Hunter x Edric - The Owl House

Chapter Ten - The Owl Strikes Back

"EDRIC YOU IDIOT!" Hunter shouted. But before anything else could be said, a blood curdling scream filled the air.
Oh god.
This whole situation was stupid, really. This had all happened because some little goddamn gay boys didn't know how to manage their emotions. The lights of regrets and fears filled the room, as all could hear as Edric's lungs tore with screams.
Then there was laughing. A laughing only Edric could hear. It was shrill and playful, but mischievous. A voice he had never heard before. His organs, his heart, burned. Bright white lights flared out of his eyes as the shadow of the eclipse danced across his face.
"Oh me, oh my! What a plight!" The voice said.
"I'm finally free, this very night!" They called out with a giggle.
"Oh but do not fret, little Blight!"
Oh god no.
"All you have to do is..."
It was...them...
"Look into the light!" Another loud giggle. Not one of happiness. They sounded like they were laughing at a pun or some kind of joke, but really, they were laughing at Edric as he screamed out in pain.

The Collector.

"The sacrifice wasn't just a sacrifice." Raine shouted, as the show of orange and blue lights cascaded throughout the room. Edric dropped to his knees.
Light pooled and shown out of Edrics eyes, and the formation of a blue and orange eclipse appeared across his face, where the shadow of the eclipse had once been. (Why couldn't this have been a Lumity fic???? COME ON, COLLECTOR AMITY SOUNDS GREAT, Right???"

"They were an offering." Hunter said.

Screaming. Pain. NO NO NO.
SCREAMING. SCREAMING. SCREAMING.
STOP STOP, STOP IT, STOP IT, HE'S DYING, THEY'RE KILLING HIM.
Edric couldn't breathe. He couldn't think. All he could comprehend was pain. Living in a world of suffering.

Hunter was an idiot. He always had been, really. But he was an idiot with determination, a heart, and someone to save. With near no hesitation, he pushed passed Emira and Amity.
"Kid!" Eda shouted and reached out to stop him.

Hunter had just found someone he cared for. Someone he liked, someone whose company he enjoyed! Someone he...maybe in another world, could have...
He didn't know the word. He just didn't know it. It felt wrong to say it.
Love?
Really? The Emperor had taught him that power was a weapon and love was a weakness. But here it sort of felt...empowering...in a way? And to no extent had he ever had love or affection shown to him. So for his own and Edric's sake, HE WASN'T LETTING IT GO!.....and to stop the whole mass genocide thing, I guess.

"EDRIC, hold on!" Hunter called. There was somehow wind. A force pushing everyone back. Impact as the Collector was possessing the sacrifice. It caused everyone to fall back.
All except Hunter who stood steady near Edric. Edric began floating, surrounded by the white light. It was familiar to the way people looked when they were 'ascending.'
"Hang in there, for me, okay?!" He shouted. He didn't know if Edric could hear him, the sounds of the wind, and the fires crackling were raging on.
There was shouting.
"HANG ON!" Hunter yelled again as he held his hand out and tried to pull Edric off of the platform.

Emperor Belos knew what he was doing. When he awoke after being crushed, he knew what he was doing.
He made them think they were safe. That's why Edric stepped on the platform like an idiot. Just like accidentally stepping on a snail. It feels so insignificant, and yet, you've single handedly taken away the life of another creature.
"HANG O-"

Silence.

Edric had thought about how he would die once or twice. More so, what would be a cool way to die. He never did care much for the future, but it was a fun thought.
But, of all those options that he had thought of, he couldn't think of any of them. All those possibilities that he had practically lost sleep over...he couldn't remember a single one. All he could think about was that one boy. Hunter.
[Another Romeo and Juliet reference.]