Eda looked at the crystal ball, infuriated by it. She wanted to break it but the moment she tried to move Hunter held onto her. She looked down at him, tears in the corners of his eyes. He was shaking. Eda's heart sank into her stomach, as a burning rage ran through her. He looked like someone had kicked him and then stomped on him. Lilith decided to get rid of the crystal ball, fearing it would cast a spell that would endanger them.

"Don't touch it!"

Hunter yelled at her, pushing his anger and hurt aside.

"If you touch it, it will summon whatever is attached to it here. They're rarely used but when they are deployed they always have a coven head or a magical beast attached to them."

"Then how do we get rid of it?"

Luz asked.

"You don't think he would be crazy enough to attach anything to it, do you?"

Lilith asked as she stared at it, worried. Hunter pushed his way out of Eda's arms and made his way over to it. He got down and looked at it carefully.

It's different than normal…

Eda didn't like him being so close to it, it ruffled her feathers.

Why are you near it!? You just saw that jerk talk through it! And tell you that he doesn't love you! So, get away from it. It may be boobie-trapped! What if it has a binding spell or a teleportation spell on it!?

Hunter reached out to touch it. Eda quickly made her way over to Hunter and picked him up, which surprised him.

"Hey!? What are you doing?! Put me down!"

She refused to do so as she carried him upstairs, he was struggling weakly in her arms. Luz and Lilith looked at each other, sharing the same concerned face. Lilith asking.

"Has Edalyn ever done that to you?"

"She did it to me once when I first caught the common mold. But I don't know why she did that to Hunter?"

King sighed.

"She won't admit it but that's her motherly instinct taking over. She doesn't want him near that thing cause it just had the jerk who hurt him on it."

"Awe!"

Luz cooed. Lilith was amazed, more than anything.

She barely knows the kid and she already wants to protect him like he's one of her own? I wonder if that's because of the Owl Beast or if she really feels that way.

"Luz, Belos called him a grimwalker. Do you want to fill me in on that?"

"Uh…"

Luz frowned as she looked at Lilith, conflicted. She had told Eda but that was because she felt like she had to. Hunter was with her when they entered Belos's mind and learned everything. However, telling Lilith was a different story, Luz saw how they acted at dinner and she didn't feel right just telling someone about Hunter like that.

Luz sighed.

"It's not my place Lilith. If you want to know you have to talk to Hunter."

"I understand."

Lilith wanted to push Luz but couldn't bring herself to do it, Luz was clearly upset about it.

"For now let's get rid of that thing. Hunter's not the only one who knows how to get rid of a red messenger ball."

Eda refused to put him down till they were upstairs in his room. She set him down, he turned and looked at her, his face was red. Clearly angry at her. He yelled at her.

"Why did you do that!? I was trying to help!? That red messenger isn't like the other ones Belos's has used before. It has a teleportation spell embedded in it that will only-."

"That's exactly why I didn't want you to touch it!"

Hunter recoiled.

What!? Did she know!?

Eda sighed, she could feel a migraine coming on.

"Look I just… don't want you to get hurt."

"It's too late for that."

He frowned, digging his nails into his palms. He already felt terrible for being here with them but seeing Eda care for him like a mother, something he never had, felt worse. Flapjack chirped at him, tiring to dispel his foul mood but instead something snapped inside him.

"I didn't ask you to worry for me!? I'm just a copy of your real owner anyway! So, stop following me around! And you, I don't need you acting like a parent! I don't have anything like that and I don't want one now!"

Eda gawked at him, as Flapjack flew over to her, afraid.

"That's not what I'm doing, it's more complica-"

"Yes, it is! That's exactly what you're doing! An I don't want it! I don't even want to be here! But here I am because I'm screwed if I leave. And then Belos waltzed in with that message and made everything worse! He admitted I'm just some replacement for someone I've never even heard of! And made a show of it. He never cared for me! And then since that messenger orb was left I figured, hey, I could get rid of it for you! But the one useful thing I could do for you, you pulled me away cause, what?! You care about me?!"

Eda looked at him, hurt. He was breathing heavily, his face was red with anger again. His eyes were wild with rage. Eda breathed in as she wracked her brain around what he said.

He's hurt and upset, which is why he's lashing out at me… I mean I understand why… But… He doesn't need to be useful to me… Is that what Belos did…. Made him think he had to be useful to be loved…I just… I just want him to stay safe… I just want to keep him safe from that maniac… I just, ugh I care for you kid!

Eda finally released her breath. Her voice was even, calm.

"Look, I'm going to leave now. You're having a mental break right now. And I know that everything you're saying you don't mean. I just don't want to end this in a yelling match."

He scowled at her. He wanted to yell back at her but she was already leaving. Flapjack in her hair. He was left alone, still seething in rage. Hunter didn't know what to do, he didn't want Eda to leave but he also didn't want her here.

What does she know!? I am not having a mental break! I'm fine! I just wanted to be helpful to her! Why can't she understand that! Is it because I'm a! A! GRIMWALKER!

He stopped thinking as he made his way to the pillow and started to rip it apart. One of the few things he allowed himself to do to show his emotions. He huffed as he looked at the stuffing on the bed, looking at the mess he made. He felt his blood boil hotter as he looked at his handiwork, becoming more enraged. He knocked down a few piles of books as he slammed himself into a corner, pulling on his hair as he slid down the wall.

I can't stand this! She's wrong! I don't need her! I don't need anyone! I could have helped but instead, she sent me to my room! Like I'm some child! I'm not even her real kid, I'm not anyone's kid!... Ahhh! The only person who I cared about doesn't even care about me and then she thinks she can act like a parent to me! It's all a lie she has to be lying to me! Argh... She's just like Belos!

He let go of his hair, taking a sharp breath. He regretted that thought immediately.

"I'm an idiot."

He curled into himself, cursing as hot tears ran down his face.

Eda came downstairs with Flapjack in her hair. The little bird looked sad as he nested in her hair. Luz and Lilith gazed at her, she looked tired. Luz thought to herself.

Hunter's pailsman is with Eda? That's odd the little guy loves Hunter to pieces!... There were some crashing noises… maybe Hunter snapped at them? He was devastated by what Belos said and who can blame him…. I would be too.

Luz approached Eda, asking.

"Eda, are you okay? Did Hunter snap at you?"

Eda looked at them, she didn't answer as she looked at the crystal ball.

"Lilith, can you get rid of that thing or not."

Anger seeped into every word as she spoke to Lilith.

"Oh, well if we break it we'll be fine. We just have to break it carefully, it has a teleportation spell on it."

"Yeah, Hunter said that too… Will the spell activate if we touch it?"

"No, it looks like it will only activate if a certain blonde boy touches it."

Eda furrowed her brow, angrier.

I thought so. Belos knows Hunter better than anyone. Belos knew he would want to be useful and did that on purpose! Belos wants him, so he can kill him!... I hate that man!

Eda didn't think as she went over to it and stomped on it with her talons, shattering it into a thousand pieces. Destroying the spell within it, the bright red pieces became a dull red. Luz hugged Lilith; she was surprised and afraid of Eda. She had only seen her this upset once and that was when her life was in danger. Luz let go of Lilith and made her way over to Eda.

"Uh, Eda, do you want to talk about it?"

Eda inhaled sharply, tiring to calm her rage and nerves. She didn't want to snap at Luz by accident. She didn't want to show how upset Belos had made her.

"No, Luz. I don't want to talk about it. I just didn't want that thing in my house anymore, with my kids. Especially when that man traumatized both of my kids and is upsetting my other kid."

Eda pointed to King when she said her last words. Luz smiled, hugging Eda. Lilith looked at the pieces, amazed by Eda's act of sheer anger.

The spell on it was destroyed too! Is it because of the Owl Beast? She did use her talons and the Owl Beast sucks away magic. Did Eda think that through?

Eda's hand turned into her talons as she picked up all the pieces and threw them outside. She sat back down and sighed. Luz and King sat next to her and hugged her. Lilith went into the kitchen to get Eda some apple blood. Luz asked

"Eda, do you think Belos's will come here for us?"

"No, he made it clear that he won't come anywhere near here personally. But sending someone is another story."

"Oh… Eda do you think we'll be okay?"

"I don't know, Luz. All I know is that I won't let anyone harm you or Hunter. Even if one of you is being very unappreciative of me."

Eda glared at the stairs. Luz giggled at her.

"Yeah, but he'll come around. He's just having trouble understanding all this. I mean Belos was the only family he knew and now…."

Eda sighed

"Yeah, I know but right now he's just hurt and angry. Lashing out at anyone he can because of Belos and what he did to him. And because of that, I am not dealing with all that anger. Not right now. I'll check on him in an hour. Let him cool off…. I mean Belos did mess the kid up good. He thought he had to be useful to me. Me of all people. And I told him I don't need him to be useful to me, I need him to be…. I don't know, normal, safe?"

Luz winced

"Eda, that's really bad. No one should feel like they have to be useful to the person who's helping them."

"I know, Luz."

"He won't yell at you again will he?"

King asked. Eda placed a hand on his head.

"Probably but I won't let him yell at you again, King."

King smiled at her, hugging her tighter. Lilith returned and handed Eda a mug. Eda smiled at it.

"Thanks, Lily."

Lilith returned her smile.

"You need it."

Eda sighed, it had been an hour and it had been awfully quiet since she put the sad but mad boy in his room. She got up carefully tiring her best not to wake King or Luz, they had fallen asleep on her. She managed to escape without waking either. She headed up the stairs, straight to Hunter's room. She looked at the door, listening for a moment. She took a breath and opened the door. She saw the destroyed pillow laying on the bed and the books scattered about.

Okay, he's destructive when he wants to be. But he's also been quiet since I put him in here which worries me more.

She stepped into the room, her eyes gazing at the corner he was sitting in earlier in the day. She saw him, sitting with his arms crossed, his head resting on them. He looked tired. She walked over and sat across from him, watching him.

"Sorry. I was… upset and… I shouldn't have taken it out on you. I'm just… I'm just tired of everything."

He sounded defeated and tired. He looked at Eda as he apologized. Eda blinked at him, surprised by his apology. He apologized for a lot of little things but this was a genuine apology. Eda gave him an empathic smile.

"You don't have to apologize, I'm the one who should apologize. I did drag you up here against your will."

He sighed.

"No, what you did was right. I wanted to be useful to you even if that meant I got hurt. I didn't even think about the consequences if I touched that thing."

Eda frowned.

"Hunter, you don't have to be useful to me. All I want is for you to be… comfortable."

He looked at her, a mixture of exhaustion and fear on his face.

"Look, I-I don't really know how to do that very well. And today was tiring…. I, um, I didn't sleep at all yesterday cause I couldn't stop thinking about everything. I usually don't sleep well anyway, only about four hours a day so with no sleep I couldn't keep my emotions in check."

Eda felt a pit form in her stomach, a budding rage, burning her insides.

He only sleeps for four hours a day. And what does he mean by keeping his emotions in check! What did Belos do to this kid!? What did Belos tell this kid!?

Hunter continued

"And because of that, I showed weakness by panicking. Then again when I got angry at you and Lilith… And when I destroyed that pillow and threw those books around. I don't really know what to do anymore."

Eda swallowed down her anger as she tried to find the words to comfort him.

"Look, Hunter, you're not weak. It's better to express your emotions than keep them bottled up… even if they're the ones that suck and make everything feel terrible…. Now you're exhausted so why don't you go to bed."

Hunter sighed, twiddling his thumbs.

"I can't… Look I'm… I, huh, I actually want to talk to you. About…. Never mind... This was a bad idea."

Eda corrected him.

"It is not a bad idea. Just talk like I'm not here. I'll listen to you and I promise I won't say anything."

He raised his eyebrows, surprised.

She's weirdly endearing… I was wrong for ever thinking she was like Belos.

He opened his mouth and frowned, closing it again unsure of what to say. Eda's hopeful smile slowly tried into a concerned frown as she watched Hunter think. She was about to say something when Flapjack jumped out of her hair. He had stayed quite the whole time waiting for his chance to talk to Hunter. The little bird made his way over to Hunter, landing on his knees, chirping at him. Hunter looked at him, a smile forming on his lips.

"I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have said that to you. You're honestly the best thing that's ever happened to me and I almost ruined it by pushing you away… I, um, hope you still want to be with me."

Flapjack chirped and rubbed his face, hopping into his hair afterward. Hunter smiled at the bird. Flapjack just being with him made him feel comfortable. Hunter glanced at Eda, taking a deep breath.

"Alright, here goes nothing…Ever since I woke up and you were kind enough to give me this room, I've been… reflecting on my memories. Knowing that every single one is a lie is… painful. Every kind word, every act of… care was nothing more than a means to an end. To keep me tied around his finger, to never question him, just be a good soldier and do as I'm told… My earliest memory is when Belos told me to be a good boy and study hard to live up to the Titan's expectations. From there it was tests and training and anytime I thought I couldn't do it he told me that lie about the Titan and I believed it every time…. But the worst thing was when I failed at something, the punishment was bearable."

He moved his hand towards his scar. Eda was seething quietly, listening, just as she promised.

"But his words were the true punishment because they made me feel like I disappointed him. Like I disappointed the only person who thought I mattered. I had no friends, no allies, nothing. It was just Belos… When I became the Golden Guard I knew, I had done something right… But that was the biggest lie. I know now that the title is just to keep his… grimwalker close to him and to cut it down the moment it even asks any questions that go against his way of thinking."

Hunter looked at Eda. He was waiting for her to say something, anything to him. He was hoping she would make him stop. But Eda didn't say anything; she moved a bit closer to him. He looked away.

"I'm a fool for buying into his lies. The more I look at my life the more I see the cracks in his words. The lies. The things I always hated and felt were wrong but never questioned because I knew if I did, it would end… painfully for me."

He touched his scar again, rubbing it. Eda saw the dread wash over him as he touched it, remembering how he got it.

Belos did give him that scar! That monster! When did he give it to him, six, seven? It must've been around that age since he keepings going to it immediately whenever he says he was punished. And it seems Belos punished him often as a young child.

He took another deep breath, steading his shaky hands. Quieting the panic that wanted to consume him.

"And after seeing his memories and knowing everything I know now, there's still a part of me that wants to go back to him. That doesn't want to believe any of what Luz and I saw… But I can't go back, he made it clear that I'm a disposable thing."

Tears welled in the corners of his eyes. He thought for a moment before speaking again, his voice was shaky.

"I figured it out, what a grimwalker is... I figured it out before he told us exactly what I was."

Eda went wide-eyed, all her rage died as she looked at him.

He… knew what a grimwalker was? But, but Belos, I mean Luz made it sound like he had no idea or at least Belos never told him… Well, until today.

Hunter rubbed his eyes, they stung.

I should have known when I saw that book but…

"I saw a page from one of his books. I don't think he saw me looking but I was. It wasn't for long but it was enough… I'm not a witch. I wasn't born like other creatures. He made me with pailstrom wood, a galdorstone, sleeperstone lungs…."

Hunter took another deep breath, tiring to calm his nerves.

"I'm just some copy of a person that he actually cared for. Just like he said…. All of them, every single Golden Guard before me… we're all just some copy that he could never get to be what he wanted…. The worst part about that is that he said that out of all of them, I look the most like that person… And even that couldn't keep him from lying and hurting me."

Flapjack chirped, tiring to soothe him. Hunter glanced up and smiled weakly.

"I know…."

Hunter was silent. He looked over at Eda, waiting for her to say something. Eda could see that he was done talking, waiting for her to say something. Eda cleared her throat as she collected her thoughts.

"Hunter, that's… a lot to take in but…"

She noticed the worry on his face, the tears collecting in the corners of his eyes.

I really need to say the right thing or else he'll never talk to me again.

"But that's okay because I'll always be here to listen."

"...You won't get angry and decide to get rid of me?"

Eda moved closer to him, so she was almost sitting next to him. She placed her hand on his shoulder, giving him a warm smile.

"I will never get rid of you for any reason."

He studied her face, tiring to find the lie within her words, but there wasn't one.

"So, you won't get rid of me for failing or getting upset, or talking about things I like?... Or because I'm a grimwalker and I'm not even a real person?"

Eda didn't think, as she pulled him out of the corner and into a hug.

"I will never, ever get rid of you for any reason. If you fail at something, I'll just tell you to try again, if you get upset I'll listen to you tell me about it. If you want to talk about your nerd stuff, I'll do my best and listen. And I will never get rid of you for being you. I don't care if you're a grimwalker or whatever. You are you and nobody can replace you. And you may think you're not a real person but let me tell you something."

She let him go and looked him in the eyes.

"You are a real person, you have feelings and you get hurt and need sleep and food. You have stuff you like and you have stuff you don't like. There are people here who care about you and want you around… And if that doesn't make you a real person then I don't know what does."

He looked away from Eda, smiling weakly.

She's really different from Belos… I can't remember him saying anything like that to me before…. I really don't get it but at least I know she can be trusted… somewhat.

"Um, thanks for… everything, I guess."

Eda smiled back, sighing.

"You don't have to thank me."

He looked at Eda for a moment before looking at his hands, twiddling his thumbs.

"Uh, about the mess… I can… fix the pillow if you have a needle and string…. And I can clean up the books."

Eda snorted at him, laughing. He frowned at her, confused. Eda noticed his discomfort and stopped, clearing her throat.

"Sorry, it's just. You're probably exhausted and the first thing you think of is to clean the mess you made. Honestly, you don't have to, no I don't want you to do that. The pillow, well I have tons of those and the books can stay like that."

"But-"

Eda silenced him, by raising her hand. She grimaced, noticing her mistake. He went silent from fear. Eda lowered her hand and held it out to him, he looked at it.

"Look, I don't want you to feel like you have to do that. And I know you won't sleep even if you're tired so why don't we go downstairs together and I can teach you some glyph combos. You seem interested in wild magic."

Hunter looked at Eda, wide-eyed debating with himself. Her invitation to learn more magic was tempting and he wanted to but a part of him was hesitant as he heard Belos' lies echo in his mind. He swallowed down his budding fears as he took her hand, agreeing to go with her. Eda smiled warmly at him and pulled him up as she herself got up.

"Alright let's go. I can show you the invisibility glyph first."

"You said combos? How do they work exactly? Is it like the elemental magic used in the savage ages?"

Hunter asked, giving Eda a half-hearted smile.