The Eye of the Crooked [Hermitcraft Fan Fiction]

Chapter XVI

Iskall placed the last block of his latest rustic house, looking at his work. He was mentally and physically tired of building rustic houses. He looked down the gigantic cave, looking at the rows and rows of houses. He wondered what would happen when he eventually ran out of space.

He wanted to rest, take a break and sit down. He wanted to at least lean against a wall and just stop working for once. But of course NPG wouldn't allow that and he definitely didn't plan on getting... he shivered at the thought of being whipped again.

The few hours of sleep he had managed to get were full of nightmares and he wondered if just not sleeping at all was better for his health. His skin had gone pale from the lack of sunlight and he had definitely gone thin.

The sound of the iron door creaking open echoed in the cave and he flinched, hearing footsteps coming closer and closer...

● . ◌ ◯ ◌ . ‬●

Stress finished building her tree at the shopping district, stepping back to take in her work. She smiled triumphantly, proud of herself.
"I can't wait to brew the potions," she said excitedly. "Maybe I should ask Iskall for some slime balls so I can make magma cream just incase."

She made sure her elytra was strapped on tight and took her rockets out, launching into the sky. The cool evening breeze played with her short brown hair as she flew towards the portal, so she moved the strands out of her face with one hand while using the rockets with the other. She looked up realising she was flying head-first into the obsidian part of the portal as she sharply turned right, just as False came out of the portal.

"Watch out!" Stress yelled a second too late. False looked up as her eyes widened. Stress crashed into False.

"Ow," False muttered from under her.

"Oh my gosh," Stress immediately forced herself up despite the pain in her arm. "I'm so sorry, False."

False sat up, rubbing her head. "That's alright," she murmured as she swayed slightly.

"Are you okay?" Stress helped False up, wrapping one of her arms around her shoulders so False could stay upright.

"Sure," False said, not-sounding-okay-at-all. And then False's head lolled back, going limp in Stress's arms.

"Oh god, oh no," Stress panicked as she looked around for help. She spotted Cleo near the head-hunt game.

"Cleooo," she called out but Cleo was just a bit too far.

Stress dragged False down the water elevator, making sure she didn't hit her head.

"Cleooo," she called as she continued dragging False towards her.

Cleo raised her head, looking around to see who had said her name.

Stress waved one arm trying to get her attention. Cleo finally spotted her, her eyes widening.

She immediately flew over, stumbling as she landed next to them.

"What happened?" Cleo asked scanning False as she helped Stress hold her.

"It's my fault," Stress said, at the verge of tears. "My hair was in my face and I couldn't see where I was going and-"

"Woah, calm down," Cleo said in a calming voice. "It's ok, I'm sure it's nothing serious."