Hunter had been one of the last to activate this new magic of Luz's. Namely due to the fact that he had so many traumatic experiences and moments in his life he wasn't sure where or when It would send him. Thankfully Waffles much like her older brother Flapjack had done had given him a assertive peck on the forehead when she heard his nervous groan.
"Thanks Waffles I needed that." He said giving her a much-appreciated hand rub making her chirp.
"Anytime Hunter, now let's see this time magic in action."
Still nervous Hunter activated the magic and was flung into the past of the isles seeing even the events of the final battle against Belos in his monstrous form as he flew by. Even if it was just a glimpse it still sent a shiver down his spine. That's the real reason he was nervous, for if he was going into the past he was going into a time where Belos was still alive and in power.
What if I appear in his throne room? I had so many horrible experiences there. The first time I truly failed and he lashed out giving me this scar on my cheek, the first time I saw him kill a palismen and he called me weak for not hating wild magic. What if- his eyes shot to Waffles already imagining what could happen to her. I can't lose her to him! Not like I lost Flapjack.
His fears growing, he reached for the glyph wanting to tear it up and go back to the present, but Waffles pecked his hand. "Oh no you don't Hunter, I know you're scared, hell I'm kind of scared to. But you did this for a reason, this could be your only chance to truly confront him. Or at the very least punch him in the face and getting away scott free."
He tried to protest but she continued to peck his fingers until the time bubble finally came to its destination which to his immense surprise wasn't Belo's castle but Darius estate. Or as he had come to know it one of his two homes. The other of course being the Noceda residence both before and after their move. Camila had insisted that her home was always open to him, an invitation he gladly accepted as sometimes he needed the quite of the human realm.
Taking a look around he saw the place was just as sparce as he remembered. "Darius was always one for keeping a tidy home." Something which always surprised him as being the coven leader of abominations he always imagined at least half of his home would be covered in the purplish goo. When he'd told Darius that he'd scoffed saying he wasn't like the slob Alador and showed him his workshop where various abominations were kept in their very own cauldrons.
Walking through the home he stopped and smiled seeing a very out of place dirt and mud-covered hollow log near the kitchen which told him he'd come around the time he was fourteen. "I see Ebberwolf has officially moved in." Seeing the log Waffles flew over and looked at the mess. "Wow you weren't kidding when you said he lives like a beast."
"Yeah, apparently after befriending Darius he created this nest and crashes here from time to time. He does have a little den like home out in the wilds though." He'd even showed Hunter it once. Well show was a strong word, more like he dragged Hunter there before stuffing him into the tiny cave to avoid a approaching boiling storm.
"Then why does he sleep here?"
"Mostly to annoy Darius, but also to keep him company." As he wandered further, he saw the guest room had a lock on it. Thinking back, he remembered asking Darius about this the first time he'd come here and been told in a somewhat rude tone "It's a room I might have use for in the future now come along little prince" The use turned out to be his room and from the faint smell of paint had already been made ready.
Hearing voice he listened and heard his younger voice cry out in pain. Instivictely, he used his inherited powers from Flapjack and rushed down the room throwing open the door and aiming Waffles at what he thought was on of Belo's hidden assassins. Only to come face to face with a surprised Darius instructing his younger self on how to properly sew.
"Woops... I can explain." was all he got out before his younger self dropped his mantle and charged him. "Hunter wait-" Darius cried out attempting to stop the boy just as Hunter easily side stepped his younger self before putting him in a gentle but firm hold. "Now relax I'm not going to hurt you."
"Let me go! Flapjack help me!" a blur of red caught his eyes before his heart stopped and all the strength left his body. His younger self took the opportunity to break free and was about to attack when he saw his palismen landing on the outstretched hand of his assailant.
"Flapjack what are you doing? That guys a threat!" Flapjack stared at him before turning to Waffles who gave a wing like salute before Hunter heard his friend's voice for the first time in years.
"He's no threat to you, he is you! But from the future. All grown up and looking so much like... someone important to me."
"Yeah, Flapjack I know, but I'm not Caleb but I can at least call myself his descendent instead of... well you know." A sad look appeared on his old friend's face as he flew up and landed on his head. "So, you know the truth. About what you are? About Caleb and Phillip?"
"Yeah, not going to lie it was pretty hard, but I made peace with that years ago and now I know that I'm my own person, regardless of the fact that I'm a grimwalker. Mostly because I did some actual research and found out grimwalkers were originally called incarnates, Belos just changed the name to stop everyone but him from making them."
"Woah woah what!? Flapjack what do you mean he's me from the future!? And what's a grimwalker? Start making sense!" So caught up in seeing Flapjack he'd completely forgotten about everything else and was now practically being shaken by his younger self while Darius was staring at him like he'd seen a ghost. "Archer?" he asked, his voice shaking a bit.
Sighing a bit remembering being told by Darious about the previous golden guard and how he was one of Dariou's best friends. "Sadley Darious I'm not Archer. I'm a future version of this little brat here thanks to a bit of time magic." He showed the glowing glyph making his younger self back away. "I'd never use wild magic! It killed our family! Uncle told us so and he speaks for the titan! Wait...I get it now! you're an imposter! Don't trust him Flapjack!"
"urrrgghhh... I forgot how brainwashed I was back then." After thinking for a long time, he eventually found the best way to start this very awkward conversation. "The scars on our hands." This got his younger self's attention. "What about them?" he asked cautiously. "Belos gave us those the first time we tried to use magic to restrain his outbursts, he refused to call a healer for us and instead called it a reminder of what wild magic could do." Pain flashed across his face as he stared at his hands. "So maybe you are me, but uncle is still right about wild magic."
"Okay Hunter let me ask you this? You truly believe that Belos is right and that all wild magic is bad right?"
"That's right!" his heart nearly broke seeing that proud expression on his face, or the sigil on his wrist. Everything brought back so many bad memories. "Alright then, why haven't you told Belos about Flapjack then?"
In that moment young Hunter's eyes widened as he quickly scooped up Flapjack and held him to his chest. "Because he's special!" His face went red before he tried to compose himself. "I mean he's my partner, and uncle hasn't been recovering much from absorbing other palismen...and he allowed Lilith to keep hers soooo... I'm sure he wouldn't mind if I keep him. After all the fact he came to must be a sign from the titan." just seeing himself trying to justify keeping Flapjack was a good enough sign. Darius, seeing this smiled a bit and nuzzled Hunter's head. "You don't need to justify wanting to keep your little friend Hunter. A palismen is something precious to all witches and not something you'd want to see turned into a snack."
"Darius, did you?" both Hunter's asked each not sure they wanted the answer.
"Release my palismen into the forest after giving him a purely cosmetic injury knowing he'd ben taken in by the bat queen and thus being kept safe from Belos? Of course, I did." they breathed a sigh of relief before Waffles landed on young Hunter.
"You weren't kidding about your past self. He really does need sleep, and a therapist or two."
"Waffles be nice."
Young Hunter tried to shoo Waffles off only for both she and Flapjack to peck his hands away. "So ow! Stop it! This is your palismen in the future!?"
"Yeah after a couple years of carving them as Dell Clawthorne's apprentice he told me to carve own of my very own. At first I couldn't as it was still painful, every time I picked up the knife it felt like a betrayal, eventually my friends convinced me it was time. Although I only really started after getting my tattoo." showing this off Flapjack chirped in approval while his younger self's eyes went wide. "Cooool! I mean I guess it's nice, wait where's your coven seal?"
"Okay let me start from the beginning..."
Ten minutes, that was how long his younger self lasted hearing about his life to be before he started to hyperventilate and tried to bolt. To his credit he made it past the part about being a girmwalker and only broke down after hearing Belos had been lying and was simply planning to kill them and leave. Thankfully, Darius easily captured him and after an extremely touching moment of Darius holding him did, he eventually calm down enough to ask questions.
"So I'm not a real person?! I'm just a clone of some human called Caleb Whittbane who was killed by his own brother in a moment of hate fueled bigotry!? All my life has been a lie!? All that training and sacrifices for what!? Just so a three-hundred-year-old witch hunter could play the hero!?"
"Yes and no, you are a person just like everybody else. Sure, your beginning might not have been the best and your present isn't much better, but you do have friends and, in the future, you'll have a guardian that actually treats you like family instead of a puppet. Not to mention someone special that loves you, in fact you've already meet them."
"I...but she..." he showed him the pictures of the two of them together, which upon seeing he became far too interested in. "Me? And the captain... together..." While Hunter went about staring a bit to hard at the pictures his future self-talked with Darius.
"So, the little prince cast off his shacks and grew up to be fine man I see."
"Yeah well, I had some good parental figures to help me along the way. Couldn't help but notice the guest bedroom has been freshly painted." he said knowing making Darius bristle. "I've just decided to have it ready, just in case I have a roommate. You know how Ebberwolf likes to roam at night."
Hunter didn't press him instead letting him go to his younger self and gasp seeing him at grom with Willow. "Someone let you out wearing that? No no no on, looks like you need a lesson in fashion as well as sewing."
Checking the glyph he saw he only had a little while left and instead chose to spend it with Flapjack. Waffles understood and flew over to keep his younger self company leaving Flapjack to rest on his shoulder. He'd be lying if he said simply seeing him wasn't upsetting. Knowing that in a few months he'd be impaled and sacrificed himself to save him.
"Hunter I'm sorry you had to loose me, but don't feel guilty. I spent centuries bonding with the previous guards and helped them choose their own path. And out of all of them you were my favorite, well either you or the ninth, but only because he always had snacks on him. Still don't know where he kept them as his outfit didn't have pockets."
"Flapjack I've missed your stories."
"I bet you have, now let's hear more about your life. Especially how far you've gotten with the captain."
"Well, I'm actually thinking of asking her to marry me, just as soon as I figure out how, I'm not procrastinating or anything but every time I try something pops up and I want it to be special."
In true Flapjack fashion he flew right into Hunter's face and lightly slap him with his wing. "Flap what the hell!?"
"Man up and just ask her! From how lovely dovey you two are you could ask her with the common mold, and she'd still say yes. So after you leave you rush to her and ask, or titan help me I'll manifest from that tattoo of yours and peck you until you do!"
"Alright Flapjack, you win." in his hand the glyph reached the end of it's life and with one final hug he and Waffles were flung back into the past landing just next to Willow who looked equally as emotional.
Alright Flapjack, here I go.
"Willow, can I ask you something..."