Everything Changes So Quickly... [DISCONTINUED]

Chapter 14: Philip [Part: 2] (Hunter's POV)

And so, the three were walking, well Philip was limping, through a forest to wherever the Collecter was supposed to be according to Philip.

"So, Luzura, you and your Aunt Dirtrude started traveling together after the Toe-gres attacked your castle and covered it with an impenetrable mist?" Philip asked.

Hunter rolled his eyes. In all honesty, it was the dumbest backstory he had ever heard. There was no way Philip actually believed them. He was probably just so desperate to have people to help him that he really couldn't care less about their fake stories. Hunter thought he was kind of sketchy anyway, so he made sure to keep his guard up around him, he was sure that Philip noticed to some extent.

"Yes, and that's why we, too, seek The Collector! We need him to tell us how to clear the mists so we can return home..." Luz explained dramatically.

Philip led the trio into a cave.

"Now... Anyone bring a torch?" Philip asked.

Luz took out a light glyph and tapped on it, causing the paper to scrunch up into a ball of light. Hunter noticed that Philip was just as interested in it as he was.

"Astounding! I thought I was the only one who used picto-glyphs!" Philip exclaimed.

"You use glyphs too?" Luz asked, handing Philip a light glyph.

"How else could I have survived here? Plant growth, ice, fire... Took years to find them," Philip drew the glyph into his journal, "Almost as if the world wanted to hide them from me. I even found one in a snowflake!"

"My dude, me too!" Luz replied.

Philip walked a bit more ahead, leaving Luz, Lilith, and Hunter just out of his hearing range.

"Ah! I can't believe I taught Philip something new!" Luz squealed in excitement to Hunter and Lilith.

"Luz, look, there's something weird about this guy," Hunter told her.

"What do you mean?" Luz asked.

"I don't know, I just feel it or something..." Hunter replied.

"So it's a gut feeling? Well, it can't be that bad then, right?" Luz asked.

"No, Luz, I'm getting this, 'gut feeling' as well," Lilith stated.

"Well, I just need to figure out how to make a portal and then we're leaving, it won't take too long after all," Luz responded.

"If you say so..." Lilith muttered as they caught up to Philip.

Philip conjured up light glyphs as he lead them deeper into the cave.

"Line there, curve there... fascinating, absolutely fascinating..." Philip mumbled.

Hunter glanced at Lilith. She still had an uneasy look on her face. Hunter also didn't feel too sure about this experience, but he didn't dare show it openly. His uncle always told him not to.

"If you don't trust someone, never show it, you can never be too sure how that person will react to your expression or actions," Belos warned.

Suddenly, Philip looked back at them, pulling Hunter back into the real world.

"Your niece is very talented, I'm sure she takes after her aunt," Philip commented.

Hunter glanced at Lilith again, this time, she seemed flattered.

"Oh," Lilith chuckled shyly, "Maybe I... had a little something to do with it..."

Hunter showed no signs of suspicion on his face, but on the inside, he could tell something just wasn't right. Lilith no longer seemed suspicious of Philip because Philip flattered her. Philip knew exactly what to do to shake off suspicion, it was almost as if he had done something like this countless times before, it was almost as if he was experienced with people like her.