Hunter groaned in pain as he pressed the damp cloth to his cheek. Blood was pulsing out of and gash and leaking through the cloth, landing in a puddle at his feet. He'd had knife wounds before, but this was so, so much worse. Maybe it was because the skin on your face was supposed to be more sensitive, or maybe it was the knowledge that even if he did somehow escape this hellhole, he'd have a horrible scar on his face to remember it by. It was different than a normal scar; he didn't have to see the other ones very often as he could just cover them up, but that solution wouldn't work for his most recent injury. He sighed in defeat, wondering why he bothered thinking about these things. It wasn't like he was going to escape this place anyway.

He found himself wishing for death over the next few days. Or was it hours? Months, even? He wasn't sure. Either way, he would never tell the Stalker what he knew about the Day of Unity, so he was just waiting for it to all be over. He was almost glad when he began to get a bit lightheaded from blood loss but, the blood had to go and dry up instead. The cuff around his ankle had torn away at his skin, leaving it red and bloody.

He'd been getting hallucinations more and more frequently; hearing voices and even seeing visions. He couldn't distinguish what was real from what wasn't anymore. The Stalker had said that the isolation would break him, and he was so nearly right – Hunter wished he was right. Hunter wished he could give up and spill everything, but he couldn't bring himself to betray his uncle after all he'd done for him.

The Stalker hadn't shown his face in some time, but one day, the cell door opened. Light spilled into the cell, prompting Hunter covered his eyes; it was unbearably bright, enough to make his eyes water. It was like staring into the sun, it felt like his eyes were on fire.

"A-a-re… are you real?" he whimpered.

"My master has ordered your execution," the Stalker responded, not bothering the answer Hunter's question.

Hunter was squinting so hard he could barely see anything, just trying his hardest to get used to the light.

The Stalker leaned down and grabbed him by the jaw. "This is your last chance. Tell me what the Day of Unity is."

"I'll… never… betray the Emperor."

The Stalker let go and stood up straight, folding his arms behind his back. "Then you will be executed by a bolt between the eyes. An honourable death for such a loyal soldier."

The Stalker removed the cuff around Hunter's ankle and unclipped them from the wall and binding them around his hands. "Come on," he said.

Hunter tried his best to pull himself up, but it felt like his ankle was going to crack if he put any weight on it. "I – I can't…"

"I said come on!" the Stalker shouted, grabbing by the hand and dragging him outside.

After they got outside, the Stalker threw Hunter into the floor and for the first time in months, he felt the lovely, cold texture of snow. It wasn't something he'd normally consider pleasant to touch, but in the absence of much else it almost brought him to tears. However, he stopped himself. He didn't want to spend his last moments crying.

"Stand up and face the wall," the Stalker said as he loaded his crossbow.

Hunter thought for a moment, before pulling himself up on shaky limbs. One side of his brain was telling him that he didn't want the face of his killer to be the last thing he saw, but the other side was telling him to face death head on; to show that he wasn't afraid. He chose the latter. His vision was still blurry, but he could make out more details and didn't have to squint as much as his eyes adjusted to the light.

So, he struggled over to the wall and pressed his back against it, staring his killer down. The Stalker looked almost surprised, but it was only for a second as he raised the crossbow up and aimed it.

Hunter's life flashed before his eyes, and he wondered to himself what Belos' reaction would be. Belos scared about him, even if he did have a rough way of showing it.

He stared straight at the bolt and resisted the overwhelming urge to clench his eyes shut. He was not going to spend his last moments in fear. So, he adjusted his view and stared death in the face.

The crossbow clicked, and a bolt was fired.

Hunter was surprised to see that he was in fact not dead. He tried to figure out what happened, only to see Steve standing next to the Stalker, pushing the crossbow up into the air.

And in that moment, hope filled his heart.

But it didn't last long; Steve began to fight, and no matter how hard he tried it was clear he was outmatched. He was clearly tired and fatigued, because the Stalker dodged all of his punches with ease. Steve's last effort was to pull out Hunter's pocketknife and plunge it into the Stalker's leg, before being punched in the throat and falling to the floor.

The Stalker groaned in pain as he reached for the knife, but was caught off guard by an adrenaline fuelled Hunter, who punched him in the face with the force of a man twice his size, despite his still bound hands. As the Stalker was recovering from the punch, Hunter stamped on the knife, driving it right through his thigh. The Stalker fell to the ground and screamed, but it wasn't long before Hunter was on top of him.

Hunter didn't hesitate; it was kill or be killed. So, he grabbed the Stalker's neck and choked him as hard as he could. Despite how much the man groaned and struggled whilst his oesophagus was being crushed, Hunter didn't care; he wasn't even sure where the sudden burst of strength came from aside from pure adrenaline.

The Stalker's neck let out an audible crack before he stopped moving ever so suddenly, and Hunter let himself collapse from exhaustion, out in the snow.


When Hunter came to, his eyes didn't hurt nearly as much. He was also strangely warm, which a nice change from the reasonably cool cell he'd been cooped up in for what felt like an eternity. He groaned in pain as he sat up.

"Hunter!" Steve said, suddenly appearing next to him. "Oh Titan, I thought you were dying."

"Steve?" Hunter asked blearily. "What… what happened?"

"I got knocked out fighting that dude and when I came to, his neck was broken and you were passed out, I dragged you inside 'cos I thought you had hypothermia."

"What happened after I ran?" Hunter asked.

"I lost the fight and fell back down the elevator shaft," Steve laughed. "I got caught by the demons again and I only managed to escape by climbing up the shaft with my magic, and I even found your dagger for good measure." He sighed and brushed his hair out of his face. "It took me like a week to find this place, and I was scoping it out when he pulled you outside, so I just went for it, y'know?"

Hunter's eyes widened in realisation. "I've only been here for a week?!" He thought it had been a fortnight at least, a month or two more realistically.

"Yep," Steve responded. "As it turned out, this place is right at the peak of the mountain."

"The peak… this is the Temple of Forbidden Magic?" Hunter asked. "But that means that that guy was guarding the Scroll."

Steve nodded. "Yep – but kid, are you okay? That cut looks like it's gonna scar real bad. What did he do to you?"

"Doesn't matter," Hunter said, standing up shakily. "Where my uniform? We need to get the Scroll."

"Kid, no offence, but you look like a ghost. You need to rest."

"I can rest when I've completed the mission." Hunter spotted his uniform hanging next to the fireplace and went to retrieve it. "Belos wants the Scroll, so we can muck around. We - I have to get it to him." As he pulled his breeches on, he looked over to Steve. "Show me where it is."


The Altar of Forbidden Magic stood in the centre of the Temple's largest hall. It was a large open with murals depicting the usage of Forbidden Magic throughout history; one showed a witch using it to slay a large demon, another showing a witch standing atop a pile of corpses. There was a large spiral pattern and a diamond shaped hole carved into the limestone floor.

"Whoa…" Hunter beamed. "Look at these murals!" They might depict events that were lost to time!"

"I mean, it's probably called 'Forbidden Magic' for a reason," Steve responded. "Maybe these events should stay lost to history."

"When we get back we need to send a group of historians up here to record all this!" Hunter scanned the room, looking for his prize. "Steve, do you know where the Scroll is?"

Steve pointed to the diamond shaped hole in the a floor a pulled a golden amulet with a green gem in the middle from his pocket. "I found this on our stalker, it looks like it fits in there."

"Oh, he was definitely guarding this place," Hunter concluded. "Wait, why have you not used it yet?"

Steve sighed. "You're the Commander, it should be you." He passed the amulet over to his friend.

Hunter smiled and bit his lip. This was it. He knelt down and placed the amulet in the hole, but nothing happened.

However, only a second later the room started to shake. The spiral carved into the floor began to fill with a bright green liquid, and the area around the amulet's hole began to rotate and rise out of the floor like a massive screw. When it was done, it revealed inside it the Scroll of Forbidden magic.

It looked almost exactly like the drawing Belos had shown him, only more magnificent. Hunter reached out and delicately pulled it from its resting place, cradling it in his hands like it was a newborn baby.

Anyone else would be overcome with curiosity as to what powers the Scroll possessed, but not Hunter. The thought never even occurred to him. All he cared about was pleasing Belos. So, he pulled his backpack off his back and carefully placed his prize in it.

"We actually did it," he breathed in astonishment. "I can't believe it."

"And now we gotta go all the way back down," Steve sighed.


"I take it from your presence that Bonesbourgh's wild witch infestation has been dealt with?"

"It's been contained for now, Sire. But proper enforcement will be required to stamp it out completely."

"I expected as much from you, Lilith. However, there is one other matter I wish to discuss with you."

Lilith looked up at the Emperor in confusion.

"The Owl Lady. She still remains at large, does she not?"

"Trying to make Eda conform would cost more than it's worth," Lilith responded. "It could damage the Coven's image whilst providing very little benefit."

Belos frowned beneath his mask. "I can't help but feel that you are protecting your sister." He stood up and walked over to the coven head. "I understand. But she must be dealt with, unless you fancy joining her in her escapades."

"I'm sorry Sire," Lilith responded, immediately catching on to what Belos was implying.

"If you can get Edalyn to me I will heal her curse, and even let her join the Coven. However, if your past cannot be overcome…"

"I understand, Sire," As Lilith left the Emperor's chamber, she opened the door once again to see a very bedraggled looking Hunter standing there, with Steve by his side. "You survived?" she asked in an irritated tone. "Oh, hello Steve." She couldn't help but let a smile cross her face.

"Unfortunately for you, I did!" Hunter smirked. "And now, I'll be your superior."

Lilith shook her head in dismay as she walked off. "Golden brat."

Hunter smirked at her misfortune, making his way into Belos' chamber.

"Ah, Hunter," Belos said, faking relief. "I was ever so worried for you." He turned to the guards. "Leave us." He looks back to Hunter and questioned him. "Did you find the Scroll?"

Hunter nodded and pulled the Scroll out of his backpack, handing it over to his uncle carefully.

"Magnificent…" Belos responded, his eyes almost glowing through his mask in excitement. "Tell me, did this Scout assist you on your journey?"

"He saved my life," Hunter said. "I wouldn't have been able to do it without him, but we did lose Charlie along the way."

"We all mourn the loss of a good soldier," Belos sighed. "But I will see to it that he is given a proper funeral, and that your friend is promoted from Scout to Guard."

"Really, your majesty?" Steve said. "I'm honoured."

"Yes, yes, be honoured," Belos muttered. "Now, hurry along before I change my mind."

Steve nodded and left, throwing Hunter a smile on his way out. As soon as the the door closed, Belos dropped the act. Or more accurately, he was about to before Hunter started rambling.

"Uncle, on the mountain we were stalked by an assassin guy. He killed Charlie and tortured me for information on the Day of Unity. The only person who knew the details of the mission other than us and everyone on it was Kikimora. That little gremlin has always had it out for me, and I bet she sent the stalker guy after us to stop me from becoming her superior. She's a traitor, and she has to be dealt with."

Belos sighed heavily. "Hunter, to tell you the truth, I haven't been completely honest with you recently. I told you that I needed you to climb the mountain to obtain the Scroll, but in reality… the Scroll is meaningless. There is no such thing as Forbidden Magic."

"Wh – what?!" Hunter shouted. "Then – then was what was the point?"

"Everything that you came into conflict with on that mountain was my doing – aside from the demons, that was unplanned. I wasn't even aware they were still alive after they betrayed me. Regardless, the Stalker is – or was, rather – a former Coven Guard, one of my best. I asked him to test the limits of your loyalty, to push your resolve to its limits, but there was also something else.

"In my many years as Emperor of these Isles I have come to realise that there is one thing that prevents good men from becoming good soldiers, and that is fear. Your final test was not only intended to test your limits, but to cleanse you of your fear – specifically, your fear of death.

"I had Scouts monitoring you the whole time, and from what I heard, you faced your death like a true soldier. Even more, you killed the Stalker in a desperate bid to survive… very impressive."

Hunter thought back to when he saw Charlie's throat get slit; back to all that time he spent in his cell, back to when he stared the Stalker down in what he thought would be his last moments.

"You – you kept me in that cell for all that time?!" he shouted. "You ordered me to be tortured? You scarred my face? You ordered my execution?!"

"The Stalker was never going to kill you," Belos responded. "Not because I ordered him to let you live, but because I knew you would prevail."

"What about Charlie? Did you order the Stalker to murder him?"

"I ordered the Stalker to dispatch your squad non-lethally," Belos admitted. "I did not intent for such a tragedy."

Belos walked over to his throne. He kept speaking even with his back turned. "The way I see it, you are now a stronger and braver soldier than ever before, and after all I've done for you, you lose your temper? You should be thanking me. You know I only do what's best for you, my boy."

"But I—" Hunter was cut off when Belos looked over his shoulder as he grabbed his staff. "I apologise… I spoke out of turn. Thank you, Uncle."

"Very good," Belos said. "Now, kneel."

"What?"

"I said kneel."

Hunter knelt down onto one knee quickly, hanging his head. Belos raised his staff and placed it right above Hunter's shoulder.

"By the will of the Titan," he said. "And the Nine Covens, I dub thee with thy highest honour."

Belos took a deep breath in before moving his staff away and planting it onto the cold floor.

"Rise, Golden Guard."


Glad I managed to get this done before Thanks To Them comes out. I actually had this entire story written and redrafted before I even posted chapter 1, and I'm thinking I might do something like this again, it was really fun. I also finally managed to upload the cover art for this series, so that's nice.

Anyway, thanks for reading!