be soaked to the bone all for his sake, just to show him that water didn't have to burn. That was when he was reminded of something that he felt too often went forgotten.
Belos was far behind him, and before him stood Luz, and his Palisman, and all of the other friends he had made since leaving the Emperor's Coven, friends who saw him as a person worthy of love, friends who would never hurt him like so many had before. This was no daydream. This was his future.
The umbrella hit the ground with a clatter. He didn't know how to close it. He trusted that Luz would not mind.
He stood there in the forest, feeling the cool water wash down his face, the rain-streaks becoming indistinguishable from the scars that marked his skin. Within seconds he was soaking wet. He could not have cared less.
He didn't even realize at first that his eyes had been closed, but when he opened them he saw Luz and his Palisman rushing up to congratulate him on his courage. He accepted a hug from his friend, and then followed her to go laugh and play in the rain, hopping in every puddle he saw like the child he was never allowed to be, the red cardinal flying high above.