Luz's eyes slowly peeled open and adjusted to the faint light of the room. The first thing she noticed, however, wasn't anything in the room, but the fact that she was in a chair and had magic suppressant cuffs on her wrists. As she looked around the room, where she saw it was massive and almost empty, she noticed she was just one person in a circle of chairs. Eda and Hunter were all right across from her with Raine, Darius, and Boscha to her left and Gus, Willow, and Amity to her right.
Amity was the first to notice she was conscious, turning to face her, looking completely neutral. Though that might have just been from half her face being scar tissue, skin grafts, and a barely yellow eye on the right side of her face. Eda and Hunter noticed next, both of them looking concerned, though Luz couldn't pin down what was the most concerning part about it all. After them, Boscha noticed and gave Luz a small smile and a squeeze of her shoulder. Finally Darius, Raine, Gus, and Willow noticed, having looks anywhere from bored to worried to hesitant. Luz knew that whatever was going to happen was going to be big, and she really hoped that the cuffs also suppressed the curse.
"Okay Luz," Eda sighed, "We're all worried about you. You've been acting weird for over a month now. You're constantly tired, you lash out, you keep leaving the hideout to go somewhere…so we're having an intervention."
"Okay, fine. This might as well happen. What do you want to know?" Luz sighed.
"You'll just…tell us?" Darius asked, confused.
"I guess we didn't need to give you blabber serum while you were out." Eda shrugged.
"Wait, you drugged me?!"
"Drugged has such a negative connotation." Raine awkwardly chuckled, "It's more like we-"
"Yeah we definitely drugged you, kid. Had to know you wouldn't lie to us and you have a trend of hiding your negative emotions. Why else would you lash out like that?"
Luz felt her blood run cold. If she wouldn't be able to lie, then who knows what she'd say. Even she didn't know how she really felt about everything
"But, we decided it would be fair if you could ask us anything you wanted to know." Willow added.
"My idea." Boscha said with a smirk, lightly elbowing Luz.
Willow glared at her, clearly not fully on board with Boscha and Luz becoming closer, but quickly went back to looking at Luz, ready to answer anything she was wondering.
"Okay, uh, I guess I want to know what happened with Tarak." Luz said slightly sheepishly, having not expected this interrogation to start with her being able to ask things.
"The Titan Trapper turned worshiper of you? He got away when you set off that smoke bomb." Darius explained, "That whole situation with that guy is crazy. You almost kill someone once and they treat you like a god, but I actually kill tons of people and all I get is not being killed by Belos! And even he tried and almost succeeded in killing me, actually."
Raine elbowed Darius before he could say anything else. The whole situation of what was going on was mildly freaking out Luz, but Boscha having a reassuring hand on her shoulder the whole time helped.
"Another question," Luz began, getting the attention back on her, "How are people around the hideout doing with…my outburst."
"Morale is a bit cattywampus with someone dangerous finding this place, a few blaming you for it, and with your outburst people are pretty split." Eda explained.
"It's all a matter of how much information they had before and have now." Hunter continued, "Boscha knew about the magic, the outbursts, and Tarak and is thus the most chill. I knew about the magic and a bit about the outbursts and was mostly just worried. Eda, King, Emira, Viney, and Alador knew about the magic, but not Tarak and the outbursts so they were just surprised and worried. Ann knew about Tarak but not the magic or outbursts and is mad at Boscha. Most people knew nothing and were divided based on how much they knew you. The more or better they knew you or saw you, the more sympathetic they were. The less, the less. A few thought you should lead a charge against the Collector, and a few thought you were dangerous. Overall, people were just worried. What they were worried about, though, was different from person to person."
Luz was a bit surprised still with how open they were being with her. She was glad they weren't sugarcoating anything. But even with knowing that overall things weren't bad with people outside, she was most concerned about the people in the circle.
"Amity," Luz softly began, "Do you hate me for lying to you?"
She felt like she'd cry right then and there, looking at her girlfriend's face, scarred and betrayed. Amity's pale eye practically stared into her soul as she wore a neutral expression. An expression that began to crumble the moment she tried to answer.
"I don't hate you for lying to me, Luz. I just hate that you felt like you had to. I hate that you spent so long hiding this. You didn't lie to me, not really. You just didn't say everything," The unburnt side of Amity's face began to flush from her rising anger as she continued, "I hate that multiple people hid this from me. And you know what? I hate that Boscha is the one with a comforting hand on your shoulder. I hate that the person I stopped being friends with because of how horrible she was was the one who knew the most. I hate that she snapped you out of it. I hate that you hurting me wasn't enough to do so. That seeing other people scared was what it took for you to come to your senses."
"Amity, please, it's not like that." Luz tried to reason. It's just that I'm-"
Luz forced herself to stop talking. Resisting the blabber serum was hard and even somewhat painful. She wanted to tell them, but she couldn't. Not yet. Not like this. But it was hard to not thanks to the potion.
"You're what Luz?" Amity demanded, tone sounding slightly more harsh.
Luz clamped her hands over her mouth and shook her head. She closed her eyes tight, thinking maybe if she thought hard enough she could break through the magic restricting chains and teleport away.
"Luz, this is a safe space." Willow encouraged, "You can tell us anything."
"Yeah. We're your friends. We aren't going to be mad at you saying what's wrong." Gus added.
Luz felt tears welling up in her eyes. The overwhelming feeling of stress began creeping back in and her arms began to bubble. The cuffs didn't stop the curse. And it seemed because her magic was restricted, she was even less able to keep it from rearing its slimy head. She began to panic even more as she opened her eyes slightly and saw the scars on her body slowly revealing themselves. Though it seemed Hunter was the only one who saw them, he instantly had a look of recognition.
Despite everything, at that moment Luz just wished she could go back to being in the cave with Philip. He'd know what to say. What to do. He wouldn't drug her just so she'd tell him what he wanted.
"Luz, what the hell has been going on with you?" Amity yelled, "What is your problem?!"
"Philip is back and I've been working with him!" Luz yelled back, ripping her hands away from her mouth, "He is still alive and has been teaching me magic. His curse is part of me and when I get too stressed or angry it takes control. My limbs become goopy like his, but also way stronger. These scars are a byproduct of that curse, and getting hurt while training. Philip covered them up but apparently they're visible now! It's been hard to, but I trust him.
"He taught me how to deal with the curse, how to do more advanced magic, and how to use the curse to my advantage. He's been here since the human realm and I've been talking to him since we saved King. And I've been working with him since that first training session. That's what I've been hiding. That I've been working with Philip and have his curse. That's it."
Everyone in the circle was staring at her. Most in shock or disbelief. But not Hunter. He just looked scared.
"I knew it." He said quietly, "Ever since that first training session I thought it. But I didn't believe it. You told me I was crazy for thinking he was back! Did he tell you to say that?"
"What? No! I've just had this little voice in my head. My intrusive thoughts have been getting worse lately."
"A voice in your head? Luz, that's Belos. He's in your head. When I was still working for him, he was a metaphorical voice in my head, but you? He is literally inside your head!"
"No. He's not. I know he's not! He and the thoughts disagree! And Philip told me he wouldn't go inside my head without my consent."
"Do you really believe him? He tried to kill you! He tried to kill me! He tried to kill every single person on the isles."
"And he told me he sees he was wrong. He's changed, Hunter."
"And how did you get those scars that weren't from the curse?"
"I was just being stupid. And careless. I slipped or wasn't paying attention. That's all. Philip isn't evil!"
"Oh my Titan…are you even listening to yourself? Luz, do you know who you sound like right now?" Hunter asked, sounding exasperated.
"No. Who?" Luz scoffed.
"Me."
Luz was stunned. She wasn't acting like Hunter. She's nothing like him. Now or before, when he was still with Belos. Being manipulated. Controlled. Like a puppet.
Right?
Little Light. The voice in her head whispered.
"What?" Luz gasped.
No. Belos wasn't in her head. He promised he wouldn't do that. She never said he could.
"Luz, everything you're saying right now sounds a lot like the things I told you. And so I'm going to tell you what you told me. Belos is an insanely evil, homicidal, self-righteous bastard who can't be trusted."
I can't believe he thinks that of me. He really doesn't trust your judgment.
"No…it-it's not like that."
"I'm just trying to help you, Luz. I can relate to how you're feeling. I dealt with Belos my whole life, however long that was. I'd even say what you're dealing with is worse! You are trusting him again after him breaking it, and he is literally in your head. Instead of abusing you, he's making you hurt yourself and gaslighting you. If he's in your head he can probably control your limbs."
Luz, I am in your head but I assure you, I don't want to hurt you. I apologize for not telling you, but it's all for your safety.
"How long?"
"How long what?"
"I'm not talking to you!" Luz yelled.
"Kid, is Belos actually in your head? Is that why you've been so tired and angry?"
"Eda, don't pressure her. She's clearly stressed." Raine said softly.
"I'm actually with Eda on this. We have to know everything."
"Darius! She is a child!"
"And she's mature for her age. All of us are." Willow said, "If we want any chance at keeping Luz safe, we need to know everything that's going on."
"I'm with Willow on this." Gus shrugged.
"She is my girlfriend and shouldn't be interrogated like this! She's going through so much right now. We aren't going to demand she tells us everything."
Look at them talking about you like you're not even here. You know these chains do nothing against the curse. Break out and leave. Leave, calm down, wait for this to settle, then return. Your friends will understand. It'd be best for you mentally to just take a break.
"SHUT UP!" Luz screamed.
Everyone was staring at her, silent. They still weren't fully used to her voice changing when she got mad. The first to do anything was Hunter. He summoned his staff, moved the others and their chairs, and created a tinted soundproof barrier around him and Luz. He let Flapjack off the staff and slowly walked over to Luz. He took a knee in front of her and held her hands in his.
"Let's just talk. You and me. Would you like that?"
Luz hesitated, then nodded. Hunter reached up and wiped away a tear she didn't even notice had fallen and cupped her cheek in his hand. He looked at her with a mix of pity, guilt, and understanding.
"I'm not going to claim to know what you're going through, but I can give you some advice."
"Let me guess, you're going to tell me Philip is evil and that I should find a way to get rid of him? Hunter, he's changed. I trust him. It's hard sometimes, but I believe him when he tells me that everything he's doing is for my safety. He just wants to keep me safe. And become human and go back to the human realm. And look, if you really don't trust him, help me make him human again so he can go back to that realm."
"I bet that sounds like a great idea." Hunter said, surprising Luz.
"Wait, really?"
"Yes. If that happens, he can go back and you can get some much needed therapy. But it's unlikely that will happen. You've been angry. And I get that. When I was the Golden Guard I was angry too."
"What? What do you mean?"
"You're angry and full of hate for those who could or have hurt your friends and family, but giving into that isn't the answer. Trying to hurt or kill people isn't the answer. I know it can be hard to leave that mindset, but once you start making sacrifices, like your morals, you start sacrificing more and more until there's nothing left to lose."
"Hunter, what are you saying?" Luz asked in disbelief at how he was talking to her, standing up and taking a few steps away.
"I'm just saying," Hunter continued, standing up and moving toward Luz again, "that following Belos and becoming the villain isn't the answer. I was once and-"
"Is that what you think I am? A villain?!"
"I'm saying if you aren't careful you could become like how I once was."
"Hunter we are nothing alike." Luz growled, narrowing her eyes, "Our paths are not the same. I'm not going to become some brainless soldier like you were. You were raised in that life, raised to follow Philip. But I wasn't! I chose this! You were just some bratty kid who lost their nerve and didn't see the obvious in hindsight red flags. I am not sacrificing anything by giving Philip a second chance."
"You scarred your girlfriend and tried to kill someone!" Hunter exclaimed, "That seems like sacrificing your values to me. And with each line crossed, it becomes easier to cross more."
"You think I'm going to actually kill someone?" Luz scoffed, "Is that why you think I'm a villain?"
"I never said you were! Just that if you aren't careful you could become one! Is Belos messing with your hearing or something?"
"His name is Philip." Luz said in a low voice, her eyes slowly turning blue and she ripped off the magic restricting cuffs, "And he doesn't need to mess with this conversation for me to know that this discussion is over."
Luz's right arm morphed into its cursed form and she slashed across the soundproofing bubble, making it shatter and fall.
"So little prince is everything…"
Darius trailed off when he saw Luz's current state, standing defensively a few feet away from Hunter.
"Hunter!" Willow gasped.
She and the others went to summon their staves to restrain Luz, but before they could, Luz drew a glowing red spell circle with her cursed arm. Hunter was momentarily shocked by the fact that Luz's spell circles were now red instead of the blue they were, but was even more shocked when he saw all the others fall to their hands and knees and petrification fuse their hands and feet to the ground. The petrification was moving much slower than it did whenever Belos petrified people, but any level of progression was dangerous.
"Luz, you don't want to do this." Hunter warned, turning Flapjack back into a staff and holding him defensively.
"But you said I was sacrificing my morals. Becoming a villain. Well, why not make that process go a little bit faster."
"I don't want to hurt you, but I will do whatever it takes to get Belos out of you and stop this."
"If you want him out of me, you'll have to carve him out of my cold, dead body."
You're really going to do this for me, Little Light? Belos gasped in her head.
"Of course, Philip. Apparently you're the only one I can trust."
"Luz, NO!" Amity yelled.
Luz scoffed and summoned a fleshy hand that clamped over Amity's mouth so she couldn't distract her. She turned back to Hunter, smirked, and opened her arms wide as all of her scars morphed into the rotten green of the curse. Hunter glared at Luz as if he was trying to stare into her soul, but it had no effect. Seeing he wasn't going to do anything, Luz rolled her eyes with a sigh, then leapt through the air, claws bared and going for the kill as she yelled.
They were doing this.
Hunter quickly used Flapjack to summon a shield before she could hit him. Her claws dug into the shield and she quickly ripped it away. She went to slash his face but he quick dashed just in time, moving to the other side of the room. Luz summoned ice spikes and launched them at him, but he got away again. Barrage after barrage but he kept moving. Getting annoyed, Luz tried one more time, and the moment he dodged she sent as many as she could all over the room. He stopped and shielded everyone else, not able to move away before a spike could dig itself into his right shoulder.
"You know, maybe it was a bad idea to tell me everywhere you've been hurt!" Luz laughed.
Hunter didn't respond, instead breaking off the part of the shard that was sticking out and leaving the rest inside to block the wound. He dashed behind Luz and held his staff against her neck, holding tight enough to hurt, but not enough to actually start choking her.
"Belos is tricking you Luz. Sooner or later you are going to realize he doesn't want to help you."
"Oh yeah?" Luz leaned her head forward, then back hard enough to break Hunter's nose, making his grip weaken so she could get free, "Well I think you're just jealous he actually cares about me."
She held her arms crossed over her face in defense as Hunter went to slam his staff down on her after getting up in the air. As his staff struck her arms, she grabbed it and threw it across the room, though Hunter let go before he could get thrown too.
"Jealous? Why would I be?" Hunter scoffed, pulling glyphs out of his pockets.
He activated the modified invisibility glyph and began to run around the room, going towards his staff in a way that Luz wouldn't be able to track. Luz looked around the room, trying to listen for where he was. Giving up on that, she turned to the others and let her arm shoot towards Darius, claws bared.
"Darius!" Hunter yelled, terrified.
Now knowing Hunter's position, Luz turned and grabbed a still invisible Hunter by the neck. With her free hand she drew a spell circle and got rid of the invisibility.
"I think you're jealous because you aren't really human, or a witch, and you know if you were an actual human like the person you were made to be instead of a grimwalker, Philip would actually love you. And we wouldn't be having this fight right now."
Hunter kicked Luz in the face as hard as he could. She yelped in pain and dropped him to the ground as she stumbled back and fell. The curse quickly repaired the damage as she lay on the floor, but Luz noticed that as it was fixed the curse spread more and more. But that was the least of her concern.
"How many times do I have to tell you that you are being manipulated for you to listen to me?!" Hunter screamed at Luz in frustration, now crying but still holding on to the hope that he could reason with her, "Luz, you are a sister to me. Please, just let me help you!"
"Why would I need your help with this? Can't you see I'm doing perfectly fine all on my own?!" Luz demanded, getting up but not realizing her frustration was making the petrification only go faster, "For once in my life I can actually do something, and you want to take that away from me?!"
"Luz, I don't want to take anything from you." Hunter said shakily, slowly walking backwards away from Luz, "Even now I still don't want to fight you. I should want to, but you haven't hurt anyone. And unless you stop what you're doing, you might do just that. Can't you see that you're-"
Hunter turned and saw the petrification of all the people he's come to love and appreciate nearly complete. He gasped and ran towards Willow instinctively. He summoned Flapjack back to him and hoped and prayed to the titan that he could do something to slow the spell. He got in front of Willow, who gave him a weak and pleading look, the spell already covering her mouth. But just before he could kneel to do something, he stopped.
Willow let out a muffled scream as blood splashed on her face.
Hunter looked down and saw a green spike going through his chest.
"I don't care how many lines I have to cross." Luz growled, stepping closer to Hunter so her arm wouldn't have to be so extended, "How much I lose. How many people I hurt. I will be the villain just so I can say I did something with my life. And you aren't going to stop me."
As Luz was just a foot behind Hunter, she retracted the spike, her arm turned back to normal, and Hunter fell to the ground. The petrification spread over Willow's face, covering up the blood as the spell continued. Luz panted as she looked down at Hunter's bleeding body.
And after one last ragged inhale, the blood stopped coming and Hunter stopped breathing.
Luz looked down at her arm and saw it was stained with Hunter's blood. She just stared at it, blinked a few times, the blue left her eyes, and then suddenly everything that had happened hit her.
"HUNTER!"
Luz fell to her knees and turned Hunter onto his back. Her breaths were shallow and ragged as she stared at his limp, lifeless body. Tears fell down her face as she just stared at him, unable to do anything. Say anything.
Little Light, Luz, please breathe. It's okay. You can get through this. It's a lot but you just need to try and-
"What, Philip? I need to try and relax. I just killed him! I just killed…"
Luz looked around the room and saw all her friends and family, frozen as the petrification was nearly complete. She quickly dropped the spell and undid it, letting them all fall to the ground. Before they could do anything she cast a sleep spell.
"I have to run." Luz whispered.
Shakily, Luz stood up and began walking towards the exit of the room. She couldn't get herself to go any faster than a slow shuffle. She was staring at the ground, seeing the blood coating one arm and the curse on the other, having not receded. A million thoughts raced through her head. There was a faint ringing in her ear as the world around her changed from quiet to silent.
She couldn't hear Flapjack flying to Hunter. She couldn't hear him nestling into his owner's chest and fading away. She didn't notice the light that came from Flapjack as he gave up his own life to bring back Hunter. She didn't notice Hunter's wound healing, his now deep brown eyes flickering open. She didn't notice as he got up and saw his friends asleep and Luz walking away, his blood covering one of her arms.
If she had, she would have seen his eyes narrow as he glared at her, with only the thought of revenge on his mind.
She practically jumped back when, in a golden blur, Hunter was in front of her staring daggers into her soul.
He was alive. He had magic. And he wanted blood.
Hunter punched Luz across the face before she could even hope to block. She tried to run, but Hunter created a thick wall of vines in front of the exit. Her panic rose as she saw Hunter wasn't trying to restrain her, but trying to kill her. She turned herself invisible and tried to get as far away from him as she could.
"You really are the villain now." Hunter said as he tried to figure out where Luz was, "And as a good guy, it's my responsibility to take you down."
Luz stood against one of the walls of the room, trying to make as little noise as possible. Hunter stalked the room, listening closely for Luz. He walked closer and closer as Luz quietly sucked in as much air as she could so he wouldn't hear her breathe. As his face was nearly touching hers, he stared for a few seconds then turned and walked. Luz breathed a sigh of relief, which was a mistake as the second he heard her exhale he shot vines at her to try and tie her up. Luz dropped the invisibility and quick dashed away, only getting cuts on her arms from the thorns..
"Kinda funny how you're only avoiding me by using the move I invented." Hunter commented.
"I'm just doing what I can to not die." Luz shrugged.
"Well that's just more funny. Mainly because even with that move, you were still able to kill me thanks to me being momentarily distracted by my friends dying." Hunter said as he used an ice glyph to try and make Luz slip.
"It's kinda fun hearing you be cocky when you fight." Luz said as she used the ice to slide away from Hunter, "Haven't heard you talk like this since you were the Golden Guard."
"And I've never heard you get this cocky. Great job getting a handle on the skill. It'll really help you when you're fighting."
Hunter summoned the wooden part of his staff which was still around despite Flapjack being gone. He slammed the base of it down on the ice, causing it to break. Luz got off just in time, jumping and rolling to keep her momentum before getting back to running towards the exit. She noticed a few ice shards had cut through her legs, but she was too busy to care. She drew two spell circles and slashed the vines with fire. As the vines fell, Luz went to leap over them. However, while she was still in the air Hunter quick dashed over to her and grabbed her by the back of her neck. Luz yelled in pain as his hand touched a part of her neck that the curse had spread too. Hunter hissed as he felt a strange burning sensation on his hand. He dropped Luz and looked at it, seeing signs of scarring where his skin and the curse made contact.
"Guess this is why Belos made me wear gloves." Hunter said quietly, noting that Luz seemed to be in much more pain than he was, "And why the last training session went so poorly."
Before Luz could try to leave again, Hunter grabbed Luz by the arm. He winced in pain but ignored it as he dragged Luz away from the exit and tossed her to the ground. Before she could get up, he got on top of her and pinned her down with his staff, pressing down hard on her neck and wrists.
Luz, please, let me help you.
"I don't…need you…" Luz croaked.
She regretted saying that out loud as Hunter assumed she was talking to him and began pressing harder. Luz found it harder and harder to breathe with Hunter's weight on her chest and the staff pressing against her trachea. It was extremely painful as most of Hunter's weight pressed against the hard cartilage.
Just tell me you want help and I will.
"N-no."
Luz heard how weak her voice was and knew it was almost the end for her. She felt her trachea snap as it caved inwards from the pressure. It hadn't completely collapsed, but she could still hardly breathe. She felt lightheaded as the edges of her vision became blurry.
Everything hurt so much. She felt like she was going to die. But even after everything she'd done, everything weighing on her conscience, she didn't want to die. She couldn't die. Not until her mom and her friends got to hear her say goodbye. As Luz felt what was either unconsciousness or death approaching, she muttered her last words.
"Philip. Help."
Instead of darkness obscuring her vision, she saw dark green slime cover her eyes. It was as if she was no longer in control of her body. She just watched as her entire body morphed into the cursed form, one similar to the one Philip had back during the Day of Unity. However, it wasn't completely like his. Her form was smaller and far more bony, though her limbs were still disproportionate and her fingers sharpened into claws. Multiple places had bone and muscle exposed from under the slime. She didn't have eyes covering her body but instead her heart and bile sack were exposed.
Luz watched as Hunter's face morphed from anger to terror as the girl who was once his sister became a literal monster. A form to match her soul.
Thanks to Hunter's fear making him alleviate the pressure, Belos was able to move Luz's arms so she could get a grip on the staff. She pushed back against Hunter, struggling at first but soon able to overpower Hunter's strength. Once the staff was higher enough off of her, Belos had Luz open her demonic jaws, revealing rows of sharp teeth and massive fangs. It seemed unlike Belos' cursed form which had made him more dear-like, Luz's made her almost snake-like. Her head leaned forward and she bit clean through the staff, breaking it in half.
Belos let Luz take back control and she shoved Hunter off of her, though she pushed harder than intended and accidentally threw him crashing through the exit and out into the main entrance of the hideout. Luz walked on all fours as she left the room slowly, climbed over the damage of throwing Hunter, and out into the atrium. It was strange walking on all fours and Luz slipped and got a piece of rubble stuck in her hand, just one more cut to join the ones on her arms and legs from the fight.
Hunter groaned as he got up. He saw Luz stalking towards him and slowly stood up, holding onto the pieces of his broken staff. There was a sharp pain in his side, probably a broken rib, but that wasn't important. Luz was still working with Belos and using his curse. And that meant he still had to take her out.
Luz took a few steps forward, slowly walking towards Hunter. She could see he was shaking, exhausted and terrified. Tears were welling up in his eyes. He didn't want to do this any more than she did. As she was just a few feet away from him, she stopped. She stopped, closed her eyes, and began crying.
"Please, let me run." Luz begged, her voice sounding horrifying as it was broken and distorted from the curse and her trachea being broken.
Hunter stared at her, not knowing what to do. She looked so pathetic. But on the other hand, if he let her run, how could he know she wouldn't hurt anyone? What if she came back? Or had the Titan trappers with her?
A single tear ran down Hunter's creek and he stabbed Luz through the stomach.
Luz's eyes shot open and she howled in pain. She couldn't move. Her feet were literally frozen to the ground, a subtle move from Hunter to make sure she wouldn't escape. She stared into Hunter's eyes as he looked at her. The whites of her eyes were black and her irises were glowing blue. He looked like he didn't even recognize her. She was just some dangerous demon he needed to kill.
Luz just blinked as Hunter took the other piece of his staff and stabbed her clean through her exposed heart. He was taking deep breaths, obviously trying to not break down.
For just a few moments, Belos took control. He used Luz's arm to reach out to Hunter, cup his cheek, and wipe away the tears.
"I'm sorry, Caleb." Belos said through Luz.
Hunter couldn't hold it together anymore. He got rid of the ice, let go of the pieces of the staff, and stepped back. After a few seconds of staring, he turned away. Luz got control again and looked around. She saw people all over staring at her. And when her eyes looked through the destroyed entrance to the room she had been interrogated, she saw Amity staring at her. Awake and horrified.
Luz turned and ran. Ran as hard as she could with her injuries out of the tower, leaving behind everyone. Hunter, Amity, Eda, Emira, Boscha, and everyone else inside. The distant sound of Hunter screaming and sobbing in anguish echoed through the air. But Luz couldn't stop running.
She ran through the forest and onto the beach. She slowed down as she walked towards the cave. She turned back into her regular form and shuffled through the vines at the entrance, a strange wet feeling was on her shoulder as she went through but she barely registered it. That sensation was all over from the multiple bleeding wounds. With the little strength she had from all the injuries and blood loss, Luz grabbed her bag and, with a summoning spell, moved all her necessary belongings into it. She held the bag tightly as she stared out to the horizon. The wood stabbing through her heart and chest were agonizing, but somehow Luz felt almost peaceful.
Distantly behind her, Luz could hear the sounds of people.
Little Light, Belos whispered inside her head, We must go. Hold your palisman egg and I can handle it.
Luz weakly nodded, grabbed her egg, and just relaxed as Belos took control to draw a large spell circle. And in a flash of light, she was gone from the island.
She felt exhausted and fell to the cold stone floor of wherever Belos had teleported them. As she once again felt death approaching, she felt the familiar feeling of Belos's goopy form moving from her shoulder, to her neck, then onto the ground. He inched in front of her face where she could see him and pressed himself lightly against her forehead.
"I'm not going to let another member of my family die because of me." He said firmly, just loud enough for her to hear, "Not again."
Luz's vision flickered to black and she let out one final breath as the blood stopped flowing from her wounds and the feeling of death washed over her.