Reality Check - A Huntric/Goldric Based Fic

The Getaway (CHP 21)

Well, this thing that we had built was flaying into shreds. It was short and it was dry like the hair on a shrunken head.

-TV Girl

The camp stood in utter silence, fearing the authority and strange power the owner, Belos had over them as he began his speech. Edric had attended a year previously and had honestly remembered anything that happened loosely, the whole thing being some sort of fever dream he could never quite grasp, no matter how hard he tried to remember it. One thing was for sure, he didn't remember the long speech at the end. He bounced his leg a bit, glancing back at his cabin to check when Hunter was coming back. He mostly tuned out the speech but snapped back to attention at the end of the hour.

"Goodbye, Reality Check." Belos' voice was loud in the silence, a shattering affect over the slight confusion and awe of parents and children completely entranced by his gaze. 

The man sneered, his face twisting from it. Edric raised an eyebrow in curiosity but suddenly, he felt a sharp drawn-out pain in his wrist. He hissed, grasping at it desperately while he glanced down. The temporary tattoo Belos had put on it earlier was glowing, a strange and golden feeling pulsing through his veins. The orange from the butterfly spread in thick lines, his hand beginning to shake as he struggled to stay conscious. He glanced around the circle of campers and parents. Each one had been convinced to have their skin marked by such a thing and they were struggling just as much. This was wrong, everything was wrong.

The Collector, a childish figure, had been freed and in a physical form, had escaped into the grassy area. Their white curls flowed freely around their head as they began to levitate, changing the layout of the land as Edric watched with a blurred and minimal vision, barely able to do anything. Thankful for the distraction, he weakly scrambled over to Hunter who was painstakingly kneeling in the cabin doorway.

While the Collector wreaked havoc, changing the formation of trees and paths, shifting views of the world as all knew it, Luz gestured to her wrist, whistling at the child of the stars. He nodded, snapping their fingers and all energy being drained was paused.

Edric sighed in relief, the burning sensation in his wrist pausing. Hunter nodded at him, as they both grabbed onto each other and stumbled to stand, peering over the whole camp. Only a few were still conscious and were able to stand; Luz, Willow, Gus and Amity. As Belos had cracked the blue vial, Titan's Blood began to flow into the portal generator, the murky and dark seeming doorway opened up, connecting the two realms. He stood for a moment, gazing into it before his focused shifted onto Hunter as he took few very graceful and deliberate steps towards him.

"Out of all the Grimwalkers, you were the most like him. I had faith you wouldn't fall prey to these feeble human tricks, such as false love and... well, whatever they have to offer." He shrugged delicately, turning back to the portal and attempting to avoid the Collector, even though they knew what he was after.

Hunter was paralyzed; he knew his uncle was talking to him. His grip on Edric tightened, who hadn't heard a word. His eyes were focused on the pale, lavender haired girl a few feet away, who had grasped onto her girlfriend. Hunter hadn't blamed him for being so zeroed-in on his sister. He wasn't even sure if he thought Edric should know what he was quite yet... what the hell even was a Grimwalker?

The faded voices of their camper friends were around them, urging them towards the portal Belos had gone into. Edric hesitated, glancing at his boyfriend. The idea of following Belos any longer, even physically, made Hunter nauseous. How was he supposed to stand the man who had ruined him, changed him? Made whatever he was, perhaps a form of a human, perhaps a monster.. who was to tell? Despite this doubt, there was no other option. It wasn't safe for them here, and the chances of surviving just by going through a simple portal.

Hunter took one last glance at the camp. Many were still lying on the lawn, mostly unconscious. The Collector stood above it all, battling with Belos both physically and verbally. He hadn't gotten to the portal, not quite. Which was some relief, right? Unless he was then to follow them in-

They gestured in a means of violence and before Hunter could tell what happened to his uncle, he was dragged through the portal by Edric. 

Hours passed. Or maybe it was minutes? No one could tell at that point, not... not where they had woken up. Luz woke up first, blinking into the warm atmosphere. She was laying down on her back, her face facing the sky. It was a warm, orangish color with puffy yellow clouds. She took a moment, memories washing over her like the edge of a beach. Panicked, she sat up and her eyes darted around her. Amity, Gus, Willow, Hunter, Edric.

Amity.

 Willow.

 Gus.

 Hunter.

Edric.

All that were pulled through the portal in a desperate need of survival were there. Yet, so much was missing. Her mother was still stuck where they had come from, and Luz quickly began to regret leaving her behind. She now had no clue the next time she'd get to to tell her mother she loved her, the next tinfoil swan she'd make her, the next Azura movie they'd get to see, the next time they would get to even see each other. The thought of losing her mom permanently already began to eat at her. Camilla Noceda wouldn't be dead; Luz knew her mom would survive whatever the Collector would try and throw at her. But it was so much more than having the closure of knowing her mother was somewhere beyond their earthly endeavors. It was the guilt of knowing and understanding that somewhere out there in Reality Check, her mom was fighting for her own life, unsure whether Luz was okay. Luz had the chance to grab her too, pull her through the portal. Yet she hadn't and the guilt had already began to eat her alive.

She wasn't alone in all of this, though. She wasn't the only one losing a parent, she felt like it wasn't that big of a deal. Besides, this 'Hexsquad' all had each other, what else could they possibly want at the end of their society?

(first edited version- August 18th, 2023.)

1100 words.