𝗗𝗜𝗦𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗨𝗘𝗗 - Hermitcraft Hellhole. Or Tartarus. Whatever works.

Deals

you shouldn't get caught up in things out of your control.
word count: 930

"So you're here." They state, sounding bored, as if he has not traveled miles just to be here. He doesn't care, though. This will be when they figure things out.

"Yes. You know what I've come here to do, I know you've... checked." He says. It was worse than that, they infiltrated peoples' minds, to find out why he was here, what to do next.

He was grateful, though, that they didn't infiltrate his mind, because after all is said and done, it is his last sanctuary, to take refuge in.

"Indeed." They purr, "I like knowing all my information. Like that you will join me."

"Yeah. I will." He says, though inside he is not so convinced. He wishes he stopped messing with things that shouldn't have been messed with, wished that he stopped forcing things out of control.

"Good. You know all it entails, right? Just like your father." They say, taunting him. He is following in the footsteps he swore never to follow. What would the others think of him, he wonders.

"Yes, I did my research." He does not like the way the yes sounded final. Though it was final, he would not be going back any time soon.

They smile, or he assumes they do. They are wearing a cape with a hood, covering all identifying features. This is the way he has always met them, and so did others, he thinks.

"You'll be useful. Finally snapped out of your delusion about how 'evil' they were didn't you?" They ask.

He knows what they mean. He only nods. He is not looking forward to ripping open not healed scars again.

"Come. You are in my service now, as the River Styx sees it." They say, striding away from the brightly illuminated city he was demanded to meet them at.

He follows, as if he doesn't follow the oath, the goddess of the river will give him the karma he deserves. Truthfully, he would have deserved all that karma for what he has done, or will do.

They do not talk. There is no need to. He gives a quick glance to the city, and back into his uncertain future.

———

I'm the first to find his letter. In all honesty, I was probably the last person to be able to find his letter. I had never been close to him, you see. I gave him waves when I saw him around the camp, yes, but other than that we stayed in our usual areas and never really interacted.

Now as I read his very vague letter, I start to wonder where he has gone. The letter doesn't mention. It doesn't mention much at all, actually. It is only farewells mixed with apologizes.

I have a sinking feeling in my chest that they will not see him alive. I hope we will though, only for him. Not that I'd do anything for him.

I reread the letter again:

Hello, dear hermits or anyone else who finds this letter.

I think I'm saying goodbye. I'm probably saying goodbye.

You have all been good and dear friends of mine, but I feel like it might be time for me to stop. I don't mind constantly moving around when a monster attacks, or moving when we're tired of what we have made.

I have never minded, but I feel that things are coming to a close. I am not the first to leave, I won't be the last. I need to do some thing. One last thing.

Goodbye Hermits.

- Xb

I looked around his small quarters again, noticing how plain and bare it was, though there was only one thing he had left.

It was on the table, not on the bed where I found the letter. It was a small photo of Xb, taken this year, I recognized where it was taken.

He looked a bit lost at sea, I thought.

A knock at the door startles me out of my thoughts. I looked up in surprise.

A green suited man, wearing a visor that I'd recognize anywhere was leaning against the wall, seeming surprised to see me.

"Oh, hello there, Cleo." He chuckled awkwardly.

"Hello X. I think Xb's gone, somewhere." I told him, gesturing to the letter and the photo.

"Did he say where?" X asked, straightening up slightly.

"No, his letter was pretty vague actually. He said he had to do one last thing, but he didn't mention what."

"Oh. I suppose we should tell the others at some point. We have no clue where he's gone, and if he wanted to go, well we shouldn't stop him." X murmured.

He used the wall to push off as he exited Xb's quarters, probably for the last time.

It was almost surreal, honestly to have someone you've seen around so many times just disappear.

I glanced around again, realizing this was probably the first and last time I had been here; though it probably looked better before he had left, more like him.

I hadn't really talked to him, so I wouldn't get to know him.

The room was pretty bare, though it was painted a soft blue colour, the bed had hand knitted quilts on it, the table was pockmarked with scratches, which made it much more real.

I decided to leave Xb's quarters, before someone else decided to barge in here or set someone on fire.

If you didn't have eyes everywhere —- which fortunately X didn't —- then people would be sure to burn things down, Grian and Zedaph at the head.

————

Just a bit of my PJO AU. Of course, I've hinted nothing here about godly parents or powers. I will explain a few things though seperate from this A/N.

Since I wrote Xb's letter in first person, I wrote the rest in first person, which really threw me off, so that's why the first few paragraphs before the letter may be worded awkwardly.