Promise | Golden Guard [Rewritten]

|Eight

"Fellow citizens, we are born into chaos, our lives anger the titan."  You widen your eyes as Hunter stares in admiration for his lying uncle. "My own family has been hurt by the darkness of wild magic."

The memory Belos's staff started to smoke and spark. You watched him play off the mistake by swishing the staff around as the staff glowed nine different colors. For nine different covens.

"I've been shown the healing light!" Everyone 'ooh'ed and 'ah'ed at the pretty lights his staff created. "It shows in nine hues!"

You glanced at Hunter, your face practically asking, Can you believe this? But you paused when you saw him smiling slightly. Hunter is believing this.

You gulped before looking back at the stage. The lights disappear and Hunter nudges Luz with his elbow. "See? He's always been helping people!"

Just then, there was a loud explosion and Hunter looked around to find you and grabbed your arm before looking where the explosion came from. 

It came from around the stage and Belos said, "Wild Witches!" He ducked slightly as the explosions got louder. "They have found me! Run!"

Hunter pulled your arm harshly, and shoved Luz forward. "Go!"

"Hunter, you gotta stop pulling my arm so hard!" You complained. "It hurts!"

You, Hunter, and Luz ran around the corner and your breath hitched when you saw another Golden Guard.

You squeezed Hunter's hand. "Is that you?" You whispered.

Hunter took a deep breath. "No. That's...a different one."

Belos stood over the Golden Guard. "You incompetent fool! You nearly took my head off with that blast!"

The Golden Guard looked at the ground, away from the man who stood over him. "I'm sorry, Lord Belos..."

Belos gives him one last look before walking away. "I'm off to the next town."

You watched the Golden Guard turn and say, "What about the rest of these?" And he revealed boxes and boxes of tiny little bombs. 

Belos turned his head slightly. "Put on a bigger show..."

You felt Hunter squeeze your hand as he tensed up. The Golden Guard lit a match and set the bombs.

You, Hunter, and Luz walk out the portrait in a daze, following the mini Belos.

Luz looked at the two of you, angry. "Belos was lying!" She said in a desperate voice. "Wild Witches weren't attacking him! How could you guys help someone like that?!"

Hunter released your hand to retaliate. "That was probably a special technique to get people to listen to his message!" Hunter started walking, yanking your arm.

"Hunter, ow! I said stop pulling so hard!"

He looked back at Luz, ignoring you. "It's...It's for the greater good..."

Luz looked at him frustrated before turning to you. "Y/n, do you at least believe me? Can you trust Belos after what you just saw?!"

You froze staring at her. 

Hunter stepped in front of you. "Don't try to manipulate them into your lies, Human!" 

"I was talking to Y/N!" Luz snapped. She looked at you over Hunter's shoulder. "Well?"

Hunter turned slightly to look at you. Luz and Hunter watch you expectantly. Your heart started to race and your palms started to sweat. Should you tell the truth?

Should you lie for Hunter?

Tell the truth.

Lie.

Truth.

Lie.

Truth.

LIE.

TRUTH!

LIE ABOUT IT Y/N!

TELL LUZ THE TRUTH, Y/N!

DO IT!

DO IT!

You back up and squeezed your eyes shut. "Leave me alone!" You snapped and you turned and ran off.

"Y/n!" Hunter yelled. He turned angrily to Luz. "This is your fault for overwhelming them!"

Luz tensed. "Me?! For asking their opinion? It's you! They're probably scared of disappointed you!"

Hunter paused. "What-" He glared. "N...No! They trust me, I trust them! They tell me everything! I know they agree with me!"

There was a slimy hand reaching out and Luz gasped. "It found us!" She yelled. They followed Mini Belos into another portrait. 

Hunter stopped, "Wait- We can't leave Y/n!"

"They can protect themselves, Hunter! They're your sidekick for a reason! You gotta actually start trusting them instead of protecting them like they're some child!"

Hunter looked back in the direction you ran before jumping in the portrait.

Luz and Hunter followed Mini Belos. As they ran, Hunter said, "I just worry I might lose them, okay?" He said defensively. 

Luz sighed. "They can protect themselves! You may trust them with telling you things, but you need to trust them on how strong they are."

"But they could die if-"

"Did you not hear me? They can protect themselves! You're literally sheltering them!" She said irritated. "Why do you care so much anyway? I thought you only cared about Belos and other evil things."

They stop running. "Y/n. They..." He paused. "They're all I have other than Belos...Even Belos doesn't listen to me. But Y/n does. They listen to me and make me feel heard...That's why I like them. They're nice to me, and are always here for me if Belos isn't."

"Do you see why you shouldn't trust Belos, now? He isn't there for you when you need it!" She said, trying to get through to him. 

"Here you go again with 'Belos is evil.' He just makes mistakes, okay?" 

They stop in front of a circle of people, Belos in the middle.

You stumbled through the mindscape, tears in your eyes. You were torn between lying and telling the truth.

You didn't want to lose Hunter, but you also wanted to say what you wanted to. But what you wanted to say, Hunter didn't agree with.

You loved Hunter too much to lose him. He was all you had. Forget your mother. Forget your siblings. Forget Belos! Hunter was all you cared about. No one else. 

And if you lost him...you didn't know what you'd do. 

You heard a grumble and turned and the Inner Belos and gasped. He stood over you, eyes looking everywhere.

He sniffed you and moved on. Wait...what? You turned and watched the Inner Belos walk away, nose in the air.

Why didn't he...attack me?

Your eyes land on a portrait. The same one you saw earlier. A man who looked like Hunter, carving a mask for a boy who looked like the Mini Belos in the mindscape.