Hunted | A HermitCraft AU

Weeks

Time wasn't real.

That's what Xerexis told themself, at least, considering Xisuma and Scar and Joe all said that two weeks had passed since Mumbo's attack.

Luckily for them, Grian and Mumbo and False were all healed up. Grian's wings were useable and he could fly with them comfortably, thanks to the regeneration potions that, with Doc's guidence, had allowed the bone to fix and the feathers to grow back.

Mumbo's torso wounds were now little more than a scar, and his knee was fixed, albeit a tad rusty and hard to walk with at times. While Mumbo waited for this to be solves, so he could commision a new suit from Stress (if she could be saved), he was 'borrowing' a hoodie from Jevin, who was missing?

Xerexis hadn't seen him at all, even though they'd seen some of the other hermits in passing, and whenever they mentioned Jevin's name, everyone went quiet, and Grian looked like he were about to cry.

Cleo and Cub too, whenever they mentioned them, although the weird thing was, they were still walking around.

What was up with that?

Xerexis didn't know.

As for False, her minor wounds and rope burns had cleared up, although her leather gloves couldn't be saved. Neither could her cracked goggles, so she was sticking with bandages wrapped around her nuckles as protection when she gae into the overwhelming urge to punch Doc in the face.

...

Okay, that very last part was a lie. Xerexis was just projecting. In their defence though, Doc had a very punchable face, and an irritating, controlling personality to match, so Xerexis wasn't a fan. False actually used her bandaged hands to stop her hands from growing sore from constant handling of a sword, since none of them left without a sword.

Not while Stress and Tango were around, possessed by demons (from the sound of it. All they'd picked up from context is that Stress and Tango were now being refered to as Kady and Rowan, which happened to be the names of some demon thing possessing them. Xerexis was a little confused.)

That was beside the point.

Or was it entirely the point?

Xerexis wasn't sure. All they knew was that Xisuma and Doc (the self proclaimed leaders) had decided that they would confront Rowan and Kady 'once and for all' pretty soon. Xisuma and Doc had figured out that them, and a few other mystery people would be conveening in the end pretty soon, and apparantly the demons didn't like the void, so they would be pushed in and killed in the void?

Xerexis didn't understand it fully, if they were completely honest, and they strongly disliked that.

They were waiting another couple of weeks, Xerexis recalled, and until they could ambush the meeting, they'd prepare for the fight and make sure everything was sorted and that they had everythig they needed for the battle.

And since no one trusted Xerexis with food, or potions, or enchanting gear, they were left to guard Area 77 while the other worked.

Fun.

---

The first tim Xerexis really knew what was happening, it was too late. 

Well, that was an exaggeration. 

Nothing bad really came out of it for Xerexis. Maybe their friends, and their worldview on his lying, manipulative piece of sh- 

That was too out of hand, and Xerexis was slightly ashamed to think of Xisuma that way now. How could they not though? 

See, it was a week until they were due to attack Rowan and Kady. 

Then Rowan and Kady had decided to make the first move, although they didn't do much with it. They simply pined Xerexis to a wall, Kady/Stress holding them down while Tango/Rowan mocked him, and told them all sorts of stuff. 

They learned a lot of things that night. 

They learned how Grian, under Heidi's control, had laughed as he tortured and murdered Jevin. 

They learned how Kady had seperated Cub and Scar, and how Cub had died, believing Scar to be a traitor. 

They learned how Grian still cried at night, and still mourned Jevin, staying up till the early hours of the morning, wracked with grief. 

They learned how Scar still craved Cub's touch, and wished for his fellow convex to be back. 

They learned how Cub and Cleo were still walking around, and they learned that Rowan had much bigger plans for Cub and Cleo, but specifics of those plans were still a mystery. 

They learned how they could reverse Iskall's tranformation, but one of the specifics. Nothing truely helpful. 

Last and most importantly though. 

They learned their brother was a manipulative liar. They learned that Xisuma had lied, and that Xisuma had betrayed Mumbo and Stress for his own freedom. They learned that Xisuma couldn't be trusted. 

They learned their bother had been lying to them, and all the hermits for however long, and they hated it. 

They'd also been invited to join. Rowan had said that Xerexis could join them, and fight against Xisuma if they wanted, and if they didn't? No biggie, they would be set free and Rowan and Kady would go on their merry way. 

Xerexis had been tempted to accept. 

But then they'd heard Grian's crying again, and they'd felt a pang of guilt. They couldn't let the hermits continue to fall for Xisuma's lies, and if Xerexis could help them learn the truth and have Xisuma punished, then they'd stick around with the hermits. 

So they'd refused. 

And as they'd said, Rowan and Lady had been gone pretty quickly. 

Leaving Xerexis alone with their thoughts. 

---

brief a/n: apparantly xisuma spend an entire snapshot video refering to ex by they/them

xisuma said enby ex rights, huh 

anyways, expect they/them for xerexis from this point forwards :)