Redemption (A Hermitcraft AU)

Chapter Forty-Three: Etho/Mumbo

"Hello, 'screaming ninja',"

Etho froze, remembering that day.

And that voice.

The one who had saved his life was his captor.

'Grian'.

"The name's Etho," he replied, extending a hand for the Watcher to shake. Although, the only quality that defined him as a Watcher was the eyes and wings. He wasn't even wearing the correct clothing.

"W-what happened?" Beef's groan interrupted the mildly cold and awkward introduction. Etho rushed to his side, thoughts flying through his head.

Beef just tried to kill me.

Because he was possessed.

I was saved by Grian...

Who took me in the first place.

This has to be the ultimate torn.

"You were possessed and tried to kill your best friend," Grian offered. "Are you Beef?" Beef nodded, then shared a look with Etho.

They were both thinking the same thought, Etho was sure.

Best friend?

Who's gonna tell him?

Then it seemed to hit Beef.

"I did what?!" he yelped.

"Tried to-"

"It's not important," Etho cut him off. Beef's eyes darted to the bloodstained spot on Etho's arm, but Etho pretended like he didn't notice.

"I'm sorry," Beef whispered. "I'm-"

"It's not your fault," Etho interrupted him briskly. "And it doesn't matter. But what does matter is that any one of the Hermits could be dead right now, and we're sitting here stalling."

That got Grian and Beef's attention.

"What?!" Grian practically squeaked. "What's going on?"

"Fight now, explain later," Etho replied. "The Hermits are holding off the Watchers as much as they can, but considering they respawn and we don't, well..."

"Say no more," Beef stood up, then the three of them made a run for the complex staircases of the End City.

"Can't you use your wings?" Etho suggested, glancing at Grian.

"Damaged," he replied. "I'll need to heal them up first. We can focus on them afterwards."

Fueled by panic and determination, the trio made it to the battlefield in no time. The endstone was stained red and cyan, and Etho felt a burst of relief when there seemed to be more cyan than red.

We might just be winning.

There were a lot fewer Watchers than before. Etho wasn't sure how the Hermits managed to do it, but the battle was about even now.

How?

It hit Etho when he watched Xay stab another Watcher.

Oh.

OH.

Turns out, even if you were a Watcher, being killed by a Watcher would perma-kill you.

The Hermits are getting them injured and on their deathbeds, and Xay's finishing the job.

Brutally smart.

If we keep this up...

This battle might be winnable after all.

POV Shift: Mumbo

The battle was going well, Mumbo would say.

No one had died.

Mumbo would say they were on to a winner.

"You FOOLS!" Zena shouted as the Hermits regrouped. "What have you done?! You've doomed us all, you've-"

"We've doomed us all?" Grian cut in, turning everyone's heads towards him, Etho, and...

BEEF?!

"No, you're the one who's ruined everything!" Grian continued. "You're the power-hungry one who's killed more than we can count!"

"Oh, I'm the killer now?" Zena spat. "Then you all are becoming me. At least I don't kill mindlessly. You all have taken lives tonight, and no remorse!"

Maybe she's right...

"Stop trying to make us believe you!" Grian shouted. "You're wreaking lives and servers in your never-ending quest for power, and it'll never work. You've stolen and ruined lives, and for what? Nothing, that's what! Your legacy will never see the light. Why don't you give up now, and save yourself?" 

He's trying to give her a... chance?

"Grian, Zena doesn't deserve this," Xay interrupted. "She's done more than you know."

"You don't understand," Zena shrieked. "None of you do! I have a vision, a world, it all comes together, but you, you all are spreading more bloodshed and ruining more than you could ever imagine, and I won't have it! You all will die, starting with him."

And with that, Zena thrust her hands out, firing a blast of magic at Grian.

He blocked with his own magic.

It all happened too quick.

The forces collided.

The magic was strong.

Too strong.

And Mumbo could do nothing except watch

As Grian fell

Down

             Down

                           Down

Mumbo was running.

He wasn't fast enough.

A scream.

Maybe it was his own.

The world blurred around him.

Please,

There was no point in pleading now.

His wrist buzzed.

He didn't have to look to know the message.

<Grian was slain by ⨅ᒷリᔑ>

Their mission didn't matter anymore.

The world didn't matter anymore.

Grian was... gone.

A lie was told, but new truths will arise tonight.

-Storm